Tennis Opportunity Program Saturday, Sept. 6th

Saturday, Sept. 6th
Midtown Tennis Club
1pm - 5pm
(located in the paddle hut - North side of Elston)

Exclusive sale to benefit TOP (Tennis Opportunity Program)!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15% of all sales will be given to TOP! - shop the latest fall/winter collections - save on discontinued items - slightly irregular items generously discounted

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Tennis Opportunity Program

TOP is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide economically disadvantaged children with the opportunity to achieve excellence - as students, as players, and as citizens. The organization has been operating in the Chicago area for more than fifteen years.

Please join us for TOP's Annual Fundraising Event, October 11, 2008

- Jim Courier, Celebrity Guest

Barefoot stallholders come to the aid of library devastated by fire

On June 24, fire ravaged the Swans Island Library in Swans Island, Maine, leaving not much more than a pile of ashes where the 100-year-old building once stood.
This August, Barefoot Books stallholders will rally to rebuild the library with amazing children’s books.
“When I heard about this fire, it tugged at my heartstrings,” says Kasey Jackson, a Barefoot Books stallholder in Indianapolis, Indiana. “I wanted to do something myself to help—send a few books—something. But I also thought we could do something on a larger scale. That’s when I decided to spread the word to see what we could do.”
Want to help? Here’s how:
If you’re attending the International Stallholder Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts:
• Bring a book or offer to bring books for other stallholders in your area.
If you’re not attending the Conference, but want to help:
• Send a book to Rock City Books and Coffee 328 Main Street, Suite 102 Rockland, Maine 04841
put a slip of paper in each box that says the book(s) is (are) a donation to the Swans Island Library.
• If your idea of Living Barefoot is sharing beautiful stories and works of art with children, then please consider donating a book today. The children of Swans Island will thank you.

Simple e-mail:
Barefoot Books stallholders are coming together to donate Barefoot titles to the Swans Island Library in Swans Island, Maine, which burned to the ground on June 24 after lightning hit the 100-year-old building.
According to reports about the library rebuilding efforts, children’s books are the most-needed. This affords Barefoot Books a unique opportunity to step up and make a difference to numerous children.
If you want to donate:
Bring your book(s) to the International Stallholder Conference in Cambridge, Mass., or send your book donation to Rock City Books and Coffee 328 Main Street, Suite 102 Rockland, Maine 04841
put a slip of paper in each box that says the book(s) is (are) a donation to the Swans Island Library.
Contacts at the store are KT or Geri, both women.

Here’s their e-mail if anyone has other questions:

books@rockcitybooks.com

Phone number is 207-594-4123
If you would like to add the title(s) you are donating, so that we don’t overlap too too much.
Thank you!!!!

Here are some links to more information;
http://www.rockcitycoffee.com/secondread.htm
http://bangornews.com/news/t/hancock.aspx?articleid=167577&zoneid=178

Little Leap Forward

My son Theo and I decided to spend the afternoon reading Little Leap Forward together.

This was one of the best ideas we have had lately :) Snuggled up together in the backyard we read the first 5 chapters of Little Leap Forward. My son is 7 and my daughter is 3 it can be hard to meet both of their needs at the same time. It worked out beautifully Gabbie (below) played and listened and Theo was able to just snuggle and read with me.

Gabbie although you wouldn't think it was paying close attention to the story.

She would come over to look at the pictures and than run off.
She really liked that the part about the kites, the Chinese characters for kite mean "wind" and "bamboo struggle." Gab thinks wind bamboo struggle is very funny and has been saying it over and over again while explaining that she is speaking Chinese, lol!

Here are Theo's thought so far about Little Leap Forward.
-It is good!
-Little Leap would make a good friend, I would want to play with him.
-His mom seems nice and it is sad that his father died.
-The pictures are great!



For me Little Leap has been a new journey of discovery, I must admit that China and Chinese history is a complete mystery to me. The illusions to communism and the struggle Little Leaps family is having to survive are masterfully written. This is one of those books that everyone should read.

Tuthillo

Talk about cool! My son has already lost 10 teeth and more to come...I can't wait to try out this cool companion!!!! Tuthillo is such a great name.
Teeth Come. Teeth Go.™

But how do you pronounce it? Think "tooth pillow" and try this... tooth-uh-low.

Check out all the cool colors!!!!

Cool Review By a Barefoot Dad!

The Geekly Reader: The Boy Who Grew Flowers by Jen Wojtowicz (art by Steve Adams)

By Matt Blum July 10, 2008 | 11:00:00 AMCategories: Books

Rink Bowagon has an even weirder family than most people. Many of his family members on Lonesome Mountain are shape-shifters, and his uncle trains rattlesnakes. Rink grows flowers, but not in a garden: he grows them all over his body every full moon. He's shy at school because of his differences, and as a result is shunned by his classmates.

Then one day a girl named Angelina Quiz joins his class, and, despite the other students trying to get her attention, she is interested only in Rink. Rink overcomes his shyness to ask her to the school dance, and she reveals to Rink that she can't dance because one of her legs is shorter than the other. Rink shows up at her house with flowers from his own body (for of course the dance is on the night of a full moon) and a solution to her problem, and they not only dance but fall in love.

The Boy Who Grew Flowers is a picture book that treats individuality and quirkiness as things to be embraced, not overcome (the author, Jen Wojtowicz, who is also an artist, was inspired to write the book by her relationship with her brother with autism). The story may sound heavy-handed from my description here, but, judging from my kids' reactions to it it only seems that way to adults--the fantasy on which the story is based prevents, I think, most little kids from realizing the message is there, even while they absorb it. The art, by Steve Adams, is brilliantly done—simple but beautiful, drawing you into the story and never distracting from it. The book is published by Barefoot Books , which is dedicated to combining great art and great stories, and you can definitely see that in this book. (Sample pages can be viewed here and here.)

The Boy Who Grew Flowers is aimed at children ages 4-8, and, with its beautiful art, makes a nice gift.

Full disclosure: My wife is an independent stallholder for Barefoot Books, and her website is linked to above.

Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Giveaway!

P.S. Winners will be selected by random draw and will be announced next Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Peace out.

Little Leap Forward

WATCH AND LISTEN to Little Leap Forward author Guo Yue share his story of growing up during China's cultural revolution.

WATCH VIDEO

My son and I are going to begin reading Little Leap Forward this evening. I will share our experience with you as we read. We just watched the movie about the book and here are the questions my sweet son asked;
"Mom why did they take his mom away?"
"Mom why did they burn all of his moms pictures?"

We might find the answers to his questions as we read, but I really don't think I will ever understand why or how people can be so cruel. Just watching this short little movie brings tears to my eyes. My sweet, sweet son finished the movie reflecting, "that little bird is so beautiful." It reminded me of a book that has become one of our favorites The Big Brown Box by Toni Morrison with Slade Morrison.
"Patty and Mickey and Liza Sue
Live in a big brown box.
It has carpet and curtains and beanbag chairs.
And the door has three big locks.

Oh, it's pretty inside and the windows are wide
With shutters to keep out the day.
They have swings and slides and custom-made beds
An the doors open only one way."