Sherry Alexander's Blog, page 4

Kids:You Can Beat Test Anxiety!

It's that time of year again when schools start testing what you have learned this year, and to make sure that you are ready to move to the next challenging year. So, does the thought of testing make you nervous and cause your palms to sweat? If it does, there are several things you can do to beat that test anxiety. 
First, if you are feeling a little stressed out about tests, you are not alone. Most kids feel some form of anxiety or nervousness when faced with a test. This can be the simple sweating of the palms, or that butterfly in the belly feeling, or even the sudden urge to use the bathroom. 
But for other kids, it can become much worse. Their anxiety can cause them to panic. Their heart races, their palms sweat, their vision blurs, they feel like they're going to throw up, tears well in their eyes, or they can even blank out for the entire testing period. According to AMTAA, "About 16-20% of students have high test anxiety. Another 18% are troubled by moderately-high test anxiety." This can pertain to any test whether it's a spelling test, a math test, or one of the annual testings that occur across the United States. So what can you do to get ready for tests and actually beat the anxiety they might bring? 
Don't keep your anxiety to yourself. If the idea of taking a test cause you any nervousness or anxiety, talk to your parents, your teacher, or even the school counselor. They can help you learn ways to calm those feelings. This might include forms of Yoga, meditation, or even breathing techniques. In addition,  if taking the annual tests with all your peers is the problem, your school might have an alternative that will let you take the test with just the moderator in the room. But if you don't share your feelings, they won't know how to help you, so ASK FOR HELP!Be prepared. This can include all the things that you can do to make the testing easier like a good night's sleep, eating breakfast, no studying the night before--and definitely no last minute cramming.Do the best you can. All year long, knowledge has been seeping into your brain through your class work, homework, and class discussions. You will always know more than you think when anxiety starts forming in your brain. If you make a mistake, let it go. Don't beat yourself up over it, just move on to the next question. It is okay not to be perfect. If there is a question you don't understand--and your moderator has said it was okay to ask, then ASK for clarification. Don't just get locked into one question. If you still don't understand it, move on--let it go. You are way to young to remember Frank Sinatra singing the "High Hopes" song, but part of it is about a "little old ant" who moves a rubber tree plant. How does he do it? He has high hopes. Basically that means that you can do anything if you just try. I have faith in each and every one of you, so like the ant--you can beat test anxiety by asking for help, being prepared, and doing the best you can.  Kids, you are the future!

A Chance to Win a Free Book and to Meet the Amazing Author of the Wickware Sagas: Penny Estelle

Exciting books are often taken from legends, or myths. They didn't begin as books, but as stories that may or may not have been based on a true event. Those stories were then shared with friends who shared it with their friends. Each story teller added something to the original story until it evolved into a legend that cannot be proved or dismissed. One story teller who has taken historical legends to a new level is Penny Estelle, author of The Wickware Sagas. This is her story.
Good morning, Sherry.   First, I would like to thank you for letting me stop by to visit.  I really appreciate it.  I want to tell you and your readers about my series called The Wickware Sagas.
A few years back I was visiting my daughter in Utah and my ten-year old grandson was playing with some of his friends.  Somehow, the subject of William Tell came up and not one of these boys had any idea who William Tell was.  This is how my series, The Wickware Sagas, started.  It seems so much of our history is getting lost, especially when it comes to historical legends. 
Miss Wickware is a history teacher for 7th and 8thgrades students at Langdon Middle School in Phoenix, AZ.  Rumor has it that strange things happened in her class.  Is she a witch?  Is she from another planet?  Nobody can, or will, talk too much about what has happened.  Yea…probably just rumors…or are they? 
Every year, she gives an assignment for an oral book report.  Each student will draw a name from a box and then give an oral report on whom they have chosen and somehow, one of these students ends up face to face with their drawn subject.  How does this happen?  How do they go back in time, and more importantly, how do they get home?
Sounds Interesting? Here is a list of books in the series.
Riches to Rags    Richest kid in school finds himself on a 1875 Orphan Train with no money and no way of getting home.
 


Bumped Back In Time    What does a twenty-first century tom-boy and the most famous poem ever written, have in common?




Flash to the Past     Can the snooty school princess and the nerdy braniac work together to find their way back from the 18th century?





Ride of a Lifetime     A bully learns the meaning of humility and trust when he lands in 1777 on the Ride of a Lifetime. 



Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare      Billy Cooper shrugs off a history assignment until he comes face to face with a 14th Century legendary hero! 



These five short stories can be found wherever digital stories are sold or in paperback Amazon.  They can also be found on Penny's Amazon Author page and MuseItUp Publishing
Thanks so much taking a look today!  I would like to offer a copy of any of the Wickware eBooks to one chosen commenter!  Be sure to leave an email address!
I also write for adults and have a few picture books out for the beginning readers!  Stop by the following links to find out more about me and my other stories at –
www.pennystales.comwww.pennyestelle.blogspot.comhttp://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBYhttps://twitter.com/Pennystaleshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820078.Penny_Estellehttp://www.facebook.com/pennystaleshttp://www.pinterest.com/pennyestelle
I have a newsletter that goes out for new releases or sales.  If you would like to be notified, please sign up @ http://eepurl.com/388Xr

Kids:Do You Know a Friend Who is Drinking Alcohol?

Do you know a friend who drinks? No, I'm not talking about milk and cookies, though I wish I were. Instead, I'm talking about something else--alcohol. According to the CDC, kids 12-20 years of age drink 11 percent of all alcohol in the U.S. and more than 8.7 million admit to heavy drinking. So the odds are that you have a friend that is drinking this instead of milk and cookies. It's easy to see where you might think alcohol can make the party, the dance, or just life in general more fun. You see advertisements for it everywhere. But, alcohol is a drug! It impairs your brain, and actually slows down the amount of time it takes for you to process your thoughts. It can affect your balance, your speech, and the way you react to a dangerous situation. So why do kids drink?
Some kids turn to alcohol for the same reasons they turn to drugs--stress, loneliness, low self-esteem, and even abuse. Others turn to alcohol because of peer pressure. And, still others drink just because it's easier to get than drugs. Whatever the reason, alcohol is not the answer. But how do you know if one of your friends is using alcohol? Here are four ways to tell:Do they offer to share? Have they ever said, "Want a drink?"Do they smell like alcohol? Since alcohol is not completely metabolized by the body, a person's breath can have a sour alcohol smell and so can their body.Have you noticed a definite change in their mood? Are they easily angered, more irritable, or have little or no interest in the games you used to play?Do they slur their words, or lose their train of thought? If you notice this in one or more of your friends, learn all you can about drinking first then ask them if they are drinking. Let them know you want to help, and that you will support them if they are willing to get help. For yourself, talk to a trusted friend or parent. If you are going to support a friend who needs help in saying no to alcohol, you are going to need support and help too. There are many groups throughout the U.S. who reach out to teens. 

Kids: Just say "No" is not old news!

This week was a time to remember a great lady, First Lady Nancy Reagan, and her plea to kids to "Just say No". It's easy to say, "Yeah, but that is such old news." But while there is a slight decline in drug abuse by kids, kids are still using, popping, smoking, and drinking their way through life. So, "Just say no" is not old news. 
I'm not going to bore you with facts. We all know that you are extremely smart, and if you want to get high on something besides yourself, you can get your hands on alcohol, pills, inhalants, or whatever. Notice, I said "High on yourself?"
As you've heard me say multiple times, you are the future. You are creative, thoughtful, imaginative, and amazing human beings. Here are three things you can do to remind yourself of how wonderful you are.Volunteer. I know, you've heard me say this many times, but volunteering whether it's at a foodbank, the Red Cross, school, an animal clinic, or anywhere else helps you realize the greatness in yourself.Find something you are good at, and work to get even better. This builds your self-esteem and when you build that, you learn that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.Practice saying "No". I know that you already know how to say no. But when you are faced with a friend or friends who offers to share pills, cigarettes, pot, or alcohol can you stand up to them? If you have practice in advance, you will be ready. A simple, "No thank you. I don't need it," may be the only answer you need, but practice makes perfect.
Just saying No is not old news when your health, your happiness, and your life is at stake. I'm not saying that it's easy. I know that it is not. But I have faith in you! You are wonderful human beings, and I am in your corner. Be happy, and be safe just say no to drugs.

A Magical Adventure You Don't Want to Miss Reading: THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM

What would you do if a pigeon started talking to you? Would you think you were going crazy? Would you run? Or, would you hear him out? Remember, Things Are Not What They Seem!
Book Blub:

What would you do if you were sitting on a park bench, minding your own business, and one of those annoying pigeons suddenly started to talk to you? And what if the pigeon didn’t just talk to you – in a meticulous British accent, no less – but pleaded with you to help untangle a piece of string that had accidentally attached his leg to a wrought iron fence? And what if, while you are still convinced that this is all a big nasty trick, a hawk swoops down out of the sky and starts cursing at you, also in the King’s English, for getting in his way when he wanted to execute the pigeon? 
That is the quandary in which 13 year old Jennifer  finds herself one sweltering July morning while babysitting her 11-year-old brother James and his allergy-prone friend Sleepy. She soon learns that the bird is actually a man named Arthur Whitehair, a 19th-century Englishman who had been turned into an eternally-lived pigeon by misreading an ancient spell that was supposed to give him eternal life as a human. Likewise, an unscrupulous colleague of his, named Malman, had been turned into a hawk by Whitehair’s blunder. After years of searching, Whitehair claims (half-truthfully) that Malman has found him hiding in Central Park and is now out for revenge. On top of all this strange business, Jennifer has recently begun having weird dreams in which a crazy-looking man with curly red hair speaks cryptic phrases in Latin. Are they random phrases, or messages? And why would some sketchy guy be sending her messages in her dreams?
This is a fantastic and fun read that even the most reluctant reader will enjoy. I found it hard to put down once I started reading. The characters, compassionate and fun loving, are so well developed they stay with you as friends long after you've read their story, and the plot is downright intriguing. I'm not the only one who thinks this, here are a few excerpts from other reviewers:
“Things Are Not What They Seem is a wonderful story featuring a stellar cast of well-developed and relatable characters, which merges fantasy, magic, and time-travel with poignant lessons about friendship, compassion, and loyalty. I highly recommend this fast-paced, funny, and charming story for tweens, teens, and even adults. Ages 8+.”  Renee, Mother and Daughter Reviews, February 20, 2015.   “Hop aboard this fantasy adventure train and meet unlikely heroes, the amazing Mr. Bags, visit a museum and discover just what the talking pigeon is hiding and why the hawk REALLY wants him! While you’re at it, discover loyalty to friends and family, acts of kindness and how some pretty awesome parents handle what they do not understand! Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks have taken the city they love and turned it into a huge canvas for a rapid-fire and fun read filled with humor, mystery, caring and daring. Read it to your children; let them read it to you, there is no age limit on good reading!”   Dianne Bylo, Tometender Blog, June 15, 2015.

Meet the Writing Team Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks first started writing books together while Anne was a student at Bryn Mawr College and Ken was a student at Haverford College—a long time ago, when, as their children like to say, dinosaurs roamed the earth.  In 1973, they came to live in New York City while Ken attended law school at Columbia University and Anne worked as an editor in publishing.  They wrote their first novel together in 1976, hoping that it would be a success and Ken would not have to even start working as a lawyer.  Alas, that book is still in on the upper shelf of their closet, but they kept at the writing business.  In 1984, they published Theft of the Shroud, a novel, through Banbury books, distributed by Putnam.  That same year they also published a series of 10 books based on the most popular boy’s and girl’s names, and a book about the stars for children.  At this time, Ken stopped practicing law for two years as they devoted themselves fulltime to writing and their children.  However, children need to eat and be clothed and go to school, and these things all cost money, so Ken went back to practicing law.  Still, they continued to write, and rewrite, and rewrite some more.
Their efforts have produced Things Are Not What They Seem(Tween fantasy) MuseItUp Publishing 2014 as well as two other middle reader novels, Stone Faces and Brownstone Faces, that will be published in the near future, also by MuseItUp.
In the realm of books for adults, Ken and Anne are the authors of Weave A Murderous Web, (Mystery) Melange Books, LLC (2016); Praise Her, Praise Diana, (Adult thriller) Melange Books LLC,  2014,  and Kate and the Kid, winner of a Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal for social issues (Adult mainstream) Wings ePress 2013. Anne and Ken have also self-published two small-format photography books, which are available on the Apple iBookstore – Hearts (no flowers) Signs of Love in the Gritty City and Picture Stones.Don't miss this book!You can get a copy for your very own at all ebook retailers, but here is a link to Amazon

Kids: You can change the world one step at a time by RECYCLING

Kids, are you looking for a way to make a difference? Do you want to change the world, but you think you are too young or too busy? Well, you can make a difference in your home, your community, your state, your country, and the world by recycling. How?
Recycling is just reusing something that would otherwise be thrown away. If you live in a city that promotes recycling, you probably see recycling bins everywhere. Recycling bins make it easy to separate plastic, paper, aluminum cans, glass, magazines, newspapers, food, and other products. According to Duke University's Center for Sustainability and Commerce, 4.3 pounds of waste--garbage--is created each day by every person in the United States. Wow! That's over 220 million tons of things we throw away each year, and over half of that goes into landfills. (Landfills are places where trash is dumped, burned or allowed to deteriorate and eek into our environment) 
So how can you help? The biggest thing you can do is THINK before you throw anything into the trash. At home, you can make sure that the trash is separated so that plastics, paper, and food go into the right bin. You can do the same thing at school. But besides separating trash there are other things you can do. Here are a few ideas:Donate clothing that no longer fits you to the Goodwill or the Salvation Army instead of throwing it in the garbage can.Donate your old books. There are several non-profit organizations that collect used books to give to people who cannot afford the cost of new books. Some libraries also collect used books. Ask your teachers, your parents, or your librarians before you dump them into the trash.Use recyclable items for craft projects. Here is a website with 53 IdeasGet involved. Here are a few websites to check out.National Institute of Environmental Health Services
Science Kids
NASA Climate Kids
Remember, you can change the world one step at a time, but you have to act now!

Kids: You can change the world one step at a time with COMPASSION

Kids, you have the power to change the world one step at a time. But there is more that you can do besides being kind. You can be compassionate. Compassion and kindness go hand in hand, and together they are a powerful force that can help you start to make a difference. What is compassion?
Compassion is caring for others. Similar words for compassion are love, tenderness, mercy, and sympathy. You have probably heard your parents, your teachers, your ministers, and even news commentators use one of these words in their daily conversations. However, compassion has a deeper meaning than love, tenderness, mercy, or even sympathy. It goes beyond just feeling sorry for what someone else is going through. 
For instance, when you see a friend fall down on the playground and skin his knee, you first instinct is to say, "Ouch! That hurts." 
That's a sign of sympathy for what happened. Now, if you are compassionate, seeing your friend not only makes you feel bad, but it makes you rush to help him up off the ground, dust him off, and offer your support. In other words, you just didn't say, "Hey, Travis. I feel your pain." You actually made an effort to show him that you felt his pain. You acted on "feeling" his pain.  
Some people believe that compassion is learned. Others believe that it is part of our makeup from the day we are born. I believe the latter, but I also believe that if "you don't use it, you lose it." So how can you practice compassion? Here are three ways every one of you can demonstrate compassion. And remember, it doesn't take just one practice session before you can slam dunk a basketball. It takes many practice sessions. So try one of the ways listed, then practice, practice, practice. It will help you change the world one step at a time.Stand up against bullies. When you see someone being picked on, don't look the other way. Show compassion for the victim by stopping it, or finding someone who can. Then speak out against bullying and help others speak out too.Encourage others. When you see someone is having a hard time kicking the ball, speaking in class, learning cursive, doing their math, or anything else, offer them your support. Let them know that you think they can do it, and help them if you can. This will build their confidence and just might make the difference between giving up or succeeding.Volunteer. This means giving your time to help. It could be as simple as helping younger siblings with their reading, or packing boxes for the food bank. Giving your time to help someone else because you want to shows and builds compassion.

New Series for Kids: You can change the world one step at a time.

Kids, today you are bombarded by the world's problems. Climate change, pollution, war, hunger, and disease are common, and there is no escaping the news.  But, like I have said before--"You are our future" and you have the power to change the world one kid, one idea, one goal, one simple act, and one step at a time. You can make a difference, and our world needs you to make a difference.
This new series will outline one way each week that can help you take action no matter how old or young you are. Your willingness to make this a better place to live by protecting the environment, the animals, and the people can and will make a difference.
Today's one step toward a better world is the simple act of kindness. Kindness is a quality that many adults have forgotten. It includes friendliness, generosity, consideration, and forgiveness. It is interesting to me, at least, that a 2015 poll by NBC found that adults believe kids are a lot less kind than they were ten or fifteen years ago. 
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS TRUE! I see simple acts of kindness occurring everyday. I see kids opening doors for other kids, saying thank you, waiting their turn on the swings, including others in their games, and helping younger ones read. These are all acts of kindness. Here are five things you can do to show kindness this week. Say hello to everyone you meet. This includes kids and adults.  
2. Take the shopping cart back to the store after your parents load the groceries into the car.
3. Talk to someone new at school, or include them in your games.  
4. Spend time with a grandparents or an elderly neighbor. If your grandparents live far away, send a handmade card or call them. 
5. Read to a younger sibling or friend. This goes for homework too. Help your siblings or friends with their homework. 
The Greek storyteller, Aesop, said it best. "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.." So, change the world this week by taking one big step and showing kindness.

Kids: Have you read "After" by Barbara Ehrentreu? Why not?

After is a story about how one phone call can change your life.  Fifteen-year-old, Lauren Walstein is like every other teenager. She goes to school, spends time with her best friend since kindergarten, Joey, loves the Mets, and is working toward a softball scholarship. Then she gets the phone call that changes her life!
Her father has a sudden heat attack and undergoes bypass surgery. Now, her father's illness impacts everything around her. Plus, her best friend is dating her worst enemy, Amber. To make matters worse, Lauren is beginning to have feelings for Joey that are more than friendly. Is he feeling the same, or is he there just to comfort her? Will she lose her father? Will Joey see he is becoming more than a friend? You need to read this book! It's available at all ebook retailers including:Amazon
MuseitUp
Barnes and Noble
If you're not convinced yet, here is an excerpt the author wanted to share.
Chapter One

The phone rang as the ball left the pitcher’s glove and I glanced toward the sound. Mom’s tears made me forget all about the game. My life changed while the TV blurred and turned into a nightmare kaleidoscope. That moment has been indelibly pressed into my thoughts.

My sister, Diane, was upstairs hunched over her computer as usual. She’s not a baseball fan at all. But I lived and breathed for the Mets that fall. They had such a great chance of getting the pennant and maybe even winning the World Series. I obsessed about the Mets, and of course, Joey.

Joey, my best friend from kindergarten, was always there for me. It’s hard to imagine a recess without him by my side. He’s bigger than I am and always looked a little older than he was. Mom liked Joey because he reassured her he would obey her rules. Maybe it was his easy smile or his clear, gray eyes.

Lately, though, Joey and I haven’t been so close. It happened during the summer when he was a counselor at this camp and he hooked up with this girl, Amber, who goes to our school. So now he spends a lot of his time with her and we barely see each other. 

We used to watch the Mets together all the time, too. So I missed him being there with me, and his comments about the players. But all that was before the phone call. Pre-phone call my deepest thoughts centered on the Mets and finding the sweet spot for the ball in my new baseball glove. Pre-phone call, my world was worrying about homework getting done and wondering what lunch would be like on Monday. Oh, and of course, thinking about how to beat the next team we were up against in softball. I’m a starting pitcher this year and I want to show my coach she can believe in me. I’m only a sophomore, but I hope someday to play college softball. I need to get a scholarship in order to go. My parents have already told me they can’t swing it without one.

After the phone call my life was a ball of twisted emotions and all I could think about was Dad, and how Mom, Diane, and I would get through this night. 

Meet the Author:
Barbara Ehrentreu grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Queens. She has lived and taught in Long Island, Buffalo, NY and Westchester, NY as well as a year in Los Angeles, CA. She has a Masters Degree in Reading and Writing. Currently she is retired from teaching and living in Stamford, CT with her family. 
After, her second book, considers what can happen to a teen when her father becomes ill with a heart attack. It is based on her own experiences when her husband had a heart attack and the aftermath of what she and her family experienced. 
Barbara's first book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, won second prize in Preditors & Editors as Best Young Adult Book for 2011. It was inspired by Paula Danziger for her children's writing workshop at Manhattanville College.She is preparing the sequel to If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor. 
Barbara also writes poetry and several of her poems are published in the anthologies, Prompted: An International Collection of Poetry, Beyond the Dark Room, Storm Cycle and Backlit Barbell. She has a blog, Barbara's Meanderings, and she hosts a radio show on Blog Talk Radio, Red River Radio Tales from the Pages once a month.Barbara's blog

Kids: When Sadness Becomes Depression

Clipartpanda.comAll kids at one time or another feel sad, down, or blue. It's a normal feeling for kids and adults. But when that sadness lingers--when it doesn't let up--when it saps your energy--when it interferes with your normal life--or, when it hangs over you like a cloud until it seems like you are never going to feel happy again--your sadness may actually be depression.
You've heard that word before, but have you ever wondered what it means and what to look for if you think either yourself or a friend is depressed. 
Depression is more than a sad feeling that stays with you for an hour or even a day or two. It is a medical condition that can make you feel unimportant to the people around you. It's a hopelessness that can affect your health, your mental attitude, and your relationships. It can cause you to lose sleep, not eat, get angry at even the smallest thing, cry all the time, keep you from focusing in class, make you overly tired, and no longer want to be with your friends or family.
So what can you do if you think your sadness is more than just sadness? First, realize you are not alone. There are over 17 million people in America who suffer from depression. For kids, it's almost 1 in every 33 who are affected according to Kids Health, and for teens it's 1 in every 8. So, you are definitely not alone. But here's the tricky part, you need to reach out. It may be one of the hardest things you do, but in many cases your life depends on it. If left untreated, depression can lead to drug or alcohol addiction and even suicide. 
So, if you think you are suffering from depression, talk to your parents, your school counselor, or your doctor. 
And remember, you are very, very special. There is no one like you in the entire world, and the world is a better place with you in it.