Books for Children by Fran Hawk
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Book opens eyes on kid nutrition
'Eat This Not That! For Kids!" by David Zinczenko advertises itself as providing "Thousands of simple food swaps that can save your child from obesity." The book is all that and much, much more. I've been paying attention to nutrition for 30 years, yet I learned something new on every page. As the Washington Post said, "Once you open it, just try to put it down."
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Books great distractions on trips
If, like me, you have not invested in a portable DVD player for your children and/or grandchildren, books will be handy distractions. My car is always littered with books that I periodically switch around. As soon as I finish clicking the seat belts, I hand each child a book. And those little angels read quietly until we reach our destination. Or at least until I've backed down the driveway.
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Dewey the cat warms hearts
A cat is just a cat. Right? Wrong.
For one of our granddaughters and her family, Roxy the adorable cat is dear in all the world. Which makes Roxy adorable and dear to me.
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True stories can make best reading
The best stories are true stories.
Yes, I know I've said that many times before. Three new picture books prove me right all over again.
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Judging book's yuck factor
'Yucky Worms" by Vivian French is a big favorite with little kids. Before reading this book to the kindergartners, I stocked up on worms from the tackle shop so that the children could see for themselves that worms are wiggly, wonderful creatures.
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YA novels offer diverse topics
During winter, I rarely have long stretches of time to read. It may take me weeks to finish a novel. Summer is different. Whether I'm on vacation or waiting in an airport, I often have consecutive hours to lose myself in a book.
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Diverse book topics should amaze
More books and articles have been written about the Titanic than any other disaster in history. "I Survived: The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912" by Lauren Tarshis is yet another entry in a crowded field.
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Finding the right book for children
Just because a kid can read, doesn't necessarily mean that he does read. So what? This matters because research shows that the more kids read, the better readers they become. Although that may be blatantly obvious to adults, many kids are not impressed.
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Laughter important part of reading
Into every child's life, a little silly, funny, nonsense must fall. Even if silly, funny nonsense isn't a "must," it certainly is a pleasant and important component.
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Stories about Earth's destruction scary
I'm still haunted by the book, 'On the Beach' by Nevil Shute, which I read more than 40 years ago.
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Tips to keep kids reading over summer break
'What Can Families Do to Keep Their Children Reading Over the Summer" is a small yellow sheet of paper available for free at the Charleston County Library.
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Promoting peace on Memorial Day
Wikipedia.org is one of my favorite sources of information. Regular encyclopedias are just fine, but they often seem stodgy by comparison. Critics fault Wikipedia for being less reliable than the standard volumes, but it's so lively and current that I accept the risk.
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Movies can extend an interest to books
In a fit of extreme grandmother-itis, I volunteered to drive our 4-year-old and 2-year-old grandchildren to North Carolina. (Aside: En route, the toddler got a nose bleed and then took the lid off his berry smoothie, which sloshed on his shirt. He was the same size, shape and color as a fire hydrant. But a whole lot noisier.)
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Engaging books offer poignancy of real life
'Leo and the Lesser Lion" by Sandra Forrester is an especially poignant and engaging book. I cried at the end and wished there was more.
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Winning books not always best
Whining isn't going to change the selection process, but I'm whining anyway. When books win awards, they're read by a much wider audience. Libraries with limited resources buy these books. My point is that I'm chagrined by these choices that often waste the reader's time and the taxpayer's money. But not always.
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Fran Hawk
Fran Hawk writes the children's books column and travel stories for The Post and Courier. Her first children's book, "The Story of the H. L. Hunley and Queenie's Coin" was published by Sleeping Bear Press in 2004. She has worked at several local schools and currently serves as the librarian at Clark Corporate Academy, and magnet high school in Charleston County. She has four children and lives with her husband in Mount Pleasant.Latest Literary Headlines
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