The World in Six Songs -Daniel J. Levitin

I've been thinking about my favorite Kindermusik teacher,Yvette Odell, and how she had to move from Holland to keep doing what she loves, so when I was walking through Barnes and Noble the other day I splurged. If she were still here, I'd give it to her to read next, but she's probably already heard of Mr. Levitin and his research. In the first chapter, he talks of attending the annual meeting of Kindermusik teachers. He has a very scientific approach to music and the brain. His first book was titled This is Your Brain on Music. This book classifies music into six categories: Friendship, Joy, Knowledge, Comfort, Religion and Love. I'm now thinking about this as I listen to the radio while picking up my kids. Is the song by Three Doors Down, It's Not My Time a comfort song? Sometimes the book got bogged down with science, but overall it was very enjoyable. My favorite quote from the book is:

"What distinguishes us most is one thing that no other animals do: art. And it's not just the existence of art, but the centrality of it. Humans have demonsrated a powerful drive toward making art of all different kinds--representational and abstract, static and dynamic, creations that employ space, time, sight, sound, and movement."

The book talks about some of the earliest cave paintings showing humans dancing. In the chapter on religion, he refers to a ballet that Joni Mitchell recently choreographed in Canada. You can watch a clip of it on You Tube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwNhhRhY1ik

It reminds me again of how intertwined music and dance are and I'm thankful to all of the teachers in the world who know this and practice it in their classrooms. My children have been fortunate enough to do Kindermusik and have teachers that sing and bring in banjo players and teach square dancing. How lucky they are!

If you want to know more about this book go to www.sixsongs.net I learned from his web site that he is coming to Kalamazoo what a treat that would be.

English Textbook

School starts next week. My tenth grader picked up her books a few days ago and I've been reading some of its content. It's good to know that after all of the hassles with the required reading, there is hope for the real English Class! I found the perfect essay in the book on reading lists! It is written by Francine Prose. I've wondered when books like "Life of Pi" became classics. It's good to know that another mother shares my view. Read her essay. It is excellent.

http://www.harpers.org/archive/1999/09/0060648

The next essay from the book I loved was by Anna Quindlen. So many of our high school students are so stressed now. The pressures are much higher than when I was in high school. There are tenth graders taking 4 Advanced Placement Classes. I think it's too much. No one seems to be focusing these kids on what they really want to do in life. It is more about the race to be top in your class. That being said, it does seem like curriculum overall has been watered down to meet the new high school graduation requirements. When will we learn the value of true education and stop focusing on test scores and requirements? I'm more worried about what is at my children's core than their test scores, as Anna writes, that is what will sustain you.

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/oped/Quindlen.shtml

Peeled -Joan Bauer

I loved this book! I've read a few books for this age group that involve freedom of speech and the power of the press, but I think this is one of the best. The story takes place in an upstate New York apple orchard town. The main character, Hildy, writes for her school newspaper. Developers are moving into a town facing tough economic times. I liked the references in the book to Poland's History. Hildy's friend Minska operates a restaurant in town where some of the scenes take place. Minska is constantly inspiring Hildy to carry on based on her own life's experiences. She has a plaque in the restuarant from when the Pope visited Poland which states "The future of Poland will depend on how many people are mature enough to be nonconformists." Minska then tells Hildy about how it felt to be there and hear those words.

The developers are preying on the fear of the townspeople, so there is discussion on fear and truth. Hildy has recently lost her father so she is dealing with her own fears and sees how easily fear can escalate. The story gets to the point where the school paper is shut down which affects the community. Hildy's thoughts about this are: "In case anyone wants to know what it's like in a community when the newspaper goes away, the good news is that it's missed. I'd never understood that without news, people aren't connected."

I think about that as I contemplate the reason why I initially started blogging about books. I was hoping that our local newspaper would take some interest. I've enjoyed my local newspaper for ten years, but it seem like the local flavor has really gone out of it lately. The economy is rough and cutbacks are everywhere and it seemed like they were on to something with "community bloggers". They didn't follow through and I couldn't give up the fun of writing about what I'm reading so I've continued. This sentence really made me think though--if the local paper was gone would it be missed? Can we replace the printed word with web sites? Reading the newspaper has become so much of my morning routine could I do without it? For me personally, it still revolves around the paper connecting me to the community. When I feel that it no longer does that, I will stop subscribing. Either way, my book blogging desire will be there. Minska wisdom from Peeled "My mother," Minska said, "always told me something when I was going to give up. She said, 'Sometimes just getting up in the morning and standing at the gate can bring the gate down.' " I'm not trying to bring any gates down, but it is a lesson in persistence. I'll keep writing about the books I read because I believe it has a value which is independent from a newspaper connection.

www.joanbauer.com

Touching Stars & Sister's Choice -Emilie Richards

These two books continue the Shenandoah Album series for author Emilie Richards. I enjoy how she incorporates Virginia history and quilting into her books. After visiting her web site, she is planning more for this series! They are very fun books.

www.emilierichards.com

We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For -Alice Walker

I picked this book up while looking for "Walden". Both are shelved under essays. The chapters come from different opportunities and speeches which Alice Walker has given. It incorporates some of her poetry and other work and at the end of each chapter is a time for personal reflection. Some of my favorite quotes which come from her poems are:

"We do not know the beginning

Or the end

We only see the middle of things

Which is our own life"

and from a different poem:

"This is the true wine of astonishment,

We are not

Over

When we think

We are."

Alice also calls for action on many of today's world issues. This book is worth picking up and reflecting on.

The Gate Keepers -Jacques Steinberg

"The Gatekeepers" is another book off the dreaded high school list. The book chronicles the annual admission process to Wesleyan University. The admission year is for 1999-2000. I thought some of this information is probably already a bit dated. I did not enjoy the author's style of writing at all. He swings back and forth between students too much. There are about five students who are more featured in the book than others. I found all of them to be annoying. I think of the five highlighted 2 choose Wesleyan and one Native American(chosen specifically for his heritage) doesn't make it through the first academic year there.

Knowing that this whole college game is in my family's near future, reading this book gives you less faith than ever in the processes used. The admission officer in the book has the territory of California and Wesleyan is in New England competing with the Ivy League. I thought as I was reading this how decisions might be much different in today's increased travel cost environment. The kids in the book from California were all flying east for college tours and some were from families with limited means. Will this be happening as much in my children's generation?

My daughter decided to read "Walden" off of the list which is probably a safe bet as the book has been in print for 154 years. Another one that I looked at from the list, but couldn't even finish was by Annie Dillard "An American Childhood" which is also a memoir. I've heard that her other work is good. The memoir is very slow. I thought I would enjoy it as it takes place in Pittsburgh, PA and I used to live there. I found nothing in her story to relate to. I think I'll try her fiction. Ironically, she used to teach at Wesleyan and did a thesis project on "Walden". I think I'll return to books that aren't on a teacher's list now.

First Boy -Gary Schmidt

Cooper Jewett has been raised by his grandparents on a New Hamshire Dairy Farm. When his grandfather suddenly dies, he is left to keep up the farm. At the same time strange things are happening in New Hampshire with the political primary season. One of the candidates comes to Cooper's school and proposes that Cooper join him on the campaign trail. Cooper faces an identity crisis similar to most teens, but complictaed by his grandparents denial to be upfront with him about his own parents. He loves his New Hampsire life, but wonders about the rest of the world as well.

I enjoyed the writing quite a bit. When dealing with his sense of loss, Schmidt writes, "..whatever it was that had stopped in him when his grandfather had died still hung broken. He felt it deep, like a stone too big to heft out of the garden. He just had to hoe around it and make do." I like that nurture wins over nature-- themes that Mark Twain obsessed over as well. I thought the story line itself was a bit far fetched. Nonetheless, it was fun to read.