From: Lbhcove at aol.com <Lbhcove>
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 11:11:46 EST

I thank Emma for her endorsement of BEEN TO YESTERDAYS: POEMS OF A LIFE
(Boyds Mills Press). The book has been in print now for over a decade and it is one in which I still receive more mail on than any other book I've done.
  To add to Emma's list, I strongly endorse the poignant new verse novel HUGGING THE ROCK by Susan Taylor Brown (Tricycle Press).
 
...ROCK relates an unusual relationship between a father and daughter .... how they must learn to live, love, cope -- go on with their lives -- together

--
after the protagonists's bipolar mother leaves the family.
 
In addition to BECOMING JOE DIMAGGIO, Maria Testa has also penned
SOMETHING ABOUT AMERICA (Candlewick, 2005), a moving verse novel
about immigration inspired by true events that took place in Lewiston,  
Maine, in 2002 ... a VERY timely topic.
 
Lastly, I don't know if it would work today...but I, myself was a  "struggling
reader" who didn't get into books until I was l2 or l3.  A brilliant  teacher
got me into reading by reading play scripts such as SOUTH PACIFIC,
CAROUSEL, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, etc.
 
I couldn't get through long expository passages but I COULD  understand
plays that prefaced each character's speech...e.g.  NELLIE  FORBUSH,
BILLY... etc.
 
MY teacher weaned from comic books and pulp magazines leading me to the  
greatest classics I'd ever known.  
 
Again, it is the power of the TEACHER  or that special LIBRARIAN who  knows 
his/her student readers...who weaves magic...who changes lives --
like no other human being can.
 
It isn't about READING ... it's about the LOVE OF READING.
 
LBH
 
 
www.leebennetthopkinsbooks.com

Received on Fri 03 Nov 2006 10:11:46 AM CST