Teens and Risky Behaviors

Reflection: “No Brakes! Risk and the adolescent brain.” By A. E. Kazdin and C. Rotella (February 10, 2010) from slate.com

Subjects: Risky behaviors, Teens and Tweens, Parent/Child communication effectiveness, school education programs for risk behaviors, peer pressure

            Kazdin and Rotella argue that adolescents are no worse at assessing risk and making bad decisions then adults and that people of all ages underestimate likely dangers and underestimate likely ones.  They state that recent studies have compared adolescent and adult levels of irrationality and found them to be similar, which means that adolescent behavior cannot be attributed to an inability to reason. 

            So what does that mean to current risk prevention practices?  Kazdin and Rotella argue that reasoning with your child about why they shouldn’t engage in risky behavior is ineffective as a short term intervention tool.  At first I was questioning of this statement.  How can talking with your children be ineffective?  It builds rapport and opens communication channels when done in a correct manner aka calm and reassuring versus yelling.  But Kazdin and Rotella accept that there are positive long term effects of reasoning and talking to your child, they are just not interested in them.  The authors are more interested in discovering short term prevention tools that have an effect on a child’s behavior in the present not the immeasurable future.        

            Kazdin and Rotella then argue that school educational programs are also an ineffective tool in preventing risky behaviors in adolescents.  They dismiss these programs as being a “more expensive, elaborate, and systematic version” of parents reasoning with their children (Kazdin & Rotella, 2010, section 2).  They support their argument with the fact that “90 percent of all U.S. high-school students have been exposed to sex, drug, and driver education in their schools and yet are still engaging in high-risk behaviors” (Kazdin & Rotella, 2010, section 2).  I feel this argument is a weak sort of generalization.  I would have rather they presented some statistics showing that the number of teenagers engaging in certain high risk behaviors has been unchanged since the implementation of education programs, because that is what they seem to be implying.  Though I think statistics on the effectiveness of education programs will show numbers to refute their generalization.

            Of all of Kazdin and Rotella’s arguments, the one that I agree with the most is that the presence or absence of peers has a large effect on whether or not a teen chooses to engage in risky behavior.  Peers greatly influence the interests of tweens and teens in middle school and early high school (AACAP, 2001).  This is why it is important for tweens and teens to have positive peer influences as well as having the ability to resist negative peer pressure (Search Institute, 2007).

Social networking too young?

 Reflection: "How COPPA fails parents, educators, youth" by Boyd & "Social Networking for the 10 and under crowd" by S. Jackson

Subjects: Social Networks, Tweens, Children, COPPA, parental permission requirements

Reading over the articles by Boyd and Jackson got me thinking about the pros and cons of tween social networking.  Tweens are easily able to communicate with family, friends, and institutions such as libraries and schools but become more vulnerable to online predators and cyber-bullying.  If parents keep tweens from accessing social networks, then they run the risk of tweens setting up accounts without adult knowledge or falling behind in developing valuable computer skills.  So what’s a parent to do?  I’m inclined to say that each parent should look at their own child’s development, talk to them about Internet safety, and seek out tween friendly sites.  But I also know that nothing is that simple.

            YALSA (2008) suggests multiple ways that schools and libraries can use social networking to promote tween participation, reading skills, and gather suggestive feedback for services.  They suggest setting up accounts on Myspace, Facebook, or Twitter to blog about library programs, author books, and library resources.  But to use many of those social networking accounts you need to over 13 years of age.  I had assumed this was because of safety issues protecting minors from online predators.  But Boyd’s article argues that the good intention of COPPA was to protect children’s privacy from corporations, not safety from individuals.  COPPA solved this problem by requiring companies to gain parental consent for anyone 13 and under.  Companies responded by requiring users to indicate they were over 13 years of age and therefore not needing parental permission.  From the tweens and teens I know, they responded by lying and clicking the ‘yes, I am over 13’ button, sometimes with parent permission.

            So what are the options?  Jackson suggests that parents try out social networks, such as Togetherville.com, specifically designed for the younger age group.  Sites that require parental permission, screen postings for inappropriateness, and are designed with child safety in mind not just social networking and minimum COPPA compliance.  So do I think an 8 year needs to be online using a social network? I’m still not sure but if they are then I hope it’s through online networks that are focused on a child’s fun and safety as well as parent participation such as AllyKatzz.com, Beaconstreetgirls.com, or Clubpenguin.com. 

Daughters of Darkness (Book)

Smith, L. J. (1996). Daughters of darkness. New York, NY: Archway Paperbacks. ISBN: 0-671-55134-5

Interest Level: Ages 9 to 14
Genre: Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural beings, Vampires,

Plot:  The Night World is a secret society of witches, vampires, and werewolves that has existed since ancient times.  Humans who find out about the Night World are killed or used as food for vampires and werewolves.  This is because humans greatly outnumber Night World citizens, though this was not always true.  Night World citizens can torture or kill a human, but they are forbidden to fall in love with one.  But lately there's been whispers in the Night World that soul mates are being found.  The soul mate principle means that for every person there is one other person fated to be their perfect match.  The soul mate connection is stronger then any known magic.  But even more interesting is the rumors that those finding their soul mates are finding them in regular human beings. 

In Daughters of Darkness, three vampire sisters have runaway from home, a vampire controlled island stuck with old fashioned values where men are in charge of everything.  They runaway to the country where they find their aunt has been murdered.  Their brother, Ash, shows up and is trying to convince the girls that they need to return home.  In the process, Ash finds his soul mate in Mary-Lynnette, a human girl living next door to the Ash's sisters.  Torn between Night World rules and his love for his sisters and Mary-Lynnette, Ash tries to figure out what to do next.

Personal Thoughts: This was one of my favorite series in junior high.  I wasn't that big of a fan of the Vampire Diaries but I was glad that it got turned into a TV show since that meant that the rest of L.J. Smith's books were likely to get more attention and get republished.  Each book was a great tween romance that stressed testing true love and your personal principles.  Each of the characters were high school students that are also dealing with very realistic problems as well as magical ones. 

In  this the second book of the Night World series, Ash is a party boy who has used girls for fun and money.  His soul mate, Mary-Lynnette, is a quiet thoughtful individual who doesn't trust good looks because it usually means a shallow mind. The best part of this book is that it shows that the soul mate principle can sometimes be painful when two individuals don't mesh perfectly instantly.  Ash is the perfect bad boy who starts redeeming himself in order to win the respect of the girl he loves.  Cliche it might be, but its sure to delight tween girls. 

When compared to Twilight, the stories are shorter but the female characters are stronger.  Also the material is pretty PG with nothing outside of simple kissing in these stories; though by all reports the last book, Strange Fate, (which has been in the works for years now) does get more intense with the Apocalypse which results in vampires taking over and humans as slaves.  But I'll report back on that once its published.  Definitely a Must Read for young vampire fans!

Series Info: Book Two of the Night World series
Sequel: Spellbinder
Book Talk: Check out my 2 minute book talk for the Night World series first three books.

Author's Website: L.J. Smith Offical Website

Secret Vampire (Book)

Smith, L. J. (1996). Secret vampire. New York, NY: Archway Paperbacks. ISBN: 978-0-671-55133-9

Interest Level: Ages 9 to 14
Genre: Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural beings, Vampires,

Plot:  The Night World is a secret society of witches, vampires, and werewolves that has existed since ancient times.  Humans who find out about the Night World are killed or used as food for vampires and werewolves.  This is because humans greatly outnumber Night World citizens, though this was not always true.  Night World citizens can torture or kill a human, but they are forbidden to fall in love with one.  But lately there's been whispers in the Night World that soul mates are being found.  The soul mate principle means that for every person there is one other person fated to be their perfect match.  The soul mate connection is stronger then any known magic.  But even more interesting is the rumors that those finding their soul mates are finding them in regular human beings. 

In Secret Vampire, the vampire James has found his soul mate in a human girl named Poppy.   Growing up together as best friends, James has quietly waited until they were old enough to become more then friends.  But Poppy has been diagnosed with an incurable disease and time is running out.  James breaks the rules, telling Poppy about the Night World, and gives her a choice - die young or become a vampire.

Personal Thoughts: This was one of my favorite series in junior high.  I wasn't that big of a fan of the Vampire Diaries but I was glad that it got turned into a TV show since that meant that the rest of L.J. Smith's books were likely to get more attention and get republished.  Each book was a great tween romance that stressed testing true love and your personal principles.  Each of the characters were high school students that are also dealing with very realistic problems as well as magical ones. 

The first book tackles the question about death and illness.  Poppy is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The question of would you choose to live forever?  Poppy, unlike Twilight's Bella, understands the gravity of her choice and isn't rushing into it blindly.  James on the other hand is desparate to save her.  They break Night World laws by turning Poppy into a vampire and that could mean her destruction.  They have an even bigger possiblity of getting caught when Ash, James' cousin, finds out about what they have done.     

When compared to Twilight, the stories are shorter but the female characters are stronger.  Also the material is pretty PG with nothing outside of simple kissing in these stories; though by all reports the last book, Strange Fate, (which has been in the works for years now) does get more intense with the Apocalypse which results in vampires taking over and humans as slaves.  But I'll report back on that once its published.  Definitely a Must Read for young vampire fans!

Series Info: Book One of the Night World series
Sequel: Daughters of Darkness
Book Talk: Check out my 2 minute book talk for the Night World series first three books.

Author's Website: L.J. Smith Offical Website

Teen Spaces in Libraries

I'm one of the lucky ones.  My local library has a wonderful space dedicated to young adults.  The area has a collection of young adult books, magazines, and graphic novels.  There are tables for group work, chair groupings for quite socializing, big comfy purple chairs stuck in corners and individual study carrels scattered around to do homework.  There is a display case on one wall, changed monthly, with YA high interest themes.  Last month’s theme was a collection of old video gaming systems and their games such as pong, Atari, NES, Super NES, and Genesis.  A table in the middle of the area displays popular YA graphic novels, books, and music.  The YA area is also conveniently located next to the DVD and music collection.

Young adults make up a proportionate number of library users with 78% of children ages 8 – 18 years old owning a library card, according to the Youth and Library Use Study a Harris Interactive poll conducted in June 2007 (Bolan, 2008).  This shouldn’t be surprising since they need a library card in order to complete homework and school directed research.  Yet YA spaces represent on average only 2.2 percent of a library’s total square footage and only 4 percent at the largest libraries (Honnold, 2010).  YALSA has adopted the position that in order for public libraries to continue moving forward the ratio of a teen area to the overall library should be equal to the ratio of the teen population of that community to the overall population of that community (Bolan, 2008).

It is important for libraries to make space for teens in their library.  Today’s teens are tomorrow’s adults.  They will be making the future decisions that will effect library funding.  By not answering their unique needs or desires, libraries risk losing this valuable patron base.  If you’re not sure what those needs are outside of the developmental, try something radical and ask them.

The Great Retweening and Why Boys Won't Read

Reflection: “Sweet Valley High, the Great Retweening and Why Boys Won’t Read.” By K. Baker. (April 5, 2010). Retrieved December 10, 2010 from the awl.com

Subjects: Boys and Media Messages, Male characters in literature,

Baker points to the different ways that tween girls are flexing their power in the tween market:  The increasing numbers of Disney characters specifically targeted to the tween girl age group; American Idol contestants with talent, losing to those with tween girl appeal aka having the “pop boy idol look”; The re-marketing of 80s girl icons such as Strawberry Shortcake and the Baby-sitters Club girls.  Everywhere you seem to look in television and books, characters and role models for girls seem easy to find.  If these characters are sending the right media messages to tween girls is another discussion altogether.  Check out my discussion on “The Impact of Disney Stars on Tweens” or “What Advertisers Know about Tweens” for more information.

But Baker asks the question, what about the boys?  Where are they being represented?  Where are the role models for boys that are more than just sidekicks?  My mind jumps to books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Kinney or The Lightning Thief by Riordan and then to shows like Drake & Josh and Avatar: The Last Airbender.  As a girl growing up, I always thought it was difficult to find girl characters I could relate to.  Girls were rarely represented as the hero.  It wasn’t until later that I was able to sort through books more efficiently to find characters that appealed to me.  So as an adult, I automatically assumed that the opposite must be true for boys and there must have been a large variety of good characters out there for them to relate to. 

But I’ve come to realize over the semester that we need to look at how boys are represented in television and literature just as much as we look at how girls are.  As people worry about too many images of skinny, fashion obsessed, and weak female characters, we also need to worry about too many muscle bound school slacking goofy male characters.  “Boys are besieged by images and messages from marketers and the media that encourage slacking over studying; competition over teamwork; power over empowerment; and being cool over being oneself” states the Packaging Boyhood website.  If they can’t be the superhero, the buff hyper masculine person that saves the day, then boys are encouraged to be the slacker or the sidekick (Meredith, 2009).  Whether for girls or boys, we should strive to find a rounded variety of character types for both genders to experience.  Otherwise I am afraid we will create a self fulfilling prophecy where boys will feel they need to be the slacker or the hero, and never look to explore themselves out of those labels. 

The Angel Experiment (Book)

Patterson, J. (2005). Maximum ride: The angel experiment. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 978-0-316-06795-9

Interest Level: Ages 9 to 16
Genre: Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Action/Adventure, Genetic Experimentation, Teens living on their own,

Plot: Meet Max.  A 14 year old human-avian genetic experiment.  Max doesn't go to school or have any parents.  She lives in a house in the mountains with five other human-avian hybrid kids.  The group escaped four years ago from the lab that created them.  The lab, nicknamed the School, would subject the children to all sorts of physical and mental tests to see how far they could go.  The School didn't care if the sometimes the tests went to far and the kids were harmed or even killed. One day, Max and the group are ambushed by Erasers, wolf-human hybrid experiments that work for the School.  They kidnap Angel, the youngest member of the flock.  Max and two other members of the flock go to the School to rescue Angel before its too late.  At the School they learn more about how they were created, about who their parents are, and about why the School created them in the first place -- to save the world.

Personal Thoughts: James Patterson, a well established adult mystery writer, has now tried his hand at a young adult novel.  And the result is wonderful.  The story is filled with action.  If the children aren't seeking out a fight then one comes looking for them.  Max's inner dialog as well as the rest of the flock's dialog is the same you would hear from a real teenager, wings or not.  Each of the kids, ages ranging from 6 to 14, has their own unique personality and powers.  There is more then one or two plot lines going on which will have readers guessing about what will happen next.  A Must Read!

Series Info: Book One of the The Fugitive series

Sequel: Maximum Ride: School's Out -- Forever (2006)
Book Talk: Check out my 2 minute book talk for The Angel Experiment

Awards/Recognition:
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2006)

Book's Website: Maximum Ride Website

"What YA Lit is and isn't" by Pearson

Reflection of the article: “What YA Lit is and isn’t” by Mary Pearson (September 10, 2009).

Subjects:  Young Adult Literature, Reading Choices,

            In this article Pearson reflects on people’s attitudes and expectations of young adult literature.  She wonders if those attitudes and expectations stem from people’s attitudes of teens in general.  She argues that people’s fear of the teen years has them wanting to rush past this important period of their lives and move on to becoming full adults (Pearson, 2009, para. 6).  Her observation disturbs me, because I feel that she is very likely correct.  This is the period in their lives where tweens and teens start becoming independent, discovering their sexuality, and developing personal morals and values (Facts for Families: Normal Adolescent Development Part 1).  From a concerned parent’s viewpoint, this can be a very nerve-racking time.  We shouldn’t let those nerves and fears drive us to extremes when trying to decide what is and isn’t appropriate for a teen.  We survived our teenage years.  They will too. 

            I personally love to read young adult literature.  I agree with Pearson that young adult literature is definitely not a lesser, watered-down version of adult literature (2009, para. 9).  The stories and characters are as varied as those found in adult literature.  In some cases I would say they are even more thought provoking. You can find books about vampires, genetics, the afterlife, homelessness, drug use, the rich, and much more.  Tweens and teens are experiencing so many different developmental transitions that effect them physically, mentally emotionally, and socially (Anderson, 2007; Lesesne, 2006).  These transitions which drive the teen experience provide writers with multiple fascinating possibilities with which they can develop their stories.     

            I agree with Pearson (2009) that sometimes we need to see our peers, our lives, or our thoughts, both dark and light, reflected in the pages of a book.  Teens and adults should be equally steered towards adult books and young adult books.  There are lessons and connections to be made by both age groups in both categories.  It bothers me sometimes the amount of importance we give on a label.  So what if an adult is reading a young adult book?  or a young adult an adult book?  Are they understanding it? Are they enjoying it?  What’s important is that we enjoy reading what we are reading and that we are able to take something away from a book even if its only enjoyment. 

Reference:

Anderson, S. (2007). Serving young teens and ‘tweens. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. 

Lesesne, T. (2006). Naked reading: Uncovering what tweens need to become lifelong readers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Cell Phones, Texting and Tween Friendships

Reflection of the article: How does technology affect kids' friendships? by H. Stout (April 30, 2010).

Subjects: Social Networking, Digital Technology, Tween Friendships, Cell Phones, Texting

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that tweens today are hard wired into the technology.  Youth, ages 8 to 18, spend more than seven and a half hours a day on a smart phone, computer, television or other electronic device according to an ongoing national survey conducted in 2009 by the Kaiser Family Foundation.  The Pew Reasearch Center’s study on teens, cell phones, and texting (2010) found that 75 percent of 12 to 17 year-olds own cell phones with half of those teens sending more than 50 text messages a day.  Parents and researchers alike are worried about the more negative aspects of online interactions that tweens are experiencing, such as cyber-bullying and sexting.  Links between technology and a child’s intellectual development has long been debated.  Some college students show signs of withdrawal similar to drug addicts when going without a social media connection (Dominus, 2010).

But children are being affected by technology in other subtle and less traumatic ways.    Stout (April 20, 2010) discusses how digital technology is changing the ways in which tweens and teens are interacting with one another and their ability to develop meaningful friendships.  Gone are the days of waiting to talk to a friend at school or calling them from a landline.  Today’s teens and tweens have cell phones and Facebook accounts with which they instantly message their friends and update their statuses, letting everyone know exactly what they’re doing.  I believe that this constant connection allows tweens multiple opportunities to be closer longer their friends.  I don’t believe that technology interferes with a child’s ability to build close childhood friendships.  I believe it only changes how those relationships are built and maintained.   

I’m not so sure that I agree with the sources Stout cites about the quality of face-to-face interactions and the emotional depth of those interactions being diminished.  Adults remember the days of talking for hours on the phone with a single friend.  Tweens today can chat with multiple people at a time.  They are adept multi-taskers who perform better than excepted when faced with distractions (Jayson, 2010).  Tweens today are already moving past regular texting and emails and using services like Skype to video chat with their friends.  This growing trend towards video chatting is likely to re-strengthen those facial recognition skills that Stouts sources said were weakening.  Tweens are social creatures and technology offers a way for tweens to become even more social. 

39 Clues (Book)

Riordan, R. (2008). The maze of bones. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-545-06039-4

Interest Level: Ages 9 to 14
Genre: Mystery
Subjects/Themes: Action/Adventure, Mystery, Orphans, Code Breaking, Family Secrets, Travel,

Plot: Grace Cahill, matriarch of the Cahill family, has just passed away leaving behind millions of dollars to her relatives.  From all over the world, the many branches of the Cahill family have gathered for Grace’s funeral and for the reading of her will.  Dan and Amy Cahill aren't worried about who's getting their grandmother's money; they know she'll have left them something, however small.  They were her favorites and had spent every weekend of the last seven years since their parent’s deaths at her estate.  More importantly, Dan and Amy wonder what will happen to them now that the only relative in the world who has cared about them since their parent’s death is gone.  As relatives gather to hear Grace's will, each person is given five minutes to make a choice - 1 million dollars or the first of 39 clues which will lead to a secret that would make them the most powerful and influential person on the planet.

Brother and sister, Dan and Amy Cahill, have decided to take the clue despite their lack of resources and the risks involved.  Orphaned, poor, and now disowned by their Aunt Beatrice for not taking the money, the children start on their quest to find the other clues before anyone else does.  Grace’s lawyer informed those who had chosen the clues that there would be many different ways to finding the answers and the next clues. Dan and Amy's path starts in a secret section of their grandmother's library.  Unfortunately, the library and the rest of the house is set on fire with them still inside.  Narrowly escaping, they gather what little supplies they have and convince Nellie, their au pair (full time baby-sitter), to travel with them in their search.  Following the clues, they learn of their family relationship with Benjamin Franklin, dodge bombs, travel to Paris, almost get buried alive, and that’s only the start of their journey.

Personal Thoughts: I loved this book.  There is a lot of action and intrigue (bombs are getting set off, booby traps, and double/triple crossings).  The text is easy to read and filled with different historical information without the feeling of being weighed down.  In this book, the children are following clues linked to Benjamin Franklin's life and inventions which readers will learn random facts about.  The children are orphans and the rest of their family branches were fighting with one another even before Grace's funeral.  There are five other teams, out for blood, that the children are racing against.  All the other teams seem to think that the children have a better chance, being Grace's favorites, to find the clues and are trying to permanently take them out of the competition.  A great book for boys or girls who like a fast paced action read mixed with mystery.  Kind of like The Da Vinci Code for kids.  This is definitely a Must Read!

Note: The books in this series have been written by a variety of different authors (Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park and Margaret Peterson Haddix.)

Series Info: Book One of the 39 Clues series
Sequel: One False Note (2008)
Book Talk: Check out my 2 minute book talk for Maze of Bones.

Awards/Recognition:
New York Times Bestsellers List
USA Today Bestsellers List
Publishers Weekly Bestsellers List
Wall Street Journal Bestsellers List

Book's Website: Scholastic's 39 Clues Website

Sonny with a Chance (TV Show)

Robbins, B., Bridgett, S. S., Feldman, M., & Marmel., S. (Producers). (2009). Sonny with a chance [Television series]. Burbank, CA: Disney Channel.

Interest Level: Ages 8 to 17
Genre: Family/Teen Sitcom
Subjects/Themes: Comedy, Fame, Teenage Actors/Actresses, Rivalry
Running Time:  23 minutes per episode
Rating: TV-G 

Plot: Sonny Munroe (played by Demi Lovato) has won the chance to star on her favorite comedy television show, So Random!.  Sonny is a good hearted, hard working, goofy and friendly individual.  The show is divided between Sonny's interactions behind the scenes with the So Random! cast and their rivals, the Mackenzie Falls cast, and clips from the So Random! and Mackenzie Falls shows.  Mackenzie Falls, one of the shows within the show, is a tween soap drama with overacting characters.  So Random! is a collection of comedy sketch shows similar to Saturday Night Live but for tweens. 

Personal Thoughts:  This show has a lot of different things going on in it, one of which will probably appeal to most tweens.  First there's the comedy sketches, then the Mackenzie Falls scenes, then the behind the scenes interactions, and then Sonny's interactions with her mother.  Sonny tends to act more like an adult then her mother at times but her mother is supportive and cares about Sonny a lot.  The So Random! cast is expectedly funny made up of Tawni (fashion obssed diva), Zora (a quirky genius), Nico and Grady (two pranksters who are best friends).  Chad is the star of Mackenzie Falls and has a love/hate relationship with the So Random! cast members.  He is spoiled and egocentric but also kind and sweet and times.  A good show for tweens interested in some good laughs.

Awards/Recognition:
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite Comedy Show Winner (2009)
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards: Favorite TV show Nominee (2010)
Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Show: Comedy Nominee (2010)

Website: Disney Channel's Sonny with a Chance Website

Llama Llama Mad at Mama (Book)

Dewdney, A. (2007). Llama Llama mad at mama. New York, NY: Viking. ISBN: 978-0-670-06240-9

Interest Level: Ages 5 & under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Llamas, Animals, Moms, Shopping, Anger, Temper Tantrums, Stories in Rhyme

Plot: Little Llama has to go to the store with Mama instead of getting to stay home and play. Little by little Llama gets upset. Eventually he gets so upset that he has a tantrum and starts throwing everything out of the shopping basket. Mama tells Llama to stop and that enough is enough. Mama calmly explains that she thinks shopping is boring too but at least she has Llama with her to make it better. Together they clean up Llama’s mess and then work as a team to get the shopping done.

Personal Thoughts: The illustrations convey the emotions in the story very well. Young children will easily relate to little Llama’s frustration about having to follow mom around while she does her chores.  The rhyming text flows easily making it a great choice for a storytime book.  Parents can use this story to help address tantrum problems and start conversations with children about how to make boring chores more fun.

Author's Website: Anna Dewdney's Website
Other Books by the Author: Llama llama holiday drama (2010); Roly Poly pangolin (2010); Nobunny's perfect (2008); Grumpy Gloria (2006); Llama llama red pajama (2005)

When Sophie gets angry - really, really angry (Book)

Bang, M. (1999). When Sophie gets angry - really, really angry. New York, NY: Blue Sky Press. ISBN: 0-590-18979-4

Interest Level: Ages 7 to 2
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Anger, Emotions, Coping Skills, Behavior, Siblings, Temper Tantrums, Sharing

Plot: Sophie is playing with her stuffed gorilla when her sister comes and takes it away.  Sophie's mother tells her that it is her sister's turn to play with the gorilla.  Sophie becomes very very angry, so angry she wants to smash everything.  Sophie ends up throwing a temper tantrum and then runs outside to her favorite tree.  In the tree's branches, she cries and begins to slowly calm down.  After she's completely calm, Sophie returns home to her family who are all working together on a puzzle.

Personal Thoughts: One of the things I like about this book is that it talks about ways in which to deal with anger.  Sophie runs to her tree to be alone and calm down.  The book prompts children to think about what they should do when their angry.  Parents and educators can use this book as a tool for starting a discussion about the right and wrong ways that children express anger.  The illustrations are great, conveying the emotional ride that Sophie is on through the story very well.

Awards/Recognition:
Caldecott Medal Honor Award (2000)
Jane Addams Children's Book Honor Award (2000)
Charlotte Zolotow Award (2000)

Author Website: Molly Bang's Website
Other Books by the Author: The day Leo said I hate you (2008); The paper crane (1985); Ten, nine, eight (1983); Chattanooga sludge (1996)

Let's Meet Farmer Jed (Board Book)

Mitter, M. (2008). Let's meet farmer Jed. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest Children's Books. ISBN: 0-7944-1425-7

Interest Level: Ages 5 & under
Genre: Board Book
Subjects/Themes: Nutrition, Farms, Animals, Food

Plot: Follow Farmer Jed as he goes about his daily chores on the farm.  Learn about the different crops he grows and the different livestock he takes care of.  Each scene contains one of Farmer Jed's "Healthy Eating Tips" of food and nutrition.  The bright and colorful illustrations are modeled after Fisher-Price's "Little People" toys.  The different objects in the pictures are all labeled offering a sight word learning opportunity.

Personal Thoughts: So much nutrition information stuffed into such a small board book!  All the different labeled items provide one learning opportunity, Farmer Jed's descriptions of life on the farm another, and the healthy eating tips teach children about proper nutrition.  The healthy eating tips suggest things like eating breakfast every morning, drinking lots of water, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables.

Other Books by the Author: I'm going to eat you! (2006); The 100th day of school (2003); 1, 2, 3 counting rhymes (2004);

Happy Healthy Monsters: Grover's Guide to Good Eating (Book)

Kleinberg, N. (2007). Happy healthy monsters: Grover's guide to good eating. New York, NY: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 978-0-375-84063-0

Interest Level: Ages 8 to 3
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Nutrition, Monsters, Sesame Street, Healthy Eating Habits

Plot: Grover and Elmo introduce children to different types of healthy foods and healthy eating habits at the Good Eating Cafe where they work. At the same time a second story is going on in the pictures as Grover and Elmo try to serve a customer who isn't interested in their healthy suggestions.  Foods that are good to eat all the time, such as vegetables and fruits, are discussed along with foods that are okay to eat only sometimes, such as soda and sweets.  Healthy eating tips encourage children to eat healthy, eat lots of different types of vegetables, eat as a family, try new foods, and watch their portion size.  The last two pages of the book offers suggestions for parents for encouraging healthy eating, proper rest, and exercise in children.

Personal Thoughts: I think my favorite thing about this book was that it mentioned eating junk food such as soda and sweets sometimes.  It doesn't help to pretend children don't eat junk, but it does help to explain that these items are best in small quantities.  The story is told with just the right amount of silliness while still getting the message of healthy eating across.  The illustrations are well done, full of labels and extra conversation which add to both the information and humor.

Other Books by the Author: Bath time! (2008); Food! by Cookie Monster (1006)

Going to the Potty (Book)

Rogers, F. (1986). Going to the potty. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.  ISBN: 0-698-11575-9

Interest Level: Ages 4 and under
Genre: Picture Book, Non-Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Toilet Training, Growing Up

Plot: A toilet training book created by Mister Rogers.  The book explains that when children are babies they need help to do things but that as they grow up they learn to do certain things on their own such as dressing themselves.  Rogers also explains the different kinds of diapers and then the different ways a child might get toilet trained.  The simple text is paired with real pictures of children and parents doing the different activities described.  The children and parents are from a variety of cultures, ages, and genders.

Personal Thoughts: The tone of the book is in the same calming and reassuring tones associated with Roger’s own voice.  The book offers encouragement to children in mastering this developmental milestone.  Roger's uses grown up language instead of baby language to describe the different functions of the body.  The pictures and text describe a variety of diapers and training methods such as showing both a potty chair and toilet seat.  Part of Roger's First Experiences book series which helps children with different developmental milestones.

Author's Website: PBS Kids' Mister Roger's Neighborhood
Other books by the Author: Divorce (1996); Extraordinary Friends (2000); The New Baby (1996); Going to Day Care (1985); Going to the Doctor (1986)

Once Upon A Potty (Book)

Frankel, A. (1979). Once upon a potty: Boy. New York, NY: HarperFestival. [48 pages]. ISBN: 0-694-
01387-0
Frankel, A. (1980). Once upon a potty: Girl. New York, NY: HarperFestival. [48 pages]. ISBN: 0-694-01388-9

Interest Level: Ages 4 and under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Toilet Training, Anatomy,

Plot: The book explains that the child in the book (boy or girl depending on the version) has different body parts for different functions.  The pictures show anatomically correct pictures of a boy or girl.  The book explains that the child has always been going "pee-pee" since they were a baby but now are learning to use the potty.  The potty is actually a pot that was given as a gift.  The tone of the book encourages children to not get frustrated by mistakes and to be proud and happy when they finally learn to use the potty correctly.

Personal Thoughts: The text is simple, narrated from the mother’s point of view, and uses some baby language such as “wee-wee” and “poo-poo” to describe bodily functions.  The wording is a bit awkward or maybe just old fashioned at some points.  The strength of this book comes from the anatomically correct drawings.  Not my favorite toilet training book, but still useful to parents looking for help.

Author's Website: Alona Frankel's Website for Joshua and Prudence
Other Books by the Author: Prudence's Goodnight Book (2000); Joshua's Book Of Manners (2000); I Want My Mother (2000);

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Book)

Barrett, J. (1978). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. New York, NY: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0-689-30647-4

Interest Level: Ages 4 to 8
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Weather, Food, Bedtime Stories, Granparents, Imagination

Plot: Inspired by a pancake landing on one of the children's head, a grandfather tells his two grandchildren a bedtime story about the town of Chewandswallow.  The town of Chewandswallow was like most other towns except that instead that they didn't grow or buy food.  Instead they got their food three times a day from the sky.  Instead of normal weather, it would rain hamburgers or soup, it would snow mashed potatoes, or the wind would blow in hot dogs.  Everything was fine until the weather started getting out of control blowing in more food then the people could eat.  The town was slowly getting destroyed by all the food so the people decided to leave by constructing boats out of stale bread and peanut butter.  The finally sailed far enough to a place where food didn't fall from the sky and instead people grew and stored it.  There they stayed, never returning the Chewandswallow.

Personal Thoughts: A cute story that just makes you want to look out your window and use your imagination.  The idea of food falling from the sky is one that children can use to help pass the days of bad weather when they can't go outside.  There are some sweet scenes between the children and their grandpa during the story.  A great addition to a preschool storytime with a food or imagination theme.  The movie adaptation only takes a few concepts from the book such as the food being part of the weather and making bread boats.  In the movie, a scientist creates a machine to control the weather and cause food to fall.  The machine eventually goes out of control and starts destroying the town.

Awards/Recognition:
Delaware Diamonds: Primary (Grades K-2) (1991)
Georgia Children's Book Award: Picture Storybook Award (1984)
Golden Sower Awards (Nebraska): Grades K-3 (1983)

Other Books by Author: Animals should definitely not act like people (1980); Animals should definitely not wear clothing (1970); I Know Two Who Said Moo: A Counting and Rhyming Book(2000); Which Witch Is Which? (2001); Never Take a Shark to the Dentist and Other Things Not To Do (2008); The Marshmallow Incident (2009);

Naruto (Anime)

Kishimoto, M. (Writer). (2006). Naruto Volume 1: Enter Naruto [Animated Television Series]. San Francisco, CA: Shonen Jump Home Video. ISBN: 978-1-4215-0698-2

Interest Level: 13 to 18
Genre: Anime Cartoon
Subjects/Themes: Ninjas, Good vs Evil, Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Supernatural Powers, Magic, Orphans
Running Time: 28 minutes per episode
Rating: T - for Teens

Plot: Naruto Uzumaki is a ninja in training in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.  But Naruto is not just any ninja student, he is also an orphan and sealed inside of him is the Nine Tailed  Fox Demon who once tried to destroy the village.  The rest of the village isn't allowed to speak of the demon and instead shun him because of the demon sealed inside of him.  Naruto, not knowing why he's being shunned, has made it his goal to become the next Hokage (village leader) in order to gain the respect of the village.  The majority of the series follows Naruto as he trains as a ninja, makes friends, and carries out his training missions.  As the series progresses, Naruto must also battle against enemies who would destroy the village and Naruto in particular.

Personal Thoughts:  Naruto is an action packed anime that is filled with different storylines that deal with issues of friendship, betrayal, perserverance, good vs. evil, and growing up.  This cartoon has some major plot lines that are found throughout the different seasons as well as individual missions or stories that occur in an individual episode.  Naruto is a lovable character because of his determination, honesty, and empathy.  Some of his friends include Sakura (a female, straight A, medical ninja), Sasuke (a talented ninja, reserved, seeking revenge for his family's deaths), Kakashi (a high level ninja, trains Naruto and his teammates), and Iruka (was Naruto's first teacher, father-like figure to Naruto).

Originally shown in Japan, Cartoon Network shows an English dubbed version that has been edited to sometimes reduce the amount of alcohol, sexual innuendo, blood and death shown or alter how it was shown.  Watching both the Japanese subtitled and English dubbed versions, I have mostly noticed a use of some older language rather then the violence.

Note: There is also a Naruto manga series (which the anime was based on) and several animated movies.
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