|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Previous Issues > January 2008 > Parentown > Bookshelf
|
 |
 |
 |
| |
 Parentown
BookShelf
Making Healthy Choices: A Story to Inspire Fit, Weight-Wise Kids (Girls' Edition)
Authors/Illustrator: Merilee A. Kern, Jerry Decrotie (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wheatmark, Incorporated
Age Range: 7 to 14
I must admit that I wondered where this book was headed when chapter one started out with the description of Patty, an overweight 10-year-old who likes to eat. The first page suggested that it wasn't all Patty's fault and that the world around her encouraged the bad decisions. A big fan of personal responsibility, I was pleased at the turn the book took in chapters 2 and 3. After a troubling visit to the doctor, Patty realizes that being overweight is bad for her health. And the media, which does often send enticing messages that aren't always good for us, actually helps her get on the right track. Patty logs on to the Internet with her dad to learn more about obesity-related health problems. She decides that she CAN take control and that she has the power to make changes that will make her healthier and happier. The whole family gets onboard to become healthy, and by working together, they accomplish their goals. The book ends up being an enjoyable read that everyone can benefit from. The Healthy Living Tip Sheet in the back gives great ideas for healthier living. Coloring book-style illustrations do a wonderful job of portraying Patty's frustrations and her transformation. Check out this book, also available in a boys' edition, and get started on your New Year's resolutions! JK
At the Controls: Questioning Video and Computer Games
Author/Illustrator: Neil Anderson
Series: Fact Finders: Media Literacy
Publisher: Capstone Press
Age Range: 8 to 13
At the Controls is one of a series of six books to address the need for more media literacy education resources for grades 3-5. Ranging in topics from video games (At the Controls), movies (Coming Distractions) and music videos (Music Madness), to magazines (Pretty in Print), television (TV Takeover) and online media (Virtually True), the books teach readers a way to recognize and question the influences of media messages. And despite the titles, the books don't bash the media, but rather offer five key questions for the reader: Who made the message and why? Whom is the message for? How might others view the message differently? What is left out of the message? How does the message get and keep my attention?
Each of these questions gets the readers thinking and examining the media in question. After reading At the Controls with my son, I feel that he has a better understanding of the messages that some video games send and that he'll look at video games with a more observant eye. You probably won't find this series at your local bookstore, but it is worth looking for at your school or public library. JK
Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Author/Illustrator: Bonnie Bader, Elizabeth Wolf (Illustrator)
Publisher: Penguin Group
Age Range: 7 to 10
From the publisher:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was only 25 when he helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was soon organizing black people across the country in support of the right to vote, desegregation and other basic civil rights. Maintaining nonviolent and peaceful tactics even when his life was threatened, King was also an advocate for the poor and spoke out against racial and economic injustice until his death from an assassin's bullet in 1968. With clearly written text that explains this tumultuous time in history and 80 black-and-white illustrations, this Who Was...? celebrates the vision and the legacy of a remarkable man.
Bella Gets Her Skates On
Author/Illustrator: Ian Whybrow, Rosie Reeve (Illustrator)
Publisher: HNA Books
Age Range: 3 to 7
From the publisher:
When Daddy Rabbit suggests skating on the frozen lake, Bella's big brother and sister are excited. But little Bella is nervous. What if she falls over and everyone laughs at her? Gently
encouraged by the others, Bella gains confidence and steps out onto the ice and discovers that she loves skating! A wonderful book to share with any child who ever has lacked confidence in his or her ability to step out into the world and have fun!
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
