What some children go through in our world is unbelievable, scary, tragic. It is hard for some of us, especially in the United States and Canada, to imagine how life can be like this–how people can kill one another over religion and race, how people can be so greedy to kill for land or cash crops. But it happens, and children are affected every day.

I found this book, Gervelie’s Journey: A Refugee Diary, at our local library, and I recommend it to everyone. Teachers–share it with your students; parents–share it with your children. It tells the story of Gervelie, who was born in the Republic of Congo and lived in a nice house in Brazzaville, until her family had to flee to safety when fighting broke out in 1997. First, she moved around Africa with her dad, then her mom, and then her grandmother. But whenever she seemed to settle in a new place, trouble started again. In 2001, when fighting occurred in the Ivory Coast, she and her dad fled to Europe. When they finally arrived in England, her dad asked for asylum. In England, Gervelie has been in three different cities, finally settling in Norwich, England.

This book is POWERFUL because it is told in first person–in Gervelie’s words. When the fighting first broke out in Brazzaville, she was 2 years old. When she finally landed at a home with her dad in Norwich, England, she was 9 years old. Can you imagine all of this war, fighting, moving and so on happening to you when you were between the ages of 2 and 9? Can you imagine not seeing or talking to your mom? What about leaving your home and not being able to go back for fear of being killed? All of this has happened to Gervelie.

The other thing that makes this book so powerful is the way that June Allan’s illustrations are mixed with actual photographs of Gervelie and war-torn Africa. Putting a real face with a true story is something that kids and adults WON’T forget.

When you are talking to kids about giving to others or starting service learning projects in your school or home or church, think about sharing books like Gervelie’s Journey because they will help children understand whom they are working for.

Yesterday, I discussed the book Three Cups of Tea. When I posted the link on my Facebook page, people praised the book, and some people had actually heard Greg Mortenson speak on college campuses. So, if you haven’t read it yet, put it on your to-do list. If you want to share his message with your children or your classroom, then check out this book: Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea.

Not only is the story of Greg Mortenson told simply in this picture book, but the murals by Susan L. Roth are fantastic. Children will love to look at these illustrations over and over again–I do! The story goes like this: The children of Korphe, a village in the Pakistan mountains, have school outside and do their lessons with sticks. A teacher comes to teach them 3 times a week. One day, Dr. Greg stumbles into their village (because he was trying to climb K2 and failed). The villagers keep him there until he recovers. When he leaves, he asks the wisest man, Haji Ali, what he can do to help the village to repay them for their kindness, and Haji Ali says, “Listen to the wind.”

When Greg listens to the wind, he hears the voices of the children outside doing their lessons, and he gets the idea to build them a school. He promises to come back with materials to build a school, and he does. However, he realizes they will need to build a bridge first to get the materials to the remote village, and they do that, too. In the end of the book, the children have a school building, and their teacher can now afford to come every day to teach them.

In the back of the book are real photos of Dr. Greg, the children, and the villagers. There are also facts such as now Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute have built over 131 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They educate 58,000 children–40,000 are girls. Children can also read how in Pakistan and Afghanistan, one penny buys a pencil and $1.00 pays for an education for a month! Students, their families, and/or classrooms are encouraged to check out the Pennies for Peace program at www.penniesforpeace.org.

Sometimes when we talk to kids about issues going on in the world, like I wrote about on Monday with my stepson and the visiting priest from Africa who needs money for his church, it is hard for them to understand what we mean by freedom–especially if they live in a free country like the United States. It’s hard for them to imagine that there are places where children don’t have the freedom to go to school or church or the doctor when they are sick. Young children, especially, need concrete examples of what freedom means, especially if they are taking part in any type of donation activity (like collecting pennies for an organization like Loose Change to Loosen Chains).

This book, This is the Dream written by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander and illustrated by James Ransome, is a great picture book that can illustrate the concept of freedom. What I especially like about this bright and colorful book is the way it shows the United States before the Civil Rights movement, then some of the Civil Rights leaders, and then the way the country is now–with freedom for everyone. In the year 2010, the fact that black people used to drink from a separate fountain or ride at the back of the bus might be particularly shocking for our children since less than 50 years later, our president is black.

Here are a few verses from this great book:

“These are the fountains that stand in the square, and the black-and-white signs say who will drink there.”

“This is the fountain that stands in the square and the unwritten rule is to take turns and share.”

Love it!!

In order for children to understand what it looks like when there’s not freedom and what it looks like when there is, you can use a picture book like This is the Dream by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander. Then you can explain to them how around the world in the 21st century, there are still people living without freedom, and we are collecting pennies to try and help them. The Civil Rights leaders helped in the United States, and now it’s our turn!

Before I share a story from the trenches, I would like to announce the winner of last week’s book giveaway of the memoir, When Ties Break, by Margaret Norton. And the winner is. . .Sandy Young! Congratulations, Sandy. If you didn’t win this book and are interested in reading a memoir about loss, grief, recovery, strength, and stopping abuse, then please go to Tate’s website to purchase it!

The story from the trenches is one that I read yesterday in church. We have a visiting priest, Rev. Fr. Tony Fevlo, from Africa, who will speak to us next week about his work in St. Joseph SMA Parish in Plateau State, Nigeria. He is currently raising money to build a new church in his parish that will accommodate 1500 people. The existing church is too small and also has structural damage, including cracks in the walls and a leaking roof. This is a wonderful mission, of course, but this is not the actual story I want to share with you today.

He shared the turmoil that happens around him with inter-religious clashes between Muslims and Christians. Every time, I hear stories like this I think: This is happening in the 21st century????? It is. In January 2010, 33 of Father Tony’s parishioners lost their property or had their houses burned. One of his parishioners was reportedly butchered to death and asked to renounce his faith before he died. Much of Father Tony’s finances for his church are currently going to these families to help them rebuild–since they are homeless.

The trouble didn’t stop there. In March 2010, Father Tony and his parishioners woke up to the news of a massacre of over 500 children, women, and elderly people living in the village of Dogonahawa (25 km from Father Tony Fevlo’s parish). The massacre was led by the Hausa/Fulani Muslims. Father Tony said: “Since the March 7th massacre, we live under constant fear in K/Vom and can hardly have a peaceful night’s rest.”

As I sat in church yesterday reading his words and thinking about the donation they were going to collect next Sunday, I wondered how I could get my stepson involved in this. And then when we walked out of church, Father Tony had actually posted pictures of his church and parishioners, and I knew this was the way. When Logan can see something concrete, he can then think about giving some money from his piggy bank to this cause. This also got me thinking that there has to be books out there that help us, as parents and teachers, teach children about giving and having sympathy for others–especially those less fortunate.

I found these two books that could be of some help. I am so thankful that there are people in the world like Father Tony Fevlo and that he shares his story with us. It makes me strive to be more giving, less materialistic–although I struggle–and I hope it will also help me to influence my children to be the same way.

*Picture book for preschoolers through 2nd graders, fantasy (fractured nursery rhyme)
*Dish and Spoon as main characters
*Rating: Kids love books like The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon that play off an old nursery rhyme and have loads of fun stuff in the illustrations.

Short, short summary: What happened after the dish ran away with the spoon? Well, this book will answer that question. From trying their luck in a vaudeville show to buying a car and shopping for jewelry and furs, the Dish and Spoon have quite an adventure. It’s all fun and games until the Dish meets a rock, and the Spoon meets jail. Will these two ever make it together again?

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Read the nursery rhyme to children, “Hey Diddle, Diddle!” Ask children to imagine other things about this nursery rhyme. For example, ask them, “Why do you think the cow jumped over the moon?” “Why did the little boy laugh?” “What are the cat and the fiddle doing?” You can record answers on a piece of chart paper and create a classroom display by asking students to illustrate their answers. Be creative! Mini Grey sure was.

2. Study the illustrations carefully, especially the ones on the sidebars. What else do the illustrations tell about the story of the Dish and the Spoon that the text doesn’t tell? Discuss with students how in the picture book genre illustrations are as important as the text, and both work together to tell the story.

3. This is a book about friendship. Spoon and Dish are friends, they trust each other, and they love each other. Talk to students or your children about being a good friend. What are the qualities of a good friend? How do Dish and Spoon show these qualities? How do you show these qualities in your everyday life?

*Picture book, contemporary fiction for preschoolers to kindergartners
*Two circle dogs as main characters
*Rating: Circle Dogs by Kevin Henkes is a cute book for young children–it can teach them shapes and sounds and that reading is fun!

Short, short summary: Two dogs who like to sleep and run in circles live in a square house. This book takes you throughout their day from interacting with “their people” to running and playing in the yard to taking naps. The story is also a circle–beginning with the house and sleeping dogs and ending in the same way.

1. This is the perfect book for a preschool or kindergarten classroom during a unit on shapes. Not only does the text point out some shapes, but children can look for other shapes in Dan Yaccarino’s illustrations.

2. Who has a pet at their house? Ask children this question, and you are sure to get a lot of hands raised. Provide opportunities for children to make personal connections with the text to further comprehension by asking them if their pets act similar or different to the circle dogs.

3. The “sounds” that Kevin Henkes provides in the text of Circle Dogs makes this book a fun read aloud, and one that kids will want to read again and again.

I am happy to introduce to you Irene Roth, who is a guest blogger today. See her bio information after this great post about a terrific book for kids!

It’s Not What You’ve Got:
Lessons for Kids for Money and Abundance
(Written by: Dr. Wayne W. Dyer )
(Illustrated by: Stacey Heller Budnick)
Hayhouse Press, 2007.

It’s Not What You’ve Got addresses the topic of money and abundance, with the belief that a child’s earliest thoughts and perceptions about these subjects are those that will last throughout his or her life. Therefore, it is important for parents and educators to instill proper values in relation to these topics.

Dyer’s focuses on the following important topics:

• Money does not define who you are.
• It doesn’t matter what others have.
• Abundance comes in many different forms.

The book is not a how-to manual on spending and saving for kids. Rather, the book’s main goal is to provide a positive and spiritual approach to the meaning of money. That is a wonderful thing to achieve in a book for kids because kids need to hear this message over and over.

This book has discussion questions for teachers, so that they can highlight some of the major points and themes in the book. It also highlights what true abundance means. Abundance doesn’t have anything to do with material things, but is based on a positive attitude that comes from within. What a great message for kids to hear.

Teachers and homeschool parents could use Dr. Dyer’s book in the following ways:

1. Your students or children could have some fun creating their own list of lessons about money and abundance after reading Dr. Dyer’s book. They could then work in groups and compare their answers.

2. Your students or children could also try defining what they mean by abundance. Is abundance something that could be bought for a price? If yes, why? If no, why not?

3. Children could also take Dr. Dyer’s list of 10 lessons about money and abundance and determine what each of them mean.

(a) What does Dyer mean when he says that you are not what you’ve got?
(b) What does Dyer mean when he says that we should strive to live within our means?
(c) What does Dyer mean when he says that it doesn’t matter what ‘they’ have?
(d) What does Dyer mean when he says that you have the power to get what you want?
(e) What does Dyer mean when he says that money doesn’t necessarily create happiness?
(f) What does Dyer mean when he says that every job is important?
(g) What does Dyer mean when he says that we have to follow our own dreams?
(h) What does Dyer mean when he says that there is plenty for everyone, including you?
(i)What does Dyer mean when he says that you earned it–enjoy it?
(j) What does Dyer mean when he says that abundance means more than money?

Irene S. Roth is a freelance writer for kids and teens. She writes widely on the topics of self-esteem and self-confidence. To learn more about these topics, please visit her blog at www.adolescentgirlsblog.wordpress.com.

*Nonfiction picture book about baseball
*Rating: Baseball From A to Z presents a creative way to teach children baseball vocabulary with fun illustrations. Your baseball nuts will love it!

Short, short summary: Michael P. Spradin takes each letter of the alphabet and finds a baseball vocabulary word to go with it. From A for Ace to Z for Strike Zone, he clearly explains what each term means. Take for example, G for Grounder: “A ball hit sharply on the ground is called a grounder.” The real fun in this book and what will keep your little baseball fans wanting more and more is the illustrations by Macky Pamintuan. I love the foul ball scene–how many of us have been at a ball game or watching one on TV and seen people acting just like this? The O for Outfielder page is classic for the expressions on the players’ faces. Check out this book if you have a baseball nut in your home!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Ask children to pick their favorite letter page from Baseball from A to Z and draw their own illustrations to go with it. Also, they can write an explanation for the letter or maybe even think of another baseball term to go with it.

2. Create your own class book (or home book if you homeschool) about a sport such as basketball, soccer, or football in the same style as Baseball from A to Z. As a class, think of the 26 words you will use; then assign students a letter and let them create their pages!

3. Share this book with students or your children before you go on a baseball game field trip or before you attend a baseball game with your family. The more they know about what is going on, the more they will enjoy the trip. While attending the game, ask them to point out anything they notice from the book.

*Picture book, contemporary fiction
*Young boy as main character
*Rating: A cute book that will help kids who are anxious about their first day of school–preschool or kindergarten.

Short, short summary: A little boy gets all ready for school, but then he decides he doesn’t want to go. He is afraid that his stuffed animal, Hank, will miss him. His parents convince him to go, and Hank goes, too. He meets his teacher and the other kids. He has fun and likes the first day. He decides that Hank wants to go back the next day, and he’ll go with him.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. This is the perfect book to read and discuss with your child if they are having any reservations about starting school. You can get this book now and start reading it during the summer months if you think it’s going to be a problem at the beginning of the school year. Teachers can also share this book at an open house.

2. The boy in this book doesn’t want to go to school, but he finally does with his stuffed animal, Hank. Do your students have a favorite stuffed animal? After reading this book at the beginning of the school year, you can host a bring your stuffed animal to school day.

3. This is a good book to start discussing with students story elements such as characters, problems, solutions, setting, climax, and conclusion. This story is pretty cut and dry, and so it should be easy for students to pick out these elements.

*Middle-grade novel, contemporary fiction
*Eleven-year-old girl as main character
Rating: I fell in love with Eleven by Lauren Myracle when I listened to the audio book. All 11-year-old girls (or anyone who was ever 11) will be able to relate!

Short, short summary: Winnie is 11. The book starts with her birthday party and how things don’t go quite as she planned when her friends come over and don’t want to put on the play that she wrote. Her fifth-grade year ends, and the summer comes, which is nothing but boring for Winnie because her teenage sister has a job and her friends are all on vacation. When she finally gets to spend the weekend at her best friend Amanda’s beach house, she discovers that Amanda is more interested in her tan and boys than in pretending and playing like she and Winnie used to do. Then the sixth grade school year starts, and the new girl, Gail, takes over Amanda’s friendship. Everything seems to be changing, but Winnie doesn’t want anything to change.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Winnie goes through a wide range of emotions in this book. Children around this age can really relate to Winnie with her emotions such as embarrassment, disappointment, and excitement. Read a scene from Eleven, and then ask students how Winnie is feeling (or Dinah or Amanda) and ask them to write about a time when they felt the same way. They can write these in their reading response journals.

2. Things change–sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Some people can handle change. Some people can’t. Throughout the book, talk about how things are changing for Winnie. Ask children to discuss how Winnie is handling the changes. How does she solve the problem of being in a different class than Amanda and growing apart from her, for example? Children can discuss a change in their life (or write about it) and how they handled it.

3. For a fun journal assignment, ask students to plan their 11th or 12th birthday parties since this book covers both.