The candidates were asked about paying schoolteachers based on merit. Obama had some wishy-washy answer. McCain’s response? “Find bad teachers another line of work.” Pastor Warren interjected and accused McCain of replying too quickly. McCain shot right back, “Can I just say choice and competition, home schooling, charter school vouchers, all the choice competition I want….home schooling works, vouchers in our nation’s capitol works….New York City is reforming….New Orleans now has over 30 charter schools in the city and guess what? It’s all coming up…what kind of opportunity is it if you send them to a failing school?” Read more...
In case you were wondering what happens to all those letters that kids mail every Christmas addressed to Santa: North Pole, Mrs. Claus as second in command sorts and helps Santa answer them. And now she's published, "Mrs. Claus Explains it All", using this bright and lively large hard-cover picture book to answer some of the most common questions they receive every year. Read more...
In this egg-citing new series Humpty Dumpty Jr. is a wise cracking trench coat sporting detective. He's the egg to call when you need help cause he always "cracks" the case. His office walls in New Yolk City are framed with notes of thanks and awards for his previously solved cases. We got the three little pigs thanking him for saving their bacon, and a Royal Proclamation from Dorothy granting him Emerald Knight of Oz status. Read more...
Rime to Read is a virtual reading program for beginner readings. It consists of 20 books that use "rime" (words that rhyme and look alike, such as sit, hit, lit). Only single syllable short vowels are introduced, along with 46 popular sight words. The books can be read on-line, or printed out, or both. It is a very convenient method for those who have young learners that are just starting on their reading pathways. Read more...
When I was making my way through my own pregnancies, I was never far from the essential “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” manual to guide me from stage to stage. So when I was presented with an opportunity to review this parody I thought it might be fun. Read more...
Molly, a Jewish girl, and her family have moved to America from Russia. Her mother says that the reason was to escape religious persecution and find freedom. First they lived in a tenement house in New York and Papa worked in a factory. Then they came to Winter Hill where Papa works in Mr. Brodsky's store and they live in the apartment above. However, the children in Molly's third-grade class make fun of her accent and clothes. Molly even thinks about going back to Russia. Read more...