friday favorites: Young Reader's Book

For this installment of Friday Favorites, we look continue looking at books I loved growing up. Last week I shared my favorite books for ages 0 to 8. Today I give you my favorite books for ages 9 to 12. What were your favorites?

P.S. Some of these are series of books

The Baby-Sitters Club books by Ann M. Martin

Ramona books by Beverly Cleary

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Little House on the Prarie books Laura Ingalls Wilder

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark I, II and III by Alvin Schwartz

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright

 

The Fudge Series by Judy Blume

Please allow me to introduce...

My freshman room mate Brittney! I hadn't seen or talked to her since I left Southern Oregon University and then, through the wonders of the ever-present Facebook, she found me! And get this... she is engaged to a guy who I sat by in high school band and who I met again four (or so) years later through my friend Vickey at UofO. I still get amazed at what a small freaking world it is.

Anyway, this girl likes to write. Lots. This can be seen in the fact that she has THREE blogs. I have trouble keeping up with this one, and I love writing. But the girl is having lots of adventures, so I guess three is a good number. I've added her to my "friends who write" column on the right, so you should check her blogs out. And Brittney, if you read this, let's hang out sometime in November or after that!

sorry sunrise, you are overrated

Dear Sunrise over the Atlantic,

Hi! We just met this morning. I was the one who woke up at 5:15 a.m. to see my first sunrise over the ocean. First off, it was cloudy, and not the kind of cloudy that makes for pretty pinks and reds in the sky, but the kind that blocks out anything pretty. Secondly, you rose at 6 in the morning! Did you forget it was the weekend and that you could sleep in? Lastly... I was not impressed, sunrise... not impressed at all. You've got nothing on sunsets over the Pacific. Now that is a pretty show! So, I don't think we shall ever meet again, at least not by my choice. I just wanted to let you know that I was a dissatisfied customer and will not be recommending you to my friends.

Sincerely,
jenna

friday favorites: children's books

A few summers ago I worked with Erika, but who I knew as Starla. She moved to NYC and talks about her exploits on her blog (find it on the right of the screen) Since I was little I wanted to live the New York life, so I live vicariously through her :)

Anyway, today she started a new thing on her blog that she saw on ANOTHER blog called Friday Favorites. I think this is a fine idea and, with giving credit to Starla, I will do this as well. 'Cause, I mean, who doesn't want to know more about me?!?

I love to read. I have The Momma and Grammy to thank for reading to me, with me, and providing for my Baby-Sitters Club habit while growing up. Now that I work for an early childhood literacy nonprofit, I have taken another look at children's literature. Today's list is my favorite books written for children 0-8 that both kids and adults can enjoy. I would love to hear what everyone's favorite children's book is or their thoughts on the list below.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein












If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffee Numeroff and Felicia Bonds












Corduroy by Don Freeman











The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson












Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss












The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams












Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz










Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak











And my list could not be complete with out the 2009 Jumpstart's Read for the Record book:



The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle










Coming Soon: My favorite books for 9 to 13 year-olds

...I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond...

Yesterday was my one-year anniversary of the last day of being part of the National Civilian Community Corps. The 21 months that I spent there were some of the most challenging, stressful, life-changing and wonderful of my life. I can see that now, but at this time last year all I wanted was to move on to something else. I was anxious to know what I would be doing next and had no clue as to what would happen after that. Turns out, I ran back into the arms of AmeriCorps in the form of a VISTA and moved to the opposite side of the country. Anyway, I wouldn't mind going back now, knowing what I would do differently.

While I was think about this yesterday, I remembered the graduation of my last year in NCCC. Over 400 of us sat in a beautiful theater in downtown Sacramento going through the rigmarole of a graduation ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, we all stood and recited the AmeriCorps pledge. Now, as a team leader, I had to say this pledge after every team leader meeting and said it so much that it was permanently ingrained in my brain. It was just one of those things that you repeat mindlessly without giving thought to what you were saying. Kind of like the Pledge of Alliegance or listening to the Star-Spangled Banner. I had never understood why athletes would tear up when this song was played whenever they won a gold metal at the Olympics. But on that graduation day for Class 14 of the western region of AmeriCorps NCCC, I finally got it. As I repeated the words that I had said ad nauseum for the last two years, they hit home. This is what I had given my life to. Saying these words brought up all of the good times I had had. The wonderful people I had met and the friends that I had made that will forever be in my heart. I looked over at my dear friend Stuart and saw that he was feeling the way I was. Everyone in that theater had been changed over the past year and while they might not have felt the same way that I did right then, I think that they understood.

As I close this sentimental posting, I will leave you with the words that I finally "got" that day. They are a part of who I am now and for that, I am a better woman.

The AmeriCorps Pledge

I will get things done for America -
to make our people safer,
smarter, and healthier.

I will bring Americans together
to strengthen our communities.

Faced with apathy,
I will take action.

Faced with conflict,
I will seek common ground.

Faced with adversity,
I will persevere.

I will carry this commitment
with me this year and beyond.

I am an AmeriCorps member,
and I will get things done.