Diary of a Word Nerd

Awesome Young Adult Books/How to encourage reading/Recommended kid lit

Great Reading Suggestions from Children’s Book Week

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 5 Comments

Often when I pull into the school parking lot, my boys are waiting in the parent pick-up line with faces buried in books. This word nerd swells with pride. Shortly after, I yell through the minivan window for them to stop reading so that we don’t slow down the line of anxious mamas behind us.

Once we’re out of the line, I can smile again. My kids love reading. I wish all kids did. Because I believe:

If we’re going have a strong country, we must be wise, informed, and critical.

We must read.

Next week, May 12-17 2014, Every Child a Reader will launch the 95th annual Children’s Book Week, a yearly celebration to promote literacy.

There are events planned in all 50 states for CBW 2014, but my favorite part of the week is the Children’s Choice Book Awards. The only people who get to vote for these awards are kids, which makes these awards meaningful for young readers.

Of course, I don’t get to vote, but I do love the list of nominees for the awards; it gives me great ideas for the children’s “To Read” list, especially with summer coming. And if you are a kid, or have kids interested in voting, please visit the Children’s Choice site by May 12. The set up is cool this year, with a fun, interactive cartoon setting.

Here are the nominees for 2014:

K-2nd Grade

Alphabet Trucks, by Samantha R. Vamos; illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke
Chamelia and the New Kid in Class, by Ethan Long
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (this book was also a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee)
Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos; illustrated by Joy Ang
Bear and Bee by Sergio Ruzzier

3rd-4th Grade

Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball by Charise Mericle Harper
Cougar: A Cat with Many Names by Stephen Person
The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman; illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh
Bugs in My Hair! by David Shannon

5th-6th Grade

Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli
National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! by Emily Krieger; illustrated by Tom Nick Cocotos
Prince Puggly of Spud by Robert Paul Weston
Lawless: Book 1 by Jeffery Salane
Battling Boy by Paul Pope

Teens

E & P won the YA category on both the Goodreads list and the NPR list

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Smoke by Ellen Hopkins
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Most of these titles are new to me. What I have heard about Allegiant has been mixed to unsatisfactory, but I will probably read it this summer. (If I keep my expectations low, perhaps I won’t be disappointed.) I listened to the audiobook of Eleanor and Park and highly recommend it.

Have you read any of these books? How can you celebrate Children’s Book Week?

Perhaps I’ll buy a few of these and leave them as presents on the breakfast table next week. More books for the parent pick up line!

Julia

Spread the word on Twitter: Great reading suggestions from Children’s Book Week via @juliatomiak. #CBW14 #amreading

Improving vocabulary

Vocabulary from Gone Girl: Misogynistic

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 9 Comments

Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Kathy at Bermuda Onion. Visit Kathy’s blog for links to more word nerdy words.

I’m finally reading Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, and I’m intrigued. I love how Flynn uses alternating points of view to build tension between the husband and wife in this “marriage gone wrong” thriller. The opening line, from the POV of husband Nick, disturbed me:

When I think of my wife, I always think of her head.

Sounds like a murderer to me, but maybe that’s what Flynn wants me to think. I’ll have to read on and find out!

Here’s Nick again, speaking about his father’s Alzheimer’s:

… a slow decline into a sudden, steep drop that forced us to move our independent, misogynistic father to a giant home that stank of chicken broth and piss, where he’d be surrounded by women helping him at all times. Ha.

Great description, no? I had to look up misogynistic, but should have guessed at the meaning from the root gyn.

misogyny \mə-‘sä-jə-nē\ noun, from Greek misogynia, from misein to hate + gynē women; a hatred of women

Word Nerd Workout

Can you think of a misogynistic character, fictional or real? Tell us about him/her in the comments!

Thanks for getting nerdy with me!

Julia

Click to spread the word on Twitter: Vocab from #GoneGirl: misogynistic = hating women via @juliatomiak

Book reviews/How to encourage reading

Five Books to Give for Mother’s Day

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 12 Comments

A beloved mom deserves something special for Mother’s Day. Give her a gift that will stimulate her brain and make her smile: a book, of course! But which one? I’ve invited some of my favorite blogging buddies to share micro-reviews of perfect books to give for Mother’s Day.

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

Review by Amy Makechnie of Maisymak

Have you heard? We’re not supposed to call girls “bossy” anymore. This idea comes from Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandburg. Examining women’s progress in leadership, Lean In has great ideas like “sit at the table,” and “ask!” Sheryl is the COO for Facebook, a mother of two, and writes about her leaning in to education and careers instead backing away out of fear or the unknown future regarding children and marriage.

Strangely enough, I enjoyed this book immensely even though I am a stay-at-home mom and believe the best work women will ever do is within the walls of our own home. Lean In doesn’t exactly champion full-time motherhood, yet I felt more empowered to LEAN IN to my job as a full-time mother AND take opportunities to impact the greater world. Told in a personal, warm style, I found myself relating to, and greatly admiring the brilliant Sandberg.

P.S. Sometimes I still need to tell my girls to stop being bossy. Bossy is a gift 🙂

Deliberate Motherhood and Motherhood Realized from Power of Moms

Review by Amy Makechnie of Maisymak.

Power of Moms was created as a gathering place for deliberate mothers, and it’s not a site featuring the most amazing crafts you’ll never be able to make. Rather, the entire focus is on our potential as women doing “the hardest job we’ll ever love.” The first published book, Deliberate Motherhood, is authored by over 60 mothers who write about 12 core values such as joy, peace, and love. The follow-up book, Motherhood Realized is another fantastic compilation and features one of my favorite motherhood writers, Katrina Kenison. Great gifts for any woman, Motherhood Realized just hit #1 in Motherhood and #1 in Parenthood on Amazon. The best thing about reading both of these books? Peace and empowerment.

Suburban Haiku: Poetic Dispatches from Behind the Picket Fence by Peyton Price

Review by Dana Hemelt of Kiss My List

Suburban Haiku is Peyton Price’s take on suburban parenthood. On the outside, this book is adorable – perfect for an ottoman or coffee table. On the inside, the humor and wit had me giggling and nodding as I read it in one sitting. I could have written many of these haikus (because I can relate, not because I have poetic talent), but they will amuse any reader regardless of age, gender, or suburban-ness.

I interviewed Peyton about her book, completely in the form of haikus. Here’s a snippet:

Me:
What inspires you
To write these little ditties
And why choose haikus?

Peyton:
People talk too much
about ridiculous things.
This is my revenge.

And one of my favorites from the book:

I do feel better
after those thirty crunches.
Chips are delicious.
-Suburban Haiku, page 25

The Mother of All Meltdowns by A Bunch of Hot Mamas Losing Their Cool

Review by Nicole Goodman of Work In Sweats Mama

Hey mama. Are you carrying around a suitcase of mommy guilt in excess of the carry-on limit?

It’s time to lighten your load with hilarious, heartwarming, and heroic tales of motherhood from 30 mama bloggers and writers in The Mother of All Meltdowns. You’ll laugh until you cry. And maybe pee yourself a little bit.

But, more importantly, you’ll realize no mother is perfect, and pinterest-perfect moments pale in comparison to the silver linings found in every inevitable meltdown.

So, mamas, grandmamas, mamas-to-be, and everyone who knows a fabulous mama, grab a glass of wine, a bar of chocolate, or the biggest Fountain Coke on the planet and indulge in a little motherly mayhem.

Also, the Kindle version is only $0.99 through Mother’s Day!

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Review by The Word Nerd (me!)

When I read the first page of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, I burst out laughing, but Semple offers more than humor in this clever novel. Years ago, Bernadette Fox earned respect and admiration in world of architecture. But somewhere in the midst of marriage and motherhood, Bernadette has disappeared- literally and figuratively.

Her loving daughter Bee sets out to find her, collecting emails and letters as clues. (And making a large chunk of the book epistolary- or written in letters- a refreshing format.) Bernadette’s agoraphobia and wit give her the most unique and compelling voice I’ve read in awhile, and I missed her when she disappeared. A must read!

[Word Nerd Note: agoraphobia = abnormal fear of being helpless in an embarrassing or unescapable situation that leads to the avoidance of open or public places]

I hope this helps you find a great book to give (maybe even to yourself!)

Have you read any of these and do you have any books to add to my recommendations?

Thanks!

Julia

Tweetable: Mother’s Day gift ideas from the word nerd, @juliatomiak. Five great books to give!

Improving vocabulary

Vocabulary from Frozen: Fractals

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 28 Comments

Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday, a great way to learn new vocabulary. Visit Kathy at Bermuda Onion for links to more interesting words from books and life.

My word today comes from the movie Frozen. Perhaps you’ve heard of it, even if you don’t have children who watch it five times a week? My daughter and I didn’t see it until a month ago. (Shocking, I know!) We were put off by the princesses, but now, Frozen is my favorite Disney movie ever, because it shatters all the typical stereotypes:

The apparent “Prince Charming” turns out to be a jerk.
The apparent “Prince Charming” gets punched by one of the princesses. (My daughter’s favorite part.)
The act of true love involves one sister sacrificing for the other- not a broad chested knight on a powerful steed.

The most popular song from Frozen, called “Let It Go”, has a word that perplexes me and my children: fractals.

My power flurries through the air into the ground

My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around.

My daughter thinks it means particles, but I decided to look it up. Good thing I did.

fractal \’frak-təl\ noun; from French fractale and Latin fractus meaning broken; any of various extremely irregular curves or shapes for which any suitably chosen part is similar in shape to a given larger or smaller part

Whew. That’s a mouthful. Here’s another more succinct definition from the Fractal Foundation website:

A fractal is a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales.

Fractals have to do with math and patterns, and we can find them readily in nature. My guess is that the “frozen fractals” from the song are the repeating patterns in snow flakes. (Note the clever use of “flurries” as a verb in the preceding line.) I love the idea that nature has mathematically predictable patterns- it reinforces my belief that a higher power created our world with a plan in mind.

Word Nerd Workout

Think of where you have seen, or might see, fractals. Turn to nature to help you. Where are there repeating patterns that look similar in different sizes? Share them in the comments.

Also, thinking ahead to summer, check out the Fractal Foundation website for some cool math fractivities.

If patterns interest you, check out my post on tessellations.

For some words to make you smile, visit Eli at Coach Daddy; today is Honest Day, but he’s collected some six word lies (about chocolate, bacon, exploding diapers and housework) that will have you chuckling!

Thanks for getting nerdy with me today!

Julia

Tweet: What are the frozen fractals Elsa sings about in “Let It Go”? @juliatomiak, word nerd, explains. #Frozen http://ctt.ec/GatRZ+

Book reviews/How to encourage reading/Recommended kid lit

Why You Should Read The Eighth Day

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 11 Comments

I’ve always had a thing for stories about King Arthur. The cute guy who sat next to me in my Arthurian Legends class at UVA definitely encouraged my interest. But the old language of the classic tales has kept my kids from sharing my excitement about King Arthur and his knights – until now.

The Eighth Day, by Dianne K. Salerni, brings the mythology and magic of King Arthur to 21^st century kid lit. If inquisitors, honor blades, and sorcerers grab your attention, this book is for you.

The Premise

The Eighth Day is often compared to Rick Riordian’s The Lightening Thief series. It has a similar blend of modern and magical, except the mythology is Arthurian in The Eighth Day, instead of Greek.

The main character, Jax Aubry, lives with his seemingly irresponsible guardian, 18-year-old Riley Pendare. Jax is lonely and miserable, until his thirteenth birthday. Then he discovers a mysterious eighth day wedged between Wednesday and Thursday when everyone seems to disappear, except for a strange girl in the house next door.

Jax also learns that he has the magical ability to make people answer his questions, whether they want to or not! (A power I wish I could have. Who broke the piano bench?) His guardian Riley can force people to do his bidding with the magical ability to command. (Again, why can’t I have this power? Put away your laundry. That would be handy with four kids!)

With Jax’s new found power comes knowledge of a secret magical world, where the descendants of Merlin, Arthur, and the Lady of the Lake battle against greedy and powerful enemies. And it turns out that Riley is much more than just a sloppy teen who forgets to pay the electric bill. Jax must quickly figure out who to trust if he – and the “normal” world – is going to survive.

What the Kids Say

I enjoyed the blend of action and mythology in The Eighth Day, and I’m glad Dianne included some visual aids to explain lineage! But don’t take my word for it; my three oldest kids read it too and shared their thoughts. (Note: The Eighth Day is labeled “middle grade”, which means it’s targeted to kids aged 8-12.)

My 13-year-old son thought it was good because it used a new idea that he hadn’t seen in other books. (And he’s read A LOT of books.)
My 12-year-old daughter liked that the plot wasn’t all action but included character building scenes. She also liked Evangeline, another main character, because she was smart and strong and wasn’t afraid to stand up to the evil guys.
My 10-year-old son liked the action at the end but wished it had “more stuff going on” in the beginning and middle. Early in the book, Jax spends a lot of time learning about the magical world and the history behind it.

I agree with my daughter’s assessment, as I prefer a balance of action and story development like you find in the Harry Potter series. I only read the first book in The Lightening Thief series because there was too much action and not enough meat. The Eighth Day feels more like Harry Potter, and I’m looking forward to following Jax and his friends in the rest of the series. I’m hoping that in later books, Dianne includes even more mythology about Arthur.

You can find out more about The Eighth Day and Dianne Salerni by visiting these links:

Do you like stories with magic and mythology? Do you think you’ll give The Eighth Day a try?

Julia

Tweet: The Eighth Day brings Arthurian myth and magic to modern #kidlit! A must read from @diannesalerni #amreading http://ctt.ec/f4485+

Improving vocabulary

What Does Modicum Mean?

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Julia Tomiak / 14 Comments

Welcome to Wondrous Words Wednesday, the weekly meme hosted by Kathy at Bermuda Onion. Stop by Kathy’s blog to join the word nerd party!

My word today comes from the fantastic (in more ways than one) world of Artemis Fowl. I’m now listening to book number eight, the last one in the series. Sniff. I’m sad that it’s almost over. If you have kids who like adventure stories, and you’re looking for good audio books for long car rides, Artemis is the evil genius turned hero that you need!

Since I was listening to an audio book, I can’t quote an exact sentence. But here’s a close approximation:

Artemis couldn’t find a modicum of comfort in the cramped fairy shuttle.

modicum \’mä-di-kəm; also mō-\ noun; from Latin modicus moderate and modus measure; a small amount.

I think it implies disappointingly small amount, like My kids share only a modicum of their Easter candy stash with me.

Word Nerd Workout

Webster’s Online Dictionary lists several humorous synonyms for modicum. Can you think of one? My example: iota.

My son only put an iota of asparagus in his mouth and immediately started gagging.

Thanks for getting nerdy with me today!

Julia

Tweet: Word Nerd Word: modicum = disappointingly small amount; my kids shared only a modicum of candy via @juliatomiak http://ctt.ec/KmuIH+