Penelope Anne Cole: "My Brother is My Best Friend," by Nicole Weaver,...

Great review of my newest book.  Check it out below.







Penelope Anne Cole: "My Brother is My Best Friend," by Nicole Weaver,...: My Brother is My Best Friend , by Nicole Weaver, with illustrations by Clara Batton Smith, is the second trilingual book in Ms. Weaver’s “...

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

My twin sisters shared their adventures, now it is our turn. My name is Blake. My twin brother Drake is my best friend. I’ll be writing about my adventures with my brother from time to time.

I’d also like to hear about you. Do you have a brother? Is he your best friend? Do you have a favorite book?

Now you know exactly what we look like. That’s us on the cover. Do you speak other languages? I do. In fact, I am trilingual. I can speak English, French, and Spanish. My brother Drake can also speak English, French, and Spanish. We want to help you learn some basic French and Spanish. We wrote a story about our adventures in English, French , and Spanish. We hope our trilingual book will inspire you to learn French and Spanish.

 We invite you to buy a copy of our book. Our book is available from the publisher’s site. You can also find the print edition at Amazon. Books make great birthday presents and gifts for best friends. Buy a copy for all your friends. Pick up one for yourself too.

Be sure to come back next Sunday for a fun lesson in French and Spanish.

Book Review: 'Silence' by K.C. Snider

K.C. Snider, an honors graduate from the School of Art in Eugene, Oregon, is an award-winning illustrator of over forty children’s books. Her Western Fine Art has won prestigious art awards and her illustrations for children’s books have won numerous literary awards.

Ms. Snider penned her first book titled Silence. The book is wordless. It takes the reader on the journey in the life of a golden mantled ground squirrel. We follow him through his daily life and adventures at Crater Lake National Park.

The lovely, colorful illustrations transport the reader to a world that is stunning. A world so well depicted through the illustrations you feel that you are part of it.

This masterpiece of a book can be a valuable resource that teachers and parents can use to help pre-readers develop and exercise their imaginations. Children can have fun coming up with their own stories for the illustrations.

As a foreign language teacher, I use illustrations that depict newly learned vocabulary and grammatical structures. Illustrations are a powerful tool that affords students and young kids an opportunity to speak freely.

Ms. Snider’s book can be useful in any classroom where the teacher is looking for ways to help students develop both their speaking and writing skills.

To learn more about K.C. Snider please visit her website.

Book Review: 'Count 1, 2, 3 with Me' by Connie Arnold

Count 1, 2, 3 with Me, by Connie Arnold is a must have for all children. I love the simple rhymes that will make it an enjoyable read aloud book for young children.

Introducing toddlers to reading at an early age has many advantages. It helps the toddler develop a love for printed words, even though he or she can’t yet recognize the words. Additionally, young children can develop their auditory skills by listening to an adult read to them.

As a parent and teacher, I fully understand the need to capture the imaginations of young children. The idea is to make learning fun, and Count 1, 2, 3 with Me does that in a captivating fashion. In the book, we see many happy, smiling children, playing games, walking and doing fun filled activities that all children love to engage in.

The rhyme is musical and so much fun to read. Here are some examples of the musical rhymes in the book:

Three little girls shop with their mother,
happy to be with one another.

Two ears listen so we can hear,
and two arms hug those who are dear.

Three small boys wrestle with their dad.
Playing with him makes them glad.

Four playful puppies jump and run,
excited to play outdoors in the sun.

The colorful artwork will easily draw the attention of toddlers. This is so important, since young children have a short attention span. I recommend Count 1,2, 3 with Me for every home and preschooler classroom.

To learn more about Connie Arnold you can visit her site.

Book Review: 'Magical Mea' by Penelope Anne Cole

Magical Mea is the sequel to Magical Matthew. In Magical Matthew, the author chronicles the importance of teaching children to use their talents to do good deeds. However, in Magical Meawe see what happens when children are set in their ways.

Unlike her brother, Mea decides to use her magic to play tricks on people. Unfortunately, as much as we dream about having well-behaved children who are kind and obedient, it does not always work out that way.

Mea represents the character that is a challenge for parents and teachers, a child who is obstinate and determined to be mischievous no matter what.

Does Mea have any redeeming qualities? Can she change? Is it too late? Should her Mom and Dad give up on her completely?

I am of the opinion that it is never too late to steer a child in the right direction. Too often parents take the easy way out, leaving it to society to teach children morals. Every child is a gift from above. It is up to the parents to help direct the path of the child. In the case of Mea, her brother Matthew and his best friend Lily do a wonderful job encouraging Mea to do what is right.

The one thing that shines through the story is sometimes children do foolish things because they are trying to get attention. They also do not like to be told what to do by a sibling.

“Lily, why doesn’t Mea listen to me? After all, I know what’s best. Why can’t she be like me and use her magic to do good?

“Yes, I know she really likes to hide things and later find them. That’s because she gets praise for being a good finder,” Lily said.

Magical Mea is a delightful story. It can be a great resource for parents to teach children the value of being kind. Kevin Collier’s artwork adds life to the story.

To learn more about Penelope Anne Cole visit her blog.

Book Review: 'Magical Matthew' by Penelope Anne Cole

Penelope Cole’s Magical Matthew is about a boy with magical powers.

There are many lessons young children can learn from reading Magical Matthew, but two stand out.

First, you can use your talents to make a difference. The author has Matthew cleaning up litter left by others. What a great lesson for young children to learn.

The second is the value of true friendship. Matthew’s best friend is Lily. Lily is handicapped, but her disability does not stop Matthew from playing and being friends with her. In fact, they do just about everything together.

In a world where bullying has become the norm, it was very refreshing to see how Matthew interacts with Lily.

My favorite part of the book is when Lily finds out that Matthew has magical powers. Lily talks Matthew into using his powers to do many good deeds.

Lily nodded. “But you can do a lot. Remember how the beach was all trashy last year, and how long it took for the city to clean it? You could clean it instantly.”

The two friends talked a long time about the things he could fix, and things they could do together. They would be on the look out for things that needed to be painted, cleaned up, or repaired. Then Matthew would do something each day. It would be like a good deed of the day.

Kevin Collier’s artwork enhances the story. The detailed images are outstanding and help the reader connect with what is going on in the story.

Magical Matthew is a great book that teachers and parents can use to teach children about friendship, trust, and the joy of doing good deeds. Children from all cultures will enjoy this delightful book.

To learn more about the book please visit the author’s blog.

Interview: Anne Weber, Foreign Exchange Student

The 2012-2013 school year was the most incredible year of my teaching career. I had the honor and privilege to have a German foreign exchange student in my Spanish class. Anne Weber made major contributions to the class. She made traditional German food for the foreign language club and even taught us some German. As a polyglot, she enhanced the classroom environment. Her language skills made her the go-to girl for peer tutoring. Even though Anne returned to Germany, I still keep in touch with her. I decided to interview her in the hopes her experience will help encourage other students to consider studying abroad.

You left your native Germany to attend a year of high school in Denver, Colorado; can you explain why you did that?

I wanted to see for myself how America is. To be able to make my own experiences and not have to depend on what the TV and other people said about the United States. Biases are not right, and I think the only way to avoid such prejudices is to make one’s own experience.

How was your experience living with an American host family?

It was amazing! They opened not only their house for me – a stranger – but also their hearts. I learned that Americans are open-minded, loving, and gentle people. I honestly can say that I was a part of the family, and still am. At first it was weird, to have to adapt to their way of life, their habits, their likes and dislikes, but it also helped me open my heart for new things. It is an incredible feeling to know that there is a second family out there which cares about me. In addition, I know when I return for a visit, they will welcome me warmly. It is really an amazing gift.

Are there any major differences between a German and an American high school?

Yes, there are definitely many differences. The German school system is completely different. After fourth grade, everyone can decide which kind of school he/she wants to attend. We go by class system and not by a course system where everyone can select the classes. Only 11th and 12th grade are done by a course system. German schools do not offer AP or Honor classes as part of the curriculum. There is only one level. We do not have that special High School Spirit or the possibility to choose between so many different courses. In addition, there are not any after school activities or sports teams at all.

I understand you are fluent in four languages; can you explain how you managed to acquire these languages?

The only way to understand people from other countries is to be able to communicate with them. I think it is amazing what languages and words can do, so I love learning new languages and how they all are connected in some ways.

Are there any similarities or differences between German and American teenagers?

In Germany, teens are adults by law at the age of 18. In America the age is 21. [But] Germans have to be 18 to drive a car alone and in America, it varies between 15 and 16. I think some of the laws we have to live by make us grow up faster and slower in different things. All teenagers worry about the same things, have to live through the same progression of growing up, finding themselves. In addition, they all like music, movies, and clothes. I think American teenagers care more about volunteering and playing sports. Sport is an important way to get into college. In Germany, it is mostly through good grades.


Anne hanging out with me in my classroom

Can you elaborate on what you learned spending the year in a foreign land away from family and friends? Was it worth it? Would you do it again and why?

It was definitely worth it. I would do it over and over again. If I was able to do it right away for another time, I would. I think I got to know myself better, grow up and become more mature. I think I got a better understanding of the many different cultures I got to experience and live while I was living in Denver. Someone once said “Just because it is different, doesn’t mean it is bad” and I think that is correct. Make your own experiences, be open-minded – then you get the chance to make decisions on your own, without biases. I think this year gave me so many opportunities for my future. I love the fact that the American community I was living in opened their hearts to me. It makes me feel like I am only half-German. I feel throughout the year I became American, and mixed this culture with my native, German, one. If you know what another culture thinks, how those people live, it helps you understand them and be just like them. I think it also helped me appreciate things that I took for granted. More importantly, the experience enabled me get a different view about my own country. If you ever get the chance to go abroad – DO IT!

What are your honest thoughts on American culture?


I think Americans have a culture that encourages them to be dreamers. They believe that most things they want can become a reality. This spirit thrives in everyone in America. It appears that most people that live in the United States are proud to be Americans, they are proud to be a part of this nation. I think it is great that some people are still very patriotic. For me, the American host family welcomed me with open hearts, and they were willing to share what they have and included me as part of their family. Of course, some things are not great, but no country is perfect.

I took Anne out to lunch to Wholefoods before she returned to her native Germany

Thank you Anne, for doing this interview. I wish you great success in all of your endeavors.