Thou Shalt Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Dog, Except…

Thou Shalt Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Dog, Except…

Recently I’ve read two books that have dogs in their center. I realize dogs are not a new literary device, but these books made me especially appreciate the power of a dog in a child’s life and in a child’s story. “We Could Be Heroes,” by Margaret Finnegan (Atheneum...
More To The Story: Saving Savannah

More To The Story: Saving Savannah

Savannah Riddle is bored, she is discontent. Fancy dresses, fine dining, charming young men paying her attention, none of it thrills her as it used to. Her parents expect her to be an ornament in society, a well-behaved young lady who partakes only in approved causes...
The Power of Poetry: Nikki Grimes’s Latest

The Power of Poetry: Nikki Grimes’s Latest

Nikki Grimes’s latest book, “Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance,” has many outstanding elements to it. Grimes features poems written by women during the Harlem Renaissance (roughly 1918-1937), most of whom are unknown and overlooked. Then she expands on...
A Fresh Start! January = Time to ReBoot

A Fresh Start! January = Time to ReBoot

This started out as my November newsletter, but election news distracted me. Then it was my December newsletter, but holidays distracted me, and so here we are, not only in a new month but in a new year. The new year often inspires people to start over or make...