Book Review: 15 Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect With Your Kids by Rebecca Cohen

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15 Minutes Outside imageGoing outside everyday with your kids is easier than you think, and there are lots of good reasons to do so. That’s the premise of a new book by gardening and outdoor lifestyle expert Rebecca P. Cohen. Frustrated that the demands of her business and daily life kept her from spending as much time with her two young sons as she wanted, Cohen made a commitment that she would spend at least 15 minutes outside with them every day.

Even when the weather was extremely cold or very hot, Cohen stuck to the plan, and she found that her family’s new outdoor-oriented lifestyle was healthy not just for the kids, but for her and her husband as well. Cohen writes, “With some fresh air and movement, I feel grounded, active, and strong, yet relaxed.”

Using her own experience, Cohen gathered a list of ideas and tips to help you put them into action in her book, 15 Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect With Your Kids. The recommendations you’ll find there are inspiring in many ways. While some may not work for your area, like riding public transportation to an outing, some are simple enough for almost everyone, like going outside to enjoy the sunset or having a picnic lunch. After reading about Cohen’s experience you’re sure to be motivated to come up with ideas for your own family.

While you’ll certainly find that many of the activities work best for younger children, you can also adapt many of them to appeal to your older kids as well. Check out more ideas on Cohen’s website. There you can watch TV episodes Cohen has produced with ideas for getting out of the house, and you can view other products she has created, like her curiosity cards, great for taking along on a walk to help engage your kids with the world around them.

Book Review: Zita the Space Girl by Ben Hatke

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Zita the Spacegirl imageWhen Zita finds a gadget in what appears to be a crashed meteorite site, she can’t resist pushing the button. When she does, a creature with octopus-like limbs reaches through a tear in the sky and grabs her friend Joesph. Zita runs away, but soon she realizes that she must follow Joseph and try to bring him back.

So she pushes the button again and steps into a fantastical world of strange creatures, some friendly, some not. Zita discovers that this world is about to be destroyed by an asteroid, and those in charge think Joseph can save them.

With lots of spunk and daring, Zita tackles all sorts of challenges as she sets out on a quest to save Joseph. The friends she makes along the way just may be able to help her save the magical world she explores from destruction too.

Zita the Spacegirl, written and illustrated by Ben Hatke, is a fast-paced space adventure graphic novel. Zita is irresistible as she makes new friends and fearlessly searches for Joseph. Detailed yet simple illustrations bring all the fantastical creatures to life and give them personality. This is the first in a series that should delight readers aged 7 to 10.

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Book Review: Under the Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan

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Under the Green Hill imageWhen the Morgan children, Rowan, Meg, Silly and James, are shipped off to spend the summer in England with an elderly aunt they’ve never met, they aren’t exactly thrilled. But when they arrive at the Rookery, the castle fills their minds with thoughts of exploring and discovering secret passageways.

Those fantasies soon pale when they discover that their family is part of an ancient pact connecting them to the fairies who live under the green hill. When they realize that one of them must act as champion to the fairy queen in a coming battle, they all decide to do what they can to help out.

Under the Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan paints a richly detailed picture of fairies and other fantasy creatures who live just out of sight of normal humans. They can’t be trusted, and they like to play tricks on people to get their way. The natural world depends on their guardianship, as they depend on the guardianship of certain humans.

While the story is mostly about the four Morgan children and their adventures, it focuses mainly on Meg, who at 14 is growing more self-confident and leaving the shadow of her older brother Rowan. Meg is responsible, and she’s teased for being very like an old woman, but she can’t help seeing the consequences of all of their actions. She’s also strangely attracted to a bad boy who is along with them named Finn.

Under the Green Hill is a delightful fantasy that mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 10 and up should enjoy reading and discussing. It’s beautifully written and group members should enjoy talking about the fairy world, English castles, and the personalities of each of the children.

At the author’s request, publisher Henry Holt Books for Young Readers provided me with a copy of the book to review.

Book Review: Ada: Legend of a Healer by R. A. McDonald

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Ada Legend of a Healer imageAda has bounced around from foster home to foster home since her mother abandoned her when she was very young. When she’s kicked out of her foster-home-of-last-resort, an aunt she’s never met agrees to take her in. But Ada discovers Jessie is not really her aunt. Plus, Jessie has strange healing powers that make her the target of powerful people who want to control her, and Ada does too. Through Jessie, Ada finally learns a lot about herself and where she comes from.

Ada begins a journey of self discovery that leads her from the Pacific Northwest to France as she searches for her mother and works to elude the people who would lock her up for her abilities.

Ada: Legend of a Healer by R. A. McDonald raises questions that can be debated by mothers and daughters: If I have the ability to help someone, am I obligated to do so? Is it moral to prevent people from dying when that places greater strain on the resources of the world and reduces the quality of life for many? If the government detains someone with special powers can it ever be for their protection or is it always exploitation?

Ada is a family effort, with author McDonald collaborating for editing with her husband and two children. Family members were models for interesting charcoal drawings throughout, and the McDonalds created their own publishing house, House of Lore, to print it. While that means the format and conventions don’t always follow those of a traditionally published book, the story is reasonably well told and the issues are important to discuss. This is the first in a new series.

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Book Review: All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz

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All You Get is Me imageAurora, better known as Roar, chronicles the world around her through the lens of a camera. Taking photos got her through a rough patch when her mother disappeared and her father decided to move from the city to become an organic farmer. So it’s no surprise that she has her camera with her to record what happens during a fatal traffic accident she witnesses on the way to a farmers’ market one Saturday.

The accident starts a chain of events that irreversibly changes Roar and the world around her the summer she turns 16. As she gets to know the families on both sides of the accident, she realizes it’s not easy to place labels on people or decide what’s right and wrong on important issues.

All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz has so much for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and over to discuss. Personal issues include those of family, abandonment, romance and self-discovery. Broader issues include U.S. immigration policy, illegal immigrant farm workers, and environmental concerns of farming. Even with scenes of underage drinking and issues about teen sex, the issues are tastefully handled and I think All You Get is Me is appropriate for girls in high school. I recommend it for book clubs with girls aged 14 and up.

Publisher Harper Teen provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Book Review: The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

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the Big Crunch imageJune’s dad fixes things for companies in trouble, but once he’s done, he moves on to the next job. That’s why June has spent so much of her life moving from place to place and learning not to let friends get too close. Her dad’s mantra is to never look back, but she can’t help wishing for a place to settle down and stay for a while.

Minnesota would never be her first pick for that place, until she meets Wes. Wes has recently broken up with his girlfriend, and he doesn’t really want to get involved with someone new. He’s enjoying being his own person again, and not having to worry about how his girlfriend judged what he did. But he keeps running into June, and he can’t stop thinking about her.

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman tells the story of June and Wes as they go through the ups and downs of a high school relationship. It’s full of issues that kids who date in high school have to deal with, such as how do I relate to my friends once I start dating someone, and how do I interact with my girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s parents. Hautman is good at turning even mundane questions, like will a car be available for a date, into something that’s revealing about Wes and June’s relationship.

It shows the two teens as both thoughtful and impulsive, concerned about what their parents think, but also willing to break the rules to be together. It should provide lots of topics to discuss for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up. I recommend it.

Book Review: My Name Is Not Alexander, Story by Jennifer Fosberry & Pictures by Mike Litwin

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My Name Is Not Alexander cover imageAs a follow up to her delightful picture book, My Name Is Not Isabella, where a little girl dreamed about being like famous women in history, author Jennifer Fosberry has turned her attention to famous men and a little boy who dreams of being like them.

In My Name Is Not Alexander, a dad wakes his young son, saying, “Good morning, Alexander. It’s time for breakfast, and then let’s play ball.”

Alexander says, “My name is not Alexander!”

”Then who has been sleeping in my son’s bed?” asked the father.

His son tells him that he is “Theodore, the greatest, grandest president who ever was!”

As the day goes on Alexander switches his name and character to be Thomas Edison, Chief Joseph, Fred Astaire and Jackie Robinson. Once, he even says he’s Daddy, someone else to admire for sure.

I really loved the eclectic mix of men Fosberry chose for Alexander to admire. Each achieved great things in his own way, and the historical facts included about the “Men Who Changed the World” are included in the back. These can be great discussion starters with young readers, both girls and boys.

Mike Litwin’s illustrations are fun and creative. Their colored-pencil-like rendering could also be a way to encourage your kids to get out their own colored pencils and start drawing. It’s hard to go wrong adding this book to your list for your own kids or as a gift for any young ones you know.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Please see me review policy for more info.

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Book Review: Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt

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Sean Griswold's Head imagePayton Gritas has just had the shock of her 15-year-old life. Not only does her dad have multiple sclerosis, but her parents and her older brothers have known for months, they’ve just opted not to tell her.

Suddenly Payton, who normally follows all the rules and gets top grades, is in full rebellion. The school guidance counselor recommends she focus on something, anything, to take her mind off her family situation for a while until she is less emotional about dealing with it. The fun, and trouble, starts when Payton chooses her focus object: Sean Griswold’s head.

Because of the alphabetical proximity of their last names, Sean has sat in front of Payton every school year since third grade. She hasn’t really paid him much attention before, but suddenly he’s her assignment, and with the help of her friend Jac, she’s intent on finding out everything she can.

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt is at turns funny and emotionally insightful and thoroughly enjoyable. The more Payton finds out about Sean, the more she wants to know. Eventually she has to deal with her fears for her father’s health, her feelings of being betrayed by her family, and her growing interest in Sean. She learns a lot about making judgments about people without knowing them very well. She also discovers a lot about her self and figures out how to confront her fears instead of running away from them. I recommend Sean Griswold’s Head for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 12 and up.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

 

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