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A Spooky Story for Middle School Students

    Dear Pop, I’m a seventh grader at New Heights Preparatory School in Northridge. My English teacher recently assigned us a book report. I can choose any book I want, but the author must be a California resident. I also need to report a little bit about the writer. Please help me ASAP. The…

Growing up Deaf
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Growing up Deaf

Audiologists acknowledge four levels of deafness—mild, moderate, severe, and profound. Author Cece Bell is severely to profoundly deaf. At the age of four she contracted meningitis, robbing her of most of her hearing. When she started public school, Cece was mainstreamed into a regular classroom. She knew she was different from the other kids due…

The Koolura Series: YA Fantasy at It’s Best
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The Koolura Series: YA Fantasy at It’s Best

      Twenty-four years ago author Michael Thal began what would become The Koolura Series. His prime motivation at the time was to get his daughter Channie excited about reading. Then in the sixth grade, she promised to read the book upon its publication. Good for her word, even though she was twenty-eight years…

Amelia, the Merballs and the Emerald Cannon: Character Interview
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Amelia, the Merballs and the Emerald Cannon: Character Interview

About the Book Title: Amelia, the Merballs and the Emerald Cannon Author: Evonne Blanchard Genre: Children’s Books Amelia and Uglesnoo land on Mercury.  They meet the Merballs, the friendly aliens that live there.  All goes well, until an asteroid hits their planet. Amelia and Uglesnoo find themselves in deep trouble. How will they convince the Merballs of their innocence? And…

5 Motivating YA Books Kids Will Want to Read This Summer
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5 Motivating YA Books Kids Will Want to Read This Summer

As a reading specialist working for the Glendale Unified School District, I noticed a serious decline in reading skills of many of my students after a long hot summer break. According to researchers at the National Education Association (NEA), “Children can lose up to three months of reading progress over the summer months, and that loss…

Two Picture Books on Deafness
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Two Picture Books on Deafness

Deafness is an invisible disability leaving its victims isolated within a hearing environment where oral language dominates the social, political, and entertainment worlds. Compared with the general population, there are few people touched by deafness, so the majority has no idea of its emotional impact and social effect on its victims. Myron Uhlberg knows better….

Parents for Sale: A Children’s Story and Coloring Book
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Parents for Sale: A Children’s Story and Coloring Book

Luke and Lucy Clark are eight-year old twins with the responsibility of caring for their two-year-old golden retriever, Pistachio. The twins need to feed, water, and walk their dog, but too often neglect their job. Consequently, their parents, who are too busy to care for Pistachio themselves, decide to sell the children’s pet. Naturally, the…

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The 2018 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and SCWBI

Looking for an interesting book to read? On April 21-22 the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be presenting its 23rd annual event on the University of Southern California campus. Five hundred authors, celebrities, musicians, artists, and even chefs will be featured. Admission to the festival is free. There will be over 230 booths…