Daisy Whitney's Blog, page 2

If you have a third or fourth grader, read SHILOH!

I just finished reading Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Newberry-winning book SHILOH to my ten-year-old and we loved it! Yeah, yeah, big surprise since it's an award winner and all. But, let's be honest, sometimes award winners aren't always easy reads. And this was an easy, fun and thoughtful read. It's about an 11-year-old boy who takes in an abused dog and the moral and ethical dilemmas that his care and affection for the dog present. It's truly a thought-provoking tale and I think offers interesting and valid ethical questions for young children to consider. Read it!

Trailer Love!

Happy news!! I just learned that The Mockingbirds book trailer was selected as one of only five finalists in its category for teen lit book trailers by Justine and Spark Book Club, the online home of Justine Magazine! Best part – you can vote for your favorite! I hope you'll vote for my book here in the relationships category, and yes, you can watch the trailer too. (Just be sure to select The Mockingbirds from the pull down menu)

Are you in a book club?

Are you in a book club? Then I highly recommend suggesting your book club read The Mockingbirds! Why? Well, because it's MY book! But also because I'd be delighted to send signed/personalized bookplates to everyone in your book club and to also answer book club discussion questions. AND, I will answer them either in a written form or in a video you could play at your next book club meeting! Just email me if you're interested. This applies to library and school book clubs too!

Newspaper Review!

As a former newspaper reporter, I still have a soft spot in my heart for paper and ink. So it thrilled me when my publicist sent me an official actual newspaper review of my book! Here's what the Eugene, OR Register Guard had to say about The Mockingbirds. My favorite part is this: "Alex's story is an important story for teenagers to read. Alex wants to start living her life again, but she realizes she must come to terms with what happened to her, and that means more than just seeing that Carter is found guilty. Alex's journey is heartfelt and touching."

How to Stream Videos from your Smartphone or iPad to your TV

With the rapid rise in tablet and smartphone adoption, a number of apps and tech tools have emerged that allow users to stream videos from their mobile devices back to the TV. They include Airplay, Skifta, Eyecon, Rovi and Snapstick. For the rundown on how to stream your smartphone videos on your TV, check out this week's New Media Minute.
Tags: new media minute, daisy whitney, natpe, digitalsmiths, the platform, skifta, eyecon, airplay, rovi, snapstick, how to stream videos from your phone to your tv

Squeakers and Buttberp on Bullying and The Mockingbirds

I LOVE this video! A middle school teacher wrote to me about how she incorporated the themes of The Mockingbirds into one of those animated cartoons featuring the type of characters that became popular in the "Is it an iPhone?" viral videos. Check it out!

Girls, Girls, Girls!

I spent some time with the 11th grade class at San Domenico School this week, and let me just say – teens are amazing! These girls were smart and kind and thoughtful and funny and nice. I even got goodbye hugs from several of them.

I was thrilled to be invited to speak to these girls about some of the issues The Mockingbirds delves into such as date rape, empowerment, justice, identity, social change and also the responsibility we have to others. That was the issue we probably spent the most time on – where and when and how do we have a responsibility to look out for each other? We also discussed how looking out for each other means helping people who aren't just our best friends or close buddies.

Events like this that give me the opportunity to connect with intelligent, sensitive and caring teens continue to energize me. More than that, they also remind me that I am writing in the best genre possible! I love teen lit and I love connecting with readers!

Thanks to San Domenico for inviting me and to the fantastic local book store Book Passage for selling books. Here are some photos.

When Cell Phones Become Virtual Wallets – It's a Near Field Communications World

Near Field Communications is growing fast and a number of cell phone makers, providers and technologists are rolling out the capability on cell phones that can turn a mobile device into a virtual wallet. Here's the rundown on efforts by Apple, Google, Visa, LG, O2 and others.
Tags: daisy whitney, new media minute, natpe, digitalsmiths, apple, iphone, ipad, near field communications, virtual wallet, molo rewards, lg, apple, o2

All girls, all boys?

I'm going to be speaking to an all-girls high school this week and I've often thought about the benefits of single-sex education — mainly more focus. If you're in high school, do the girls reading this wish they went to an all-girls school, the boys to an all-boys school? And if you're a high school graduate, do you wish you had gone to a single-sex school?

Win a signed copy of DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C.J. Omololu

Want to win a signed copy of one of my favorite books from 2010 – DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS? Of course you do! Then all you need to do is a leave a comment, any comment, over on my Facebook page under the contest entry for the giveaway! So easy! And this book is SOOOO good! So come to Facebook and throw your hat in the ring!