God Loves Me, So What!

God Loves Me, So What! is written by Guy Doud. This is a practical book about believing in God, learning ways to stand firm in one’s faith, and discovering ways to stand firm consistently. This book was written for our youth – those challenging, yet inspiring young children in the teens. Guy Doud reaches out to them and shares with them at their level.

The Tooth Fairy, Cupid, and Santa Clause were all real to me and to most of my friends during my early childhood years. Now that I am getting older, my childhood years tend to increase. At this point in my life, “childhood years” mean the years between 1 and 24. At any rate, the author talks about our early childhood beliefs in Santa and the Tooth Fairy and the day our faith in them ended. As these make believe characters fade so does our innocent belief in God and all that surrounds one’s Christian faith.

Through simple language, real life experiences, and practical advice, Guy Doud discusses the reality of God and the importance of maintaining a belief in Him. Best of all, he uses his gift of communication to reach out to our youth (a.k.a. ages 1-24).

The eight chapters cover the reality of God, the ABC’s of a situation, how to play (P-pray, L-learn, A-Act, and Y-yeild), and how to apply one’s faith in the home. Guy Doud provides his readers with two very powerful acronyms: 1) PLAY and 2) ACTS. The acronym PLAY is a simple, yet practical way to remember what to do when one faces any type of situation (whether it is serious or not). First you go to God in prayer. Second you turn to His word, the bible, and learn what He has to say about the situation. Third you take action based upon what you learned. In other words, you do something about the situation. Finally you yield to God’s guidance. In our daily lives we face a daily battle. In this battle there are only two sides: God’s side and Satan’s side. When a situation presents itself, we need to decide which side of the fence we will wage war from.

The author also provided his readers with the acronym of ACTS. This acronym is handy when one buckles down to pray. ACTS is nothing more than a sensible order to one’s prayer. This makes a lot of sense to me. When I pray, I typically bulldoze through it requesting answers and/or solutions to my pressing questions and/or dilemmas. Guy Doud simply suggests that when one begins to pray, he/she should keep in mind ACTS. When you begin your prayer, you should spend sometime adoring God for who He is. After some time in adoration of God one then confesses his/her sins. Thirdly, one moves into the arena of thankfulness. We thank God for all the things He has done for us. Lastly, we move into the realm of supplication – we lift up our requests to Him. I have to admit that I have begun to structure my prayers after this simple acronym. This uncomplicated prayer structure has added structure and focus to my conversations with God.

This is a book worth picking up if you or someone you know is facing the basic question, “God Loves Me, So What!” I enjoyed the journey as I’m sure others will also.

NO AR QUIZ :(

Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster

Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster was written and illustrated by Debra Fraiser.

Ok, I am slow and a bit thick headed at times. It wasn’t until I was ½ way threw the book when I realized that Miss Alaineus was actually a play on the word miscellaneous.

This is a delightful story that immerses itself in the life of a 5th grader who is an academic vocabulary nut. She loves words. On every page of the book, little Miss Sage sprinkles her sentences with 3-5 tier 2 academic vocabulary words.

The last pages of this charming book, the author brings her readers into Webster Elementary School’s 10th Annual Vocabulary Parade. All students who wanted to participate in the annual vocabulary parade had to write the following on a 3X5 card and turn it into the person in charge of the parade.

1. Write down their name, grade, and room number.


2. Write down the vocabulary word.


3. Write down the definition of the vocabulary word.


4. OPTIONAL- Write down a sentence or two for the M.C. to read as the contestant walked onto the stage.

Miss Sage won the 10th Annual Vocabulary Parade with the word miscellaneous.

MY 2 ½ CENTS
Absolutely delightful! This story was appealing and a pleasant read. How many times have I misheard, misunderstood, or misread a vocabulary word only to embarrass myself? The author did an excellent job playing with words and the way they sound. I got a kick out of this book. In fact, I might just kindly borrow the author’s Annual Vocabulary Parade concept and introduce it into my school. I am sure we, the students and teachers, would have a fun time discovering and representing meaningful tier 2 vocabulary words.

AR QUIZ: 100%

Crow Boy

Crow Boy was written by Taro Yashima and was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1956.

Crow Boy is one of those books that a teacher can enjoy easily because it champions the underdog. As a youth leader, a teacher, and now an administrator, I have encountered a many Chibi youth - the tiny boy, the outsider, the loner.

Throughout my career with youth, I have often seen that child reaching out to the world as the kids around him reach out to each other. Although a loner, an outsider, Chibi was finally recognized in sixth grade by an adult. This adult took an interest in him and began to build those needed personal assets. Because of this teacher, Mr. Isobe, Chibi was able to spread his wings and soar high above anyone’s expectations.

This is an easy read and one every teacher, male or female, should read. After the read, take a moment to think of the Chibi at your school site or in your class. Is there a chance that you can become the Mr. Isobe for this future Crow Boy?

AR QUIZ: 100%

Who Cut the Cheese?

Who Cut the Cheese? A Cultural History of the Fart written by Jim Dawson. Yes, this is a book about flatulation. Truly this is a book about the history of the flatulence. As I read this book I laughed, I was discussed, and I realized it went a little too deep for my tastes.

Jim Dawson's book consists of thirteen chapters for a total of 162 pages of flatulation (sp). The chapters cover the history of the flatulence, the religious perspective of the fart, fart entertainment in the way past, the fine art of farting, flatulence writing in the past, music in the wind, and urban legends surrounding the fart.

MY ONE CENT:
This book was filled with T.M.I. regarding the wind that passes beneath our hips. Although there were a few hilarious stories and/or jokes floating throughout the book, it wasn't worth the 6 plus hours spent sitting reading this book over the past two weeks.

Why did I pick this book to read? Well, it is a male thing. Both my son and I pass wind regularly (e.g. All people do. In fact, the average person passes gas 14 times a day) and get a kick out of the sound, the stench, and how it raises an eyebrow every now and then. In addition, we have sought other books on flatulence both in the local library as well as in Amazon.com. Currently, our favorite is The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts (My Body Science) by Shinta Cho and Amanda Mayer Stinchecum. This book covers many of the basic questions both the young and old have regarding the release of bodily gas.

NO AR QUIZ

It's like this, cat

It's like this, cat was written by Emily Neville and illustrated by Emil Weiss. This book was awarded the John Newbery Medal in 1964.

This is a warm story about a boy in his early to mid-teens who lives in New York City. Dave Mitchell is fourteen years old. He befriends a stray cat whom he met at the crazy cat lady's house. The crazy cat lady lives down the way from Dave and her name is Kate. Kate keeps to herself and loves her cats. One day Dave visits her and was given the opportunity to take a stray cat home. He names the cat Cat.

Dave has a friend named Nick whom he spends time with. The boys decide to go to Coney Island to spend the day at the beach. Dave convinces Nick that Cat should come along. Cat goes to the beach with the boys. Nick and Dave meet three girls at the beach. Two of the girls are more adventurous and struck up a flirtatious conversation with Nick. The other one notices Cat. Dave and the other girl, Mary, have personalities that hit it off. Although they enjoy each other's company, neither exchange phone numbers.

Tom, a burglar Dave met in the cellar when he was looking for Cat, befriended Dave. Dave learned that Tom dropped out of college and didn't have a relationship with his father. In fact, Tom really appreciated how much Dave's father budded into his son's business. Dave didn't quite appreciate what Tom saying. Tom sought Dave's father's advise on many occasions.

Mary and Dave meet again on a predetermined date and place. They spend time together and discover they both have similar tastes (i.e. movies, animals, etc...).

In the end, Tom asks his girlfriend to marry him, Dave sees his dad in a different light, Cat becomes a fixture of the Mitchell family, and Mary and Dave become an item. The one thing Dave, Mary, Tom, and Mr. Mitchell have in common was Cat.

MY TWO AND A HALF CENTS:
I enjoyed this John Newbery Medal book. I was gripped by the story of a young man, his relationship with his father, and the animal relationship. Dave has your typical adolescence relationship with his father, an intense yet they both care about each other. Cat, the animal, is Dave's confidant and security. Cat was his friend and his way of connecting with others. As I read this Newbery book I thought of my son and his pesky cat named Roxy. Like Dave's father, I can not stand cats. To my horror, we now have three: Max who adopted us 17 years ago, Roxy who we got 10ish years ago to keep Max company, and Tea Cup who adopted us last year. Max and Roxy live in the house (yuck) and Tea Cup is an outdoor cat. Dustin, my son, claims Roxy and Tea-Cup as his own personal animals/friends. Animals are an important part of a child's life. Although I literally have a cow regarding the triad of cats in my home, I realize the value of an animal in the life of a child (irregardless of his age). Like Dave's dad, the cat(s) grew on me and have become a meaningful part of our life. I recommend this book.

AR QUIZ: 90%

The Boy on Fairfield Street

The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss was written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.

This delightful book is a quick jog through the life of Ted Geisel. Who is Ted Geisel? Ted Geisel is the famous author Dr. Seuss.

Ted Geisel was a boy who loved animals, enjoyed drawing, and loved to have a good time. Unlike many of the other boys in the neighborhood, Ted didn't enjoy playing sports. Many of his friends gave him a hard time because of that.

In college, Ted wrote for the college newspaper. His articles were funny, witty, and would get him in hot water. In order to avoid the unwanted attention, Ted Geisel began to write under an alias. He began to use the name Seuss - his mother's maiden name and his own middle name.

After college, Ted sent drawings and stories to magazines in hopes of a sale. His first "official" sale was in July to The Saturday Evening Post. This encouraged him to draw more of his imaginary animals and creative settings. Soon he was sending them to all the magazines and papers. As he signed his work, he signed it as Dr. Theophrastus Seuss or just Dr. Seuss. Although he did not have a doctorate nor was he a doctor, he liked the sound of it.

MY THREE CENTS:
This is a delightful book and a welcomed read for anyone who has read a Dr. Seuss book. I now know that Dr. Seuss lived on Fairfield Street, that his real name was Ted Geisel, and that he was never a doctor.

AR QUIZ: 100%

The Cat Who Went to Heaven

The Cat Who Went to Heaven was written by Elizabeth Coatsworth and illustrated by Lynd Ward. This book was awarded the Newberry Medal in 1931.

This is a story about an elephant....NOT. It is a story about a cat who was brought to the home of a poor Japanese artist by his old housekeeper. The housekeeper brought home the cat instead of food. The Japanese artist was upset, yet over time, the cat endeared itself to the artist. They named the cat Good Fortune.

The artist was poor. He had not sold any paintings or drawings in quite some time. Then one day there was a knock on the door. A priest from the village temple had commissioned the poor artist to draw the death of Buddha so it can be displayed in the temple.

The artist wanted to draw Buddha on his death bed as he blessed the animals who came to receive his blessing. As the artist drew each animal (e.g. snail, elephant, horse, swan, buffalo, deer, monkey, dog, and tiger) he reflected on the reasons Buddha gave each animal a blessing. The cat would sit and longingly look at the drawings and give its approval in a subtle way. However, of all the animals who sought to be blessed by the Buddha, the cat was the only animal who turned away. As time passed, the artist grew fond of the multicolored cat.

Upon finishing the artwork that was commissioned by the village temple, the artist sent the cat out of the room. Knowing that the cat was not a welcomed animal in the village temple, the artist drew a beautiful cat in the animal procession receiving a blessing from Buddha. In fact, the cat looked exactly like Good Fortune. As soon as the cat walked into the room, he looked at the pictures and then gazed upon the drawing of the cat. The cat's heart jumped with excitement and joy. Almost immediately the cat died. The cat died of pure happiness. Buddha had blessed him.

When the priest arrived he was not pleased and the artist feared his career and life was ruined. The temple priest was to burn the artwork and take someone else's to be displayed. On the morning of the next day, people throughout the village were rushing to the temple to see the commissioned drawing. A miracle had occurred: the Buddha was reaching down giving a blessing to a small multicolored kitten. The cat did not turn away the blessing of the Buddha.

MY THREE CENTS:
Although I know little of Buddha other than what I read in college and have heard during conversations, this story has the element of forgiveness. We can make up for our mistakes. It also implies that blessings have many different faces. This Japanese artist was a bitter man who did not like cats but in the end it was the cat who brought luck, happiness, and purpose in his life. As children and/or adults read this book it will most likely open up the discussion of who is Buddha, what is Buddhism, death, and Japanese art. This book definitely exposes the reader to a world beyond America.

AR QUIZ: 60% - Ok, don't laugh. I don't know what happened and I even attempted to "cheat". As I took the quiz, I had the book open next to me on the chair. One of my sixth grade students observed and asked the following question, "Mr. Gerstner, isn't that cheating?" The only thing I could honestly say was "yes". I think I deserve the poor percentage. I need to be a better example to my students. :/

For Men Only

For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women was written by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn. This book is a book written for men about women. Does it have the silver bullet? Does it provide the reader with all the answers to his questions regarding the woman he loves? NO. However, the authors of the book surveyed thousands of women and multiple focus groups to gather data on how women think. The conclusion is quite simple, women think differently than men and men think differently than women. We are simply wired differently.

Shaunti Feldhahn wrote a best selling book called For Women Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Men. It was such a hit that Shaunti and her husband, Jeff Feldhahn, were encouraged to write a similar book for men. This book comes from a biblical perspective and the comments, recommendations, and statements are based upon the data collected from the surveys, focus groups, and conversations from women across the nation.

I found the book to be insightful, humorous, and predominantly right on. The author's statements and/or claims were based upon the data he collected. The author wrote as if he was sharing this information with his friends out on the basketball court, over lunch, or simply while talking over the phone. The information was delivered in a straightforward manner with no frills (thank you). It was refreshing to hear an author suggest that the information in their book was not absolut but generalizations had to be made as a result of the data collected. There are always exceptions and there is always the anamoly.

For those of us who are looking for ways to gain insight on how our spouses think and opperate, this book provides some answers and mulitiple ways to improve and build upon our relationship. The book is a quick read, enjoyable read, and practical.

NO AR QUIZ.