Lending Library Inventory New to Equity –Historical Background and Introductions to Equity Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools Glenn E. Singleton, Curtis W. Linton 3 Copies Examining the achievement gap through the prism of race, the authors explain how to use "courageous conversations" to create a learning community that promotes academic parity. – Google Books A Framework for Understanding Poverty Ruby K. Payne 2 Copies If you work with people from poverty, some understanding of how different their world is from yours will be invaluable. Whether you're an educator-­‐-­‐or a social, health, or legal services professional-­‐-­‐this breakthrough book gives you practical, real-­‐world support and guidance to improve your effectiveness in working with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Since 1995 A Framework for Understanding Poverty has guided hundreds of thousands of educators and other professionals through the pitfalls and barriers faced by all classes, especially the poor. Carefully researched and packed with charts, tables, and questionaires, Framework not only documents the facts of poverty, it provides practical yet compassionate strategies for addressing its impact on people's lives. Children First: The Story of Unicef Past and Present United Nations Celebrating UNICEF's fiftieth anniversary in 1996, Children First examines changes in public attitudes and government policies which have put children at the top of the international agenda in the 1990s. Starting from the International Year of the Child in 1979, development historian Maggie Black studies the two movements which have done most to raise the visibility of children in the public consciousness: the child survival campaign, which culminated in the 1990 World Summit for Children; and the movement for children's rights, which resulted in the 1989 International Convention on the Rights of the Child, now ratified by 177 countries. Readings for Diversity and Social Justice Editors: Maurianne Adams, Warren J. Blumenfeld, Carmelita Castaneda, Heather W. Hackman, Madeline L. Peters, Ximena Zuniga For over ten years, Readings for Diversity and Social Justice has been the go-­‐to anthology for the broadest possible coverage of issues related to identity and oppression from a social justice perspective. This highly-­‐anticipated second edition breaks even further ground, boasting over 40 Lending Library Inventory more readings than previously available, updated and original section introductions, and three entirely new chapter sections on Religious Oppression, Transgender Oppression, and Ageism/Adultism. As with the first edition, each chapter section is divided into Contexts, Personal Voices, and Next Steps. The first two parts provide vivid portraits of the meaning of diversity and the realities of oppression. The third part challenges the reader to take action to end oppressive behavior and affirm diversity and social justice. White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son Tim Wise It is a personal examination of the way in which racial privilege shapes the daily lives of white Americans in every realm: employment, education, housing, criminal justice, and elsewhere. Using stories from his own life, Tim Wise demonstrates the ways in which racism not only burdens people of color, but also benefits, in relative terms, those who are “white like him.” He discusses how racial privilege can harm whites in the long run and make progressive social change less likely. He explores the ways in which whites can challenge their unjust privileges, and explains in clear and convincing language why it is in the best interest of whites themselves to do so. Using anecdotes instead of stale statistics, Wise weaves a narrative that is at once readable and yet scholarly, analytical and yet accessible. Dear White America Tim Wise White Americans have long been comfortable in the assumption that they are the cultural norm. Now that notion is being challenged, as white people wrestle with what it means to be part of a fast-­‐
changing, truly multicultural nation. Facing chronic economic insecurity, a popular culture that reflects the nation’s diverse cultural reality, a future in which they will longer constitute the majority of the population, and with a black president in the White House, whites are growing anxious. Tim Wise has penned his most pointed and provocative work to date. Employing the form of direct personal address, he points a finger at whites’ race-­‐based self-­‐delusion, explaining how such an agenda will only do harm to the nation’s people, including most whites. In no uncertain terms, he argues that the hope for survival of American democracy lies in the embrace of our multicultural past, present and future. The Mis-­‐Education of the Negro Godwin Woodson Carter The thesis of Dr. Woodson's book is that African-­‐Americans of his day were being culturally indoctrinated, rather than taught, in American schools. This conditioning, he claims, causes African-­‐
Americans to become dependent and to seek out inferior places in the greater society of which they are a part. He challenges his readers to become autodidacts and to "do for themselves", regardless of what they were taught: History shows that it does not matter who is in power... those who have not learned to do for themselves and have to depend solely on others never obtain any more rights or privileges in the end than they did in the beginning. Lending Library Inventory Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit Parker J. Palmer In his newest book, Parker J. Palmer builds on his own extensive experience as an inner life explorer and social change activist to examine the personal and social infrastructure of American politics. What he did for educators in The Courage to Teach he does here for citizens by looking at the dynamics of our inner lives for clues to reclaiming our civic well-­‐being. In Healing the Heart of Democracy, he points the way to a politics rooted in the commonwealth of compassion and creativity still found among "We the People." "Democracy," writes Palmer, "is a non-­‐stop experiment in the strengths and weaknesses of our political institutions, local communities, and the human heart-­‐-­‐and its outcome can never be taken for granted. The experiment is endless, unless we blow up the lab, and the explosives to do the job are found within us. But so also is the heart's alchemy that can turn suffering into compassion, conflict into community, and tension into energy for creativity amid democracy's demands." To Build a Bridge: Working With American Indian Communities John Poupart, dr. Cecilia Martinez, dr. John Ted Horse, Dawn Scharnberg This guide is necessary because of the long-­‐standing misinterpretation of American Indian social values, beliefs, and norms. It was developed to improve service delivery in Indian communities; incorporate Indian values into research methodologies when working with Indian people; and educate policy makers and program developers about the unique situation of American Indians. It includes sections on The History of American Indian Law and Policy, American Indian Cultural Strengths, and How to Work Effectively with American Indians. Lending Library Inventory Biographies/Memoires/Personal Accounts 5 Black Women Inc. 25 Stories That Gave Birth to a Company Annette Britton The world is not created or sustained by superstars; it is everyday, average people who can truly make an impact. Everybody has something to offer. Everybody has a story worth telling. Author Annette Britton, previously an electronic engineer at Xerox, wants us to ask “What is my purpose here?” And when we each discover that purpose, she proposes that we fly with it into the world, and offer it to a greater good. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America Barbara Ehrenreich Our sharpest and most original social critic goes "undercover" as an unskilled worker to reveal the dark side of American prosperity. Millions of Americans work full time, year round, for poverty-­‐level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that a job -­‐-­‐ any job -­‐-­‐ can be the ticket to a better life. But how does anyone survive, let alone prosper, on $6 an hour? To find out, Ehrenreich left her home, took the cheapest lodgings she could find, and accepted whatever jobs she was offered. Moving from Florida to Maine to Minnesota, she worked as a waitress, a hotel maid, a cleaning woman, a nursing-­‐home aide, and a Wal-­‐Mart sales clerk. She lived in trailer parks and crumbling residential motels. Very quickly, she discovered that no job is truly "unskilled," that even the lowliest occupations require exhausting mental and muscular effort. She also learned that one job is not enough; you need at least two if you want to live indoors. Nickel and Dimed reveals low-­‐rent America in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generosity -­‐-­‐ a land of Big Boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate stratagems for survival. Read it for the smoldering clarity of Ehrenreich's perspective and for a rare view of how "prosperity" looks from the bottom. You will never see anything -­‐-­‐ from a motel bathroom to a restaurant meal -­‐-­‐ in quite the same way again. Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black Gregory Howard Williams The dean of the Ohio State University College of Law recounts his meeting of his father's people in Muncie, Indiana, the shock he experienced when he learned he was half black, and the prejudice that he and his brother endured from both sides. Lending Library Inventory The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates Wes Moore Two kids named Wes Moore were born blocks apart within a year of each other. Both grew up fatherless in similar Baltimore neighborhoods and had difficult childhoods; both hung out on street corners with their crews; both ran into trouble with the police. How, then, did one grow up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader, while the other ended up a convicted murderer serving a life sentence? Wes Moore, the author of this fascinating book, sets out to answer this profound question. In alternating narratives that take readers from heart-­‐
wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption, The Other Wes Moore tells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-­‐Day Slave, an International Art Dealer and the Unlikely woman Who Bound Them Together Ron Hall, Denver Moore, Lynn Vincent A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it. It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-­‐tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch. Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-­‐changing love. A White Teacher Talks About Race Julie Landsman Veteran teacher Julie Landsman leads the reader through a day of teaching and reflection about her work with high school students who are from a variety of cultures. She speaks honestly about issues of race, poverty, institutional responsibility, and white privilege by engaging the reader in the experiences of a day in the classroom with some of her remarkable students. Throughout the day, we meet bigotry head-­‐on, struggle with questions of racial identity, and find cultural conflict in the corridors of the school building. Along the way, we come face to face with Tyrone, a young African-­‐
American student grappling with the realities of discrimination in suburbia. We encounter Sheila, a teenage mother struggling to raise her baby in poverty, and we get to know Sarah, a white girl living on the streets of Minneapolis. Through the author's eyes, we begin to understand the complexities of teaching in today's society and we learn within the pages of this book, if only just for a moment, what it feels like to be the other. Lending Library Inventory The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours Marian Wright Edelman The #1 New York Times bestseller is a thinking person's Life's Little Instruction Book, with simple yet inspirational messages about living. And Don’t Call Me A Racist! Edited by Ella Mazel A treasure of quotes on the past, present, and future of the color line in America. This book represents a desire to make a significant contribution toward understanding and resolving the “problems” of prejudice and racism. The Latehomecomer Kao Kalia Yang In search of a place to call home, thousands of Hmong families made the journey from the war-­‐torn jungles of Laos to the overcrowded refugee camps of Thailand and onward to America. But lacking a written language of their own, the Hmong experience has been primarily recorded by others. Driven to tell her family’s story after her grandmother’s death, The Latehomecomer is Kao Kalia Yang’s tribute to the remarkable woman whose spirit held them all together. It is also an eloquent, firsthand account of a people who have worked hard to make their voices heard. Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence Marion Dane Bauer (Ed.) Original stories by C. S. Adler, Marion Dane Bauer, Francesca Lia Block, Bruce Coville, Nancy Garden, James Cross Giblin, Ellen Howard, M. E. Kerr, Jonathan London, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Lesléa Newman, Cristina Salat, William Sleator, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jane Yole. Each of these stories is original, each is by a noted author for young adults, and each honestly portrays its subject and theme-­‐-­‐growing up gay or lesbian, or with gay or lesbian parents or friends. Lending Library Inventory Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Jamie Ford In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol. Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart. A Lesson Before Dying Ernest J. Gaines A Lesson Before Dying, is set in a small Cajun community in the late 1940s. Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot out in which three men are killed; the only survivor, he is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, who left his hometown for the university, has returned to the plantation school to teach. As he struggles with his decision whether to stay or escape to another state, his aunt and Jefferson's godmother persuade him to visit Jefferson in his cell and impart his learning and his pride to Jefferson before his death. In the end, the two men forge a bond as they both come to understand the simple heroism of resisting—and defying—the expected. Ernest J. Gaines brings to this novel the same rich sense of place, the same deep understanding of the human psyche, and the same compassion for a people and their struggle that have unformed his previous, highly praised works of fiction. The Favored Daughter: On Woman’s Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future Fawzia Koofi, Nadene Ghouri The nineteenth daughter of a local village leader in rural Afghanistan, Fawzia Koofi was left to die in the sun after birth by her mother. But she survived, and perseverance in the face of extreme hardship has defined her life ever since. Despite the abuse of her family, the exploitative Russian and Taliban regimes, the murders of her father, brother, and husband, and numerous attempts on her life, she rose to become the first Afghani woman Parliament speaker. Here, she shares her amazing story, punctuated by a series of poignant letters she wrote to her two daughters before each political trip—letters describing the future and freedoms she dreamed of for them and for all the women of Afghanistan. Her story movingly captures the political and cultural moment in Afghanistan, a country caught between the hope of progress and the bitter truth of history. Lending Library Inventory Teaching Strategies/Community Partnerships Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders Randall B Lindsey, Kikanza J Nuri Robins, Raymond D. Terrell 2 Copies This powerful third edition offers fresh approaches that enable school leaders to engage in effective interactions with students, educators, and the communities they serve. How to Teach Students Who Don’t Look Like You: Culturally Relevant Teaching Strategies Bonnie M. Davis This practical workbook’s strategies, proven activities, reflective questions, staff development activities, and facilitator’s guide will teach how to effectively reach culturally and ethnically diverse students. School, Family and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educations and Improving Schools Joyce L. Epstein 3 copies How can teachers and administrators be prepared to create partnerships with families and communities? Nationwide, rhetoric in favor of parent involvement is high, but the quality of most programs still is low. Part of the problem is that most teacher education, administrative training, and other education of school professionals omit topics of school, family, and community partnerships. Instead, educators are prepared in limited ways to “deal with parents” when problems occur. This collection is designed for use in courses of teacher education, preparation of school administrators, and other courses that prepare professionals to understand and to work in schools and with families and students. It is a definitive resource both in and out of the classroom with comments, discussion questions, activities, and field experiences in each of the chapters. Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships Anne T. Henderson A practical, hands-­‐on primer on helping schools and families work better together to improve children's education. Countless studies demonstrate that students with parents actively involved in their education at home and school are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher-­‐level programs, graduate from high school, and go on to post-­‐secondary education. Beyond the Bake Sale Lending Library Inventory shows how to form these essential partnerships and how to make them work. This updated and substantially expanded edition reveals how to build strong collaborative relationships and offers practical advice for improving interactions between parents and teachers, from insuring that PTA groups are constructive and inclusive to navigating the complex issues surrounding diversity in the classroom. Written with candor, clarity, and humor, Beyond the Bake Sale is essential reading for teachers, parents on the front lines in public schools, and administrators and policy makers at all levels. Schools of Quality: An Introduction to Total Quality Management in Education John Jay Bonstingl 2 Copies In this book based on the work of the late W. Edwards Deming, John Jay, Bonstingl introduces the principles of Total Quality Management and discusses how educators are using them to improve all aspects of their work. You'll learn about the origins of TQM in the United States, TQM's role in transforming Japan into an economic superpower, and Americans' resurgent interest in TQM since the early 1980s. Bonstingl explains how educators have used the Quality Philosophy to guide strategic planning, communicate more effectively with parents, improve students' learning strategies, and build a community of learners based on mutual respect and clearly defined aims. The many Quality tools in the book are designed to help educators establish processes that foster continuous improvement for everyone involved in schooling The Trouble With Black Boys:…And Other Reflections on Race, Equity and the Future of Public Education Pedro A. Noguera For many years to come, race will continue to be a source of controversy and conflict in American society. For many of us it will continue to shape where we live, pray, go to school, and socialize. We cannot simply wish away the existence of race or racism, but we can take steps to lessen the ways in which the categories trap and confine us. Educators, who should be committed to helping young people realize their intellectual potential as they make their way toward adulthood, have a responsibility to help them find ways to expand identities related to race so that they can experience the fullest possibility of all that they may become. In this brutally honest—yet ultimately hopeful— book Pedro Noguera examines the many facets of race in schools and society and reveals what it will take to improve outcomes for all students. From achievement gaps to immigration, Noguera offers a rich and compelling picture of a complex issue that affects all of us. We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools (Multicultural Education Seriers) Gary R. Howard, James A. Banks, Sonia Nieto 2 Copies Gary Howard outlines what good teachers know, what they do, and how they embrace culturally responsive teaching. Howard brings his bestselling book completely up to date with today’s school reform efforts and includes a new introduction and a new chapter that speak directly to current issues such as closing the achievement gap, and to recent legislation such as No Child Left Behind. With our nation’s student population becoming ever more diverse, and teachers remaining largely White, this book is Lending Library Inventory now more important than ever. A must-­‐read in universities and school systems throughout the country, We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know continues to facilitate and deepen the discussion of race and social justice in education. Privilege, Power and Difference Allan G. Johnson This brief book is a groundbreaking tool for students and non-­‐students alike to examine systems of privilege and difference in our society. Written in an accessible, conversational style, Johnson links theory with engaging examples in ways that enable readers to see the underlying nature and consequences of privilege and their connection to it. This extraordinarily successful book has been used across the country, both inside and outside the classroom, to shed light on issues of power and privilege. Together for Tomorrow: Building Community Through Intergenerational Dialogue James V. Gambone, Jennifer Norris Peterson (Ed.) Together for Tomorrow is a guide and information resource to help you break down isolation and separation between the generations. It presents a proven process for community building: The Intergenerational Dialogue™ Process. Intergenerational Dialogue is a tool for joining all ages, cultures, races, genders, and economic classes in problem solving and joint action. This easy-­‐to-­‐use, spiral-­‐bound book is a valuable resource for anyone working in the areas of: intergenerational programming; homeland security; family relations; health & long term care; community education; community organizing; human relations training; public policy; healthy community initiatives; violence, alcohol, and drug prevention; social work; agricultural extension; aging networks; and diversity initiatives. A Nation Divided: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students Nicholas Colangelo, Susan G. Assouline, Miraca U. M. Gross Educators and scholars from around the country were invited to help formulate a report on acceleration. They deliberated about what schools need to know in order to make the best decisions on educating highly capable students. The vibrant discussions led to this book. Lending Library Inventory The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Cusinesses Succeed Through Strategic Alliances James E. Austin In these complex times, when no organization can succeed alone, nonprofits and businesses are embracing collaboration for mutual benefits. Nonprofits are partnering with businesses to further their missions, develop resources, strengthen programs, and thrive in the competitive world. Companies are also discovering that alliances with nonprofits generate significant rewards: increased customer preference, improved employee morale, greater brand identity, stronger corporate culture, and higher innovation. In this timely and insightful book, James E. Austin provides a practical framework for understanding how traditional philanthropic relationships can be transformed into powerful strategic alliances. He offers advice and lessons drawn from the experiences of numerous collaborations, including Timberland and City Year; Starbucks and CARE; Georgia-­‐Pacific and The Nature Conservancy; MCI WorldCom and The National Geographic Society; Reebok and Amnesty International; and Hewlett-­‐Packard and the National Science Resource Center. Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough Mark Friedman Results Based Accountability (RBA) (also known as Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) in the UK) can be used to improve the quality of life in communities, cities, counties, states and nations, including everything from the well-­‐being of children to the creation of a sustainable environment. It can help government and private sector agencies improve the performance of their programs and make them more customer-­‐friendly and effective. RBA is a common sense approach that replaces all the complicated jargon-­‐laden methods foisted on us in the past. The methods can be learned and applied quickly. And all the materials are free for use by government and non-­‐profit organizations. In addition to providing practical methods, the book also makes a contribution to social theory by explaining the contribution relationship between program performance and community quality of life. As such it is a valuable tool for both program administrators and evaluators. The RBA framework has been used in over 40 states and countries around the world. Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business Danny Meyer A landmark, bestselling business book and a fascinating behind-­‐the-­‐scenes history of the creation of Danny's most famous eating establishments, Setting the Table is a treasure trove of valuable, innovative insights applicable to any business or organization. Lending Library Inventory Mentorship: The Essential Guide for Schools and Business Jill M. Reilly Selected as one of the best School to Work Programs by the U.S. Department of Education. Many students learn best in mentorships, either as an alternative educational experience or as an added component to traditional education. Mentorships are being used increasingly by business leaders, companies, and schools. This book describes how to establish a highly successful program similar to that developed by the author. Criteria and sample forms for establishing a mentorship program are included and may be copied. Results: The Key to Continuous School Improvement Mike Schmoker How do you know if your school is improving? Do you know what really works in reading programs . . . in writing . . . in math . . . in science? How do we measure what works? What about teaching to the test-­‐-­‐or to the vast array of standards being mandated? How do we effectively use cooperative learning-­‐-­‐and direct instruction-­‐-­‐and alternative assessment? How do we sustain school reform? How do we get results-­‐-­‐and measure them in terms of student achievement? In this expanded 2nd edition, Mike Schmoker answers these and other questions by focusing on student learning. By (1) setting goals, (2) working collaboratively, and (3) keeping track of student-­‐achievement data from many sources, teachers and administrators can surpass the community's expectations and facilitate great improvements in student learning. The Children First Story Robert Ramsey The Children First Initiative started in St. Louis Park. The initiative was developed by and for St. Louis Park and has currently spread to over 450 communities in the United States. The Children First concept took shape in 1992 when Dr. Carl Holmstrom, the Superintendent of the St. Louis Park public schools, gave what he thought was a routine talk to the St. Louis Park Rotary Club. The gist of Dr. Holmstrom’s talk was that schools worked when there is a partnership between schools and families. As more and more families became stressed and dysfunctional, kids were lost and the community suffered. He concluded that we needed to invest more of our time and ourselves in the children and youth. Lending Library Inventory Family Guides 40 Ways to Raise a Nonracist Child Barbara Mathias, Mary Ann French 30 years after the civil rights movement, America is still imbued with the spirit of racism. Despite the best intentions of a generation, children today are still learning the dangerous lessons of prejudice, hate and bigotry. Ultimately, the only way to rid our society of the evil of racism is to teach our children, while they're still impressionable, that color is not an indication of a person's worth. Unfortunately, many parents are at a loss as to how to do this effectively. 40 Ways to Raise a Nonracist Child is the perfect aid for these parents. Divided into five age-­‐related sections, ranging from preschool age to the teenage years, it provides helpful and practical ways parents can teach these important lessons, and contains specific advice addressing the unique concerns of both white parents and parents of color. With topics ranging from how to select toys for toddlers to how to talk with teenagers about what they see on the evening news, 40 Ways to Raise a Nonracist Child is a book all concerned parents will want to have on their shelves. The Soulful Parent: Raising Health, Happy and Successful African American Children Dr. Kerby T. Alvy The Soulful Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy and Successful African American Children brings the excitement and goodness of what the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring (CICC)'s Effective Black Parenting Program has done for numerous parents nationwide, through stories about how they have used the teachings of the program to create happier homes and happier and healthier relationships with their children. Their stories are accompanied by illustrations of what the program teaches, so that you too can make use of the skills and parenting ideas of the program in your relationships with your children. Until CICC created the Effective Black Parenting Program in the late 1970's, there were no parenting programs that addressed head on the unique challenges that parents of African American parents have to deal with. There were also no programs that taught parenting skills in a manner that was respectful of African American patterns of communication and which recognized the African roots of the Extended Black Family. Thus, the program occupies a very special place in the history of parenting education in the United States. Unlock the Einstein Inside: Applying New Brain Science to Wake Up the Smart in Your Child Dr. Ken Gibson, Kim Hanson, Tanya Mitchell One name has emerged out of the last century to mean smart: Einstein. In this book, Dr. Ken Gibson helps parents understand that there is a little bit of Einstein locked up in each of their children—regardless of how they perform in school right now—and how to unlock it. Lending Library Inventory Self-­‐Help/Motivational Improvise This: How to Think on Your Feet so You Don’t Fall on Your Face Mark Bergen, Molly Cox, Jim Detmar Businesses are sending their top managers to improvisational classes to learn how to give presentations, how to talk to clients, and how to finesse difficult situations. But those same skills can be mastered with the help of the simple and fun exercises found in this book. The authors explain how improvisation comes into play in our daily lives, and the rewards of taking risks in those situations. Improvise This! is filled with true-­‐to-­‐life business scenarios and offers methods for not only surviving but triumphing in those situations, making this a valuable and entertaining resource. The escape Plan: A 40-­‐Day Plan to Annihilate the Adultitis in Your Life Kim Kotecki, Jason W. Kotecki Adultitis is a silent epidemic that has been ignored for far too long. It's a disease that slowly erodes our inborn childlike spirit, killing our dreams, curiosity, faith, happiness, and hope. It stresses us out. It causes us to take ourselves too seriously. And in some extreme cases, it can cause smile amnesia. (Not fun.) If you're ready to do something about your case of Adultitis, this is the book for you! It includes 40 step-­‐by-­‐step challenges designed to get you thinking and acting in a more childlike manner. You'll read how other people have solved each challenge, and keep a record of your own remarkable progress using the journal pages. We guarantee that you'll be stretched. You'll have fun. And that case of Adultitis? It ll be ancient history and you ll be well on your way to a happier, more exhilarating life. Escape Adulthood: 8 Secrets from Childhood for the Stressed-­‐Out Grown-­‐Up Jason W. Kotecki Being Grown-­‐Up Isn’t All It Was Cracked Up To Be. Do you ever have the urge to resign from being an adult? Are you burned out by the stresses that come with being grown-­‐up and wish you could be six again – far, far away from the mountains of paperwork and mortgage payments, credit card debt and computer crashes? Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, you’re never going to be six again. But relief is within your grasp, because the secrets of childhood are timeless, and they’re available to Lending Library Inventory Good Reads The Bluest Eyes Toni Morrison Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in.Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife. A powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity, Toni Morrison’s virtuosic first novel asks powerful questions about race, class, and gender with the subtlety and grace that have always characterized her writing. Braided Lives: A Anthology of Multicultural American Writing Minnesota Humanities Commission (Ed.) Published by the Minnesota Humanities Commission in 1991, the anthology brings together vivid stories and poems of Native American, Hispanic American, African American, and Asian American writers, including Diane Glancy, Louise Erdrich, Juanita Garciagodoy, Juan Delgado, James Baldwin, Nikki Giovanni, and David Mura. It was created by Minnesota teachers, for teachers and students in Minnesota high schools. They were assisted in their work by scholars, writers, the staff of the Minnesota Humanities Commission, and the officers of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English.