“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations--something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.”
- Katherine Patterson
The current surge of interest in manga is nothing short of a revolution in young adult publishing. Manga are Japanese graphic novels, in which stories that were originally published in magazines are then compiled into black and white paperbacks which can go on for dozens of volumes. With the uptick in interest in anime (Japanese animation) teens and tweens are flocking to the new medium. They cluster around shelving trucks of returned books and scarf them up before the books can hit the shelves. Manga brings young people into the library building and forms a ready base for programming and book talks.
The Time we have taken
by Steven Carroll
Winner of the 2008 Miles Franklin Award
That exotic tribe was us. And the time we have taken, our moment. The straight line of history has led, and was always leading, to this day and they have all been lucky enough to be alive, right now, to greet the moment. THE TIME WE HAVE TAKEN is both a meditation on the rhythms of suburban life and a luminous exploration of public and private reckoning during a time of radical change. 'a writer worth cherishing. His prose is unfailingly assured, lyrical, poised' - The Australian. 'moving and indelible in its evocation of the extraordinary in ordinary lives' - Miles Franklin Literary Award Judges.
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
Kate DiCamillo's debut novel wins a 2001 Newbery Honor and is a NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Bestseller!
The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket--and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.
Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship--and forgiveness--can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.
Recalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, here is a funny, poignant, and utterly genuine first novel from a major new talent.
An unforgettable first novel about coming of age one sweet summer--and learning to love what you have.
Book Club Discussion Questions
Webquest for Because of Winn-Dixie
Create printable tests and worksheets from Because of Winn-Dixie questions
Writing encouragement for students
Activity Guide from Walden Media
Information on topics related to the book
Character Education Lesson plan
Review and Discussion Questions
Buy the Book
(Publisher's Price is $15.99)
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From Kevin Leahy ...
Here are some of his suggestions for improving front-line communications and building rapport and trust.
... and there are - seven of them - all very relevant to communication, and just as applicable to public speaking
Read the article here => http://nyti.ms/hzsS5J
Inventors of drug names suddenly stood the alphabet on its head. Why did z and x become so attractive in the attempt to influence prescribers? asks Rob Stepney
If you leaf through the June 2000 issue of the British Journal of Cardiology you will see advertisements for Zocor, Xenical, and Cozaar before you reach a brand name that does not contain a prominent x or z (and that brand is Viagra). In an issue of Hospital Doctor from the same month (22 June), adverts for Celebrex, Topamax, Flomax, Vioxx, Zispin, Zyprexa, Oxis, Efexor, and Fosamax outnumber those for brands not containing letters from the tail end of the alphabet. Examination of the British National Formulary (BNF) from 1986 to 2004 confirms that z and x suddenly achieved remarkable and previously unexplained popularity in the branding of drugs.
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Comics, Power and Society: Q and A with Louis Schubert and Arthur Nishimura
At the City College of San Francisco, two professors have employed their enthusiasm for comics in an innovative approach to teaching. In their course Comics, Power and Society, Arthur Nishimura and Louis Schubert use a variety of comics and graphic novels as a creative and engaging way to introduce students to the social sciences. We were fortunate to get an interview with Schubert and Nishimura about how they use graphic novels and comics in this course.
The voice of authority is one that any audience will respond to. However, all too often you and I just don't represent enough of an authority figure to command that level of respect from an audience that didn't know us before we started to speak to them. If we want to wrap up our speech in a way that will leave a lasting impression with our audience, we need to find a way to use a voice of authority to deliver our last few words to them...
Bring In Moses
It really doesn't matter what your religious beliefs are (or for that matter, what the religious beliefs of the members of your audience are). That's because everyone knows the story of Moses: he went up the mountain, got some instructions on how to live his life, and came back down with the 10 commandments written on two stone tablets.
What this means for you as a speaker is that your audience is already primed and ready to "receive" 10 commandments from you - and they will instantly associate them with the story of Moses. In fact, they may even start to treat you as if you were Moses and the "10 commandments" that you are presenting to them will be treated as if they come from a higher power.
No matter how this unfolds, presenting your closing points in the form of 10 concise statements makes them very easy to both understand and remember. What you are doing is making it easy for your audience to grasp your main points and to remember them long after your speech is over.
Use An Authoritative Quote To Close
Often times there is a single individual who is associated with the topic that we are talking about. If we're talking about people getting along, Gandhi or Dr. Martin Luther King comes to mind. If it were about space travel then Neil Armstrong would be one of the first people that we'd think about.
Since your audience already knows about this person and the fact that they are somehow a figure of authority in regards to the topic that you are talking about, why not invite them to say a few words during the closing of your speech.
By taking the time to research your subject area and to identify the individuals who are the authority figures for that area, you are already well on your way to winning your audience over. Now take the time to study the quotes that those important figures have made - which one most closely aligns with the closing message that you want to leave with your audience?
When you use a quote from an authority figure, for a brief moment it is as if that person was in the room. With a little luck and if you've selected the right quote, then it will also appear as though they are endorsing or echoing what you've just said. This is what it takes to make sure that your message makes a lasting impact on your audience.
What All Of This Means For You
No matter how fantastic the opening of your speech is or how many powerful points you made during the body of your speech, it's really how you go about closing the speech that will make the difference. Now you have two more ways to do this well.
Using the 10 Commandments closing technique allows you to boil down the main points in your speech into "10 commandments". Your audience will recognize this format and will treat it with additional respect. You can also use authoritative quotes as a way to include an authoritative figure in your closing and make it appear as though they endorse the points that you have made.
In order for your speech's closing to make an impact on your audience, it must have authority. No matter if you choose to create your own 10 commandments or if you invite a respected figure to provide a quote for you to use, adding this kind of authority to your closing will ensure that you end your speech on a high note.
Dr. Jim Anderson
http://www.blueelephantconsulting.com/
Your Source For Real World Public Speaking Skills™
Do you give speeches today, but want to learn how be more effective? Dr. Jim Anderson believes that great business skills are no substitute for poor presentation skills. Dr. Anderson will share with you the knowledge that he has gained while working to improve the speaking ability of both individuals and teams of speakers for over 20 years. Learn the secrets of effective speakers and really connect with your audience during your next speech.
If you want to follow Dr. Anderson on Twitter, he can be found at: http://twitter.com/drjimanderson
