Library of Clean Reads: Educational

Showing posts with label Educational. Show all posts

Friday, January 15, 2021

MC Plays Hide and Seek: An Empowering Story for Healthy Children Who Care About a Person Living with Cancer by Eva Grayzel (Book Review & Giveaway!)

This is an important book that would be an essential addition to any home, school or community library.

Book Details:

Book Title: MC Plays Hide and Seek: An Empowering Story for Healthy Children Who Care About a Person Living with Cancer by Eva Grayzel
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 64 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot Books

Release date: Jan 5, 2021
Tour dates: Jan 5 to Feb 1, 2021
Content Rating: G for everyone.

Book Description:

M.C. is a cancer cell who shares just enough information about the nature of the disease to promote dialogue and minimize fear. The scary part of cancer is the unknown. Learn about doctors who look for cancer. Understand feelings children experience and learn ways to cope. Empower children with knowledge and how to make a difference. M.C. Plays Hide & Seek strengthens communication and builds emotional health.

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

MC Plays Hide and Seek is an educational book meant to introduce children to cancer disease. It's a book that will open discussion in a safe way and can be used as a teaching tool whether a child knows of someone with cancer or not. The book is marketed as a story but it's really a book of facts with cancer personified as a gender-neutral cartoon that describes what it does. I didn't particularly like the look of the cartoon, but maybe it was done intentionally since cancer is an ugly disease.

The book uses photos of children and medical staff with few illustrations apart from M.C. itself that appears on every page. The children and people depicted in the photos are of people from different backgrounds and ages. I thought this book a very clever way to help a child understand cancer with a message that hope, joy and love can make good things possible every day.

I think this is an important book that would be an essential addition to any home, school or community library.

Buy the Book

Amazon.com

Eva Grayzel ~ B&N

Meet the Author:

Eva Grayzel is a motivational speaker, storyteller, and cancer survivor. When her children were five and seven years old, she was diagnosed with cancer. Their fear of losing her was deep, real, and suppressed. When she got a second chance at life, she created the Talk4Hope book series to help children understand cancer and make it less scary.

Connect with the author:

website ~ twitter ~facebook ~ pinterest ~ instagram

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends Feb 8, 2021

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

Reducing Your Cancer Risk: A Holistic Approach by Carl O. Helvie

For those of you who read my blog, you know that I am always happy to discuss books that feature a healthy and holistic lifestyle. This small book I discovered is a gem. More in my review below.

Book Details:

Book Title: Reducing Your Cancer Risk: A Holistic Approach by Carl O. Helvie
Category: Adult Non-fiction, 174 pages
Genre: Education / Alternative Medicine / Cancer
Publisher: Booklocker
Release date: July 25, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

The latest statistics show one of every two adults will have cancer and about half of these are preventable. For example, research shows that 30 minutes of exercise daily could reduce cancer risk by 50% and proper nutrition could reduce it 35%. Mental/Spiritual aspects are also important. One study reported those who expressed gratitude had stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, and fewer symptoms of illness, slept better and were better able to tolerate aches and pains.

This 174 page book includes a theoretical framework that provides an overview of factors that are carcinogenic and when avoided can reduce your cancer risks including electromagnetic frequencies, selected carcinogenic chemicals and metals, and ultraviolet rays. It also includes things you can do to strengthen your mind/spirit/body against carcinogens including 1) physical things such as exercise; fluids; nutrition; vitamins, minerals, herbs and supplements; immune builders; sleep; smoking cessation, and music, and 2) mental/spiritual activities including affirmations, compassion, faith, forgiveness, gratitude, meditation, optimism, prayer, relaxation, serving others, social support, stress reduction, and visualization. Research based ways to avoid or become stronger against carcinogens, and interviews with over 40 national leaders on these subjects are included in this holistic approach to cancer prevention.

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Reducing Your Cancer Risk is an excellent and practical resource book chock-full of information that can motivate one to make lifestyle changes that can prevent cancer. The book is written by Carl O Helvie, President of the Holistic Cancer Foundation and a lung survivor since 1974. He is a pioneer in the use of holistic approach to cancer prevention and cure.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part discusses Environmental Factors and includes ways to avoid or prevent exposure to risk factors, such as EMF waves, toxic chemicals and metals, and UV rays, all of which are factors I have read about recently. It astounds me at how toxic our modern world has become and we are exposed from our womb to our death. It can be overwhelming, but as Mr. Helvie states, even small changes can make a difference.

The second part discusses Individual Factors and includes lifestyle choices to increase one's resistance to cancer and build a better immunity, such as exercising, nutrition, sleep and a section on how to quit smoking successfully. It is empowering to know we do have a measure of control. As Mr. Helvie noted from his own experience as a cancer survivor, "it is less traumatic in one's life to improve diet, add exercise, prayer, meditation, and other lifestyle changes than it is to be disrupted by a diagnosis of cancer." How true!

The third part discusses Mental and Spiritual Aspects and includes compassion, meditation, forgiveness, prayer and stress management. This is such an important section in leading a healthy lifestyle but that many practitioners omit when discussing illness.

Although written by an educated man with extensive knowledge, Mr. Helvie keeps the information easy to read and follow by using the format of bullet point suggestions that can be implemented immediately. His tone is friendly and the information succinct and useful with plenty of references and links to interviews with professionals in the field. I have already implemented some of the suggestions in this book and educated my children about them as well.

If you are looking to lead a healthier lifestyle and want to have a practical manual on what to do to prevent cancer, this is the ideal book for you. It is a great starting point that will lead you to more information on specific factors you may personally be dealing with. The contents page, index and numerous links and references to over 40 other professionals make this book a handy resource that has gained a coveted place on my desk. This small humble book is part of my research, as I continue on my quest for a healthier me.

Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

About the Author:

Carl O Helvie, R.N., Dr.P.H. is a registered nurse with a doctorate in Public Health (Johns Hopkins) and over sixty years’ experience as a nurse practitioner, educator, author and researcher. He has published 9 books and chapters in 4 additional ones, and published 40 articles, presented over 55 research papers internationally and 60 papers for lay groups. Some of his books resulted from his development and over 35 years refinement of the Helvie Energy Theory of Nursing and Health that has been used internationally in practice, education and research in 9 countries. During his academic career Helvie received grants up to $800.000 each for his work with homeless and low income populations and other projects. He has been recognized in most major national and international references such as Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Nursing, and Outstanding Educators in America and has two listings in Wikipedia. He received the Distinguished Career Award from the American Public Association in 1999. He was listed in 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading in 2014 and in 2015 was nominated for Nurse of the Year Award by Medical News.

In 1974, Dr Helvie was diagnosed with lung cancer and given 6 months to live by traditional medicine. He refused chemo and surgery and choose instead to use a holistic natural approach of treatment including physical, mental and spiritual components based upon concepts he learned in public health, from his research of and used in practice, the Edgar Cayce readings and other sources. He not only was cured of cancer but never had a recurrence. He has been called a pioneer in the field of Holistic Health and has taught and used this approach since 1970. For the past 10 years he has been host of the Holistic Health Show (radio) where he interviews leaders in alternative, integrative medicine and health who use all or parts of a holistic approach for chronic illnesses and wellness on www.BBSRadio.com and www.HolisticHealthShow.com In 2012 he published a book on lung cancer that included the holistic treatment plan used when he had lung cancer (Amazon #1 Best Seller). He was subsequently interviewed on over 100 radio and television shows.

Because of his belief in the value of a holistic approach for staying well and/or regaining wellness and his desire to help others he founded the Carl O Helvie Holistic Cancer Foundation in 2014 at www.HolisticCancerfoundation.com. In 2017 he published a book on Reducing Your Risk of Cancer: A Holistic Approach. Currently, he is age 85, healthy and happy, has a strong faith in God, and is looking forward to many more years helping others.

Connect with the Author: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ LinkedIn

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

The Myths of Safe Pesticides by André Leu (Review & Giveaway!)

In this book, the author looks at the 5 myths about pesticides and tells us the truth about them based on scientific evidence. If you need any convincing that organic foods are the way to survive this world-wide epidemic, read on. You can also enter to win a copy of this book and the updated version for parents titled Poisoning Our Children.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Myths of Safe Pesticides by André Leu
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 168 pages
Genre: Educational / Nature / Science
Publisher: Acres USA
Release date: September 15, 2014
Tour dates: March 12 to April 13, 2018
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

The chemical-based conventional agriculture industry claims that the synthesized concoctions they sell as pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are safe when used as directed, but does the scientific evidence truly support their assertions? Organic agriculturist and lecturer André Leu delves into a wealth of respected scientific journals to present the peer-reviewed evidence that proves the claims of chemical companies and pesticide regulators are not all they seem.

Leu translates technical jargon into layman's terms to break down the five most repeated myths about pesticide use: independent scientific analysis shows that pesticides are not at all as safe as industry leaders and regulatory agencies claim. The pesticide industry argues that human agriculture, and thereby the global population itself, cannot survive without using pesticides and herbicides, but Leu warns that human health is at great risk unless we break free of their toxic hold and turn to more natural methods of pest and weed regulation.

Learn about:
The “Rigorously Tested” Myth
The “Very Small Amount” Myth
The “Breakdown” Myth
The “Reliable Regulatory Authority” Myth
The “Pesticides Are Essential to Farming” Myth

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Last week I reviewed Poisoning Our Children, which I thought was an invaluable look at peer-reviewed scientific evidence that pesticides are harming our children, and what we can do as parents to safeguard them. The Myths of Safe Pesticides is actually the first book that André Leu wrote that is the first edition and contains much the same information as Poisoning Our Children but without the emphasis on how it's affecting our children from the fetus stage and onward.

In this book, the author looks at the 5 myths about pesticides and tells us the truth about them based on scientific evidence. It is books such as this one that inform consumers so that our buying habits can change to bring about more natural methods of farming. The biggest eye-opener for me is that pesticides create pests, superpests actually, instead of controlling them. Contrary to what we've been led to believe, pesticides are not rigorously tested, are not safe in very low amounts, are mostly not removed by washing or peeling foods (the bulk of poison is inside the food), are not essential to farming and are not reliably regulated by the governments.

Although research shows that glyphosate can cause genetic damage and mortality, the author shows how authorities have blatantly ignored this extensive body of research. From watching documentaries on preventing and fighting cancer and autoimmune diseases, I have noted that the poison that is glyphosate comes up in the discussion many times. Truly these chemicals are causing cancer and many illnesses that are alarmingly on the rise, especially in children.

Pesticide use is a world-wide epidemic and from reading this book, a depressing outlook on our environment and food source. Although the information is interesting, this can make for some dry reading, however, it is thanks to people like André Leu, that this information is revealed and exposed so that we can bring about change. Studies have shown that eating organically grown foods that has been produced with organic guarantee systems, such as third-party certification, results in significantly lower levels of these pervasive chemicals in our bodies.

If you need any convincing that we need to change our farming and eating habits, this book is eye-opening, well-researched and convincing. I'm now more determined than ever to eat organic foods and teach my children to be better consumers.

To read more reviews, please visit André Leu's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Acres USA

Add to Goodreads

Watch André Leu discuss a better way to grow our food:

About the Author:

André Leu is a longtime organic farmer in Australia and a director of Regeneration International. He served as president of IFOAM Organics International from 2011 to 2017. He speaks widely and regularly testifies to governments and NGOs worldwide on pesticide safety and policy. He is the author of the award-winning book, The Myths of Safe Pesticides.

Connect with the publisher: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Author's Twitter

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends April 21, 2018

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Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Poisoning Our Children by André Leu (Review, Author Interview & Giveaway!)

Poisoning our Children is a guide meant to inform and empower parents to become better consumers so that positive and healthy changes in the food and farming industry become possible. If you're a parent you will want to know this info. Check out my thoughts on this book, my interview with the author and enter to win this book and a $25 Amazon GC!

Book Details:

Book Title: Poisoning Our Children: The Parent's Guide to the Myths of Safe Pesticides
Author: André Leu
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 206 pages
Genre: Educational / Parenting / Nature - Science
Publisher: Acres USA
Release date: March 1, 2018
Tour dates: March 12 to April 13, 2018
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Parenting was never easy. While loving, teaching and nourishing children, parents also seek to protect them from harm. The past few generations, however, have been silently attacked by thousands of manmade, poisonous chemicals carried into homes and children's bodies in our food supply. The chemical-based conventional agriculture industry claims that the synthesized concoctions they sell as pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are safe when used as directed, but does the scientific evidence truly support their assertions?

When pesticide residues are found in 77 percent of all foods in the United States, it's important to know the truth. Organic agriculturist André Leu has weeded through a wealth of respected scientific journals to present peer-reviewed evidence proving that the claims of chemical companies and pesticide regulators are not all they seem.

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

The minute I read the title of this book I knew I wanted to read it. Poisoning our Children is a guide meant to inform and empower parents to become better consumers so that positive and healthy changes in the food and farming industry become possible.

The author's extensive knowledge of farming and environmental systems across the world is evident in this second book he wrote about the topic of pesticides and its adverse and destructive effects on our health and livelihood. I always knew that eating organic foods is the way to go, but this book has reinforced this belief 100%. In our family about 80% of our meals are from organic foods and pasture-raised and grass-fed meats.

Knowledge is power, and Leu gives us tons of it by debunking five myths that the bully pharmaceutical and agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporations are perpetuating so that we as consumers remain ignorant. The book is filled with pages and pages of peer-reviewed studies and information from respected scientific journals to show us the truths about this topic. It's very informative but makes for dry reading. Because Leu already has most of this info in his first book The Myths of Safe Pesticides, I think this second book aimed at parents could have been more user-friendly by including a section with a tip-sheet on how exactly parents can choose safer foods and household products. For example, what to look for on the labels.

There is a growing movement of doctors and health care professionals (functional medicine) that are informing the public through books and documentary series about leading a healthier life and fighting illnesses through nutrition and knowledge. It's true that as parents we can become overwhelmed by the intensity of the problem of GMOs, pesticides and the alarming increase in childhood illnesses as a result. However, Leu proposes a simple solution that I found encouraging and true.

As consumers, we can be significant change agents for a better future. It is so simple. Stop using pesticides in and around the house, and buy organic food whenever you have the choice. These consumer dollars will drive the change as retailers and farmers change their sales and production to meet this growing demand.

The author goes on to say that "real positive change has always been driven by people--not by governments." I believe this to be true and this book has reinforced my determination to make better decisions in what I feed my family. And I am proud to be a part of this change.

Read my interview with the author below as he beautifully summarizes what his book is about and what we can do about this huge problem affecting our children.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Acres USA

Add to Goodreads

Watch André Leu discuss a better way to grow our food:

Interview with André Leu

LCR. Welcome to our blog, André. Can you please tell us more about your book?

AL: The book shows that there is no peer-reviewed evidence based science showing that the pesticide formulations sprayed on food are safe for children.

There are no requirements for pesticide formulations to be tested specifically for children’s health, reproductive effects, birth defects, organ damage, cancer, developmental neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, metabolic disruption, epigenetic mutations, autoimmune diseases and many other illnesses that are affecting our children

There are numerous studies showing that the smallest amounts of pesticides can cause a lifetime of health problems for children.

LCR: Why did you feel it was necessary to write it?

AL: It is important for parents to be properly informed about the science on how the fetus, breast fed babies and growing children can be harmed through exposure to small amounts of pesticides in their food, breast milk or through the placenta. I have put a lot of effort to ‘translate’ the complex scientific technical jargon on pesticides into plain language so that the majority of people can understand the issues.

LCR: You write about the myths that keep being circulated by toxic pesticide and herbicide companies. What is the biggest misconception?

AL: The biggest myth is that if we don’t spray poisons on our food we will starve. The emerging body of scientific evidence shows that regenerative organic agriculture based on the science of agroecology can get equal and higher yields compared to the current industrial agriculture practices. There is no need to poison our food.

LCR: The title is a bit ominous. Are kids actually being poisoned?

AL: Yes, they are being fed a cocktail of poisons every day. We are currently in a crisis the World Health Organization calls an epidemic of “non-communicable diseases” affecting adults and children. You cannot catch diseases like cancer, autism, heart, liver, kidney and other diseases from sitting next to people with these illnesses. The causes are clearly environmental and hundreds of scientific papers show that pesticides and other chemicals are linked to many of these diseases. The fetus, babies, and children are the most vulnerable to smallest amounts of pesticides. Consequently, their rates of cancer, autism, behavioral problems, metabolic problems, hormone problems, auto-immune diseases numerous other chronic illnesses continue to increase.

LCR: What change can people make today to help improve our food supply?

AL: The good news is that published scientific studies show that these pesticides can be eliminated from both children’s and adult’s bodies after just a few days on a diet of organic food.

What is the true cost of the increase of autism, cancer, asthma and the numerous other chronic diseases in our children? What is the true cost of a lifetime of ill health? The reality is the true cost of food with pesticides is a price that is too high to pay. Organic food is the best value for money as it is the most effective way to prevent children from developing these diseases.

By buying organic food, people are creating demand and this income will drive more farmers to change their practices.

LCR: Is this an issue just in the U.S., or is it a global issue?

AL: This is now a global issue: an epidemic of non-contagious chronic diseases that can easily be stopped by changing farming to regenerative organic agriculture and nourishing the world with nutritious, safe and healthy food.

LCR: Thank you for this insightful interview!

About the Author:

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends April 21, 2018

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Thursday, November 9, 2017

Children's Books: Teaching Good Social Skills

I'm an advocate for kidlit, especially books that teach children good social skills. I came across these two books that I wanted to feature here. My dad always said, "Education begins at home." How true. And storytime is a perfect way to open up our children's world.

My review follows each book's description.

Book Details:

Sonya Sahni and the First Grade by Soma Mandal
Illustrated by: Tim Williams
Published: June 13, 2017
Published by MindStir Media
Softcover picture book: 40 pages
For children ages 4-8
Content rating: G

Book Description:

Sonya is torn between her roots. She was born in the USA but her parents are Indian...she desperately wants to fit in and be American. Her parents want her to embrace who she is, but Sonya feels like a misfit. This is a wonderful story about a little girl who discovers her identity and learns to appreciate who she is. A must read for any child or adult who feels different from the rest of the world.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Add to Goodreads

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Being the child of immigrant parents, I could relate with Sonya's issue of wanting to be like her American friends. This book brings out the message that children of immigrant parents must embrace that they are part of two cultures and are to be proud of their heritage. Educating children about other countries and their culture is a good way of teaching children to respect differences.

The narrative is told in poetic rhyme, and I personally would have preferred the story format. Sometimes the rhyming was good, but in other instances it felt like some words were included only because they rhymed with the last word in the previous sentence and not because they fit with the narrative.

The illustrations are endearing and colorful. The facial expressions clear and conveying emotions. Each 2-page spread contained one page with a border of various flags, emphasising the theme of the book. Parents can also use this to teach which flag belongs to which country.

Overall, this is a good book for Indian parents and any parent really who wants to address the issue of how to deal with a child who doesn't fit in because they are different. It would also be a good teaching aid in the classroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Details:

Freddie the Fly: Motormouth: A Story About Learning to Listen by Kimberly Delude
Illustrated by: Brian Martin
Published: Sept 15, 2017
Published by Boys Town Press
Softcover picture book: 32 pages
For children ages 4-8
Content rating: G

Book Description:

Freddie the Fly likes to talk and talk. He's so busy buzzing about the latest gossip, he can't listen to anyone else. Freddie doesn't realize how much of a chatterbox he is until he meets Mesquita. Her mile-a-minute mouth makes Freddie seem like a mute. Freddie the Fly: Motormouth is a humorous take on the problem of never opening your ears while always flapping your yap. Appropriate for readers in pre-k to third-grade, this colorful storybook teaches kids how to control their conversations and be excited about listening to, and learning from, others.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Add to Goodreads

My Review:

Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

From the first sentence in this book, I was hooked. Freddie is a smart, funny, curious and endearing character. I just loved him from the get-go. He tells his story in the first-person narrative and I could easily see how children will quickly become enraptured by his story.

Freddie has a motormouth and gets very excited when he wants to tell his friends things. He likes to share all the things he knows but doesn't know that he isn't listening which causes his friends to fall asleep. His teacher invites him to the Motormouth Club where she teaches them the skill of listening. Freddie works hard to practice this skill and learns new things about others when he starts to listen to them.

With fun insect characters, humor and a lively narrative, Freddie the Fly is not only super fun to read but it's also educational. I thought the skill of how to stop and listen was ingenious. An easy way for children to remember how to pause before continuing to talk. Very practical for anyone, including adults! It's not surprising that the author is a speech-language pathologist.

The illustrations are goofy, bright and fun. They fit perfectly with the topic, narrative style and age group. I think this book would be an excellent addition to any daycare, school or home library. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received complimentary copies of both books. I was not told how to rate or review these products.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Little, Brown & Company
ISBN: 0316172324
Published: January 2005
Hardcover, 277 pages

This book has been around for a few years but I am just now reading it because it’s a Book Club selection. I really enjoy his “take” on why our brain moves us to sometimes make choices in the proverbial “blink of an eye.”

The author says “it’s possible to know something without knowing why we know it.” It’s what I call “vibes” – sometimes we get them when we meet a new person or a new situation. We know intuitively that something is “off” but we can’t explain the reason. Our first impressions are influenced by our background, our environment, and our experiences in life. The author calls it the adaptive unconscious – a kind of giant computer that quickly and quietly processes a lot of data that we have absorbed over time and that brings us to a decision, albeit not always the right one.

The author states that we can change our first impressions of a thing. Whenever we have something we are good at, something that we care about deeply, then that experience and passion fundamentally change the nature of our first impressions. It’s what enables an art expert to recognize a “fake.” The artwork may look like the real thing to many, but the expert, because he has studied art and is passionate about it, knows intuitively that something is “off”, sometimes even if other experts say it is the real deal.

An interesting chapter is about why we fall for tall, dark, and handsome men.

I recommend this book to readers who want insight into how and why we make decisions.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.

Reviewed by Sandra

Disclosure: This book was borrowed from a local library. I was not told how to rate or review this product.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear by Carrie Goldman

Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear by Carrie Goldman
HarperOne
ISBN: 978-0062105073
Published August 14, 2012
Hardcover, 368 pages

“As a parent, there are few things more heartbreaking than watching your child suffer at the hands of another child,” states Carrie Goldman, author of Bullied, an eye-opening book that not only seeks to explore the reasons bullying is so prevalent in our society, but goes into depth and provides practical solutions to how parents, educators, teachers and kids themselves can make a difference.

Goldman begins her book by relating how her 6-year-old daughter was bullied at school for having a Star Wars water bottle. After blogging about this incident she got an overwhelming (server crashed, thousands of comments) positive response from the cyber community, especially the self-named Geeks, nerds, Star Wars fans and sci-fi fans who lent support and understanding. This kick-started Goldman to do extensive research on the topic of bullying with the end result to help all children. She quotes leading experts on the topic, interviews parents, kids, actors and anyone touched by bullying in some significant way and shares their stories.

There is a lot to appreciate about this book. It is divided into three parts. The first part is about Goldman's daughter Katie's story, helping me to relate to the author as a mother. The second part looks at kids who are at high risk for peer victimization from geek girls to princess boys, kids with physical and hidden disabilities and homosexuals. She ends this part with the harmful effects of bullying on the brain, which broke my heart as I read about kids who detailed the extend of their bullying, and some who tragically committed suicide, or bullycide as it's now termed. The third part is about prevention, intervention and reconciliation, which was the part I wanted to read the most. Furthermore, Goldman includes at the back of the book what I think is an exhaustive bibliography, as well as resources, appendixes to research-based programs, surveys, notes and an index to facilitate searches.

Goldman is clear that we need to create a home environment that produces neither bullies nor victims by starting with “examining our behavior as parents and role models”. I agree. But she also argues about how the media and toy retailers use gender-based marketing and the sexualization of young girls through make-up and sexy clothing. She brings to light those who advocate change in our culture. Of course, Goldman also explores cyberbullying, and sexting, showing families how they can responsibly use technology and social media. For me, it seemed like she covered a lot. I learned so much and found myself reading this book in small increments so as to better absorb the material to get the most out of it.

Bullied is a well-written and useful tool as well as an important resource that I could appreciate both as a parent and specialized educator. A book that I will refer to and re-read several times. Highly recommended.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.
To read more reviews, please stop by the TLC Book Tour page.

About the author:
Carrie Goldman blogs about issues related to adoption and parenting for ChicagoNow.com, the online community of the Chicago Tribune. She has been featured on Babble.com, Mamapedia.com, HuffPost Parents, CircleofMoms.com, and other top parenting sites. Goldman received her B.S. from Northwestern University and her M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three daughters.

Connect with Carrie on Twitter.

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Review of Summer Fit Workbooks

Summer Fit: Exercises for the Brain and Body While Away from School by Kelly Terril and Portia Marin (Rated: C)
Summer Fit Learning Inc
ISBN: 978-0976280002
Published April 1, 2011
Paperback, 144 pages

Making sure their children get an overall good education is important for many parents, myself included. So when those lazy summer months come along, I worry they will forget all those new math and language concepts. In the past, I stocked up on workbooks and visited the library on rainy days. But my kids are so busy with swimming meets, synchronized swimming, slumber parties, visiting with friends and family, and late nights that little time is left for educational pursuits.

Then I discovered the Summer Fit Workbooks.

I got one for my daughter (grade 4-5) and one for my son (K- grade 1). Since my children go to an all French school I wanted them to brush up on the same skills in English. I am happy to say that unlike the other workbooks, this one is still being used now that we are in mid-summer. Yahoo! The only problem is that I got the wrong grade level for my son. He is going into grade 2 in September and the K-1 workbook was way too easy for him even in English. However, I adapted some of the activities and still used the incentive contract to keep him interested in doing work. The workbooks are for American children but there is additional Canadian-specific content available on the publisher's website.

Here are what we love about the Summer Fit workbook:

It covers reading, writing and math based on national standards.
It also covers fitness, nutrition and core values, such as honesty, self-discipline and kindness. And the fitness exercises are diverse and age-appropriate.
The work is clearly divided into 10 weeks, and my kids knew exactly what pages to do every day.
At the beginning of each week, there is a page that states what topics will be covered followed by an incentive contract, which my daughter and son liked because they could keep track of their progress and work toward their weekly goals and rewards.
At the end of each week, there is a page of activities to do with family and friends and also a booklist.
Each day's work only takes about 30 minutes.
Colourful icons make it easy to identify a mind, body or value activity or skill.
Additional games, activities, booklists and book report sheets are available for downloading on the publisher's website summerfitlearning.com.
It's a fun and creative workbook!

Overall, this is a well thought-out workbook that keeps children active in mind, body and soul throughout the summer. It's a fun book, appealing, not too heavy on the workload but just the right amount so as not to become drudgery at a time when kids expect to do nothing but have fun. Highly recommended for families who want to instill a good overall education even throughout the summer, making it part of an entertaining family routine.

Disclosure: Thanks to Michelle Carpenter from MediaGuests for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.