Q Road

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Q Road

Author: Bonnie Jo Campbell

First line: At the eastern edge of Kalamazoo County, Autumn woolly bear caterpillars hump across Queer Road to get to the fields and windbreaks of George Harland's rich river valley land.

Why you should read this book: In her first novel, Bonnie Jo Campbell paints the world of rural Kalamazoo Country in lush brushstrokes, with a history and cast of characters as fertile as the soil. George Harland's 880 acres and his great-great-grandfather's barn, the oldest in the township, provide the backdrop for a day that will delineate the past and define the future for a cast of incredible characters.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You have a "Pave the Earth" bumper sticker on your car and you think it's funny.

Click here to read my complete review at In the Weird

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Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

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You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

If you can't get to the library, but you have an Internet connection, you can find many full-text books on-line. For adults, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of full-text books you can download for free.

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Q Road

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