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In this episode of NucleCast Future Series with Warrior Maven, Kris Osborn interviews James Howe on the critical issues surrounding nuclear deterrence, focusing on low yield nuclear weapons, the strategic arsenals of Russia and China, and the implications of advanced technologies in modern warfare. The conversation delves into the current state of nuclear capabilities, the risks posed by tactical nuclear weapons, and the future of strategic deterrence in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.Mr. James R. Howe is currently VP, Threats, Technology, and Future Requirements for Vision Centric, Inc., a SETA to US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). He is President of Strategic Concepts and Analysis and is also a consultant to National Security Research Institute (NSRI) (UARC to STRATCOM). Mr. Howe has over 50 years' experience researching US/adversary strategic nuclear forces, strategic defenses, and space war issues. He was principal investigator on a study for OSD/NA to conduct open-source research into the future military utility and feasibility of space offensive warfare, and its impact on future warfare as a continuance of the revolution in military affairs. He was co-developer of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) concept, helped keep AHW concept sold (Now being developed and produced as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon).Chapters00:00 Introduction to Nuclear Deterrence03:01 Understanding Low Yield Nuclear Weapons06:05 The Russian Nuclear Arsenal and Strategy09:04 Comparative Analysis of US and Russian Tactical Weapons11:55 The Role of Advanced Technologies in Nuclear Strategy15:06 The Future of ICBMs and Strategic Deterrence17:58 China's Growing Nuclear Capabilities21:01 The Implications of Dual-Use Weapons24:12 Conclusion and Future ConsiderationsSocials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.org
The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the most interesting energy and environmental policy issues of the day with top national experts. Jack has a fascinating conversation about nuclear energy this week that you don't want to miss. He talks with Dr. James Howe, a Coast Guard vet and leading expert on nuclear […]
The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the most interesting energy and environmental policy issues of the day with top national experts. Jack has a fascinating conversation about nuclear energy this week that you don't want to miss. He talks with Dr. James Howe, a Coast Guard vet and leading expert on nuclear technology, policy, and industry. This wide-ranging discussion covers everything from challenges facing the nuclear industry to innovative uses for nuclear technology like space travel. Of course, Jack mentions his new book, Nuclear Revolution . Not to be outdone, Dr. Howe fires back with a discussion about his extremely interesting book, Red Crew: Fighting the War on Drugs with Reagan's Coast Guard, which you can get here. Jack whole-heartedly recommends this book only if you like awesome books. Join the conversation at thepowerhour@heritage.org! Thank you for listening and please don't forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word. And buy both books!
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Today's episode is sponsored by Motion. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has taken hold of much of the manufacturing world, and food and beverage processors who haven't yet implemented the technology will soon fall behind. In this episode, we spoke with James Howe, executive vice president - chief commercial officer/chief technology officer for Motion, to learn where the food and beverage industry stands on IIoT implementation, what processors can do now to begin their journey down the path to IIoT success, and how to overcome the hesitance that might hinder more traditional operations. Learn more about Motion Read the transcript of this episode on the Food Processing website
This week on Next Reads, Erin reads from Better Nate than Ever by Tim Federle. Read-alikes include: Jack & Louisa by Andrew Keenan-Bolger Drama by Raina Telgemeier The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker Totally Joe by James Howe
Dr. James Howe joins the show today and talks about Management of Small Bowel Neuroendocrine Tumors. He also lets us know about how he got into NETs and other important tips for patients! Please make sure to follow us on your preferred streaming platform and give us a 5 star rating! For more information please go to our website: http://www.netcancerawareness.org and follow us on social media @netcanceraware
The 85th edition of Juicebox Radio welcomes James Howe, better known as djimboh. Based out of Reading, England djimboh has been a musician since a very young age, from learning classical instruments as a child to guitar and drums as a teenager. Igniting his obsession with electronic music over the years, djimboh has been focusing on production since 2019 which has led him to knock releases up on Clubsonica, Mango Alley, XYZ and many more. His series 'Tides' can be found on Proton Radio as a part of their curator mix project. We're honored to have djimboh on our show for an exclusive one hour set. Enjoy! // Tracklist // 01. Wassu, djimboh - Green Eyed Cat [The Soundgarden] 02. Makebo - Skyline [All Day I Dream] 03. Limara - Alchemy [Tale & Tone] 04. Double Touch - Von Paradiso [TRYBESof] 05. Volen Sentir - Jivoe Serdce [Shanti Radio Moscow] 06. Alberto Hernandez (MX), Moya (US) - Nefoedd [Amulanga] 07. Dre Guazzelli, Drelerium - Dreams [Where The Heart Is] 08. Hermanez - Areia [All Day I Dream] 09. Volen Sentir - Ororel [Hoomidaas] 10. Ric Niels, Mango - Trip To South (djimboh Remix) [Mango Alley] 11. TooTall - Pomegranate (Kamilo Sanclemente Remix) [Kitchen] // Links // Follow djimboh on Facebook, Instagram & SoundCloud Follow Juicebox Music on Facebook, SoundCloud, Twitter, Beatport & Spotify
Welcome to season 4 of The Shop Stool Podcast, a podcast for woodworkers and the maker community in general. Hosted by Robin Lewis (RobinLewisMakes), Joey Chalk (King Post Timber Works), and Bryan Cush (Sawdust Bureau).James Howe is renowned furniture maker from South Australia. He joins us to share his journey, and go through the process of becoming a designer.If you would like to donate to the show you can find out more here.James' Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/jameshowestudio/Robin Lewis: https://www.instagram.com/robinlewismakes/Joey Chalk: https://www.instagram.com/kingposttimberworks/Bryan Cush: https://www.instagram.com/sawdustbureau/
Welcome to Kid's Book Nook, the podcast where I read books written for young kids. These stories are great to listen to while you're in the car, getting ready for bed or just wanting some down time. Today's selection is Brontorina by James Howe. I will be reading 5 books a week, releasing every weekday. Feel free to email me at kidsbooknookpod@gmail.com if you have a suggestion for a book you'd like me to read.
This is the short story, "Everything Will Be Okay" by James Howe.
First Draft Episode #337: Lamar Giles Lamar Giles, author of the acclaimed novels Fake ID, Endangered, Overturned, Spin, Not So Pure and Simple. He joins us to talk about his middle-grade series The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, Last Chance for Logan County, and and The Last Mirror on the Left. The presenting sponsor for this episode is Sips By, a multi-brand, personalized monthly tea subscription box. Use offer code "draftsips” for 50% off your first Sips By box! Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman The Bunnicula series by James Howe and Deborah Howe Misery and It by Stephen King Danielle Steele, author of The Butler, Flying Angels, Complications, and more. The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Unwind by Neal Shusterman Reality Check by Peter Abrahams Fallen Angels by Walter D WitSec: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program by Pete Earley Dennis Lahane, author of Shutter Island, Mystic River, A Drink Before the War and many more Phoebe Yeh, v-p, publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers Ellen Oh, author of Finding Junie Kim, Spirit Hunters, and The Dragon Egg Princess (Hear her First Draft interview here) Kwame Alexander, Newberry-winning author of The Crossover and publisher of the Versify imprint We Need Diverse Books Jody Corbett, Senior Editor at Scholastic Dapo Adeola illiustrated The Last Last-Day-of-Summer and Last Chance for Logan County Derick Brooks illustrated Lamar's most recent middle-grade book, The Last Mirror on the Left Duck Tales (TV show) Joy Revolution, the imprint started by bestselling writers Nicola Yoon (#1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star talks about her new YA, Instructions For Dancing - hear her First Draft interviews here and here) and David Yoon, author of Frankly in Love, Super Fake Love Song, and Version Zero (hear his First Draft interview here) Steven Barnes, New York Times bestselling fantasy and sci-fi writer and screenwriter Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451
First your vegetables and next the podcasting world! Join us this weeks as we suck all the juicy details out of children's book series: Bunnicula!Music and sound effects provided by zapslat.com and bensound.com, and the theme song is "Graveyard Shift" by Kevin MacLeod. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Happy Halloween, dear listeners! We're so thrilled to present our recap of one of the best spooky kids books of all time, Bunnicula (1979), by James and Deborah Howe. You've gotta love a story introduced by "the editor," a la Jane Eyre. Join us and our Special Guest Star Joselle Shea as we reminisce about Halloweens past and question the sanity of ALL of the pet decisions made by the "Monroe" family.Next: the seasons are changing, the leaves are falling off the trees, the sun is setting earlier... things are looking bleak! What better time than now to revisit the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events? We are reading The Bad Beginning (1999), by Lemony Snicket! See you soon!
It's Spooky Season, everyone! Celebrate in style with our latest episode, where we recap Erin's all-time favorite book, Wait Till Helen Comes (1986). It's written by Mary Downing Hahn, our future spooky grandma. Are you aware of any spooky abandoned churches coming on the real estate market shortly? Erin is looking, you know. Bonus points for old graveyards being present on-site. Double bonus points if there are lots of things there with names that start with the letter H. Please like, subscribe, and tell your friends! Next time: Bunnicula (1979), by Deborah and James Howe.
Do you ever have those random memories of a book you read and you're not sure if you actually ever read it? We sure have! Sometime it feels like the books we read as children were just weird memories we just made up. In this week's episode we talk about the books we read as children that feel like a fever dream. Stick around until the end to hear stories from Morgan's childhood that make you wonder how she actually survived her teenage years. Books we mention: Games We Play by Dana Isaly, The Guncle by Steven Rowley, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin, Jay's Gay Agenda (Jay's Gay Agenda, #1) by Jason June, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die, #1) by Danielle Paige, She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1) by Shelley Parker-Chan, Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks, Animorphs Series by K.A. Applegate, Bunnicula series by Deborah and James Howe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Series by Alvin Schwartz. Check out Pages n' Pages on Instagram. These opinions of the books are entirely our own. Image by Kapona via Vector Stock.
Hello taekwondo lovers, I'm glad of bringing you a new episode of taekwondo passion.In today's interview we talked with Master James Howe from Living Proof Taekwondo @livingprooftkdJames has been a USA National Team member for many years and recently he founded Living Proof Taekwondo, the academy where he shares all his knowledge, experiences and helps others through taekwondo.James was an international level athlete, with a very longeve career always fighting with the best athletes in the world.But he comes from a traditional taekwondo background, and that's why he teaches traditional taekwondo in his academy.Of course if his students want to train the sport, they'll have the option to do it at the highest standards.Why is it so important to be in a place that helps you to grow?As a young athlete, James knew that in order to be as good as he wanted he needed to move to train with a competitive team.His idea was to try with different teams and choose the one which suited better for him.The first place he went was Miami, with Juan Moreno's team Peak Performance, one of the top teams in the USA.He didn't need to look for any other place. James knew it was the right place for him.The environment that coach Moreno promoted there was exactly what James was looking for.World Championships and OlympicsJames trained at Peak Performance for more than 10 years in a journey that took him to three World Championships, being very close to medals and fighting with athletes like Joel Gonzalez and Gabriel Mercedes.In the USA trials for London 2012 James fought against Mark Lopez, an experience which he considers helped him to realize that he could beat the top fighters in the world. But the -68kg was not a weight class for him. The winner of the trials was his teammate and friend Terrence Jennings, with whom he shared many battles from the past.James was able to help the USA Team on the way to the Olympics, especially his teammates from Miami, Terrence Jennings and Paige Mc Pherson and be part of their medals.Why is family support VERY important?Taekwondo still is not a professional sport, so many athletes and their families have to fund their careers.That's been the case of many sparring athletes, like Nikita Glasnovic, Terrence Jennings and Paige Mc Pherson.And is even more common even for poomsae athletes, as is a newer sport.James family is no exception and his parents supported most of his career along with the support of USA Taekwondo.This can make us see the importance of helping youth to pursue their dreams, that will never be wasted money. If an athlete doesn't have support from his family, it will have a harder way through success.Another interesting thing is that James Howe always worked during his athletic career. He worked teaching younger athletes and also in the same warehouse as Terrence Jennings.Training with Juan Moreno at Peak PerformancePeak Performance is one of the top teams in the USA and in the world. So, how is it to train there?James mentions that it is fun but hard. The day can start at 5:30am for the strength and conditioning training that sometimes ends with some paddle drilling and situation training.And they do a second training at night with the rest of the team. Coach Moreno is a tough trainer who doesn't accept any excuses and always expects so much from his athletes.But James points that he always motivates his athletes so they know that they can be among the best athletes in the world, of course, supporting that motivation with a lot of hard work.Living Proof TaekwondoAs we mentioned in the intro James has recently opened his new facility, Living Proof taekwondo. After a long career James felt that it was the moment to open his own taekwondo academy. He teached taekwondo in the past but he wanted to do it in a place designed specifically to it with all the facilities to do taekwondo at the best level.He opened it just before the pandemic, so it was a very demanding challenge to face, but with the passion he has for taekwondo and all the experience he had accumulated, Living Proof will succeed and help the Bay Area community.You can hear the full interview following the links below. Please enjoy it and let us know your thoughts.
What has eerie red eyes, a pronounced widow's peak, surprisingly fang-like fangs, and a soft pink nose? It's "Bunnicula" (1979), a spooky cute middle-grade comedy adventure written by Deborah & James Howe. This time, Aurelien is joined by Dustin, fellow podcaster and magical library elf! Find Dustin's podcast episodes and social media: https://linktr.ee/DustinCanRead Explore the Bunnicula series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/43326-bunnicula -- * Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod * Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
In this episode of SurgOnc Today™, Gastrointestinal Disease Site Work Group Chair, Vance Sohn, MD, discusses PRRT with SSO President, James Howe, MD and Thomas Clancy, MD from the Gastrointestinal Disease Site Work Group. They discuss the current indications, efficacy, and what the future holds for PRRT.
Dr. James Howe and Dr. Alexandra Gangi, coauthors of The Landmark Series: Neuroendocrine Tumor Liver Metastases, join us to discuss their paper and the latest in the field of these rare but important tumors. Read the paper yourself here! https://link.springer.com/article/10.1245%2Fs10434-020-08787-x
Historian Jen Manion joins Tristan Taormino to discuss her new book Female Husbands: A Trans History. How did some people assigned female at birth began living their lives as men in the 18th and 19th Centuries? Manion did extensive research on primary source materials including marriage certificates, census records, court documents, local and national and newspapers. In their book, Manion introduces us to the lives of U.K. female husbands Charles Hamilton, Henry Fielding, James Howe, James Gray, Samuel Bunday, William Chandler, Robert Shurtliff, James Allen, and Henry Stoake. We learn about George Wilson, John Smith, Albert Guelph, Joseph Lobdell, Frank Dubois, Samuel Pollard, Leroy Williams, and John A. Whittman in the United States. What did class and wealth have to do with the ability to trans gender? What do we know about the women who married female husbands? What happened when female husbands were discovered to be assigned female at birth? What role did the institution of marriage, medicine, the legal system, and the media play in shaping their lives and the narratives about them? How did their communities make sense of them trans-ing gender? How did attitudes during this time take root and influence ideas about sex, gender, and sexual orientation that persisted? How does this book fit into the study of LGBTQIA+ histories? Jen Manion is Associate Professor of History at Amherst College. She is a social and cultural historian whose work examines the role of gender and sexuality in American life. Manion is author of Liberty’s Prisoners: Carceral Culture in Early America which received the inaugural Mary Kelley Best Book Prize from the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic. Their most recent book, Female Husbands: A Trans History was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Manion has published dozens of essays for popular and scholarly audiences and serves on the editorial boards of Amherst College Press, Early American Studies, and The William and Mary Quarterly. She is currently chair of the OAH Committee on the Status of LGBTQ Historians & Histories.
Rick Greene, MD, and Alexandra Gangi, MD and James Howe, MD, discuss current data regarding management of neuroendocrine liver metastases and future areas for study. Dr. Gangi and Dr. Howe are authors of “The Landmark Series: Neuroendocrine Tumor Liver Metastases.” Dr. Gangi is Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgical Oncology and the Director of the Gastrointestinal Tumor Program at Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA. Dr. James Howe is Professor of Surgery and Division Head of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA. Dr. Howe is also President of the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society and President of the Society of Surgical Oncology.
Authors Patricia Maclachlan and Grace Lin answer the question How do you pick your book titles? and a Alison L. Morris reviews Howie Monroe and the Doghouse of Doom by James Howe.
SSO President, James Howe, MD, interviews George Chang, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, about his experience being diagnosed with and recovering from COVID-19. Dr. Howe and Dr. Chang discussed symptoms, testing, his hospitalization, returning to work and Dr. Chang’s experience donating his plasma to help give others passive immunity.
Join Seth, Chrystal, and Rebecca as they talk about their top picks for children's books about fat positivity. Show Notes: 2:17- Brontorina, by James Howe 2:27- Bunnicula 10:32- Jes Baker 11:21- Steven Universe 18:54- Her Body Can, by Katie Crenshaw and Ady Menchke 24:56- Her Body Can Article 34:08- Love Your Body, by Jessica Sanders 41:03- The Streets Are Free, by Kurusa 54:57- Abigail the Whale, by Davide Cali 1:05:26- The Belly Book, by Fran Manushkin (Not Recommended) 1:07:17- My Great Big Mamma, by Oliver Ka (Not Recommended) Publishers Doing Good Work: -Jessica Kingsley -Flamingo Rampant -Little Brown -Feminist Press Eating Disorders 15:21-15:35 Find us on the web! Rad Child Podcast: www.radchildpodcast.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Contact us: radchildpodcast@gmail.com Be a guest Donate Buy Rad Merch Shift Book Box: https://www.shiftbookbox.com/ Facebook Instagram Twitter
This week Seth is joined by author of Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue, Dr. Christia Spears Brown, and non-binary parent Kaylyne Kreiger is a conversation about gender roles and the effects they have on children as well as how to raise kids in a gender irrelevant way. Show Notes: 1:05:56- Tell Me About Sex, Grandma, by Anastasia Higginbotham 1:08:40- Not My Idea, A Book About Whiteness, by Anastasia Higginbotham 1:10:46- Who Are You: The Kid's Guide to Gender Identity, by Brook Pessin-Whedbee 1:16:18- Creatable World Dolls 1:18:42- Cher Corps, Je T'aime, by Jessica Sanders 1:48:00- Welcomingschools.org 1:49:56- Gender Neutral Parenting, by Paige Lucas Stannard 1:51:08- Big Bob, Little Bob, by James Howe 1:52:56- Pink is for Boys, by Robb Pearlman 1:54:22- Meet Polkadot, by Talcott Broadhead 1:56:09-Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue Find us on the web! www.radchildpodcast.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Contact us: radchildpodcast@gmail.com Be a guest Donate Buy Rad Merch
This week we delve into the delightful Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe. We get animal heavy on this episode, with a super punny murder plot, our party ruining dog, and all sorts of cat shenanigans with feline fashion, therapy, and inebriation. We've started a Facebook Group! Come be an OG member and join in and start some discussions! Thanks for listening! Hey, if you’ve been enjoying our show, please share it, tweet it, tell your friends and enemies. Word of mouth is the best way podcasts grow, and we would really appreciate it! Rate and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and all other podcast places. Find us on Facebook Instagram Tumblr YouTube Pinterest at Fighting Over the Card Catalog and Twitter @ CardCatalogPod and Jess @ jessdigress Email us at fightingoverthecardcatalog@gmail.com
Outcaster Jamie talks with James Howe, a well known author, about gay parenting.
I am with Alyson Horrocks of The Strange and Unusual Podcast. It’s the evening of August 20th, 2017. We are in Danvers, MA which was previously known as Salem Village. We are visiting the Samuel Parris archeological site. Surrounded by a rail fence there are two stone lined cellars marking the location of the house that once stood here. Next to this location is a grassy path that leads to the back of a house with a wolves head door knocker. A wolf can be a monster of many faces and a bad omen. This is one of the hidden places of American history. A place where the horrors of yesterday have cast a long shadow. The bright memory of a day spent walking the sunny streets of Salem have suddenly grown dim. Even though the sun has not yet set, we are surrounded by darkness. This is the birthplace of the evil that enveloped Salem in the year 1692 and claimed the lives of over 20 people. This place is of particular significance to Alyson, because one of the people killed was her direct ancestor Elizabeth Howe. This was the home of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village in 1692. In 1692, it was believed that the devil took possession of many of the people in Salem Village. Cotton Mather believed that there was a war going on with spirits trying to steal souls and witches roaming free and trying to set up Satan’s kingdom. The story of Martha Goodwin and Cotton Mather’s observation. Witchcraft and Ann Glover sentenced to death and hanged on Boston Common in 1688. Her children were in the front row. The Goodwin children suffered seizures which were likely caused by witchcraft. The curse followed the Parris house from Boston, and the Parris children began to have the seizures. Evil hands and supernatural afflictions. A visit by Sarah Good and her daughter. The Parris children accused their servant Tituba, Sarah Osborne, and Sarah Good of being witches. The shattered mind of an imprisoned four-year old and Mercy. Elizabeth Howe the wife of James Howe and mother of six children. In 1682, Elizabeth was accused of being a witch by feuding neighbors. As accusations spread, she realized the last 10 years had only been a reprieve. She was arrested and her trial began in 1692. She was found guilty and sentenced to death. The testimony of Ann Putnam and the trial of George Burroughs. There were really no witches in Salem, but there was a conspiracy that was Satanic in nature. Resources: Point Mystic The Strange and Unusual Podcast A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials Cotton Mather Horror Never Sleeps Enjoyed this episode? Please support the show by rating, reviewing, and subscribing on iTunes. Please visit Pleasing Terrors, the podcast behind Old Charleston’s best ghost tour, on Facebook and Twitter!
Halloween and Rabbits With fall here in the Northern Hemisphere, and temperatures dropping and leaves falling we have Halloween fast approaching. You hear tales of ghosts, witches, vampires, monsters, and other assorted scary icons, but none can be more terrifying than bunny rabbits! Gargoyle Rabbit We cover this in a previous episode, but it is worth a revisit. This terrifying gargoyle is known as the Vampire Rabbit of Newcastle. He perches above a solicitor's office behind St. Nicholas' Cathedral in Newcastle, England. No one knows why he is there, or what makes him glare with such evil. With its crazed bulging eyes, huge fangs and claws, The Vampire Rabbit of Newcastle is a mysterious grotesque that has perched above the ornate rear door of the historic Cathedral Buildings, facing the rear of St Nicholas Cathedral for over a hundred years but no one is quite sure why the blood-sucking Lepus was created. Erected with the rest of the building in 1901, locals tell a tale of grave robbers who were running rampant in the area until one dark night the fanged beastie rose on the door opposite the graveyard as if to scare off future robbers. Less superstitiously, it has also been theorized that the vampire rabbit is in fact a hare whose ears were mistakenly put on backwards. If this were the case the bloody little creature could have been installed to reference Sir George Hare Phipson, a local doctor, Freemason, and friend of the cathedral’s architect. Most basically the rabbit could simply be meant to represent the coming of spring, invoking the same symbolic association that created the Easter Bunny. While the vampire rabbit of Newcastle was originally the same sandy color of the surrounding stonework, in modern times it has been painted a menacing black with droplets of blood staining its teeth and claws. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-vampire-rabbit-of-newcastle A decade ago the Vampire Rabbit enjoyed a brief moment in the limelight when it formed part of a light festival. During a winter Glow event in 2006, the carving was illuminated in pink, making it look even more weird and wonderful, and there were projections of it across the city. But the rabbit, which has had a few licks of paint over the years, including being turned black with its teeth, eyes and claws picked out in red, still retains its air of mystery. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/stories-behind-newcastles-called-vampie-12455793 Swamp Rabbit Not all killer rabbits are fictional. In April of 1979, president Jimmy Carter was fishing near his home in Plains, Georgia when he was attacked by a swamp rabbit! The rabbit swam toward the president's boat and tried to board. Carter had to fend it off with an oar. Press secretary Jody Powell is quoted from his 1986 book The Other Side of the Story: The animal was clearly in distress, or perhaps berserk. The President confessed to having had limited experience with enraged rabbits. He was unable to reach a definite conclusion about its state of mind. What was obvious, however, was that this large, wet animal, making strange hissing noises and gnashing its teeth, was intent upon climbing into the Presidential boat. After some objected that rabbits can't swim, a picture of the incident was produced, clearly showing the rabbit swimming. The rabbit's political affiliation is still unknown. 3. The Haunted Warren: It’s a rare reminder of a time when the warrens that carved a honeycomb under the Brecks were a rich source of income for landowners. Thetford Warren Lodge was built around the 1400s a few miles west of Thetford – probably at the bequest of the prior of Our Lady’s Priory who had Royal approval to hunt small game and was keen to protect his livelihood by constructing a defensive lodge which could repel poachers. It was big enough to accommodate hunting parties and the prior’s warrener, who protected, farmed and sold the rabbits which were prized for their meat and their fur, and strong enough to deal with those who came prepared with bows, arrows and sharpened sticks with a view to rabbit poaching. Warreners, who lived in the highest part of the warren on the second floor, would bore holes to make burrows and provide food such as groundsel, dandelions and thistles, spreading gorse and tree boughs as shelter and food in colder months. On the ground floor of the building was a storeroom for traps, nets and racks to dry skins and hang salted meats. At one point, the lodge was acquired by the Maharajah Duleep Singh – the Indian prince exiled to Norfolk in the 19th century – on a 99-year lease. A few warreners are still working in Breckland, trapping rabbits and moving them to other warrens in a bid to control the population. As with many medieval buildings, the lodge – which is now maintained by English Heritage - has its fair share of spooky stories attached to it. One ominous tale harks back to the building’s warrening history: it is said that a large – even huge – ghostly white rabbit with flaming red eyes guards the doorway to the lodge and is an omen of death to anyone who lays eyes on it. A further two strange stories appear to be rooted in the nearby Leper Hospital of St Margaret where poor souls suffering from this highly-contagious disease were kept away from the rest of society on the edge of town: the building was ransacked by thieves in 1304 who stole silver, linen and cloth and then set fire to the building. It is said that a figure with a strange, two-dimensional face can be seen gibbering horribly and terrifying witnesses as it wanders the area close to the lodge and an eerie face has been reported looking out from the first floor window of the building, even though it no longer has any floors. In 2011, a man was seen peering from a second floor window wearing blue and white clothing and boasting gaping black holes where his eyes and mouth should have been. Movies and Shows: The strange history of terrifying bunny rabbits in film Despite being among the softest and least threatening of woodland creatures, rabbits rarely get portrayed as such in movies. While most of us would be content to watch one nibble on a carrot for 90 minutes, filmmakers have routinely sought to capitalize and subvert the rabbit’s image, either by brutally murdering them or turning them creepy and cannibalistic. Killer Rabbit Now I think the most famous movie rabbit is in Monty Python and the Wholly Grail: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975 The bunnies bite back in Terry Gilliam’s and Terry Jones’ riotously funny Monty Python and the Holy Grail, when King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his knights of the round table get more than they bargained for from a seemingly innocuous, fluffy white scamp. “That’s no ordinary rabbit, that’s the most foul, cruel and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on… it’s got a vicious streak a mile wide,” warns their Scottish guide. Unconvinced, the ensuing carnage is hysterical. “Run away, run away!” The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog guards the entrance to the cave of Caerbannog in the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Yes, he may look like a innocent little fluffball, but he can bite your head off before you even realize it, as he did Bors, Gawain, and Ector in the movie. Run away! Run away! The Killer Rabbit also appears in the musical Spamalot. Were-Rabbit Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, 2005 Cheese lover Wallace and his faithful pooch Gromit returned in DreamWorks Animation’s second Oscar-winning feature to date, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, written and directed by Steve Box and Nick Park and featuring the vocal talents of Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter. In this gorgeously pun-tastic affair, the stop-animated clay duo take on a mentally enhanced bunny following an invention mishap, but it’s not the enormous beastie with a penchant for demolishing oversized veggies that’s terrorising the village – it’s actually a mutated Wallace. In the 2005 claymation film Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, a mysterious nocturnal rabbit is raiding a community's vegetable gardens, threatening the annual vegetable contest. It turns out that the hero of the story is suffering from a curse (brought on by his own machinery) that causes him to turn into a giant rabbit when he is exposed to moonlight! Vampire Rabbit Bunnicula, the Vampire Rabbit was a 1982 animated ABC Weekend Special based on a series of children's books by James Howe. Now I remember reading this book series as a child. My Wife will comment "Bunnys are evil - Remember Bunicula?". Bunnicula was a family pet who sucked the juices out of vegetables. Not all that frightening in reality -unless you're a vegetable. Nevertheless, Bunnicula can sprout bat wings, fly, and move things with the power of his mind. Imaginary Rabbit - Donnie Darko, 2001 Writer/director Richard Kelly’s dimension-bending feature debut delivered one of cinema’s most memorable bunnies in the towering, dead-eyed frame of Frank, who may or may not be an evil time-travelling demon intent on destroying the planet. Or possibly saving it. We’re still not entirely sure, and that’s the genius of it. With Jake Gyllenhaal the only person able to see Frank, and the only one aware of impending doom, it’s a refreshingly bizarre take on the end of the world that set up Jake and his sister Maggie for big things, but it’s Frank who haunts our fevered dreams. Evil rabbits can even invade our thoughts! The 2001 movie Donnie Darko left many with nightmares of imaginary human-size rabbits, and not the benign imaginary friend we met in the movie Harvey. The apparition of a 6-foot rabbit named Frank saves Donnie Darko's life and tells him the world will end in 28 days. Frank incites Donnie into committing criminal acts -and why not, if the world is going to end anyway? Fatal Attraction, 1987 Speaking of lust and murder, while Adrian Lyne’s Fatal Attraction technically scrapes a pass, in this pot-boiler thriller that spawned the term ‘bunny boiler’. Glenn Close’s Alex has an affair with and becomes obsessed by Michael Douglas’ Dan, who goes on to reject her in favour of his good wife, leading to the unfortunate end of his family’s pet bunny. Vengeance is meted when Close ends up both drowned and shot in the bath in the film’s seriously dodgy, if ludicrously entertaining, finale. Watership Down, 1978 Quite possibly the most evilly terrifying film ever inflicted upon unsuspecting children, Martin Rosen’s animated adaptation of Richard Adams’ classic novel, Watership Down. Responsible for scarring the psyche of an entire generation, it’s a sort of rabbit-led Game of Thrones, where woe first befalls the bunnies (voiced by John Hurt and Richard Briers, amongst others) when heavy duty digging machines destroy their warren, forcing them to go on the run. It’s all downhill from there, with paws trapped in snares, insane rabbit dictators, nasty cats, dangerous dogs and eye-bleeding death by myxomatosis. Akira, 1988 Sticking with scary animated rabbits, Japanese dystopian classic Akira, by writer/director Katsuhiro Ohtomo, features a disturbingly oversized example during psychic patient Tetsuo’s (Nozomu Sasaki) fevered nightmare scene. What starts off with a teensy cutesy red car riding bunny and his teddy bear mate is soon replaced by hulking monstrosities that destroy all before them, Godzilla-style, before being scared off by the blood gushing from Tetsuo’s feet after he steps on broken glass in his bid to escape. If ever you needed a reason not to eat cheese (or carrots) before bed, this is it. Harvey, 1950 Long before Jake Gyllenhall cornered the market in giant invisible bunny besties, James Stewart (It’s a Wonderful Life, Vertigo) starred as eccentric boozehound Elwood P. Dowd in Henry Koster’s Harvey (adapted from the play by Mary Chase by herself and Oscar Brodney). The rabbit in question shares Frank’s ability to stop time in Donnie Darko, though this is less creepy sci-fi and more silly whimsy with a comedy of errors, like when Elwood’s sister gets locked up in a sanatorium in his stead. Just like It’s a Wonderful Life, events are far from bleak; it’ll leave you with a fuzzy glow. Belenggu, 2012 Men in rabbit suits are rarely good, kids. Indonesian writer/director Upi Avianto’s highly stylised thriller/horror flick Belenggu hammers home the message with a knife-wielding dude in a white and pink get up in this enthralling slice of nutty noir. Elang (Abimana Aryasatya) thinks he’s met the love of his life in Jingga (Imelda Therinne) but the course certainly doesn’t run smooth any more than the narrative does here. Night of the Lepus, 1972 Janet Leigh (Psycho, The Manchurian Candidate) stars alongside Stuart Whitman (The Mark, The Comancheros) in this schlocky horror B-movie directed by William F. Claxton of Little House on the Prairie and Bonanza fame. Based on the novel The Year of the Angry Rabbits by Sydneysider Russell Braddon, Don Holliday and Gene R. Kearney handle the hokey screenplay about enormous killer rabbits running amuck in small town US. Firmly in the so bad it’s good territory, most of the ‘giant’ critters are obviously household pets romping around in miniature sets. The 1972 film Night of the Lepus is the definitive monster bunny movie. Plagued by too many rabbits, a community turns to scientists who experiment on the rabbits to keep them from reproducing. An escaped rabbit reproduces anyway, and the results are huge carnivorous mutants that eat anything in their way, including humans! STP video https://youtu.be/YxS4lqppZ6Y AFI miss murder https://youtu.be/YU4hhNKsPog Versatile Rabbits - “Mythology has caught on to the duality of the rabbit, making them figures of both light and darkness, a bridge between the otherworld and the heavens, the ideal beast to plague your subconscious.” Bunnies can portray any evil character, This may be true, but the evil cinematic rabbit has yet to reach its final form. Obviously, bunny rabbits are out to get us. Beware! http://mentalfloss.com/article/19880/horror-bunnies-8-rabbits-avoid http://www.horrorsociety.com/2014/04/19/5-horror-films-easter-sunday/ http://www.westword.com/music/top-10-creepy-movie-bunnies-in-case-you-want-to-ruin-easter-5713795 Weird Norfolk: The Phantom Rabbit of Thetford Warren Lodge http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weird-norfolk-the-phantom-rabbit-of-thetford-warren-lodge-1-5004915 http://www.avclub.com/the-strange-history-of-terrifying-bunny-rabbits-in-film-1798429921 15 Weird and Wonderful Rabbits in Movies http://www.sbs.com.au/movies/article/2014/04/16/15-weird-and-wonderful-rabbits-movies NEWS: Beastly Haunted Trail http://www.post-gazette.com/pets/2017/09/22/Pet-Events-Haunted-Trail-Goat-Yoga-and-Wine-and-Rabbits/stories/201709230006 Skeletons, spiders, coffins, clowns and other things that go bump in the night are scary but fun at the outdoor Halloween fundraiser at the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Center. The wooded, winding Beastly Haunted Trail takes a good 30 minutes to navigate. See props and displays that volunteers have built over hundreds of hours in the last year. Volunteers are also on hand to jump out and scare visitors. Because of the fright factor, children 12 years old and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Since 2014 word-of-mouth and social media have attracted visitors from Allegheny and other counties and from as far away as West Virginia. The Beastly Haunted Trail is open Friday and Saturday nights, 7-10 p.m., from Sept. 29 through Oct. 28. Cost is $12 per person. Alien Bunnies Attack in the ‘Cute Little Buggers’ Trailer https://youtu.be/kBg_rgBwFQM http://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3460928/alien-bunnies-attack-cute-little-buggers-trailer-exclusive/ Gremlins meet Hot Fuzz in Cute Little Buggers, premiering on VOD November 7th from Uncork’d Entertainment. Tony Jopia’s highly anticipated comedy-horror hybrid sees locals of a peaceful English village, enjoying their annual summer festival when they are suddenly attacked by mutated killer rabbits! “Somewhere in the depths of space, aliens are watching the earth and planning their attack. Unaware of the impending danger, the locals of a sleepy English village are preparing for their summer festival. The aliens launch their offensive by mutating the local rabbit population, and when the furry demons are released, the body count starts to pile up as blood, guts, and fur flies in all directions as the humans fight off the alien threat.” The film features genre icon Caroline Munro (Maniac, The Spy Who Loved Me). Bunny Man! The legend has circulated for years in several forms. A version naming a suspect and specific location was posted to a website in the late 1990s by a "Timothy C. Forbes". This version states that in 1904, an asylum prison in Clifton, Virginia was shut down by successful petition of the growing population of residents in Fairfax County. During the transfer of inmates to a new facility, one of the fifteen transports crashed; most, including the driver, were killed, ten escaped. A search party found all but one of them. During this time, locals allegedly began to find hundreds of cleanly skinned, half-eaten carcasses of rabbits hanging from the trees in the surrounding areas. Another search of the area was ordered, and the police located the remains of Marcus Wallster, left in a similar fashion to the rabbit carcasses hanging in a nearby tree or under a bridge overpass—also known as the "Bunny Man Bridge"—along the railroad tracks at Colchester Road. Officials name the last missing inmate, Douglas J. Grifon, as their suspect and call him "the bunny man". In this version, officials finally manage to locate Grifon but, during their attempt to apprehend him at the overpass, he nearly escapes before being hit by an oncoming train where the original transport crashed. They say after the train passed, the police heard laughter coming from the site. It is eventually revealed that Grifon was institutionalized for killing his family and children on Easter Sunday. For years after the "Bunny Man's" death, in the time approaching Halloween, carcasses are said to be found hanging from the overpass and surrounding areas. A figure is reportedly seen by passersby making their way through the one lane bridge tunnel. Fairfax County Public Library Historian-Archivist Brian A. Conley extensively researched the Bunny Man legend. He has located two incidents of a man in a rabbit costume threatening people with an axe. The vandalism reports occurred a week apart in 1970 in Burke, Virginia. The first incident was reported the evening of October 19, 1970 by U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Robert Bennett and his fiancée, who were visiting relatives on Guinea Road in Burke. Around midnight, while returning from a football game, they reportedly parked their car in a field on Guinea Road to "visit an Uncle who lived across the street from where the car was parked". As they sat in the front seat with the motor running, they noticed something moving outside the rear window. Moments later, the front passenger window was smashed, and there was a white-clad figure standing near the broken window. Bennett turned the car around while the man screamed at them about trespassing, including: "You're on private property, and I have your tag number." As they drove down the road, the couple discovered a hatchet on the car floor. When the police requested a description of the man, Bennett insisted he was wearing a white suit with long bunny ears. However, Bennett's fiancée contested their assailant did not have bunny ears on his head, but was wearing a white capirote of some sort. They both remembered seeing his face clearly, but in the darkness, they could not determine his race. The police returned the hatchet to Bennett after examination. Bennett was required to report the incident upon his return to the Air Force Academy. The second reported sighting occurred on the evening of October 29, 1970, when construction security guard Paul Phillips approached a man standing on the porch of an unfinished home, in Kings Park West on Guinea Road. Phillips said the man was wearing a gray, black, and white bunny costume, and was about 20 years old, 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall, and weighed about 175 pounds (79 kg). The man began chopping at a porch post with a long-handled axe, saying: "All you people trespass around here. If you don't get out of here, I'm going to bust you on the head." The Fairfax County Police opened investigations into both incidents, but both were eventually closed for lack of evidence. In the weeks following the incidents, more than 50 people contacted the police claiming to have seen the "Bunny Man". Several newspapers reported the incident of the "Bunny Man" eating a man's runaway cat, including the following articles in The Washington Post: "Man in Bunny costume Sought in Fairfax" (October 22, 1970) "The 'Rabbit' Reappears" (October 31, 1970) "Bunny Man Seen" (November 4, 1970) "Bunny Reports Are Multiplying" (November 6, 1970) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_Man © Copyrighted
This week, Mallory and Brea discuss ways to get out of a book slump and interview author Sara Benincasa about her fundraiser to help refugees and have Neil Gaiman read the Cheesecake Factory menu out loud! Use the hashtag #SayNoToBookSlump to participate in online discussion on Twitter and Instagram! Bookish News Story- http://www.obsentinel.com/calendar/reading-labs--a-program-pairing-emerging-readers-with-furry/event_7dd92586-3fcf-11e7-b6ac-4711c2218565.html Sara Benincasa- https://sarabenincasa.com/ www.neilcake.com https://twitter.com/SaraJBenincasa BookRiot Podcasts- http://bookriot.com/listen/ Books Mentioned- No Matter The Wreckage by Sarah Kay https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781938912481 Borne by Jeff Vandermeer https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780374115241 Get In Trouble by Kelly Link https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780812986495 Author Tana French https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780143113492 Runtime by S.B. Divya https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780765389794 Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781416928171 From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konisburg https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780689711817 Yes Please by Amy Poehler https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062268358 Sex Criminals Vol. 1 by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781607069461
Intro Hi and Welcome to Books Between - a podcast to help teachers, parents, and librarians connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mom of two girls, and super excited about my Hermione Granger Halloween costume this year! This is Episode #9 and today we’re talking about common classroom library mistakes (and how to fix them), three spooky series, and I’ll answer a question about read aloud options for a 4th grade class. Main Topic - Common Classroom Library Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) - Part 1 It’s pretty clear just how important it is to have a library within your classroom. In fact, our main focus of Episode #2 was all about why your students need that vibrant classroom library. But I will admit that I’ve made some major mistakes that really limited how effective my classroom could be. In fact - when I went to go list them all, it ended being too much for one episode. So this one will be a two-parter. And if you are a librarian or parent listening today, there’s still a lot you can take away from today’s topic when thinking about your books and other materials you have for your kids. So here are six common mistakes that teachers sometimes make with their classroom libraries - and some ideas on how to fix them. #1 - Not getting rid of old books. This took me so long to learn. It literally still PAINS me to even think about just throwing away a book. But about a year ago, I started to notice that copies of old, yellowed, dusty titles with ripped pages and outdated cover art were taking up a lot of precious real estate in my class. And for no reason - they were NEVER getting checked out. They just didn’t have any curb appeal. And they were bringing down the overall vibe of our library. So give yourself permission to purge. Finally just last year I let myself take the 12 tattered copies of The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle and those other musty old books and box them up and put them away. And I truly felt guilty about that. Some were donations from parents or other teachers. It’s okay to recycle them. #2 - Not having an easy check-out system. I’ve tried just about every system on the block - from a simple form on a clipboard for name, date and title to using the Booksource App where students scan the barcode on the book to check out and then check it in. But eventually I found that even the seemingly quick and simple act of writing down their name and the title of the book was slowing down that free exchange of books and had the unintended effect of kids not wanting to check books out of the library because it was too cumbersome. Also - it added a small element of tension when kids would forget to sign a book back in or keep it out too long. And I want the tone of our library to be all positive. I do know that many teachers are having success with quick procedures and systems to check out books. I just have never been able to make it work. So as much as I would love a beautifully ordered library where I know the whereabouts of every title - it’s more important to me that kids can swap books easily with each other and there’s no barrier to trying something. For example, just yesterday I pulled a stack of 5 books that Logan might like, set them on his desk, and he was free to browse them leisurely and bring one or two home to read. Do I have books Missing in Action? Yeah - you bet! But I’m willing to risk it so my students have more access to books. And they also really appreciate being trusted in that way. #3 - Not changing how books are displayed So for example, for months I had my bins of Realistic Fiction front and center in my classroom library. They were top shelf - most visible and most checked out. While my biographies and historical fiction languished on the bottom shelf. And I didn’t even think anything of it until I switched them on a whim one afternoon and noticed that - a ha! - more kids were taking out the biographies and historical fiction when they didn’t have to bend over to get them. Also - if you have your library organized by bins - another idea is to switch which title is in the front sometimes. #4 - Not having enough non-fiction I have to say - this has been a major error on my part, and I’m still working on fixing it. I tend love the story - a heartfelt narrative. And I didn’t intend to ignore non-fiction, I just had blinders on. But I’ve been hearing from a lot of other teachers who are in the same boat. So - I’ve made a conscious effort to get more informational books for my students and listen for topics they are interested in. The more I started to pay attention to non-fiction, the more I realized how many fantastic titles are out there now. And I made a deal with myself that I would get at least one non-fiction title every time I bought books. #5 - Not Having a Clear Organizational System It’s tough to keep a classroom library organized - our days are hectic, and it’s all you can do sometimes to keep up with everything. But having some system in place is really key. Whether you alphabetize by author’s last name, sort by genre, or pick a different route - make sure your students know where to find things and also how to put them back. Another fantastic idea that I’ve seen is to get your students’ input about how to organize the classroom library and have them in charge of it. If you do that at the beginning of the year, what an amazing way to have them examine every book offered and take some ownership of it. #6 - Not having student input into what books are included in the library. When I first got my own classroom, I could not wait to stock it full of my own favorites from my childhood - Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mysteries, all the Little House books, my extensive (and yellowed) collection of Baby-Sitters Club novels, and tons of Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary books. But honestly, the 6th graders I had at the time rarely checked them out. Instead - have your students help you. One thing I’ve seen teachers do is post a Wishlist on the wall next to your bookshelves so when students have an idea of a title you should have, they just jot it down. Then you can take that list with you when you’re headed to your local bookstore or submitting your Scholastic order, and you KNOW you’re getting books they want to read. It also helps to simply listen when they rave about a favorite series or author so you can include those as you build your library. Making sure that the student’s choices are at the forefront really drives home the fact that this library is THEIRS - not all about you. And I think they’re more likely to get attached to that library when they know their voices are heard and their opinion matters. This is a big topic and we’ll continue it in the next episode. But for now, what classroom library mistakes have you made and more importantly - how did you go about fixing them? Let’s connect and learn from each other. You can tag me on Twitter or Instagram or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’ll share some of your thoughts and ideas in an upcoming episode! Book Talk - Three Spooky Series In this segment, I share with you three books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week I’m sharing three delightfully spooky series: The Haunted Library, 43 Old Cemetery Road, and The Books of Elsewhere. The Haunted Library The first book we’re talking about today is The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler. It’s about a young ghost named Kaz who finds himself separated from his ghost family when the old schoolhouse they were living in is demolished and they are all carried off in different directions by the wind. Kaz ends up in a library where he meets a girl named Claire - unique because she can see ghosts and hear them when they talk. Among his problems, Kaz doesn’t like to pass through objects or walls like other ghosts so his movements are limited. And Kaz is very afraid of Claire and all the non-ghost humans he encounters. At least at first. Eventually Claire and Kaz do team up to figure out the identify of the ghost who is haunting the library. So here are three things to love about Dori Butler’s The Haunted Library: Fun Glossary - At the front of the book is a one page list of really cute ghostly terms used in the novel. Again - this is a cute spooky and not a scary spooky book. For example, “skizzy” is when a ghost feels sick to their stomach - like when people walk through Kaz. At one point he even pukes on Claire! And “Solids” are what ghosts call living humans and animals and also objects they can’t see through. Illustrations - There are lots of black and white drawings throughout the book, and I love that vintage 50’s style that Aurore Damant has captured here. It fits the tone perfectly. Plus the little details of the dotted scrolls around each page number and the matching chapter headings add that special touch of ornamentation that makes you feel like you are reading something well put-together. The fun of figuring out the rules of the supernatural system in this series. That is part of what I think makes fantasy so fun to read because you have to figure out that world. Just like when I start a new vampire book and I ask myself, Okay - are these sparkle in the sun Twilight-type vampires or are they sizzle in the sun Sookie Stackhouse-type vampires? Or something entirely different? In The Haunted Library, we’re asking ourselves - Can the ghosts eat? Do they sleep? Can they make sounds that humans can hear? And most interestingly here - where do they come from? Typically, ghosts are presented as the souls of once living people, but in this world, they seem to have no memory of a past life and they have families with kids and grandparents. Almost like they are from another parallel dimension. There is SO much to explore in this series and so much get your kids wondering. The Haunted Library is really cute and not too scary. At 125 pages with larger print, it’s perfect for younger middle grade readers or older kids who want something light and playful. And there are at least 8 in the series so there’s plenty of semi-spooky fun to look forward to. 43 Old Cemetery Road Another fun and spooky series is 43 Old Cemetery Road by Kate Klise with illustrations by M. Sarah Klise, her sister. The first book in the series, Dying to Meet You, is the story of a formerly-famous children’s book author, Ignatius B. Grumply, who rents an old run down Victorian house on Cemetery Road. He thinks he’s getting a quiet place to write his latest overdue novel so his publisher will get off his back and he can get out of debt. Instead, he discovers that he is sharing the house with a ghost (he doesn’t believe in ghosts), a young boy (he hates kids), and a cat (he’s allergic to cats). And there begins the conflicts and hilarity. This series had some of my most devoted fans last year. And with good reason. Here are three reasons my students and I loved about this book and this series: Character’s Names - The wordplay in these books are oh-so-clever - especially with the names of the characters. Grumply’s publisher is called Paige Turner, his real estate agent is Anita Sale, the young boy living in the house is Seymour Hope, and the ghost is Olive C. Spence. It’s just a really fun read. How letters and articles tell the story - The 43 Old Cemetery Road series is the perfect way to introduce your kid to the term “epistolary novel.” And boy do they get it right here. The letters from each character have their own clear tone and their own individual font. Your kids will love the articles and drawings that go with the letters and it’s a book that you can read quickly. The authors - Kate & Sarah Klise are sisters and have teamed up to write an impressive number of really fun books like The Three-Ring Rascals series and the Regarding series, which are also mysteries told in letter form. My students really got into exploring their website and blog last year where they share letters they get from fans and pictures from their travels. I just LOVE them - and they make such a great team. If you want to know more about the 43 Old Cemetery Road books, take a peek at their website kateandsarahklise.com. And I’ll pop a link to that right in the shownotes for you. The Books Of Elsewhere Our last featured spooky series this week is The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West. The first book, The Shadows, is about an eleven-year-old girl named Olive who has recently moved into a spectacularly creepy house. When the previous owner, Mrs. McMartin, died without heirs, everything was left behind - including books, clothes, and dozens of mysterious paintings that will not budge from the walls. Olive’s parents, both genius Math scholars, are a little distracted and Olive has the run of house. So she sets off to explore every nook and cranny and eventually notices that there are windows on the outside that don’t match the rooms on the inside. When she finds an antique pair of spectacles, she realizes that she can go into any painting in the house. And the story gets deliciously dark from there… So on to three things to love about The Books of Elsewhere: The Cats - Like any great paranormal mystery, there are strange cats in this novel. In fact, I just realized that all the three books I’ve talked about today have cats in them. In this book - we get three: Horatio, Harvey, and Leopold. Olive first discovers that something is magical in this house when Horatio jumps through her bedroom window and has a conversation with her about being on her guard in the house. What I enjoyed the most about the cats were that you couldn’t tell whose side they were on. Morton - Morton is a young boy who Olive discovers hiding in one of the creepiest, darkest paintings in the house - the one big painting of the moonlight and dark forest. Morton is dressed in an old-fashioned white nightshirt and when Olives tries to ask him questions, he’s both confused and stubborn all at the same time. Eventually we piece together the clues about where (and when) he might have come from, and oh - poor Morton! The House - Much like Jason Segel and Kristin Miller’s book Nightmares and Clive Barker’s The Thief of Always, the house in this book seems to have its own personality. It’s beyond haunted and seems to try to lure Olive into its grasp. Like many old Victorian houses, this one has a terrifying basement. And a chilling secret. The Haunted Library, 43 Old Cemetery Road, and The Books of Elsewhere are three great paranormal series for getting into the perfect creepy mood - whether that’s in October or anytime of year. Q & A Our last segment this week is Question & Answer time. Question: Within the span of a week, I had two friends ask essentially the same question: “What are some great and engaging read-alouds for 4th graders?” Answer: I have three suggestions. (If you haven’t noticed, I kinda like the number three….) Suggestion #1 - Deborah and James Howe’s Bunnicula I am reading this out loud right now to my own 4th grader, and it has really held up well from my own memory of it. And I had totally forgotten that cool editor’s note at the beginning that says the manuscript was dropped off by a dog who claims to be the author. So now you have to wonder - is this dog really a reliable narrator or does he have his own agenda? Suggestion #2 - Phil Bildner’s A Whole New Ballgame I’ve talked about the Rip & Red series previously in Episode #4 but it is worth another plug. This book is fast-paced fun with likeable characters going through real-life school related stuff. I have no doubt 4th graders would love it. My third suggestion that would be a phenomenal 4th grade read aloud is Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot - It’s about a shipwrecked robot named Roz who gets washed up on the shore of an island inhabited only by animals. And she ends up caring for an orphaned gosling and making a mark on the island. It’s just so different than anything else out there and the small chapters work perfectly to read aloud during the small moments of your day. Plus - doing the voice of Roz is a riot. I had more fun reading this book out loud than any other novel I’ve ever read aloud. Those are my three suggestions for awesome 4th grade read alouds - Bunnicula, A Whole New Ballgame, and The Wild Robot. You can’t go wrong any of them! Closing Alright - that’s it for the Q&A section this week. If you have a question about how to connect middle grade readers to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show with links to every book and resource I talked about today by going to BooksBetween.com/9 which will take you to our home at All the Wonders where you can discover other wonderful kidlit resources. And, if you are liking the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks and see you in a couple of weeks! Bye!
This week, the 8-year-old in me freaks out as we welcome James Howe to the show. Howe wrote my favorite series of books as a kid, which also happens to be the world's best series about a vampire bunny and his fellow housepets: Bunnicula! Aside from the Bunnicula books, he's probably most well known for The Misfits series of YA novels, which deal with issues of bullying, peer pressure, sexual identity. and breaking out of the boxes that society puts around us. On this episode, we chat about the responsibilities inherent in being a writer for young people, coming out as a children's book author, how to break free of "write what you know," the pros and cons of "work for hire," and his self-proclaimed "worst book ever."
Life Matters TV presents 'The Presence of God', another teaching from Pastor Chris Demetriou at Cornerstone the Church. For more information visit our website at www.life-matters.tv
When you think about how you’re communicating with your donors, funders, and community, do you wonder whether you’re spending your time and resources well? Do you feel frustrated that you’re communication is scattershot or ineffective? Then you need a communication strategy! My guest this week is James Howe, president of Communicate and Howe based in Kitchener, Ontario. We hone in … Read more about this episode...