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My first summer reading list this year - 20 Titles for Young Activists! For all ages - learn about what it takes to be an activist today.

Lauren Greenfield explains how she found her voice as a documentary photographer

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First Chapter Fridays let you introduce students to a wide range of diverse compelling authors even if you can only spare a few minutes a week. In this post, find book ideas, display options, author videos, sketchnotes templates for students, and more.

Raving About Reward Tags 21 comments Behavior Management, Classroom Management, Freebies, Popular Posts, Reward Tags I love reward tags! I've used them for several years, and I can honestly say that they have had a positive impact on my students, year after year. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link. All About Reward Tags Reward tags are a classroom/behavior management tool that allows you to quickly and easily recognize, and encourage positive behavior and student effort. Best of all, they motivate students to make good choices. They are little tags that students earn for making good choices, working hard, setting a good example, demonstrating a positive attitude, and so on. Students collect tags throughout the school year and add them to a chain necklace. Why I Love Them I have found reward tags to be extremely motivating for my students. They love earning these special tags. Like, love, love, LOVE earning them. They especially love showing them off to their friends, and they take a great deal of pride in earning new tags. What I'm trying to say is, they have been really effective in encouraging my students to be the best that they can be. I also love that they give me the ability to quickly recognize behavior on the spot. I can immediately recognize students for their efforts in a significant way. How I Use Reward Tags I use reward tags to recognize my students' behavior, attitude, effort, and character. I firmly believe that when students' behavior, effort, attitudes, and character are on the right track, academic success will follow. But, the great thing about reward tags is that they really can be used however you want! Honestly, there is no right or wrong way to use them. Introducing them to Students I don't waste any time when it comes to introducing reward tags to my students. On day one, I give each student the same reward tag, usually one that marks the beginning of the year, like the one below that reads "This year will be awesome!" No one earns their first tag, everyone gets one. There is definitely more to it than just giving the students their first tag, though. I cover the following in our discussion: I explain what reward tags are. I explain how the students can earn them (and I make every effort to start awarding them as soon as possible thereafter). I go over the procedures for when students can wear their reward tags and my expectations for students when they are wearing their necklaces. Keep reading for these details. ;) How Students Earn Reward Tags I hand out tags whenever I see that a student has earned one. I cannot stress enough that in my classroom a student must earn his or her tags. And, again, they earn a tag based on their behavior, attitude, effort, and work habits. I do not hand them out lightly, nor do I use them as a form of bribery. For example, if a student stands out because they are working especially hard, persevering through a tough assignment or situation, or being super helpful or kind, I would award a tag. The Necklaces Whenever my students earn a new tag, they get to wear their necklace for the day. On Fridays, all of the students get to wear their necklaces for the entire day. At the end of the school year, the students take their necklaces home to keep forever! NOTE: I have a strict hands-off policy. My expectation is that when a student is wearing his/her necklace, that he/she does not touch it, pull on it, play with it, etc. If a student chooses to play with his/her necklace, he/she has to remove it. I explain this at the beginning of the school year as part of my expectations. Bottom line, if a student is busy fidgeting with the necklace, they aren't focusing on their learning, and that is why it has to come off. I've had lots of people ask me where I purchase my necklaces. I typically buy mine from eBay. But, if eBay isn't your thing, rest assured, you can also find them on Amazon. Storing Reward Tag Necklaces When the necklaces aren't being used, they hang on the wall behind our classroom door. They are numbered to match the students' numbers, which makes it easy to keep track of the necklaces. My classroom is extremely small and this space is just perfect for tucking them away, yet keeping them accessible to the students at the same time. You can grab these number cards HERE for free! :) Storing Reward Tags I store my reward tags in DMC floss organizers. I removed the lids and this gives me easy access to the tags. I need to be able to see what I have, so this is perfect for me. I store them on the shelf behind my desk so it's really easy to find, and grab, a tag quickly! I have five organizers full of tags ready to be handed out. Having a collection of tags this size might seem overkill, but it gives me variety. I never run out. During the summer, I reprint/stock up tags that I've run low on. I always print my tags on card stock and then laminate for durability. Reward Tag Resources I recently made a few sets of tags, and I'm loving them! What I love most is that there is space above the words and images to accommodate the hole punch. I want the words to show! The kids have earned these tags and I hate for the recognition to be punched out and lost. A Freebie for You If you've read this far, I have a little freebie for you! You can download the colored tags below by clicking here. Don't worry, there is a black and white version too. Keep scrolling! If you prefer to save ink, then black and white reward tags are for you! Click here to grab this black and white set. I hope you can use it. Enjoy! More Reward Tag Related Posts I have a few more reward tag posts that you might find helpful: Reward Tags {Tips and Tricks} Reward Tags {All Your Questions Answered} 6 Reasons to Use Reward Tags in the Classroom Getting Started with Reward Tags Tips for Prepping Reward Tags Reward Tag Resources Looking for a more complete reward tag collection? Be sure to check out my resources on TPT. I have lots of options available. Click on an image to learn more. :) I also offer black and white reward tags for those who prefer a more ink friendly option. :) DON'T FORGET IT: PIN IT! Share It:

Note from Bob: Yesterday I discovered that my LeadingWithQuestions.com post last Thursday, February 2 was my 500th Post! (The first was on March 15, 2012) So grateful for all who have joined me on this journey to increase your Leadership Effectiveness X 10! Today’s Post is #501: Questions As The Ultimate Leadership Tool Excerpted with the permission from “Leading with Questions” by Dr. Michael Marquardt – pages 25-27 Another example of a leader who makes effective use of questions is Commander D. Michael Abrashoff. Through what he calls “Grassroots Leadership,” Commander Abrashoff turned around the operations of the USS Benfold, one of the U.S. Navy’s most modern warships. His methods were...

About the Book "First published as an ebook in 2016"--Title page verso. Book Synopsis Fall in love with this emotional New York Times bestselling romance between two tortured souls who find their chance at happiness in the most unexpected way. I wanted to lose myself in the small town of Pelion, Maine. To forget everything I had left behind. The sound of rain. The blood. The coldness of a gun against my skin. For six months, each breath has been a reminder that I survived -- and my dad didn't. I'm almost safe again. But the moment I meet Archer Hale, my entire world tilts on its axis . . . and never rights itself again. Until I trespass into his strange, silent, and isolated world, Archer communicates with no one. Yet in his whiskey-colored eyes, something intangible happens between us. There's so much more to him than just his beauty, his presence, or the ways his hands communicate with me. On me. But this town is mired in secrets and betrayals, and Archer is the explosive center of it all. So much passion. And so much hurt. But it's only in Archer's silence that we might just find what we need to heal . . . and live. Includes an exclusive extended epilogue from Archer's POV! Named one of the Top Romance Novels of All Time by Goodreads! A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller! Review Quotes [T]he bible to how to write a good, convincing love story.--L.J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author of The Kiss ThiefMia Sheridan is, without a doubt, one of the most talented authors I've ever read. Her stories are unique, her writing is beautiful, and I've loved every single book she's written. Grayson's Vow was no exception.--Aestas Book Blog5 stars! Best book of the year...From silly sweetness to intense hurt and jealousy to sorrow and heartache (and not necessarily in that order), this story has it all. And this author does it right!--Maryse's Book Blog5 stars! Flawlessly and poignantly written, Bree and Archer's heart-wrenching but truly beautiful love story touched my heart in so many exquisite ways, I felt ruined at the end of it... In a world that celebrates 'bad boys' and their antics, Archer Hale stands as a God among men.--Natasha is a Book Junkie5 stars!!! Read this book, guys!! Archer's Voice was one of the most heartwarming and uniquely beautiful stories I have ever read. Mia Sheridan's ability to convey strong emotions and vivid imagery through her writing is absolutely captivating. This was a gorgeous tale of survival and the healing power of love. I strongly encourage everyone to read it!! Without a doubt, it is now one of my top favorite books!--Aestas Book Blog5 Star Gold! Inspiring, uplifting and raw in [its] intensity. The author makes you feel like you are right there experiencing every flashback and triumph, and she will have readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.--RT Book Reviews on Most of All You About the Author Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her passion is weaving love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven. Mia can be found online at www.miasheridan.com or www.facebook.com/miasheridanauthor.

*Sound Wall Bundle - Updated March 2022* Sound Walls are a newer and more effective way of teaching children phoneme-grapheme correspondence (letter-sound knowledge). On a Sound Wall, high frequency words are organized according to their sounds and their spelling patterns are emphasized. This is a stark contrast to a Word Wall, which organizes high frequency words alphabetically. Vowel sounds are typically separated from consonant sounds. Vowels sounds are often displayed in a V-shaped pattern referred to as “Vowel Valley.” This layout was designed to show students how your jaw drops lower or how your mouth begins to close depending on the vowel sound. The consonant sounds are usually grouped according to their articulation (how the sound is made). It is especially helpful for students to see the consonants paired as voiced and unvoiced equivalents. Sound Walls often include mouth articulation pictures. This helps students produce the sound with accuracy and match the phoneme (sound) to its grapheme (letter or letters). Implementing Sound Walls is an instructional technique that aligns with the science of reading. Research shows that explicit reading instruction is beneficial for all students and necessary for many. Sound Walls explicitly teach graphemes that go with the speech sounds in our language. Sound Walls provide a way for teachers to systematically introduce regular and complex letter-sound patterns. Get started today! This bundle includes: - Mouth pictures with letters (4 per page) - Keyword sound cards (4 per page) - Sound spelling cards (4-6 per page) - Phonetic spelling patterns (basic and complex) - Additional bulletin board pieces - Portable Sound Walls for Students (8.5 x 11 inches) Check out my shop for other MUST HAVE products! - Letter Sound Teach Guide - Spelling Patterns Teacher Guide More products based on the science of reading are coming soon! Be sure to "favorite" my shop to stay up to date!

Part of the fantastic Little People, BIG DREAMS book collection. Discover the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.  Meet Michelle Obama, the iconic first lady, advocate, lawyer, and author. Young Michelle grew up on the South Side of Chicago in a close-knit family. She loved school, achieving A’s, and worked hard to blaze trails at the universities of Princeton and Harvard. Then, at the beginning of her legal career, she met Barack Obama. As first lady, she used her platform to advocate for women and girls and continues to inspire many with her powerful voice, and best-selling books. This empowering book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the inspiring woman’s life. Find many more inspiring titles in the Little People, BIG DREAMS section, or why not take a look at the rest of our book collection Features of Little People, BIG DREAMS Book: Hardback book with 32 pages Size: 9.5in x 7.6in / 24cm x 19.5cm Published: July 20, 2021

From page-turning science fiction to moving memoirs, celebrate the stories and voices of Indigenous authors.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of the Year \"Profoundly moving . . . Will take your breath away.\" --Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces A stunningly gorgeous and deeply hopeful portrayal of living with mental illness and grief, from an exceptional new voice. Biz knows how to float. She has her people, her posse, her mom and the twins. She has Grace. And she has her dad, who tells her about the little kid she was, and who shouldn't be here but is. So Biz doesn't tell anyone anything. Not about her dark, runaway thoughts, not about kissing Grace or noticing Jasper, the new boy. And she doesn't tell anyone about her dad. Because her dad died when she was seven. And Biz knows how to float, right there on the surface--normal okay regular fine. But after what happens on the beach--first in the ocean, and then in the sand--the tethers that hold Biz steady come undone. Dad disappears and, with him, all comfort. It might be easier, better, sweeter to float all the way away? Or maybe stay a little longer, find her father, bring him back to her. Or maybe--maybe maybe maybe--there's a third way Biz just can't see yet. Debut author Helena Fox tells a story about love and grief, about inter-generational mental illness, and how living with it is both a bridge to someone loved and lost and, also, a chasm. She explores the hard and beautiful places loss can take us, and honors those who hold us tightly when the current wants to tug us out to sea. \"Give this to all [your] friends immediately.\" --Cosmopolitan.com \"I haven't been so dazzled by a YA in ages.\" --Jandy Nelson, author of I'll Give You the Sun (via SLJ) \"Mesmerizing and timely.\" --Bustle \"Nothing short of exquisite.\" --PopSugar \"Immensely satisfying\" --Girls' Life * \"Lyrical and profoundly affecting.\" --Kirkus (starred review) * \"Masterful...Just beautiful.\" --Booklist (starred review) * \"Intimate...Unexpected.\" --PW (starred review) * \"Fox writes with superb understanding and tenderness.\" --BCCB (starred review) * \"Frank [and] beautifully crafted.\" --BookPage (starred review) \"Deeply moving...A story of hope.\" --Common Sense Media \"This book will explode you into atoms.\" --Margo Lanagan, author of Tender Morsels \"Helena Fox's novel delivers. Read it.\" --Cath Crowley, author of Words in Deep Blue \"This is not a book; it is a work of art.\" --Kerry Kletter, author of The First Time She Drowned \"Perfect...Readers will be deeply moved.\" --Books+Publishing

About the Book Set during World War II in Germany, Zusaks groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing, encounters something she cant resist: books. Book Synopsis The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller about the ability of books to feed the soul even in the darkest of times. Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read. When Death has a story to tell, you listen. It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time. "The kind of book that can be life-changing." --The New York Times "Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank." --USA Today DON'T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK'S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF. Review Quotes "Brilliant and hugely ambitious...Some will argue that a book so difficult and sad may not be appropriate for teenage readers...Adults will probably like it (this one did), but it's a great young-adult novel...It's the kind of book that can be life-changing, because without ever denying the essential amorality and randomness of the natural order, The Book Thief offers us a believable hard-won hope...The hope we see in Liesel is unassailable, the kind you can hang on to in the midst of poverty and war and violence. Young readers need such alternatives to ideological rigidity, and such explorations of how stories matter. And so, come to think of it, do adults." -New York Times, May 14, 2006 "The Book Thief is unsettling and unsentimental, yet ultimately poetic. Its grimness and tragedy run through the reader's mind like a black-and-white movie, bereft of the colors of life. Zusak may not have lived under Nazi domination, but The Book Thief deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel's Night. It seems poised to become a classic." - USA Today"Zusak doesn't sugarcoat anything, but he makes his ostensibly gloomy subject bearable the same way Kurt Vonnegut did in Slaughterhouse-Five with grim, darkly consoling humor." - Time Magazine"Elegant, philosophical and moving...Beautiful and important." - Kirkus Reviews, Starred"This hefty volume is an achievement...a challenging book in both length and subject..." - Publisher's Weekly, Starred "One of the most highly anticipated young-adult books in years."- The Wall Street Journal"Exquisitely written and memorably populated, Zusak's poignant tribute to words, survival, and their curiously inevitable entwinement is a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited."- The Horn Book Magazine, Starred "An extraordinary narrative."- School Library Journal, Starred "The Book Thief will be appreciated for Mr. Zusak's audacity, also on display in his earlier I Am the Messenger. It will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures. And because there's no arguing with a sentiment like that." - New York Times About The Author Markus Zusak is the internationally bestselling author of six novels, including The Book Thief and most recently, Bridge of Clay. His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, establishing Zusak as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia. All of Zusak's books - including earlier titles, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), and The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) - have been awarded numerous honors around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers. In 2013, The Book Thief was made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America's all-time favorite books, achieving the 14th position on the PBS Great American Read. Also in 2018, Bridge of Clay was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from Entertainment Weekly to the Wall Street Journal. Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.

“Pearson delivers a poignant debut that explores the faith of one African American family. . . . The writing is strong, and the story is engaging, and readers will be pleased to discover a new voice in Southern inspirational fiction.” —Booklist Christy Award winner! To hear Beatrice Agnew tell it, she entered the world with her mouth tightly shut. Just because she finds out she’s dying doesn’t mean she can’t keep it that way. If any of her children have questions about their daddy and the choices she made after he abandoned them, they’d best take it up with Jesus. There’s no room in Granny B’s house for regrets or hand-holding. Or so she thinks. Her granddaughter, Evelyn Lester, shows up on Beatrice’s doorstep anyway, burdened with her own secret baggage. Determined to help her Granny B mend fences with her far-flung brood, Evelyn turns her grandmother’s heart and home inside out. Evelyn’s meddling uncovers a tucked-away box of old letters, forcing the two women to wrestle with their past and present pain as they confront the truth Beatrice has worked a lifetime to hide.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American—“in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself” (NPR) • CELEBRATING OVER ONE YEAR ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LISTIn this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food.As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band–and meeting the man who would become her husband–her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Zauner’s voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread. DETAILS Paperback ISBN-13: 9781984898951 Publisher: Vintage Publication Date: March 28, 2023 Pages: 256 Hardcover ISBN-13: 9780525657743 Publisher: Knopf Publication Date: April 20, 2021 Pages: 256

About this product Product Identifiers Publisher Random House Publishing Group ISBN-10 0553381407 ISBN-13 9780553381405 eBay Product ID (ePID) 1961639 Product Key Features Book Title Toxic Parents : Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life Number of Pages 320 Pages Language English Publication Year 2002 Topic Abuse, Parenting / General, Reference, Abuse / Child Abuse Genre Family & Relationships, Self-Help Author Susan Forward Format Trade Paperback Dimensions Item Height 0.8 in Item Weight 9.8 Oz Item Length 8.2 in Item Width 5.2 in Additional Product Features Intended Audience Trade Dewey Edition 20 Reviews "A dynamic, powerful, hard-hitting book. It offers tremendous hope as well as understanding. It could truly be a lifesaver." - Abigail Van Buren, "Dear Abby" "I consider Susan Forward to be among the foremost therapists of our age." - John Bradshaw, author of Healing the Shame That Binds You and Homecoming Bantam Books by Susan Forward: Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them: When Loving Hurts and You Don't Know Why Obsessive Love: When It Hurts Too Much to Let Go Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life, "A dynamic, powerful, hard-hitting book. It offers tremendous hope as well as understanding. It could truly be a lifesaver." - Abigail Van Buren, "Dear Abby" "I consider Susan Forward to be among the foremost therapists of our age." - John Bradshaw, author ofHealing the Shame That Binds YouandHomecoming Bantam Books by Susan Forward: Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them: When Loving Hurts and You Don't Know Why Obsessive Love: When It Hurts Too Much to Let Go Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life Dewey Decimal 362.82/928/0973 Synopsis Are you the child of toxic parents? When you were a child... - Did your parents tell you you were bad or worthless? - Did your parents use physical pain to discipline you? - Did you have to take care of your parents because of their problems? - Were you often frightened of your parents? - Did your parents do anything to you that had to be kept secret? Now that you're an adult... - Do your parents still treat you as if you were a child? - Do you have intense emotional or physical reactions after spending time with your parents? - Do your parents control you with threats or guilt? Do they manipulate you with money? - Do you feel that no matter what you do, it's never good enough for your parents? In this remarkable self-help guide, Dr. Susan Forward draws on case histories and the real-life voices of adult children of toxic parents to help you free yourself from the frustrating patterns of your relationship with your parents -- and discover a new world of self-confidence, inner strength, and emotional independence., Are you the child of toxic parents? When you were a child... . Did your parents tell you you were bad or worthless? . Did your parents use physical pain to discipline you? . Did you have to take care of your parents because of their problems? . Were you often frightened of your parents? . Did your parents do anything to you that had to be kept secret? Now that you're an adult... . Do your parents still treat you as if you were a child? . Do you have intense emotional or physical reactions after spending time with your parents? . Do your parents control you with threats or guilt? Do they manipulate you with money? . Do you feel that no matter what you do, it's never good enough for your parents? In this remarkable self-help guide, Dr. Susan Forward draws on case histories and the real-life voices of adult children of toxic parents to help you free yourself from the frustrating patterns of your relationship with your parents - and discover a new world of self-confidence, inner strength, and emotional independence. LC Classification Number HV699 Show More Show Less

Dimensions (Overall): 9.7 Inches (H) x 10.2 Inches (W) x .5 Inches (D)Weight: .9 PoundsSuggested Age: 5-8 YearsNumber of Pages: 32Genre: Juvenile FictionSub-Genre: GeneralPublisher: Chronicle BooksFormat: HardcoverAuthor: Kate MessnerLanguage: EnglishStreet Date: May 5, 2015TCIN: 16984844UPC: 9781452112336Item Number (DPCI): 247-43-9316Origin: Made in the USA or Imported

About the Book "Originally published in hardcover by Hachette Book Group"--Title page verso. Book Synopsis From farmer Joel Salatin's point of view, life in the 21st century just ain't normal. In FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL, he discusses how far removed we are from the simple, sustainable joy that comes from living close to the land and the people we love. Salatin has many thoughts on what normal is and shares practical and philosophical ideas for changing our lives in small ways that have big impact. Salatin, hailed by the New York Times as "Virginia's most multifaceted agrarian since Thomas Jefferson [and] the high priest of the pasture" and profiled in the Academy Award nominated documentary Food, Inc. and the bestselling book The Omnivore's Dilemma, understands what food should be: Wholesome, seasonal, raised naturally, procured locally, prepared lovingly, and eaten with a profound reverence for the circle of life. And his message doesn't stop there. From child-rearing, to creating quality family time, to respecting the environment, Salatin writes with a wicked sense of humor and true storyteller's knack for the revealing anecdote. Salatin's crucial message and distinctive voice--practical, provocative, scientific, and down-home philosophical in equal measure--make FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL a must-read book. Review Quotes "Chances are slim you'll agree with everything in this wonderfully cranky book. But I'm almost certain you'll agree that Joel Salatin has earned the right to his convictions, and that they shine a powerful light on some of the paths out of the predicament we find ourselves in as a world."--Bill McKibben, author Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet"In Folks, This Ain't Normal, Joel Salatin says it's high time we stopped taking our industrialized food system as a given and instead consider local, sustainable food production as the norm. Good plan. Whether or not you agree with his contention that we would be better off if the government got out of food regulation, his ideas are compellingly written, fun to read, and well worth pondering."--Marion Nestle, Dept. of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, NYU, and author, Food Politics"In his new book, Folks, This Ain't Normal, the 54-year-old famer-philosopher emerges as a true American throwback: an agrarian libertarian who wants both Food Inc. and Big Government out of his fields...It's about better food, yes, but what Salatin is really calling for is responsibility: a declaration of independence from corporations and bureaucracy. He wants us to be full citizens of the food system, like the Jeffersonian citizen-farmers who founded the country."--Time magazine"Joel Salatin is a down-to-earth 21st century pioneer, one of those rare contrarian thinkers whose words and work have the power to transform the way a generation thinks. 'Folks This Ain't Normal' will help seed the new nature movement and inspire people everywhere -- especially young people in need of some practical hope. And here's the bonus: The book is great fun to read. Sacred cows beware."--Richard Louv, author of "The Nature Principle" and "Last Child in the Woods""Joel Salatin might seem like a vision of our agrarian past, but in fact, he's distinctly modern, looking beyond the conventional toward a new "normal" based on community, ecology, and flavor, too. Salatin's book is as practical as it is reflective; as necessary as it is radical."--Dan Barber, Chef/Co-Owner, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns"Joel...is one of the most creative, productive and sustainable farmers working in America today...His message is that we eaters can change the world, one meal at a time."--Michael Pollan, in the introduction to Holy Cows and Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer's Guide to Farm Friendly Food About the Author JOEL SALATIN is a third generation family farmer working his land in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley with mother, Lucille, wife, Teresa, daughter, Rachel, son, Daniel, daughter-in-law, Sheri, grandsons, Travis and Andrew, and granddaughter, Lauryn, along with a cadre of employees, subcontractors, apprentices, and interns.

From classical literature to current narratives, here are some of the 30 best audiobooks of all-time.

About the Book "Previously published as Peregrinos by Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, SA de CV, in Mexico in 2018."--Title page verso. Book Synopsis From the bestselling author of The Murmur of Bees comes a transportive novel of two families uprooted by war and united by the bonds of love and courage.With war looming dangerously close, Ilse's school days soon turn to lessons of survival. In the harshness of winter, her family must join the largest exodus in human history to survive. As battle lines are drawn and East Prussia's borders vanish beneath them, they leave their farm and all they know behind for an uncertain future.But Ilse also has Janusz, her family's young Polish laborer, by her side. As they flee from the Soviet army, his enchanting folktales keep her mind off the cold, the hunger, and the horrors unfolding around them. He tells her of a besieged kingdom in the Baltic Sea from which spill the amber tears of a heartbroken queen.Neither of them realizes his stories will prove crucial and prophetic.Not far away, trying and failing to flee from a vengeful army, Arno and his mother hide in the ruins of a Königsberg mansion, hoping that once the war ends they can reunite their dispersed family. But their stay in the walled city proves untenable when they find themselves dodging bombs and scavenging in the rubble. Soon they'll become pawns caught between two powerful enemies, on a journey with an unknown destination.Hope carries these children caught in the crosshairs of war on an extraordinary pilgrimage in which the gift of an amber teardrop is at once a valuable form of currency and a symbol of resilience, one that draws them together against insurmountable odds. Review Quotes A New York Times Globetrotting Pick!"Readers will quickly bond with the families and secondary characters, as Segovia, author of the acclaimed The Murmur of Bees (2019), makes each individual memorable. The variety of background stories and voices allows for greater understanding of shared experiences and creates deeper emotional engagement...Segovia's novel provides the domestic perspective of those caught in conflicts they have no power to change. Book groups and individual readers will find plenty to appreciate and discuss." --Booklist (starred review)"Ably translated into English for an American readership by Simon Bruni, Tears of Amber is a deftly crafted and inherently engaging novel that fully showcases author Sofia Segovia's genuine flair for eloquent originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that is memorably entertaining and holds the reader's rapt and riveted attention throughout." --Midwest Book Review"Segovia's vivid descriptions of how refugees do whatever necessary to survive compels readers to be sympathetic with human struggles, rather than simply taking sides in a conflict. This story demonstrates the staggering toll war takes, especially on women, left to carry on..." --Authorlink"Translated from Spanish, this breathtaking novel follows the stories of three children caught in the midst of war. In the middle of Prussia's harsh winter, Ilse and her family must take part in the world's largest exodus in history if they want to survive. While fleeing the Soviet army, she has only the folklore stories of Janusz, her Polish friend, to keep her spirits up. Not far away, Arno and his mother hide in an abandoned mansion, hoping to stay out of the clutches of war. But all of their lives will collide in this story of war, hope, and resilience." --BuzzFeed"A skillfully rendered tale, at once heartbreaking and heartwarming." --The Washington Post"Inspired by real events and published in English for the first time, Tears of Amber is an extraordinary and inspirational story." --Ms. Magazine"The novel provides thought-provoking information on the demise of the Prussian state...Interestingly, the famous real-life Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, who was imprisoned for criticizing the violence against Prussian civilians, makes an appearance in the novel. The story continues after the ending of WWII for, as Segovia says, history never ends." --Historical Novel Society"[An] achingly beautiful page-turner." --Women's Writers, Women's Books"Segovia's newest novel, one sure to warm your heart, is Tears of Amber (Peregrinos is the Spanish version), focuses on two families from different regions of Prussia who flee their villages in an exodus provided by the horrors of World War II. It is hope that carries Ilse Hahlbrock and Arno Schipper, children caught in the crosshairs of war, on an extraordinary pilgrimage in which the gift of an amber teardrop is at once a valuable form of currency and a symbol of resilience. It draws them together against insurmountable odds." --Brooklyn Digest"This is the type of book that you need to take your time with. It is a gripping read that grabs hold of your heart and doesn't let up. The characters come alive on the pages and you feel as if you are living the struggles, and some moments of joy, that they are going through right along with them. It truly is an atmospheric, all-encompassing read that it so hard to describe." --Always With a Book

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero Knopf Doubleday, 2017 336 Pages Young Adult Meddling Kids is the most fun I’ve had reading a book in years! The story captures the essence of a Scooby-Doo episode for teen readers in a scenario that is steeped in the fantastic occult lore of

About the Book "When Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a paid companion position for the Newport season, she never imagined she'd be expected to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with finding the season's catch, Walter Townsend, a wife, her assignment becomes increasingly difficult when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her"-- Book Synopsis Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America's most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the company of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond annoying.Walter is reluctantly in search of a wife for the sake of his unruly motherless children. What he wasn't expecting was Miss Brinley, who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle. The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.USA Today bestselling author Jen Turano's trademark wit, sweet romance, and hilarious mischief will keep you turning the pages of this lively Gilded Age tale. About the Author Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from RT Book Reviews, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at jenturano.com.

Book Synopsis An uplifting story about the power of art, finding your voice, and telling your story even when you're out of step with your peers from the #1 bestselling creators of Sofia Valdez, Future Prez and Ada Twist, Scientist! Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can't get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his. Follow Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, Sofia Valdez, and Aaron Slater on all of their adventures! Add the picture books, chapter books, and activity books starring The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts to your family library today. About The Author Andrea Beaty is the author of many beloved children's books, including the bestselling Questioners series, Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies, Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau, and One Girl. She lives just outside Chicago. David Roberts has illustrated many children's books, including the bestselling Questioneers series. He lives in London.

Book Synopsis NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. SEMI-FINALIST FOR THE PEN/DIAMONSTEIN-SPIELVOGEL AWARD FOR ART OF THE ESSAY. One of Amazon, Buzzfeed, ELLE, Electric Literature and Pop Sugar's Best Books of 2018. Named one of the Best Books of October and Fall by Amazon, Buzzfeed, TIME, Vulture, The Millions and Vol. 1 Brooklyn."Hilarious, nimble, and thoroughly illuminating." --Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad A globe-spanning, ambitious book of essays from one of the most enthralling storytellers in narrative nonfiction In his highly anticipated debut essay collection, Impossible Owls, Brian Phillips demonstrates why he's one of the most iconoclastic journalists of the digital age, beloved for his ambitious, off-kilter, meticulously reported essays that read like novels. The eight essays assembled here--five from Phillips's Grantland and MTV days, and three new pieces--go beyond simply chronicling some of the modern world's most uncanny, unbelievable, and spectacular oddities (though they do that, too). Researched for months and even years on end, they explore the interconnectedness of the globalized world, the consequences of history, the power of myth, and the ways people attempt to find meaning. He searches for tigers in India, and uncovers a multigenerational mystery involving an oil tycoon and his niece turned stepdaughter turned wife in the Oklahoma town where he grew up. Through each adventure, Phillips's remarkable voice becomes a character itself--full of verve, rich with offhanded humor, and revealing unexpected vulnerability. Dogged, self-aware, and radiating a contagious enthusiasm for his subjects, Phillips is an exhilarating guide to the confusion and wonder of the world today. If John Jeremiah Sullivan's Pulphead was the last great collection of New Journalism from the print era, Impossible Owls is the first of the digital age. Review Quotes "An absolute blast . . . [Phillips] is able to navigate extraordinary circumstances with curiosity, playfulness, and humility, and his enthusiasm is best seen in his extensive research within these communities and their histories. And this is why I couldn't get enough of this book: Phillips is the perfect adventure guide -- down for anything, talented enough to translate the experience." --Arianna Rebolini, Buzzfeed (Best Books of Fall 2018) "Brian Phillips has a wonderful way of taking readers to entirely unfamiliar places in nature (the Yukon) and in culture (sumo wrestling), and translating those experiences into something that feels visceral, even for people who are stuck at their computers all day. Believe the John Jeremiah Sullivan comparisons and get lost in this captivating essay collection, which brings to life both the extraordinary and the mundane." --Maris Kreizman, Vulture "As a journalist, Brian Phillips is willing to fall down a rabbit hole to uncover a mosaic of detail within a particular subject. This collection of essays presents some of his greatest examinations into the odd and intriguing . . . Philips takes readers down unexpected paths that are as world-expanding as they are entertaining." --Wilder Davies, TIME "Brian Phillips has a way of making you care about the things he cares about in the way he cares about them, which is passionately, almost obsessively . . . The essays are invigorating and muscular; the perspective is enthusiastic and vital; the book is a must-get." --R. Eric Thomas, Elle (Best Books of 2018) "Phillips is a long-form journalist of the old school, a deep research artist, and a killer stylist. His digressive and frequently hilarious explorations . . . ecall the work of John Jeremiah Sullivan and the late David Foster Wallace, with a dash of Janet Malcolm. Impossible Owls is an absorbing and totally distinctive exploration of wildly disparate corners of our world." --Taylor Antrim, Vogue "[Brian Phillips's] keen eye is absolutely integral to his work, as is his presence in each piece. But he remains the narrator, the observer, he turns his investigations outward rather than inward; he never becomes the subject. Instead, he leads us into the hearts and minds of others, and in doing so, opens portals to times, places and lives outside both our and his first-hand experiences . . . One of the delights of this collection is Phillips's ability to make the unknown familiar and the unfamiliar known . . . Impossible Owls is layered, narratively organised and analytical on a diverse, often unexpected range of subjects." --Lucy Scholes, The National "Brian Phillips's essays are out of this world: big-hearted, exhaustive, unrelentingly curious, and goddamned fun. It's about time he graced us with this collection." --Nick Moran, The Millions "[Phillips] has now established himself as a master of long form reporting that is indistinguishable from the literary essay, through which he bares witness to our contemporary moment." --Los Angeles Review of Books "Eclectic and witty." --Pop Sugar "[Phillips's] stories feel boyish in the best sense: fresh-faced and adventuresome, casually funny or lyrical as the moment demands." --Harvard Magazine "Enthralling nonfiction . . . What holds these styles together is Phillips's smart, readable prose as well his obsession with all things alien--the foreign, the puzzling, and the paranormal." --Max McKenna, PopMatters "Again and again, Impossible Owls proves that Brian Phillips is a cultural codebreaker of the highest order, unlocking the hidden systems of our mad world. Hilarious, nimble, and thoroughly illuminating." --Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad "Long-form narratives both diverting and engaging . . . [Phillips's] keen sensitivities color each scene, and he rarely hides his feelings about the figures he meets. Phillips has fashioned a calling for himself as an American flâneur, casting out into post-colonial frontiers and marveling at the oddities he encounters from the comfortable distance of unsupervised creative prose . . . [Full of] genuine insight the author dredges up from his experiences as well as the sense of a full human mind at large in the world that so many of his recollections approximate." --Kirkus (starred review) "When Phillips, a jazzy John McPhee, ventures out into the world in pursuit of understanding of a place, mystery, vocation, or obsession, he is attention incarnate. The resulting prismatic descriptions power his vibrant, multidimensional essays, which are built on rich veins of research and further enlivened with crisply recounted conversations and convivially self-deprecating glimpses into his state of mind." --Booklist "There is a section in Impossible Owls where Brian Phillips writes about tigers, and he notes that what's most astonishing about the animal is not its size or power or beauty, but its capacity to disappear. This is an excellent description of a tiger, but also an excellent description of how Phillips writes. These are big, powerful, beautiful essays--but no matter how personal the content, he just seems to disappear into the paragraphs." --Chuck Klosterman, author of But What if We're Wrong? and Eating the Dinosaur "I most love Impossible Owls for how it sends me returning to the central question that I enjoy most in any work I find chasing after: what do we, as writers, owe a single idea, but to stretch it out beyond whatever our imaginations thought possible? I love that this is a book of highways and historical touchstones and large geographic shifts. But I also love that at the heart of those bigger things, there is the gentle touch of Brian Phillips underneath it all, creating a landscape for a reader to see not his work, but to better see themselves." --Hanif Abdurraqib, author of They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us "Impossible Owls takes you deep into worlds both far-flung and familiar -- tiger trails, tiny towns of the Yukon, Route 66, a Walmart parking lot. Brian Phillips riffs and reports with abiding curiosity and incisive humor. A fantastic, transporting read." --Jessica Hopper, author of The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic"The journeys that make up Impossible Owls lead us to some remarkable, unpredictable places, from the Alaskan wilderness to a supermarket parking lot in southern Japan, from an old movie palace in Moscow to the underground histories of northern Oklahoma. But these far-flung tales all share the same inspirational spark: Brian Phillips' soulful, intrepid spirit, and his masterful ability at turning everyday curiosities into epic quests that you can't stop reading." --Hua Hsu, author of A Floating Chinaman: Fantasy and Failure Across the Pacific "Brian Phillips's Impossible Owls takes the American essay in new direction-- these narratives are simultaneously stories of questing and strandedness. Characters and landscapes become knowable and disorienting. Tigers, royals, mysterious Russian artists and foreign countries are subjects of Phillips's close, careful journalism, as well as representatives of all the glittering, un-graspable things that lie outside us. Witty, pensive, sometimes whimsical, always truthful, Impossible Owls is testament to Phillips's gift for enchantment, and his genius for knowing exactly where our alienation from the world meets our sympathy for it." -- Supriya Nair "Entertaining, eclectic, and often insightful . . . Phillips's narrative voice is consistently appealing, and often laugh-out-loud funny . . . Phillips's essays leave readers with newfound appreciation for subjects they may not have considered before." --Publishers Weekly "This eclectic collection from journalist Phillips combines in-depth reporting with personal histories to explore broadly the contemporary human condition . . . The subjects have broad appeal and would be enjoyed by anyone interested in New Journalism as a literary genre. Phillips's essays are not only fascinating and thoroughly researched but written in a distinctive voice that conveys humor, awareness

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