Category Archive:
Book Review

Why Can Johnny Still Not Read?

Doing some research the other day I reviewed some statistics on the literacy rate in the United States. The national literacy test is given every ten years, with the last results from 2014. These 2014 statistics are what I quote in my reading webinar.  Since the late 70’s I have been involved with adult and […]


BOOK | Food Fix

Dirt

Over the past few years, I keep reading health statistics that concern me deeply. “Why?” is an important question for me to ask.  Contemplating those figures, a bright future for our children, or any of us, seems against the odds. Dr. Mark Hyman dove into the issue of our poor health and put his findings […]


BOOK | Stolen Focus

It’s been a long time coming.   And now it seems to me we can’t ignore our situation any longer. It may have begun in 1989 with the introduction of Game Boy, which for those of you who don’t know, was played on a handheld device that required only the use of thumbs. By 1993 […]


BOOK | What a Wonderful World

What a Wonderful World

A couple of weeks ago, my 3-year-old granddaughter said, “Grandma, sing this song with me.” “I see trees of green, red roses, too. I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.” For a few seconds, I was incredulous that my 3-year-old granddaughter would know the lyrics […]


BOOK | The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

One of the things I’ve missed the past two years of covid isolation is not going to the bookstore and poking around. As long as I can remember, going to a bookstore and walking up and down the aisles, looking for a title that might catch my eye, has been one of my favorite pastimes.  […]


BOOK | Understanding Montessori: A Guide For Parents

Understanding Montessori Second Edition

What is Montessori Education? Montessori education more than anything is about understanding and aiding the natural process of child growth and learning. The principles, methods, and materials used in Montessori education for over a hundred years are scientifically supported, researched and time-tested, plus based on common sense. Understanding Montessori: A Guide for Parents seeks to […]


BOOK | Rip The Page!

rip the page

Just in time for summer! I love to write and I love to help elementary-aged children make that break-through to the point where they, too, love to write. Karen Benke’s book, Rip the Page: Adventures in Creative Writing, is a wonderful resource to encourage summer writing fun. With over 200 pages of writing ideas, I […]


BOOK | Building Cathedrals Not Walls

building cathedrals not walls

Building Cathedrals Not Walls is a collection of ninety Kids Talk essays to inspire you in your work with children, whether you are a parent, a teacher, or other adult in the life of a child. Cathedrals endure as symbols of vision and dedication from the Middle Ages. During this time in Europe scores of […]


BOOK | Peace, Love, Action!

Peace, Love, Action!

August 28, 1963. The evening news showed Martin Luther King, Jr. giving his now famous I Have a Dream speech. As an almost eight-year-old, I listened, sensing the underlying truth of what he was saying. The next day’s newspaper carried the full text and I read it out loud to my mother, asking for clarification […]


BOOK REVIEW | Hatching The Cosmic Egg

Nested Cosmic Egg

“Since it has been seen to be necessary to give so much to the child, let us give him a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions.” Dr. Maria Montessori To Educate The Human Potential, page 5 Everything is perfect. As we flew cross-country in […]