Summer 2010 "Hot Picks" Reading List
Image by University of Maryland Press Releases
PLAY IT!! READ IT!!! BOOKS ABOUT SPORTS!
By Associate Professor Jennifer Turner
The Reading Center
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Summertime is the right time for getting out and playing sports. Whether it's playing a quick pick-up game in the neighborhood, joining a league, or attending a sports camp, being active and staying healthy is a good way for kids to spend the summer.
But what parents may not know is that summer sports can be a great way to connect their children to reading. There are lots of wonderful books with a sports theme. Some books have characters who are involved in the sports (fiction), while other books give information about playing sports or about the lives and careers of sports superstars (nonfiction). Either way, these sports-themed books can make reading fun for kids. So this summer, remember to help your kids to PLAY HARD and READ WELL!!
BASEBALL
The Berenstain Bears Go Out for the Team. (1987). Stan and Jan Berenstain. Random House Books for Young Readers.
This beloved series has a book that deals with nearly every issue that a child can experience! In this book, Brother and Sister Bear want to try out for the Bear Country Cub League because they get to play on a real field and wear uniforms, but they realize that they also will feel pressure to win. A great book for young children who are thinking about joining a team.
H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet. (2009). Brad Herzog. Sleeping Bear Press.
In this series, Herzog provides interesting facts and information about baseball according to each letter of the alphabet. Although these are alphabet books, they are not only for younger children. Older children who can independently read this book will enjoy the fun facts and the beautiful illustrations. Note: this series also includes basketball, football, and soccer.
Miracle at the Plate (Matt Christopher Sports Classic). (1989). Matthew Christopher. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Written by Matt Christopher, this book is fun and easy-to-read. It focuses on a character named Skeeter Miracle, who has the best hitting average in the league, but is scared to field a ball. Baseball terminology, and great scenes from the game, are included in this book, so that readers who are new to the game can get a sense of how to play and what to expect.
We are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball. (2008). Kadir Nelson. Jump at the Sun Publishers.
This book, written by award-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson, brings to life the pride and history of the Negro League. Nelson captures the racism and prejudice that the Negro League players encountered, but also conveys the players' love for the game of baseball. Although this is a picturebook, older children will find it inspiring as well. You can buy the audiobook or MP3 audio version for a powerful narration by Dion Graham.
BASKETBALL
On the Court With&LeBron James. (2008). Matt Christopher.Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Matt Christopher is a well-known author who has written countless biographies of beloved sports superstars. In this book, he writes about the life and game of LeBron James, who is arguably the best player in the NBA today.
Salt in his Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream. (2003). Deloris Jordan and Roslyn Jordan. Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing.
Written by Michael Jordan's mother and sister, this fictional book tells the tale of Michael Jordan, who, as a young boy, longed to be taller. The story is funny and heartwarming and remains one of my boys' favorites, and now there are several others books in this series!
Slam. (2008). Walter Dean Myers. Scholastic Paperbacks.
Set in New York City, this gripping novel features Slam, a basketball sensation, who just transferred to a magnet high school, and is having problems fitting in with his new classmates, his team while staying connected with his old friends in Harlem. The novel is for high school readers.
DANCE
Brianna, Jamaica, and the Dance of the Spring. (2009). Juanita Havill. Sandpiper Publishing.
This book is part of a series with the main character as an African American girl named Jamaica. In this story, the focus is on Brianna, Jamaica's Asian American friend. Both girls are set to dance in a ballet recital and Brianna is jealous of her older sister, who gets the part of Butterfly Queen and the best costume. But when illness strikes, not once, but twice, Jamaica discovers that the recital most go on.
Dancing in the Wings. (2003). Debbie Allen. Puffin Books.
In this book written by acclaimed dancer Debbie Allen, a young ballerina named Sassy is frustrated by her body because her feet are too big and her legs are too long. But she discovers that her differences make her unique, and most importantly, help her to be a better dancer.
Put Your Best Foot Forward: A Young Dancer's Guide to Life. (2005). Suki Schorer and the School of American Ballet. Workman Publishing Company.
This book was written by Suki Schorer, who joined the New York City Ballet and became a principal dancer in the late 1960s. Through inspiring photos of young dancers, this book gives wisdom and advice for girls who are passionate about ballet dancing. It reminds them to never give up and to hold fast to their dreams.
FOOTBALL
Kickoff. (2005). Tiki and Ronde Barber. Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
For children reading chapter books, this fictional book featuring NFL superstars Tiki and Ronde Barber as football playing brothers is sure to please!! Tiki and Ronde have written several other fictional football chapter books as well as picture books for this series.
My Football Book. (2000). Gail Gibbons. HarperCollins Publishing.
This book provides good information about football, including the equipment needed, the field, and a few rules. I have read this book to my 7-year old son, Elijah, so that he knows what to expect when he plays on his football team this fall.
Peyton Manning (Amazing Athletes). (2007). Jeff Savage. First Avenue Editions; Revised Edition.
This book is part of the Amazing Athletes series, which spans other sports like Swimming (Michael Phelps), Basketball (LeBron James) and Skateboarding (Tony Hawk). Using photographs, the books describe the superstar athlete's life and professional accomplishments.
SOCCER
David Beckham (Sports Heroes and Legends). (2007). Ken Pendleton. Lerner Publishing Group.
In Ken Pendleton's series, Sports Heroes and Legends, the personal lives and professional accomplishments of soccer megastars like David Beckham are explored.
Kids' Book of Soccer: Skills, Strategies, and the Rules of the Game. (2000). Brooks Clark. Citadel Publishing.
This easy-to-use reference book will provide your children with everything they need to know about playing soccer, including a brief history of the sport, equipment, rules of the game, and a few strategies for increasing your skill level.
Soccer Cats (series). (2001). Matt Christopher. Little, Brown books for Young Readers.
The first book in a series about kids who play soccer and have all kinds of adventures! Since these books are chapter books, they are best for independent readers in grade 2 and up. Also, take a look at Matt's other series for older readers, Soccer Heroes!!!
Contacts: David Ottalini, 301 405 4076 or dottalin@umd.edu
a year in pictures courtesy of the Christmas Eve easter egg from fd's toys
Image by incendiarymind
Having only been on flickr for about five months, I'm still very fascinated by the concept of interestingness. Not as it relates to explore (though I'm proud of all my photos that made that leap of popularity) but how it relates to my pictures against each other.
Up at the very top, I'm really fond of the entire top row and wonder how the three of the eight that are in color would look in black and white. Would they have gotten more love in black & white? I look through all of the photos in comparison and wonder if I should go back and turn them all black & white. :)
It's funny that some of the photos that people consider terrible are actually pretty high. For example #15, #20, #33, #41, #45, and #67 are all in my "Craptastic" set. #47 is even the shot that's used as the establishing shot for the set. Though I still like #47 a lot myself. It just needs some adjustments. Like maybe making it black and white. :)
Anyhow, it's a fun way to look back at 2006, no matter how seriously or unseriously I take interestingness.
One small gripe though. I'm still angry that flickr changed the formula so that any picture that was posted in Score Me! is sacked and pillaged. #34 has been favorited more times than all but the top photos for pete's sakes. Sorry I got 10 views or so by posting in a ratings community. Cripes!
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1. baseball fans for a democratic congress, 2. equal opportunity candid offender, 3. waiting for the train to black and whiteville, 4. monument sleeper, 5. the only thing good about the rain is this situation, 6. the real motto of the NYC police?, 7. income inequality within (and among the) feet of Wall Street, 8. just another big clock in the middle of London,
9. on a rainy day in Wicker Park, he can see umbrellas, 10. united by a love of bargain shoe shopping, 11. occasionally I like rocks as well as rock, 12. a moment that started it all, 13. hippies and punk kids united in a hatred of candid shots, 14. taking off the dress, 15. blue state diaper baby, 16. passing on the wisdom,
17. if I didn't feel guilty I would have gotten this close, 18. mom, I want my pulled chicken, 19. piano man, 20. the ultimate payback in effigy, 21. Jeminazig, 22. the first dance with the bride, 23. a central park moment of photographic guilt, 24. in the shadows of skyscrapers, these stones stand alone.,
25. skating for skyscrapers, 26. let's see you less tired, 27. last year's total taunting me on, 28. and don't let cats snort coke either, 29. trading in Wall Street for a nice nap, 30. future wrestlers of New York City unite, 31. hopefully this season doesn't turn out like this photo, 32. the coolest kid in school,
33. Amanda Palmer sells out, 34. the end of a long day, 35. you make me feel like not dancing, 36. don't jump this barricade by choice, 37. even the locals are awed by the sights, 38. video display, 39. catching up with traffic, 40. maybe he's bringing the beer to the cop party,
41. passing the time at the station, 42. the second Viking invasion, 43. something scary in New York City, 44. something scary in Hoboken, 45. on State Street, that great street?, 46. a watchful eye, 47. confused it's over, 48. waiting to get the frig out of Dallas,
49. this stick figure needs hazard pay, 50. a labor of love, money, and pulled chicken, 51. up to the skies, 52. crowd shot, 53. in my dreamworld, this actually happens, 54. better luck next year boys, 55. warning sign for hikers, 56. three future players in England,
57. waiting for the train, 58. public hotel room in Battery Park, 59. an unnatural watchful eye, 60. friendly pigeons in Trafalger Square, 61. Michael Collins memorial, 62. something scary in Los Angeles, 63. all tied a zeros before the world series, 64. ready to take wedding pictures posed by others,
65. a view you have to be union, connected, or sneaky to get, 66. colorful background noise at the festival, 67. not ready for the drop, 68. can't keep a good football fan down, 69. the stereotypical look at life under the Brooklyn Bridge, 70. the goddess of folk metal, 71. what an odd introduction, 72. watch the hair lads
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
32/365 The Best I Could Possibly Do With Those Assholes In Front Of Us
Image by Nirazilla
So.
Alexisonfire were amazing again. But. Moneen were the highlight for me because I've yet to see them at their own show and have therefore only seen them perform in just bite-sized portions. And small helpings of Moneen make me hungry for more.
Tonight was no exception, as they were opening for Alexis again. However, much of their performance (the second half in particular) were interrupted by the assholes in front of my sister and I. We worked our way up towards stage left, as close to the band as possible, which happened to be three rows behind the barrier, close to Kenny (pictured and blurred as shit here). The guys in front of us wouldn't let us closer. Fair enough. But what gets me is this; as Moneen busted out into "Tonight, I'm Gone...," the assholes began pushing and shoving and flat out tackling me and my sister away from them, although we weren't even pushing. And it wasn't like they were doing it to protect their girlfriends, who stood nestled in their arms ahead of them, giggling. No one was really moving and there was no crowd pressure. We were all standing, in a very civil manner. Until the jerks blocking my view thought it would be funny to knock us around because we're twigs and they're built like football players, thereby preventing me from taking any sort of decent pictures (anytime I tried, they just knocked us back) and my sister from having a good times (she went to bed angry tonight, which makes me kind of angry, too). We know they were being malicious douches because they were smirking and laughing as they tackled us.
Seriously.
If you're going to do stuff like that, save it for the mosh pit. I hate it when people come to shows with an agenda other than enjoying the music. If you want to be an interruptive jerk, either form or join a pit in the middle of the crowd where it's customary, or stay home and fuck your braindead girlfriend or something. Don't tackle smaller kids than you who are just there trying to enjoy the experience.
Ugh.
But despite all that, I don't want to give the impression that this ruined the night. Far from it. After Moneen's set, we left the pricks behind and headed for the merch booth. We met Kenny momentarily, but he was working for Alexis that night, so he had to be backstage. And Alexis was amazing, of course. They played the same songs as the last time I saw them, but I forgot to put in my earplugs and we stood far at the back where all the sound reverberated this time. Meaning the music sounded louder and crisper and therefore, awesomer. They also played Polaroids of Polar Bears, which, according to Wade, they hadn't really played since Ratbeard (their current drummer) replaced Jesse Ingelevics. Since 2005.
Also, Wade sang the chorus from "True Believers," by the Bouncing Souls during the interlude between the final chorus of Happiness By The Kilowatt which kicked so much ass.
Then we high-tailed it back to the Hamilton Go station, boarded a bus back to Aldershot, and got on the 11:08PM eastbound train making all stops to Oshawa, got us home by around 1AM.
God, what a night.
And only this shitty, out of focus picture to remember it all by.
Listening To: [Moneen] - The Passing Of America.
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