June 2011

debra frasier & the joy of literacy cool reads for hot summer days june 2011

teens & writing

birthday parties

Celebrate your next birthday at The Bakken Museum!

A variety of birthday party packages are available and include admission to the museum, a private party room, a party host, electrifying hands-on activities, birthday cake and more.

dates, fees and registration:

TheBakken.org/birthdayparties  612-926-3878

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3537 Zenith Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55416-4623

tem on Sys s des Educati c i s u lity. i M i b g a h n e d f o r 3 1/2 feat ning a to 8 year olds by the Yama ure m ral lear u t a n s ’ usical ac d tivities that tap into your chil urse

Basic Musicianship & Keyboard Classes for children 31/2 & up.

Individual lessons offered in piano, voice, percussion, strings & more.

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editor’s note

books that shape us While my husband and I met in a very unique way — a story that could fill this page very easily — we won each other’s hearts with books that were significant to us in our childhood. I must have mentioned at one moment during our courtship that I loved P.D. Eastman’s Go Dog, Go! as a child and wished I still had the book; he bought and inscribed a copy and gave it to me on closing night of the show we were both performing in.

We spent one very warm summer living in the cool basement of our rental duplex reading to each other from the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder. We discussed his affinity for the Mad Scientist’s Club and any book by Gary Paulsen; and how I had read Jane-Emily

by Patricia Clapp a thousand and one times (if my husband wants to get a rise out of me, he will say, “Jane-Emily is a terrible book”).

What is it about the books of our youth that resonates so deeply when we are adults?

There will soon be young adults, sobbing in movie theaters throughout the country as the last of the Harry Potter books come to life, getting tattoos with the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on various body parts — because for many, the end of this series also signifies the end of their childhoods.

I’m concerned about iPads, and how they will take a bite out of the print industry, but even more, that today’s kids won’t grow to love books the way I did — and I’m not just talking about the story; I’m talking about the experience, the satisfying weight, the smell of the pages, the small thump of the back cover closing.

I gave my nephew one of the recommended books in Alyson Cummings’ article beginning on page 11. Ben called me, laughing out loud as he spoke — he could hardly choke the words out: “Auntie Kathy, that was the funniest book I ever read! I love it!” My brother, later, said, “I have read it to him about 100 times already.” He rolled his eyes and grinned, giving me that, “Thanks a lot, Sis” kind-of look. There is nothing better than giving someone a book that becomes meaningful.

And so we move through our lives, with stories being read to our babies in utero, picture books gnawed on, toddler books thrown across the room, and early reader books coming home in stacks, and then lost under the bed or chewed by the dog. Your kids grow up, and they will think about the books that shaped their way of thinking. Maybe Ben will hang onto “Monkey & Elephant” in the same way I have Jane-Emily and The Pigman in a prominent place on my bookshelf. I hope so, because that part when Monkey painted a face on Elephant’s behind is pretty great.

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minnesota

parent the journal of family living Vol. 26, Issue 6 Co-Publishers Janis Hall 612-436-4361 jhall@mnpubs.com

Terry Gahan 612-436-4360 tgahan@mnpubs.com

Editor Kathleen Stoehr kstoehr@mnpubs.com

11 summer reading bonanza

features 14 d is for debra author combines art and vocabulary

24 real parent jim and mary valentine

Contributing Photographer Robb Long

Contributing Writers Kara McGuire Joy Riggs C.C. Strom

Interns Alyson Cummings, Bre McGee

Circulation Marlo Johnson 612-436-4388 distribution@mnpubs.com

Sales Manager Melissa Ungerman Levy 612-436-4382 mungermanlevy@mnpubs.com

Assistant Sales Manager Kyle Dahlen 612-436-4387 kdahlen@mnpubs.com

Sales Administrator Kate Manson 612-436-5085 kmanson@mnpubs.com

Design Editor Dana Croatt

Creative Team Valerie Moe Mike Novak

Office Manager Chris Damlo 612-436-4376 cdamlo@mnpubs.com

Classified Advertising 612-825-9205 sales@mnpubs.com

Printing

parent pages 4 chatter 6 hot stuff go outside

8 grows on trees best money books for summer

10 teens and tweens

ECM Printing

52,500 copies of Minnesota Parent printed monthly, available at news stands statewide.

Get Minnesota Parent mailed to your home for just $12 a year.

Call 612-825-9205 for more information.

Minnesota Parent (ISSN 0740 3437) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications.

POSTMASTER send address changes to: MINNESOTA PARENT, 1115 Hennepin Avenue S. Minneapolis, MN 55403.

Minnesota Parent is copyright 2011 by Minnesota Premier Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Address all material to address above.

reading for the “write” reasons

calendar 19 june top events

1115 Hennepin Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-825-9205 • 612-825-0929 fax

ON THE COVER Local author Debra Frasier in her studio in St. Paul.

Photo by Robb Long 2

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chatter

gtcys auditions Don’t miss the GTCYS auditions beginning Friday, June 3 and extending through the 11th.

What’s GTCYS? The Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies program serves over 500 elementary through high school students in six school year and three summer orchestras. Beginning to advanced students develop musically and personally in a fun, supportive, and challenging environment. Learn more online at gtcys.org. Auditions are held at Mayflower Church, 106 East Diamond Lake Road, Minneapolis. Need-based financial aid is available.

“Netflix” style subscription-based service. Just point, click and order — and there are never any late fees. Your kids can take their time reading the required summer books for school without getting on a wait list at the library, and once you are done, simply send it back.

Booksfree.com offers hundreds of titles to its members and has subscription plans starting as low as $40 for three months of service.

boba baby carrier Our parent product tester says about Boba Carrier, “I love it! It is much better than a Baby Bjorn. I like the waist belt because it offers a lot more support on my back and feels more secure. I think it will work even better as my daughter gets older because it has little foot stirrups for her feet. It is also easy to put on and tighten while it is on — rather than having to take it off to tighten straps.” The Boba Classic comes in six color combos and features spine/ pelvis/leg/foot support with foot straps and nt pare ed test

easy lending Your kids can get a head start on their summer reading list with booksfree.com. An affordable way for parents to save big on the many books required to read over the summer, booksfree. com helps the whole family enjoy reading in a

ATTENTION WOMEN 21-32: Would you like to be an egg donor?

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EDUCATION FAIR

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parent pages protective sleeping hood for kids weighing between 15 and 45 pounds. Supports baby’s legs, spine and pelvis. Visit bobababycarrier.com for more information.

kids bowl free!

More than 850 bowling centers across the U.S. are partnering up for a free summer program that allows kids to bowl for free. The Kids Bowl Free Program, a proud supporter of the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge (PALA), is not only a recognized, qualified recreational activity to use to qualify for PALA, but bowling participation in the program will be reported regularly to the White House. For official PALA guidelines visit presidentschallenge.org, but in general, kids and teens between the ages of 6 and 17 years need to be active 60 minutes a day, at least five days a week for six out of eight weeks.

As an alternative, kids can count daily activity steps using a pedometer, with a goal between 11,000 steps and 13,000 steps.

chatter

for sunny days Most kids don’t understand the importance of protecting themselves from the sun, let alone want to put a hat on. But, with a cute and comfortable hat from Wallaroo Hat Company, you will never have to ask them to put one on again — they’ll just do it. With various hats for girls and boys, many of them with the standard UPF 50+, meaning they block out 97.5% of the sun’s UV rays. With instances of melanoma on the rise, it’s best to instill children with good, life saving, sun protection habits. Visit wallaroohats.com to view other patterns and styles. nt pare ed test

an app for act Tech-savvy teens have a new way to prepare for the ACT. The information they need is now right at their fingertips — and it’s FREE. The ACT student application allows students to practice ACT questions, view ACT registration status. admission ticket and scores and more. Find out more at act.org.

Visit narimn.org or call 612-332-6274 to find a NARI-certified professional for your next remodeling project or to become a NARI member.

My home. My sanctuary.

That’s why I depend on NARI. NARI MNP 2010 NR6 H8.indd 1

The NARI logo is a registered trademark of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. ©2008 NARI of Minnesota.

Wednesdays @ 12 pm 12/20/10 FREE | Anita’s Cafe Landmark Center

4:11 PM

June 22 June 1 JOEY ANDY RYAN ELWELL (from Joey Ryan and the Inks) June 8 June 29 NIKKI SCHULTZ TARLTON June 15 For more information visit BLUE www.landmarkcenter.org WOLF 75 West 5th Street | S aint Paul, MN 55102

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hot stuff

go outside enjoy the outdoors with these toys and tools 1 beautiful butterflies

AT THIS MOMENT, HE’S DEBT-FREE. That’s because he’s a Citizen-Soldier in the National Guard.

You too can enjoy generous education benefits, when you serve your country and community in the Guard.

Watch caterpillars become butterflies with this easy-to-use habitat from Backyard Safari. The round, springy shape gives butterflies plenty of room to fly while a flap lets kids drop in food without releasing butterflies too soon. A mail-in coupon is included for caterpillars and food. backyardsafari.com; about $15

2 visible sunscreen Kiss My Face has produced a 100 percent natural, water resistant, gluten-free sunscreen stick that provides SPF 30 protection from UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen goes on and stays pink until it’s time to reapply to vulnerable areas, like the cheeks, lips, nose, and ears.

Also available in blue and clear formulas.

Available at Whole Foods and kissmyface.com; about $11

If you’re headed to college but you don’t know how you’re going to pay for it, now is the moment to visit www.NATIONALGUARD.com to learn more or call 1-800-GO-GUARD. Brought to you as a Public Service.

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3 sheer shading Babies can enjoy the outdoors without messy sunscreen with the Babba cover. The lightweight car seat cover has 40-50+ SPF and UV protection built-in to the fabric, and mosquito netting on the sides 3:04 PM allows your baby to enjoy a cool breeze. The cover has a hole on top to give you a firm grip on the handle.

Available at Creative Kidstuff stores and babbaco.com; about $50

4 wonderful water bottle S’Well has crafted the ultimate stainless steel water bottle to replace the waste created by the improper disposal of plastic water bottles. Completely toxin-free, these 17 oz. bottles keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot longer than other bottles. Ten percent of the sale of each bottle goes to WaterAid, a nonprofit that delivers water solutions to the world’s poorest communities. swellbottle.com; $35

5 all-in-one binos These 7-function foldable binoculars by Coghlans will satisfy your child’s curiosity all summer long, and is small enough to tuck into a pocket or backpack. Varying features allow them to check out creepy bugs, use a compass, or communicate with friends using the signal mirror. Binocular vision can be adjusted using the simple wheel in the body of the tool, and each instrument tucks away neatly without swinging out of place.

Available at REI stores or amazon.com; about $8

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mnparent.com 5/11/11 11:09 AM

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No other virtual school offers so many real advantages.

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Our curriculum is outstanding. Our certified teachers are superb. Our fully accredited, free public school develops the whole child socially and academically.

No wonder so many Minnesota students thrive here. Join us.

Accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.

I love going to school here.

www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/MTSMCA or MTCS.org 800-382-6019

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grows on trees

the best money books for summer by kara mcguire Let’s be honest. Your summer book list isn’t crammed with money titles. But I’m guessing your financial skills could use some time in the sun. Admittedly, the following reads aren’t the mindless ones meant for skimming at the lake.

But they won’t put you to sleep — and they’ll teach you a thing or two.

financial sanity in this consumer-driven world. Extra credit: Hand your high school junior Secrets to Winning a Scholarship, written by college financing expert Mark Kantrowitz. Each year, 1.5 million scholarships are given out worth a whopping $3.5 billion.

for the next Warren Buffett

for your teen

The Investment Answer: Learn to Manage

Money Sanity Solutions: Linking Money and Meaning

your Money and Protect your Financial Future

by Nathan Dungan

by Daniel Goldie and Gordon Murray

Dungan, a Minneapolis-based financial speaker, wrote this book after years of parents asking him about how to talk money with their teens. Money Sanity Solutions starts the conversation, with 15 sections on topics ranging from budgeting to philanthropy, all with the goal of bringing families

In just 66 pages, these financial professionals teach average investors what they need to know to successfully save for retirement. In a nutshell, only work with a financial adviser that puts your interests first.

Diversify. Come up with a rebalancing plan so you won’t let emotions tell you when to buy and sell.

Odds of a child becoming a top fashion designer: 1 in 7,000 Odds of a child being diagnosed with autism: 1 in 110 Some signs to look for: No big smiles or other joyful expressions by 6 months.

No babbling by 12 months.

No words by 16 months.

To learn more of the signs of autism, visit autismspeaks.org © 2010 Autism Speaks Inc. “Autism Speaks” and “It’s time to listen” & design are trademarks owned by Autism Speaks Inc. All rights reserved.

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their life energy is worth, how much of it they give up at the office in return for a paycheck, and what to do if there’s an imbalance.

It’s a Habit, Sammy Rabbit

by Sam Renick

This book follows the adventures of Sammy Rabbit, who learns the importance of saving when he finds out he needs $300 to ride the first space coaster. The series of books, written by a financial consultant turned financial educator, is geared toward five to eight year-olds and focuses on developing smart spending and savings habits. Economic lessons exist in many children’s books, even the ones that don’t have financially-focused plotlines. For a list of kid lit that teaches dollars and sense, visit mcee.umn.edu.

for your frugal friend Your Money or Your Life

by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

for an all-around finance guide The 10 Commandments of Money: Survive and Thrive in the New Economy

by Liz Weston

Try fellow personal finance columnist Liz Weston’s new book. She covers every topic facing modern families — from figuring out how to save for emergencies while paying for hockey gear to how to get along with your partner when you are financial opposites. She ends each chapter with an easily followed series of action steps. She even gave me a new budgeting tool — her 50/30/20 budget — 50 percent of your after-tax income for life’s “must-haves,” 30 percent for “wants,” and 20 percent for saving and paying off debts.

This book is far more than a guide to living on less, although there are plenty of good suggestions in that vein. The authors ask readers to evaluate how much

grows on trees [Weston] covers every topic facing modern families — from figuring out how in the world to save for emergencies while paying for hockey gear and filling the fridge, to how to get along with your partner when you are financial opposites.

Kara McGuire is the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s personal finance columnist and St. Paul mom of three.

Follow her on Twitter: @kablog.

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teens and tweens

reading for the ‘write’ reasons

resources

by joy riggs

The Loft Literary Center Youth writing classes loft.org

Once upon a time, when I was a teenage writer, my parents provided me with a typewriter and all the paper I needed; they paid for me to take a creative writing class for teens at a nearby college; and they encouraged my frequent visits to the library, where I’d check out stacks of books that caught my interest — most of them from the adult floor (there wasn’t much of a teen section back then).

My 15-year-old daughter, Louisa, is following a similar path, with modern adjustments — she writes on the computer, and she has access to an online community of like-minded teens who trade writing tips and book suggestions. Last summer, she combined two of her main interests and took a Harry Potter writing class at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.

Louisa doesn’t need much encouragement from me to read. But because reading is such an important part of writing, it got me wondering: what books should be on a teen writer’s summer reading list?

Carrie Mesrobian, who taught Louisa’s class last summer, says she encourages

teen writers to read whatever they want because the passion for reading is related to the passion for writing.

“They have to find something — whether it’s manga or sci fi, whatever makes them feel that passion — and build off of that. If that’s sappy vampire literature, so be it. Being sucked into it and feeling that intensity is key,” Mesrobian says. “Once you have that feeling, you get an idea of how it inhabits your mind, and it makes you want to try it yourself.”

too advanced?

She says some parents worry about teens reading books too advanced for them, with mature themes or language, but she’s found that if teens aren’t ready for the material, they don’t stick with it. Other parents raise concerns about their child wanting to read the same book over and over, or choosing to read books that aren’t particularly well written. In either case, Mesrobian says, teens can learn something about writing by reading those books.

When they read a book multiple times, they can learn to emulate the parts of the writing that they find effective.

When they read a book that’s

poorly written, it can help them feel less intimidated about their own writing.

“Kids tend to accept anything in book format as perfect and good,” Mesrobian says. “When you tell them, ‘no, some are not good,’ they get an idea of their own potential.

They are just like any other storyteller.”

Some teen writers get their start writing fan fiction, a popular form of creative writing that uses characters from existing movies, TV shows, or other books, and places them in new situations. Mesrobian says one reason teens like it is that they can post their stories online and get instant feedback from readers.

Writing classes can be a good place to meet other teen writers.

A number of online sites are geared toward teen writers, like the National Novel Writing Month’s Young Writer’s Program, and an online magazine called Teen Ink. Support from parents also is important, Mesrobian says.

Parents should respect their teen writer’s privacy, but always offer to read the work, if the teen is willing to share it. “It doesn’t matter if you actually read or like it. That offer means a lot,” she says.

teen writers’ conference The Loft and the Hennepin County Library are co-sponsoring a teen writers’ conference Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Open Book in Minneapolis, 1011 Washington Ave S. Open to students entering grades 6 and up. Meet other young writers and learn from award-winning literary artists. Registration required; call 612-543-8800.

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National Novel Writing Month Young Writer’s Program ywp.nanowrimo.org Teen Ink Online magazine devoted to teen writing teenink.com

carrie mesrobian’s summer reading recommendations Young Adult The Mortal Instruments series

by Cassandra Clare Clockwork Angel

by Cassandra Clare The Wicked Lovely series

by Melissa Marr Thirsty by MT Anderson Ordinary Ghosts

by Eireann Corrigan Not That Kind of Girl

by Siobhan Vivian The Forest of Hands and Teeth

by Carrie Ryan Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta One Bloody Thing After Another

by Joey Comeau A Great and Terrible Beauty

by Libba Bray All Rivers Flow to the Sea

by Alison McGhee Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson The Truth About Forever

by Sarah Dessen Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty The Hunger Games trilogy

by Suzanne Collins Fiction Winter’s Bone by Daniel Wooddrell My Abandonment by Peter Rock

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summer reading

BONANZA summer doesn’t have to mean abandoning books by alyson cummings School is out, the sun is high, and the beach is just waiting to be conquered. No kid wants to make their free time feel like a classroom, but reading is a perfect fit with summer; long days outside require some equally cool downtime, and a good book is the perfect partner for a tall glass of lemonade. These books, split by age group, are great for kids of all reading aptitudes and attitudes and can jumpstart a lifetime interest in reading.

PICTURE BOOKS

Guess Who Says Moo?

by Leonie Shearing Little Hare Books, ages 1–3, $8.99

Little Baseball

Toddlers can head to the farm and learn about different barnyard animals with this colorful, easyto-read book. Pages have flaps to reveal animals that answer the simple, fun clues.

by Brad Herzog Sleeping Bear Press, ages 1–3, $9.95 Baseball basics are presented in this board book through rhyming riddles. Pictures on both sides reveal hints to the answers and the answer is shown on the next page.

reveals multiples of the same easily identifiable object. Numbers are printed in order on the backs of pages so readers can see the numbers in sequence.

Snoring Beauty

by Rachael Mortimer Red Fox Books, ages 3–5, $9.99 This twist on an old tale tells the story of a Princess whose deafening snores are disturbing the entire kingdom. In exchange for stopping her snores, princes are promised her hand in marriage and a pot of gold from the anxious and exhausted King and Queen.

EARLY READERS

The Best Birthday Party Ever

Freddy the Frog

by Axel Scheffler Campbell Books, ages 1–3, $9.99 Freddy goes about his life as a frog in this bath time read.

Squeaking, plastic pages will withstand any splashes your tot can throw as they join Freddy in his swamp. parent

mnparent.com

One Foot, Two Feet

by Peter Maloney and Felicia Zekauskas G.P. Putnam’s Sons, ages 3–5, $12.99 This simple and colorful book shows one object through a diecut window that, when turned,

the only optional factors are the sparkly necklaces.

by Jennifer LaRue Huget Schwartz & Wade Books, ages 4–8, $16.99 The Birthday Girl wants the best birthday ever, even if it means six months of planning. So she plans on a 17-layer cake, two magicians, and an elephant on a Ferris wheel;

Monkey and Elephant’s Worst Fight Ever

by Michael Townsend Random House Children’s Books, ages 5–8, $15.99 Monkey is upset because his best friend, Elephant, is throwing a party and did not invite him. The former BFFs’ feud boils over into the rest of the island, which stands littered with the remains of their revenge schemes. Islanders, tired of the shattered coconuts and frozen toys, plot to get the pals to shake and make up.

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Mr. Aesop’s Story Shop adapted by Bob Hartman Lion Children’s Books, ages 7–9, $14.99 These classic fables are broken down with humor and irony and coupled with a tale of a storyteller. Ten stories of morality are told with children and age-appropriateness in mind, and each story is accompanied by brilliant illustrations.

A Lot of Beans

Because

by Sebastia Serra HarperCollins Publishing, ages 3–6, $16.99

by Richard Torrey HarperCollins Publishers, $16.99

Juan has taken over the Spanish tradition of putting beans in a jar according to what kind of day he had: a black bean for a bad day and a white bean for a good day.

Following a rough streak, Juan’s parents throw him a surprise party to cheer him up.

Crow

by Leo Timmers Clavis Publishing Inc, ages 4–8, $16.95 Crow longs to make friends with smaller birds who share his power line, but they are afraid of his long black beak and pitch-black feathers.

He tries painting himself to match each of their colors, but nothing works. Finally, Crow learns it isn’t pretending, but being himself, that will make him more friends.

Clink

by Kelly DiPucchio and Matthew Myers HarperCollins Publishers, ages 4–7, $16.99 Clink doesn’t have the same skills other robots do. He can’t make chocolate chip cookies or give haircuts or play baseball. Feeling very alone, Clink accepts his permanent home in the dusty robot shop. Then, a customer comes along who loves the two things Clink can do: play music and dance.

Laurie

by Elfi Nijssen and Eline van Lindenhuizen Clavis Publishing Inc., ages 4+, $16.95 Laurie has difficulties because she is nearly deaf. She can read lips, but can’t tell when a car is approaching or what people are saying to her. Her doctor gives her little computers and calls them “hearing aids.”

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Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie

by Jennifer Berne Sterling Publishing Co., ages 4–8, $14.95 Calvin the starling is the odd bird in his large family. He learns to read at the library instead of going to his flying lessons with the others. When the time comes for his family to migrate, Calvin has to be helped so he doesn’t get left behind. When a storm blows up, Calvin saves the whole family with information from his favorite weather book.

To Market, To Market

by Nikki McClure Abrams Books, ages 4–8, $17.95 This mother-son trip to the farmers market shows children the work that goes into putting fresh foods into the hands of shoppers and cooks.

Jack has been told that a simple “because” isn’t an answer. But sometimes, “just because” is an answer that takes you back to the things that matter most for the simplest of reasons.

The View at the Zoo

by Kathleen Long Bostrom Ideals Children’s Books, ages 4–8, $14.99 Do you ever wonder what the zoo looks like before it opens?

See the wild animals in their early morning glory, puffy eyes and crazy hair included. Later, as the zoo closes for the day, the animals reveal the fun they have watching the silly people who are so easily entertained by the creatures’ simple antics.

The Crows of Pearblossom

Cahoots

by Karla Oceanak and Kendra Spanjer Bailiwick Press, ages 7–13, $12.95 Aldo Zelenick is back again and on a miserable family trip to his aunt and uncle’s farm. No video games, no television and no computer. What’s a boy to do?

He isn’t sure what is worse: the rooster waking him every morning or his crazy twin cousins, who he’s sure are out to get him.

by Aldous Huxley Abrams Books, ages 4–8, $16.95 Differing greatly from Huxley’s other stories, he tells of the Crow couple who fight to keep their eggs safe with the help of Old Man Owl.

INTERMEDIATE READERS

Cicada Summer

by Kate Constable Allen and Unwin, ages 9–12, $9.99 Eloise is along for the ride on one of her dad’s crazy real estate trips. While alone in the country with no friends, Eloise uncomfortably makes “friends” with a girl named Anna. Anna is no ordinary girl; she’s a ghost. The summer the girls spend together is one neither Eloise nor Anna will ever forget.

Middle School: The WORST Years of My Life

by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts Little, Brown and Company, ages 8–12, $15.99 Sixth grader Rafe Khatchadorian has lofty ambitions and a clear goal in mind. He’s going to break every rule at Hills Village Middle School. The only things holding him back from total domination mnparent.com

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are Miller the Killer and Jeanne Galletta, Rafe’s dream girl.

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading

ly lowered on the hierarchy they once owned. Was real witchcraft working during the fire? Is there a way for Madison and the girls to set things right?

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Discovering Pig Magic

by Julie Crabtree Milkweed Editions, ages 10–14, $6.95 Mattie, Ariel, and Nicki, all 13, are growing up and are finding things are a lot different than they expected. Each girl has individual stressors and, in a final effort to solve them, the girls each bury a significant object in a ritual meant to clear their troubled minds. Instead, the girls find the only things controlling their lives are their own minds and attitudes toward change.

Meanicures

by Catherine Clark Egmont USA, ages 10+, $15.99 Madison and friends Olivia and Taylor are getting used to the petty bullying from Cassidy, Alexis, and Kayley, the school’s It girls and Madison’s former BFFs. The girls gather a few mementos from past times with the mean girls and burn them in a silly ceremony. Suddenly, Madison and crew are the new thing and Cassidy and her cronies are slowparent

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by Allen Zadoff Egmont USA, ages 12+, $16.99 Rather than face the lights as an actor, Adam Ziegler takes his position 25 feet in the air behind the lights on the tech crew. After a strange encounter with a dark-haired fairy actress, Adam discovers his stage fright extends to the wings and he decides to break the production’s number one rule: Techies and actors don’t mix.

by Tommy Greenwald Roaring Book Press, ages 9–12, $14.99 Charlie Joe reads books for school. He only reads the first and last chapter, though, and he pays buddy Timmy McGibney in ice cream sandwiches to read the rest for him. Timmy has a change of heart and starts charging Charlie Joe three ice cream sandwiches per book, leaving Charlie Joe only one option: He’s going to have to read.

My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies

Tighter

by Adele Griffin Alfred A. Knopf Books, ages 14+, $16.99 Jamie takes a job as a summer au pair to escape her addiction to stolen pills and the gory dreams the pills induce. She enjoys Isa, her young charge, and living in picturesque Little Bly. Rumors about Jamie begin after locals see her uncanny resemblance to Jessie, Isa’s au pair from the previous summer whose death shocked the quiet community.

Scars

by Cheryl Rainfield Westside Books, ages 14+, $16.95 Kendra is haunted by the faceless sexual assault she endured as a child. Through cutting herself, she finds a bit of peace she can’t find with family, her therapist, or in the loving arms of a girlfriend. Few know about her destructive habit, and those that do don’t know how to help. Kendra, in the end, finds the people closest to her were the ones she searched for all along.

The Last Martin

by Jonathon Friesen Zonderkidz, $14.99 Martin Boyle has enough problems. His mother is terrified of germs and sick children, his dad reenacts war battles with vigor, and Julia, the prettiest girl at school, doesn’t know he exists. With all this going on, Martin shouldn’t have to worry about dying, right? Wrong.

When a new Martin Boyle is born, the previous Martin Boyle dies, and Martin is about to have a new baby cousin: a boy who will be named Martin.

Will this new birth be the end of Martin?

HIGH SCHOOL

A&L Do Summer

by Jan Bazanin Egmont USA, ages 12+, $8.99 Laurel and Aspen are determined to make the best of the summer they’re about to spend trapped in Cottonwood Creek, Iowa.

Though their prospects of fun are bleak and the guys at school aren’t exactly boyfriend material, the girls make their own fun in the most unlikely places.

The Darkest Evening

by William Durbin University of Minnesota Press, $11.95 It’s 1930, and Jake and his Finnish-American family are finding the American dream is harder to attain than they realized. His father earns only meager wages as a janitor and his mother makes the most of what little she can feed her three children. The family moves to Karelia in northwestern Russia to the socialist paradise his father was promised. Upon arrival, they instead find themselves running from Stalin’s police, who are targeting Americans and the family is forced into the freezing wilderness as they secretly make their way to the safety of Finland.

The Kissing Game

by Aiden Chambers Amulet Books, ages 14+, $16.95 Sixteen short stories, all in various teenage voices, are told in this so-realistic-it’s-raw book that is easily identifiable for both young men and women. Chambers runs straight into the characters’ angst and anger rather than skirting around them. june 2011

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cover story

a b c d ef g h IJ K L m n o pq i srs f o r t uv wx y z a bc d e b r a e f gh ij k l mn o p q r s tu v wx y z local author combines art and vocabulary at the state fair and beyond story by c.c. strom :::::: photos by robb long

M

any people would call Debra Frasier a children’s book author and illustrator, or perhaps an artist. But she would disagree. “My real work is to spread the joys of literacy everywhere I go.”

An award-winning author and illustrator of On the Day You Were Born and six other books, Frasier is passionate about promoting literacy and helping 14

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Fraser, in her St. Paul studio, shows pages from from A Fabulous Fair Alphabet.

children develop their vocabularies.

Frasier’s most recent book, A Fabulous Fair Alphabet, was inspired by her frequent trips to the Minnesota State Fair. In 2001, as she was looking at her photos of the fair, she was taken by the beauty and individuality of the lettering of midway signs.

She was so inspired that she began a serious project the following year, photographing signs throughout the fairgrounds. Five years later, Frasi-

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june 2011

er’s editor persuaded her to use them in a book.

A collage artist, Frasier cuts and pastes paper together to form pictures. A Fabulous Fair Alphabet added a step to the process by using photographs.

Frasier downloaded her photos to her computer and then digitally cut apart each image into individual letters. She printed the letters, storing them on trays to make it easier to pick out them out. To make the individual pictures, she cut

additional paper to create a Ferris wheel, a giant slide and other sites from the fair, and then incorporated the letters throughout the illustration.

alphabet forest When Frasier was finishing her book in 2009, she wanted to do more than publish it. The Minnesota State Fair Foundation was receptive to her idea of an activity center promoting literacy and vocabulary, so she

started planning. Receiving the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers/Loft Award in Children’s Literature/Younger Children was a huge boost in helping her put her plans into action. But it was only with the sponsors, including the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA), Target Corporation, and the Minnesota State Fair Foundation that she could fulfill her dream for the fair attraction. “I wanted all the details to be just right,” says

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learn more Visit debrafrasier.com to learn more about Frasier’s books and literacy projects to do at home, school, and the State Fair.

The Children’s Literature Network is the guest curator for the Alphabet Forest at the 2011 Minnesota State Fair. Stop by the Alphabet Forest to meet local children’s authors, including: Mary Cassanova Marsha Wilson Chall David Geister and Patricia Anne Bauer Jill Kalz David LaRochelle Lauren Stringer Catherine Urdahl Mike Wohnoutka Debra Frasier

Frasier, “so I’m really grateful to Target for coming on board.”

On a small, centrally-located corner, Frasier launched the Alphabet Forest in 2010 with a variety of vocabulary and literacy activities for all ages.

Playing the “Find Your Fabulous Fair Alphabet” game, fair-goers collected words such as “zucchini” and “Holstein” from throughout the fairgrounds.

Nearly 3,000 blue ribbons were awarded to those who returned one word for each letter of the alphabet. The result was a list of

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98,000 words drawn from the fair attractions. Visitors to the Alphabet Forest also used small letters to create mini-banners to wear. Using large Styrofoam swimming noodles sliced from end-to-end to hold letters, families spelled words or names and had their photos taken. As the State Fair Author-in-Residence, Frasier also did a two-hour book signing every day.

Frasier lived in a small trailer on the fairgrounds, spending 12 hours at the Alphabet Forest each day. “It was a huge volunteer project on my part,” she says. “[But] what stands out [in my mind] is the absolute beauty of these families sitting down in the chaos of the fair and making things,” says Frasier. “It was just beautiful.”

Friends, neighbors, retired teachers and library employees were recruited to fill more than 200 volunteer slots to make the Alphabet Forest successful.

The Alphabet Forest will once again be located in Baldwin Park, northeast of the Kidway, at the State Fair. This year, though, a different local children’s author will be featured each day. “We grow amazing authors in this state,” says Frasier. Each author will have a new activity and fairgoers can collect author’s autographs in a passport. “My hope is to keep this little corner of the fair dedicated to literacy activities for years to come.”

“We grow amazing authors in this state. My hope is to keep this little corner of the fair dedicated to literacy activities for years to come.“ — Debra Frasier

on the road When Frasier isn’t working at the State Fair or in her St. Paul studio, she’s traveling to schools around the U.S. giving presentations to children on writing, illustrating, and editing books.

Frasier has photographed the process of collecting ideas, writing a story, cutting paper, arranging the pieces to make illustrations, and editing.

Using these photographs in a slide show, Frasier demonstrates the act of creating art and writing to inspire children in their creativity and literacy.

Throughout her presentation, Frasier encourages children to use motions such as typing and cutting to make their learning more kinetic. This keeps the kids alert during the presentation and helps them understand the process even more.

“My job is to talk about writing and the process of it,” explains Frasier, “and model being a creative adult in the 21st century.”

When requested, Frasier also hosts Family Night. At these events parents and children try out Frasier’s collage method. After a brief lesson on how to break an image into

parts, parents and children create an illustration of an animal using only paper, scissors, and glue. Pencils are not allowed.

“You’re always building on what is good,” says Frasier, and cutting off what doesn’t work. Frasier’s rule is that everyone — children, parents, teachers, and school administrators — has to try it. “The kids are so proud of their parents,” says Frasier. They run up to her with their parents’ work, exclaiming, “Look what my dad did!”

For each of her books, Frasier has also developed curriculum and classroom activities for teachers to implement, such as a “vocabulary parade” from her book Miss Alaineus, A Vocabulary Disaster, or using facts about water to stage her The Incredible Water Show.

Frasier is currently working on a new book, Spike — Ugliest Dog in the Universe which has a theme about beauty. Like her other books, it will certainly be a launch pad for literacy and learning opportunities.

C.C. Strom writes and parents in South Minneapolis.

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kid culture it’s my party

get kids groovin’ with these dance party accessories by alyson cummings There’s no party like a dance party, and these games and treats will get your kids up and moving! Girls typically get more excited about dance parties, but boys will jump in with the right tunes. And isn’t it a good idea just in general to wear the kids out so they will fall asleep quickly after you have been corraling a handful and a half of them all day?

Each child will want something different in a dance party. Let kids do their hair before the party, or can put on temporary tattoos or face paint.

Each child should hear music they like, so ask each to include the name of their favorite song with their RSVP. Play everyone’s requests.

the kids singing while your children can personalize their avatar before the dancing begins. available at Target; about $30

mirror ball kit The ultimate lighting for groovin’ to music can fill a room with just a few lights shining on a mirror ball. This tabletop mirror ball and lights come attached to a base for easy storage. epartyunlimited.com; about $30

lumistick glow light stick bracelets kidz bop dance party for the wii Kids will dance along to (censored) songs from Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Sean Kingston. Parents familiar with the Kidz Bop series will recognize

To accompany the funky light in the room, add some light to each guest with a glowing bracelet.

This pack of 40 should last 8 to 12 hours. Extra bracelets can also be included in gift bags. amazon.com, about $13

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calendar

events

june top events Baby Angels Foundation Run/Walk to Remember

SpotLight Showcase This gala evening, a culmination of the SpotLight Musical Theatre Program, celebrates and honors high school musical theater accomplishments by featuring dynamic student performances mixed with award presentations.

When: Monday, June 6 Where: Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis Tickets: $15 Info: hennepintheatretrust.org or call 800-982-2787

The Baby Angels Foundation will host its 2nd 5k Run/Walk to Remember to raise funds for programs that provide resources, education, and counseling to parents and families who have lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby. Geared toward families, it will also include live DJ, face painting, bounce houses, silent auction, balloon animals, food, raffles, and more. Proceeds from the event will be used to aid in funding visits for bereaved parents to Faith’s Lodge, to help sustain funding for bereavement resources through the Minnesota Sudden Infant Death (SID) Center at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, and for other Baby Angels Foundation outreach and education initiatives.

When: Saturday, June 12 Where: Bunker Hills Regional Park, Coon Rapids Tickets: $15 advance registration (child); $20 adults; day of $20/$25 Info: babyangelsfoundation.org

Edina Art Fair The 45th annual Edina Art Fair, the second largest in Minnesota after northeast’s Art-A-Whirl, will feature 340 fine artists and crafters from around Minnesota, the U.S., and Canada. FREE shuttle buses run from Southdale Shopping Center by Firestone beginning one hour prior to one hour after fair hours. Talented artists, plus local and regional musicians, fashion shows, cooking and lifestyle demonstrations, delicious food, Kids Art Zone, and original artwork from the “Foot in the Fair” program for students in grades 1 through 12.

When: June 3 to 5 from 10 am to 7 pm Friday and Saturday; 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday Where: 50th and France neighborhood in downtown Edina Tickets: FREE Info: edinaartfair.com or 952-922-1524 parent

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calendar

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Great American Backyard Campout The 7th annual Great American Backyard Campout, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, encourages parents and kids alike to trade screen time for green time by spending a night outside. A night under the stars will help kids understand why it’s called the Great outdoors.

Go online for great recipe ideas, nocturnal wildlife guides, campfire songs and more. Then, pitch that tent and have some fun!

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Grand Old Day 2011 Enjoy myriad events — the ultimate one-day block party — during Grand Old Day, including a hometown heroes-themed parade honoring firemen, police, military, veterans and more; Arts District; live music; petting zoo; pianos on parade ribbon cutting with Mayor Chris Coleman; plus inline skate, run and walk/jog events.

When: Sunday, June 5 from 7:45 am to 5 pm Where: Spanning 30 blocks along St. Paul’s Grand Avenue Tickets: FREE Info: grandave.com or 651-699-0029

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COVERS IV: A Pop Concert After a completely sold-out run in 2010, COVERS returns for a fourth year. Cantus brings back the band and covers a whole new line-up of favorite pop songs, ranging from the 1950s to today.

When: June 3, 4, 9–12 at 7:30 pm Where: Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis Tickets: $12.50 to $27.50, depending upon seat preference Info: cantussings.org or 612-435-0055

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real parents Chanhassen parents Jim and Mary Valentine have more than a handful of kids to keep them occupied. New parents to Cecilia, the youngest Valentine at one year old, the couple also has: Annemarie, 14; Katherine, 9; twins Matthew and Maria, 6; and John, 3. The close-knit family of eight is typically scattered in multiple directions with sports and babysitting but makes time for dinner together nearly every night and steals bits of family time from their eight busy lives.

Were six kids part of the “plan”?

Yes. We always wanted to have a big family. Six wasn’t the key number, but it was a number I was striving for. I came from a family of eight and Jim’s parents had four kids. It was always a lot of fun. Big families aren’t something you see very often, and the kids are never without a play date.

Jim and Mary Valentine, with AnneMarie, Katherine, Maria, Matthew, John, and baby Cecelia

Do things get crazy at the Valentine house?

Often. Sometimes you just have to be ignorant to it. My house is never perfectly clean and I have to be ok with that. I know some people might have a different opinion. Sometimes I just have to walk away and check my email. Then instead of being stressed about something, it’s a “Oh, someone sent me something! Yay!” What are some things you do to keep everything running smoothly?

We keep things scheduled. We have structured homework time before playtime and we have a family meal together almost every night. We regroup and can all sit down and talk about our day. The kids seem to enjoy it. We keep the kids close and keep God in the family. There are the sibling arguments and fights, but for the most part they stick up for each other.

I can be really organized, but most times dinner ideas don’t come to me until lunchtime. This is an issue because Jim will be asking me at 6:30 a.m., “What’s for dinner?” It’s not even on my radar at that point! We don’t do big, elaborate dinners or anything. I have a “I made dinner, who’s going to clean up?,” policy. The kids only occasionally pull the “Our friends never have to do that,” and I always just tell them how lucky they are to have siblings to help them out.

Are there plans for more kids?

If I were younger, there would be. Unfortunately, Cecilia is our last. We got a late start. I’m a little disappointed, but I need to let go of that.

— Alyson Cummings

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june 2011

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