Tuesday, May 30, 2006
The Cay
For those of you who enjoyed Hatchet by Gary Paulson read Theodore Taylor's The Cay. The book takes places during World War II. A German submarine torpedoes eleven-year-old Philip's ship. The injured Philip must survive the sea, the stubborn old man Timothy, and being marooned. It is an outrageously good tale.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Hats, Hats, Hats, Wonderful Hats
Colonial Williamsburg honored Armed Forces Day with a three day celebration of fifing and drumming. Hosted by the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums, corps visited from the U.S. and Canada for three days of marching and performing.
At the Colonial Williamsburg Booksellers I met Julia, aged nine, from the Middlesex County 4-H Fifes and Drums from Boston. In addition to fifing, Julia is also learning to play the base drum.
Fifers and drummers preserve the stirring music of the era of the American Revolution and they get to wear wonderful hats!
Monday, May 15, 2006
A Neat Mother's Day Gift
My son Alex, among other thoughtful gifts, made me an entry on Wikipedia for Mother's Day. Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Haislip
Thursday, May 11, 2006
R.L. Stine's Writing Program
Children's author, R.L. Stine, has put on his website 16 pages of free writing instructions for teachers and kids. Go to his website at http://www.rlstine.com and the find the material under the teacher's category.
I think you'll find his writing instructions very helpful.
I think you'll find his writing instructions very helpful.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Ert! Ert! Ert!
This is the sound we hear whenever we go outside our house. We have two house finch bird nests this year.
One is in the light over our garage door.
The other is in a hanging basket near our side door.
Mama and Daddy birds don't like it when we go in and out of our house. We are very careful not to disturb them, but they still complain whenever we appear.
Mama and Daddy birds don't like it when we go in and out of our house. We are very careful not to disturb them, but they still complain whenever we appear.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Lyddie
I have just finished a book called Lyddie by Katherine Patterson. Thirteen-year-old Lyddie became a mill girl in Lowell, MA during the great days of cloth manufacturing in that city. The book for young adults offers an insight into the attractions and drawbacks of factory work in the early days of the eighteenth century. I liked the book. However, I felt the ending suggested more modern sensibilties than those of Lyddie's time. Inspite of that, it is still worth reading.
