Thursday, September 15, 2011

I'm Reading...

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Hymn_of_the_Tiger_Mother

An awe-inspiring, often hilarious, and unerringly honest story of one mother's exercise in extreme parenting, revealing the rewards-and the costs-of raising her children the Chinese way.

All decent parents want to do what's best for their children. What Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother reveals is that the Chinese just have a totally different idea of how to do that. Western parents try to respect their children's individuality, encouraging them to pursue their true passions and providing a nurturing environment. The Chinese believe that the best way to protect your children is by preparing them for the future and arming them with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother chronicles Chua's iron-willed decision to raise her daughters, Sophia and Lulu, her way-the Chinese way-and the remarkable results her choice inspires.







All the world is here.
It is there.
It is everywhere.
All the world is right where you are.
Now.
Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky

Reviews

"Liz Garton's gentle daylight-to-moonrise text reflects and respects this child-centric version of the universe even as it lulls young listeners with rhythms as gentle as waves....Against the backdrop of this almost ethereal text, Marla Frazee['s]...illustrations echo the rhythm of the verse, alternating between sweeping double-page panoramas and vignettes that mimic the motion of the words. Perfect." -- "The Washington Post Book World"





In a time of death and terror, Leymah Gbowee brought Liberia’s women together—and together they led a nation to peace.

As a young woman, Leymah Gbowee was broken by the Liberian civil war, a brutal conflict that tore apart her life and claimed the lives of countless relatives and friends. Years of fighting destroyed her country—and shattered Gbowee’s girlhood hopes and dreams. As a young mother trapped in a nightmare of domestic abuse, she found the courage to turn her bitterness into action, propelled by her realization that it is women who suffer most during conflicts—and that the power of women working together can create an unstoppable force. In 2003, the passionate and charismatic Gbowee helped organize and then led the Liberian Mass Action for Peace, a coalition of Christian and Muslim women who sat in public protest, confronting Liberia’s ruthless president and rebel warlords, and even held a sex strike. With an army of women, Gbowee helped lead her nation to peace—in the process emerging as an international leader who changed history. Mighty Be Our Powers is the gripping chronicle of a journey from hopelessness to empowerment that will touch all who dream of a better world.


I'm finding this tugging on my emotions with a new respect for women everywhere.



"Tankard's deceptively simple tale is a useful tonic for moody kids -- and their parents -- but the best thing about it is the comic perfection of Bird's face as he marches along in a fury." --The Wall Street Journal
* "The message that your friends still love you even when you're in a bad mood -- and that a good walk and some companionship can do wonders -- shines through." --Quill & Quire, starred review
"A good addition to story times with themes of emotions or imagination." --School Library Journal
"Tankard's illustrations alone will cheer up any bad mood."
--Parent & Child