I also promote philanthropy. Each year I believe more strongly that we all need to challenge ourselves to find ways to be more generous and giving.

Wouldn’t it be great to somehow combine reading and giving? Hmm…

Then I heard about an initiative launched by The Pearson Foundation and Penguin Young Readers Group called We Give Books, and I was excited to learn more.

What a wonderful idea! Read a book. Give a book.

So last week, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, when the Pearson Foundation gathered together a group of bloggers, authors* and others to announce the launch of the site, We Give Books, I was happy to attend.

*Including Pulitzer Prize winning author, Dave Barry!

How does it work?

Choose a Campaign

Read Books

Share

Here’s the gist: We Give Books encourages parents or caregivers to read with their kids and then donate a book to a charity selected by the reader. Read a book, give a book. For every story you read on the site with (or without!) your child, they donate a book! The reader’s only obligation (if you even want to call it that) is to read the online book. Pearson/Penguin then donates the book directly to the charity you and your child selected.

These are some of the folks behind this initiative.

How easy is this?

1) Choose the charity

2) Read a book

3) Click to donate

For every book read on the site, the Pearson Foundation will donate a book to a worthy charity (selected by the reader(s)) of the book(s) from among those listed on the site).

Just give it a try. The site is very easy to navigate. Your youngest kids can participate in turning the pages of the book. In fact, I recommend that you get your kids involved from the start. Tell them a little about the charities, let them choose which one they like most, then let them pick the first book. I bet you’ll read more than a few (and then donate more than a few).

Mark Nieker, President of the Pearson Foundation, believes “We Give Books gives parents an opportunity to read with their children, and its innovation is that it surrounds reading with those important conversations that can start a young person on a life of giving.”

You can still have that special, quality time with your child in your lap, reading a story but now it’s interactive and helps other kids! This site puts an interesting twist on story time in our hi-tech world.

The only thing that I believe could make this even better and more current? If they had an iPad app for it.

I’ll bet it’s just a matter of time.

Visit We Give Books. And let me know what you think.

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You may have heard of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, the movie that came out Friday, February 12, 2010.

Many people have been calling it a Harry Potter knock off. To begin with, the book series is not another Potter. The only comparison one could make is that the main characters are two boys and a girl, and the male protagonist doesn’t fully know about his true powers until he goes somewhere away from home (Camp Half Blood/Hogwarts) to train.

Would Potter ever go to Vegas?!

We both read The Lightning Thief (along with the rest of the books in the series) at a young age and were captivated by how exciting it was. Both of us still consider it the best book we’ve ever read (tied with Stephen Colbert’s I Am America (And So Can You!) and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird). We have also read the Harry Potter books and seen the movies and the Lightning Thief series differs in many ways. The Lightning Thief is a fun way for kids and teens to learn about Greek mythology.

The Lightning Thief brings Greek mythology to the modern world, with the gods and goddesses hidden at the top of the empire state building. Camp Half Blood is the where the demigods gather, the only place they are safe. Demigods are the offspring of a god and mortal, so they are half-human and half-god. Harry Potter, however, is about witchcraft and wizardry. Magic. Contrast that with gods and Greek mythology. Nowhere close to the magic that is described in the Harry Potter series.

Have you seen this promo, where water roars behind Percy?

Percy is the son of Poseidon (god of the seas, which must be noted because the naysayers probably didn’t even know that), not a recently-trained-in-magic Quidditch captain. The people who accused The Lightning Thief of being a cheap knock-off probably didn’t even know that the book was released in 2005, before five of the Harry Potter movies were released. Also, one could make the argument (an inane, ignorant argument) that The Half Blood Prince and Camp Half Blood have something to do with each other. Well, unless Snape’s dad was Zeus or Ares or any other god, they have no connection except for the words “Half Blood.”

Anyway, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series of books was hugely successful, a New York Times #1 Bestseller and given five-star reviews by many, including the writers of this article. The people who criticized The Lightning Thief probably did no (or very little) research and just looked at the ad for the movie while tweeting “Am I the only one that thinks that Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is a total Harry Potter cop-out? #iamnotamused.” (@clawtooth35) or “hilarious: billboards for ‘Percy Jackson and the lightning thief’ don’t even try to hide the fact that it’s a facile Harry Potter ripoff…” (@estherdbrazil) or “the lightning thief dd not lve up 2 my expctations. almost juvenile for my liking. it’s like harry potter with a better looking protagonist.” (@bookletjeff) Uh huh. To quote @pfpaul, “BF#1: “The Lightning Thief looks stupid. It’s exactly like Harry Potter. Different people, same names.” That doesn’t even… “what?!”

Exactly. Different people, same names?! No they don’t…oh, whatever.

We just disagree.

Go see The Lightning Thief.

Let us know what you think.

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First of all, can you imagine Potter using an iPhone or iPod Touch? Ever? HA!

These American kids know how to use technology! W00T!

Our kids loved the Percy Jackson book series and enjoyed the movie. They tire of the comparisons between it and the Potter series. Actually, I wish the promos would have downplayed the Chris Columbus connection and any other similarities.  Millions of Potter fanatics do not want anything to try to replace or follow Potter. Attempting to draw similarities was a mistake.

Instead, I recommend putting Potter aside and opening yourself up to something new or, at least something a little different, based on myth and legends.

If you’re looking for respectable teen action heroes for your teens or preteens, I believe this is your film (and I hope an entire series of films). In it, smart, brave, attractive kids discover their demigod selves and embark on a quest which eventually leads them to Zeus and Poseidon. In fact, it’s a fairly good introduction to Greek mythology.

Exercise caution with sensitive tweens or younger kids, though.  Ms. Dodds’ morphing into a flying fury and the minotaur chasing Percy and Grover were quite frightening scenes, though probably the scariest moments of the film. After those two, the intensity eases a bit.

Kids who have read the book series (or at least the first book, “The Lightning Thief”) will enjoy the movie but may quibble over differences and omissions. The parts of the book that were necessarily left out of the movie are not crucial to the storyline. My kids believe that the few aspects that were missing can be easily added in to future movies.

Logan Lerman (as Percy Jackson) strikes the right balance between seeming a little awkward with his new-found abilities and being as confident and strong as one would expect from a demigod. He’s more like Peter in Heroes than Potter at Hogwarts. No wands, just hands (and occasionally a sword).

The attraction between Percy and Annabeth was believable (I don’t really care that Annabeth wasn’t blond) and Luke was a terrific antagonist.

Bottom line? Get over Potter and give this movie a chance.

Images from Google Images

“Just write off about five years of their lives.”

“During those years, they think you know nothing.  Then, in college, miraculously, you’re once again brilliant and they ask you how to do everything from folding laundry to paying rent.”

“Oh, they’ll tell you they hate you, but they’re just really mad at you.”

“I didn’t know the person who inhabited my daughter’s body during those years.  But, in about eleventh grade, the daughter I knew returned.”

In the early years of their lives, many kids try hard to please their parents. They implicitly acknowledge their necessary state of dependence and pretty much worship the ground we walk on. The effect on parents’ egos is rather intoxicating. We reach a point where we start to believe we know what we’re doing.  We stand tall and breath sighs of relief, as we begin to feel confident in our parenting abilities.  We go through stages where we proudly boast about achievements and quickly pull out photos of the little angels.  But if we talk to parents with teenagers, we often hear them say (to those of us with younger children) that we should “enjoy it while you can” because it can change in a flash when those adorable toddlers and grade school kids reach adolescence.

As my kids approached middle school, I witnessed other teens grow sassy and more defiant so I found myself getting a little nervous, worrying more than I used to, wondering if my kids would change and, more importantly if our relationships would drastically change.

Well?

So far, so good.

One of the few notable differences in our household involves my daughter’s preferences in clothing. In elementary school, she would wear nearly any clothes I brought home, whether they were from the Gap, Limited Too, Abercrombie, Nordstrom, or even (gasp!) Tar-zhay.  Now, however, due in part to television shows like Gossip Girl and books like The Clique series, she has grown more and more brand conscious.

The cast of characters in these titles wears (among others) Prada, D&G, Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Ralph Lauren Collection, Juicy Couture and Miu Miu.  They carry Birkins. And they can’t yet drive.

So, when my daughter and I were shopping yesterday, looking for cute pumps (for me) to take to BlogHer, I probably should not have been surprised when she approached me carrying oodles of Coach, Michael Kors, Gucci and Tory Burch shoes that she wanted me to buy for her.

My head filled with jumbled, conflicted thoughts.  “She appreciates good quality and is certainly developing a sense of style,” I thought, “but I shudder at the thought of purchasing Tory Burch shoes for a young girl whose feet might grow tomorrow or next month.”

“Furthermore, have we learned nothing from the excessive materialism of the last decade? We try to teach our kids to save money, give to charities, and to focus on family activities (which should rarely include shopping at the mall or boutiques).”

Right?

“What values am I teaching my daughter if I spend money on designer clothes and shoes instead of putting it into a college fund?”

But I have to admit, when I see Lily van der Woodsen sashaying across rooms in gorgeous Chanel suits toting her Birkin, I feel inspired to put on one of my favorite skirts rather than slipping into my comfy sweats and flip flops.

Similarly, if these shows and books influence young girls to dress a little better or to discover a sense of style, then I’m inclined to tolerate them.  I see it as analogous to Stacy London, host of What Not to Wear, when she helps ordinary women understand (among other things) that tapered pants flatter no one.

So, at the end of our shopping excursion,  I made a point of explaining to my daughter that style can be found at many stores.  It’s not exclusively reserved for haute couture.

She seemed to understand and agree, at least to some extent.  We talked for nearly an hour about priorities and values, outward appearance and inner beauty, as well as the fashion industry and catty classmates.  I’m not sure that her heart won’t leap a little when she picks up a pair of Jimmy Choos, but I know that she understands that it’s unreasonable absurd outrageous for a middle school girl – in the real world – to wear Christian Louboutin stilettos.

Most importantly, I feel just as connected to my little girl as I did before she started watching Gossip Girl.

]]> http://momentswetreasure.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/stylish-teens-and-gossip-girl/feed/ 0 momentswetreasure Poster for Gossip Girl Birkin example http://momentswetreasure.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/a-boys-way-to-present-a-book-talk/ http://momentswetreasure.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/a-boys-way-to-present-a-book-talk/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 03:04:30 +0000 MomentsMom http://soapboxmom.com/?p=1389 ]]> My son’s grade school teacher told the students to use technology to present their book talks this quarter. Here’s what he came up with:

http://blip.tv/play/AYGE3w6MkGQ

It’s for a book called “Simon Bloom – The Gravity Keeper” by Michael Reisman.

He was so excited about the video that he said, “Mom, the trouble is…I think it makes the book look better than it actually was.”

Hey, IMO, if it gets a kid to read a book, that’s all that matters.

Oh, and, yeah, it looked cool. Really cool.

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P.S. Thank goodness for Macs…

And fell in love.

My daughter and I devoted one of our family podcasts to the Kindle and the Kindle 2 and I taped a webcast about the Kindle 2 and the iPhone Kindle app.  This blog post is not about the attributes of the Kindle, rather it’s about my recent discovery of a necessary accessory for the Kindle 2: a carrying case.

Unlike the original Kindle, the Kindle 2 arrives to you with no carrying case.

No handy dandy (albeit synthetic leather) cover.  As you might expect, Amazon sells oodles of covers, like this one, this one and this lovely sleek high gloss number.  Before buying one, I wanted to see how I used the Kindle, where I took it and how I carried it.  After a couple of months, I still hadn’t decided which cover to buy.  Then I found a great case by Belkin at Target.

On clearance for $13.98.

W00T!

Is it a perfect fit? No. It’s intended for 7″ laptops.  So it’s slightly larger than the Kindle 2, but it works quite nicely. And it comes with a practical, adjustable strap. Belkin claims it will protect a laptop from “light wear and tear” and I’m hoping it will do the same for my Kindle 2.

Stylish, functional and reasonably priced.

Don’t you love a good bargain?

[video removed]

My intention was to publish a review of Amazon’s new Kindle 2, but after learning about the release of the iPhone Kindle application, I felt pretty strongly about its release and wanted to tell the world about it.  After calming down (and researching more information about the intent behind Jeff Bezos allowing that Kindle app to be sold), I recorded more rational (and hopefully helpful) comments.

To hear general information about the Kindle 2, start about halfway in (5:10).

Also, in mid-March, my daughter and I talked about the Kindle 2 on our radio show, Parents and Kids Talk Radio. Download the show by clicking here.

What’s a Kindle?  It’s an electronic book reader produced by Amazon.

Kindle 2 by Amazon

Anyone who travels several times per month (and likes to read) should seriously consider investing in this device.  It holds 1500 books and is smaller and lighter than some paperbacks.

My video review is coming soon…

Currently under construction, the new blog seeks to assist its readers with the sometimes overwhelming task of finding books for their kids.  As the years go by, it becomes increasingly difficult to find good books for my middle schooler. At the same time, I find more friends asking me for recommendations of good books for their kids.  The new site will tackle those challenges and more.

Stay tuned. I’ll let you know as soon as the site is ready for prime time.

I heard all the hype but was not expecting much from the Twilight movie (based on the books by Stephenie Meyer).

After a friend of mine bought the book for me and handed it to me saying, “You have to read this book.  It’s fantastic!” Soapbox Girl and I read the first book in the series.  My daughter loved it so much that she devoured the next three books, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn within a week.

And tonight we saw the movie.

I’m happy to say that this guy:

looked better in the film than in any of the interviews I’d seen or articles I read about him.

Twilight is basically a love story – a passionate, unusual love story – which happens to involve vampires.  For various reasons, the actor portraying Edward Cullen (main character) had to be gorgeous and the female lead (Bella) had to seem vulnerable, smart and beautiful (but klutzy).

Check, check, check and…check.

Bottom line?

Great love story, fabulous chemistry between the main characters, action, suspense, beautiful cinematography and direction.  Worth a look!

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Note: Heed the PG-13 rating for some intense battles and mature theme.