REVIEW: JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW

This week, I read JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW by Independence, Missouri author, Cheryl Harness.

JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW takes place in 1963 as Carmen Cathcart and her five younger brothers move from a beat-up old house in the country to a fixer-upper in Independence, Missouri—-the tenth home in which almost-13-year-old Carmen has lived. She’s embarrassed by her family and would rather daydream and draw than spend time with these crazy, noisy people.

After the big move, Carmen makes a new best friend and starts junior high, but the most dramatic change comes when another Cathcart baby is born. The reader embarks on an emotional journey with Carmen as she learns to appreciate her family while struggling to maintain her individuality and hold onto her dreams.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down! Cheryl Harness creates a captivating world with bits of history interspersed throughout. This comes as no surprise because Cheryl is a prolific author and illustrator of historical non-fiction and fiction, with 25 books in print (and several more in the works). If you enjoyed THE PENDERWICKS or BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE, you’ll love JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW.

REVIEW: JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW

This week, I read JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW by Independence, Missouri author, Cheryl Harness.

JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW takes place in 1963 as Carmen Cathcart and her five younger brothers move from a beat-up old house in the country to a fixer-upper in Independence, Missouri—-the tenth home in which almost-13-year-old Carmen has lived. She’s embarrassed by her family and would rather daydream and draw than spend time with these crazy, noisy people.

After the big move, Carmen makes a new best friend and starts junior high, but the most dramatic change comes when another Cathcart baby is born. The reader embarks on an emotional journey with Carmen as she learns to appreciate her family while struggling to maintain her individuality and hold onto her dreams.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down! Cheryl Harness creates a captivating world with bits of history interspersed throughout. This comes as no surprise because Cheryl is a prolific author and illustrator of historical non-fiction and fiction, with 25 books in print (and several more in the works). If you enjoyed THE PENDERWICKS or BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE, you’ll love JUST FOR YOU TO KNOW.

Summer Reading Events

Kansas City is hopping with literacy events this summer!

Reading Reptile will feature local authors on Wednesday nights:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14TH 7:00pmLISA CAMPBELL ERNST
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28th 7:00pm JENNY & PETE WHITEHEAD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21st 7:00pm BRAD SNEED
WEDNESDAY, JULY 5th 7:00pm LAURA HULISKA-BEITH

Wonderscope Children's Museum has a great line up the next few weeks. They are working with Beyond the Book to bring stories and book-related crafts to children on Mondays. Also, the Paul Messner Puppets and Martin City Melodrama, and Theater for Young America will hold performances there this summer.

What kinds of things are taking place in your area to get kids excited about reading?

Summer Reading Slide

This post by Esme Raji Codell really made me think. It's full of great ideas on how to prevent the summer reading slide in children. If you haven't already, visit Esme's new blog: The PlanetEsme Book-A-Day Plan: The Best New Children's Books from Esme's Shelf .


"Who wants to sit still when the sun is shining? To keep reading in the running for a summer recreation choice, help children pick and design a special spot, a clubhouse of sorts where they can retreat. How about redecorating an old refrigerator or piano box? Clear out a corner of a closet? Build a backyard tipi?"

Esme also suggests: "have a beach-blanket read-aloud , reading sleepovers, a reading by campfire, a reading-based cooking club where you choose recipes based on books."

Which, of course, gave me an idea! We've already been taking The Magician's Nephew to the pool to read on rest breaks, and our library, children's museum and indie book store have some great reading programs (including local authors!). Now, I'm thinking we'll have a mid-summer reading party. I haven't put much thought into the how-to part yet, but I'm thinking--book-themed snacks and crafts and a book swap. Maybe we could decorate pillow cases to make a "reading pillow" or make canvas bags.

So, what kind of books would you recommend for a party for 5-8 year old girls? I'd like to keep it outside as much as possible too :-)

New picture book--PINKALICOUS

If you are a girly girl and love pink like I do, you have to check out Pinkalicious by sisters Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann.

I have to admit that I had a hot pink wedding. I love pink (Gee, I sure hope hot pink was in style in May of 1991! If not, I'm sure the bridesmaids wanted to kill me!)

This book sings! The words are delicious and the pictures make you want to gobble each and every page. It's full of pink, and rich illustrations with lots of contrast and texture. I sure wish I knew more about art because I'm really not doing this justice!

Kansas SCBWI Conference

The SCBWI Kansas conference will be September 30th.

We have:

Tim Travaglini (Putnam) (See this Robin Friedman interview),

Melanie Cecka (Bloomsbury) (See this interview with Melanie for a glimpse into what she's looking for and this conference wrap up from Janee Trasler, and this),

Barry Goldblatt (agent) (also see his blog),

Dan Schwabauer (author),

Hudson Talbott (author/illustrator),

Alexandria LaFaye (author)

and Randi Dawn Hacker (author).

Watch the Kansas SCBWI site for information and registration materials as they become available.

Hope to see some of you there! Registration materials will be available soon!