Pop’s Blog - Michael Thal

A Spooky Story for Middle School Students

ByMichael Thal March 27, 2019March 27, 2019

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…

Caught Between Two Worlds

ByMichael Thal March 23, 2019

Savannah is a communications major at a prominent university. One day, while walking across campus, she eyes a guy she can’t resist. He is absolutely gorgeous. The communications major is taking American Sign Language (ASL) with Prof. Stockton to fulfill her language requirement. One homework assignment is to attend a Deaf event….

March is National Reading Month

ByMichael Thal March 8, 2019

March is National Reading Month and it’s up to moms and dads to instill a love of reading in their children. To encourage them to improve their reading skills and develop a fondness for books it’s strongly suggested you set some time aside a few times a week for family reading time. This means…

Summer Camp

ByMichael Thal February 25, 2019

In just a few months your sons and daughters will be off from school for the summer. Plan ahead and think about summer camp. What is the best way to go –sleep away or day camp? And how do you pick the best camp for your child? If this is your child’s first camping…

biography | current events | History | National Holidays

Black History Month

ByMichael Thal February 14, 2019February 14, 2019

Why is February Black History Month and not March or April? Historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson initially called Black History Month “Negro History Week.” The son of former slaves, Woodson was one of the first African-Americans to receive a doctorate degree from Harvard University. Woodson made it his life’s work to make sure Black…

Pop’s 6 Favorite Books of 2018

ByMichael Thal February 6, 2019

In 2018 Pop read and reviewed 36 young adult novels. All of the books received 5 pops because they were thought provoking, imaginative, and the author’s writing style exemplary. Below you’ll find seven of his favorites plus his award-winning novel, Koolura and the Mayans. Title: Koolura and the Mayans Author: Michael Thal Awards: 2018 eLit…

Print books vs e-books

ByMichael Thal February 4, 2019

What are the differences between electronic books and print books? For starters electronic books, or e-books require a device like the Kindle, Nook, or iPad. A Kindle can cost from $80-$350 while a Nook could run from $139-$269. iPads are a bit more costly from $94-$1149. On all devices files are downloaded from the Internet…

education | Parenting | single parent

3 Ways to Positive Child Behavior

ByMichael Thal January 31, 2019

Dear Pop, I’m the mother of two beautiful little girls. I’m also afraid I spoil them too much neglecting proper discipline. Do you have any suggestions what I can do to improve their behavior? Too Nice Dear Too Nice, There are three ways many parents control their children—bribing, yelling, and threatening. Sound familiar? There…

YA Fantasy into a Medieval World

ByMichael Thal January 29, 2019

Elai Nelson and the Prophecy of the Child is book one of the Fire on the Clouds Trilogy. The novel begins when Elai’s home is broken into by two goons who kill his adoptive parents and attempt to kidnap him. But with the help of his talking toothbrush (you read that right) the sixteen-year old manages…

Growing up Deaf

ByMichael Thal January 28, 2019

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…