David Potts was 44 years old with a fiancée and a baby. The couple’s trip to Maui would be their last big hurrah before she would undergo the double mastectomy designed to save her life. While visiting one of the island’s better known natural tourist attractions, the geyser-like Nakalele Blowhole, Potts was knocked into the ocean by a freak wave. In an instant, David Potts was gone. His body never to be found.

When it happened, I was only a few miles down the coast from the spot where David Potts lost his life. As the story of a man dying tragically in an instant while enjoying his vacation splashed news sites in Hawaii and around the globe, I became haunted by a terrible thought:

It could have been me.

When I got home, I began looking into vacation tragedies and I have to tell you I was absolutely stunned by what I discovered. For example, did you know that over 170 people have vanished without a trace from cruise ships since 1995? I’m not talking about obvious drunken stumbles off the promenade deck into the ocean’s cold embrace. I mean dozens of unsolved and highly suspicious cases including one where a woman’s beaded purse was found ripped and a ship’s map had been deliberately taped over the lens of the nearest security camera.

Even more alarming are those horrific vacation tragedy incidents involving children whose lives are senselessly stolen, killed due to resort negligence and seemingly-preventable causes, like the 12 year old boy who was sucked into an unprotected twelve inch wide drainage pipe at a major Cancun hotel’s snorkeling lagoon, his body folded in half by the immense suction. Or the 5 year old girl improperly given CPR by poorly trained Atlantis resort lifeguards in an incident suspected of causing her death.

By revealing these all-too-true stories to you, I am not trying to do for vacations what “Jaws” did for beaches. The incidents I discovered, especially those involving children of all ages, ended up becoming the basis for my latest non-fiction book, “Fatal Sunset: Deadly Vacations.” Simply put, “Fatal Sunset” is made up of true cautionary tales. It is filled with lessons for those willing to better understand how to identify, and hopefully avoid, similar tragic circumstances.

Researching and writing this book has helped me understand that recognition of certain circumstances while traveling can often be the difference between life and death. This is exactly why my new motto, thanks to this book, has become, “Dare to be aware” and why I would like to leave you with the top 10 list of Dare to Be Aware travel tips.

• Tip 1: Never assume you have the same rights, protections and access to emergency services in other countries as you do in your own
• Tip 2: Take the time to check out any attractions your children may use before you leave them unsupervised
• Tip 3: Always let someone know where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone. If you’re on a trip, make sure someone in your party knows when you’ll be back and check in with them if those plans change
• Tip 4: Don’t assume that video cameras are there to protect you – They are only there to protect the interests of the property owners who may have a different agenda when it comes to revealing what those cameras have seen
• Tip 5: Just because there isn’t a warning sign, doesn’t mean there isn’t danger – Use your common sense and/or double check your plans with someone who knows the lay of the land
• Tip 6: Do your research – Any reputable company offering trips, excursions, tours will have a digital footprint on the Internet. Use Google to search for reviews before you use them
• Tip 7: Be suspicious of anyone who takes too much interest in you or your family – If someone you really don’t know invites you to join them in an excursion somewhere, don’t be afraid to turn them down. There are worse things than offending someone who you will probably never see again
• Tip 8: If going out of the country, check for government issued travel advisories for your destination. If the state department says someplace is unsafe, take heed
• Tip 9: Being on vacation doesn’t turn you into Superman – Don’t try doing anything that may be more physically involved than something you would do at home
• Tip 10: Always listen and be kind to your flight attendant – He or she has much more experience than you in dealing with onboard emergencies and situations. Their help could save your life!

FATAL SUNSET: Deadly Vacations is available for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, in Paperback and in audiobook form at Audible, Amazon and iTunes.

Pin It

Related posts:

1. Avoid the Slime
2. Movie Review – Safe House
3. Sucking the Heads, Safe Kids & Sea Bags

About the Book

101 Inspirational Stories for Mothers about Hard Work and Happy Families

With stories by famous moms, including Jane Green, Melora Hardin, Liz Lange, Jodi Picoult, and Jill Kargman, and stories from other moms who elected to stay at home or work from home. Every stay-at-home and work-from-home mom will view this book as having been written just for her! A reissue of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms, this book contains 101 great stories from mothers who have made the choice to stay home or work from home while raising their families. These multi-tasking, high-performing women have become today’s power mom. This is perfect for book groups as it contains a reader guide.

Purpose of the Books

After 15 years of bringing real people and their stories together to touch the lives of others, Chicken Soup for the Soul® has gone beyond the bookstore to become a world leader in life improvement. Chicken Soup for the Soul is home to the largest catalog of user-generated, life-changing stories. Through books, movies, DVDs, online resources and other partnerships it brings hope, courage, inspiration and love to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Chicken Soup for the Soul authors and readers belong to a one-of-a-kind global community that shares advice, support, guidance, comfort, and knowledge.

About the Company
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC, publishes all the latest titles in the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul book series which are distributed through Simon and Schuster, Inc. Since 1993, books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series have sold more than 112 million copies, with titles translated into more than 40 languages. Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing also licenses the right to use its famous trademark to high quality licensees through IMG, the world’s premier licensing agent. The company is currently implementing a plan to expand into all media, is working with TV networks on several TV shows and is developing a major Internet presence dedicated to life improvement, emotional support and inspiration. In 2007, USA Today named Chicken Soup for the Soul one of the five most memorable and impactful books in the last quarter century. For more information visit: http://www.chickensoup.com/.

Facts About The Reach of The Books

• Total retail sales of Chicken Soup for the Soul branded merchandise have topped $1.3 billion.
• The Chicken Soup for the Soul book series of over 200 titles has sold over 112 million copies, with titles translated into more than 40 languages.
• In 2008, Chicken Soup for the Soul became the best-selling trade paperback series in the history of publishing.
• Chicken Soup for the Soul is one of the world’s most well-known brands– 88.7% of the US public not only recognizes the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand, but knows what it is (source—Harris Polls).
• Chicken Soup for the Soul holds the world record for having the most titles on the New York Times bestseller list at one time.
• Chicken Soup for the Soul receives millions of monthly media impressions, with cross-promotion relationships in place with top media brands like King Features, Woman’s World, BeliefNet and others.
• Many of the world’s leading consumer brands have looked to Chicken Soup for the Soul for co-branding opportunities, including American Idol®, Coke®, NASCAR®, Marriott®, Campbell’s®, Arby’s®, Golf Digest® and others.
• Time Magazine called the Chicken Soup for the Soul series the “Publishing phenomenon of the decade.”
• In 2007, USA Today named Chicken Soup for the Soul one of the five most memorable and impactful books in the last quarter century.
• In 2008, Chicken Soup for the Soul and dick clark productions entered into an agreement to develop a television series based on the brand.

My Take On The Book
This was a great book that brought together some wonderful stories of moms making it work on a day to day basis. Many of the stories were heartwarming, but you really go to see some of the wonderful reasons and emotions of being a stay at home. You get to see the joys, highs and lows of this and I have to say that I can tell that any stay-at-home mom will love! This was a great book that I would recommend to all!

Giveaway

• Grab my badge to your sidebar

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site
• Sign Up for the Divadom Newsletter
• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away 3 @ChickenSoup4TheSoul Stay-at-Home Moms Books -http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway #win” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

• Like The Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint on Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimateCollegePreparationBlueprint (Leave username in comment)

• Sign Up for the Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint Newsletter

This contest will run until May 21, 2012 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

One of my many reference shelves. (Image: Brian McLaughlin)

When I get started on a new project or endeavor, I become a voracious consumer of information. I start reading everything I can get my hands on that will introduce me to that subject and give me a good foothold. If I am already well versed on a subject but I am going to be working with a new facet of that subject, I deep dive on that specialized topic and become really intimate with the details. What is always frustrating for me, however, is where to start. What is a good reference versus what is a dated or frowned-upon reference? I want to kick off a GeekDad Reference Library for topics of all sorts. It will be maintained on the GeekDad Community website and submissions will be accepted from the greater GeekDad community. What are your favorite references? What do you think a good starter point is for your geeklings to learn a topic? Let us know. To get this started, here are some of my favorite electronics references that I go to on a regular basis.

The Art of Electronics – Far from a beginner’s book on electronics I have heard this referred to as the electrical and computer engineering bible. You want to deep dive and really know why that component works the way it does? You are going to find it in The Art of Electronics.

Forrest Mims is a great author, in general, to reference. He has written numerous books on electronics and projects and some of my earliest memories of learning about electronics are from Forrest Mims books. Some great examples include:

• Getting Started in Electronics – I have the 1983 edition of this one.
• Timer, Op Amp, and Optoelectronic Circuits & Projects
• Forrest Mims Engineer’s Notebook

Principles of Electronic Instrumentation - This is actually one of my wife’s textbooks that I have absconded with and keep in my office and bring home a lot too. It is a great introduction to the way a number of sensors are read out and how to properly amplify and detect signals.

ATMega328P Complete Datasheet & ATTiny85 Complete Datasheet – So far, when it comes to microcontrollers, I got my start with the Arduino so I am partial to the Atmel chips. The ATMega328P is the controller on the Arduino Uno and the ATTiny85 and its family are actually easy to program through the Arduino IDE. Important since I run an all Mac household and Atmel Studio requires Windows.

The Arduino Language Reference – I am constantly going back to this site to check on the finer points of some of the Arduino functions. I also can never keep in my head how many bits are in some of the data types. Always good to have a language reference handy.

The Sparkfun Electronics Tutorials – The Sparkfun Electronics tutorials and Department of Education sites provide a great wealth of information on any number of subjects for projects you may want to build.

Adafruit Tutorials – Great tutorials on many different subjects. Get some ground under your feet and feel that you know what you are talking about, maybe you’ve earned one of Adafruit’s Skill Badges?

So what are some of your favorites? We aren’t just talking electronics here, whatever the subject is that you geek out about, let’s hear it and I will cultivate a knowledge repository at the GeekDad Community. Go to my submission page and let us know your favorites! Once I have reached a decent number of entries I will start posting over at the GeekDad community.

For the past five days ‘Goodbye, Pert Breasts’ and ‘Teething Pains’ have been available to download for free. You are probably already aware of this, as I’ve been tweeting about it incessantly to the point where I’m losing most of my real-life friends, as they’re sick of me.

I guessed I’d sell a few hundred, at most, and I’d have been more than happy with that. Hey, at least it gets the word out there, right? But then I read the sales reports, and nearly threw up over my keyboard.

Goodbye, Pert Breasts: 5,242

Teething Pains: 1,545

Total: 6,787

Whoa. 6,787 books downloaded. 6,787 people have my book(s). Both were number 1 and number 2 in the Top 100 Amazon Bestsellers in Parenting (and, bizarrely, ‘Self Help Guides’). ‘Goodbye, Pert Breasts’ even lingered around in the Top 10 Free Downloads across the whole of Amazon, like a suspicious youth loitering by the bus stop.

Yes, I know that anyone will download something if it’s free, but for me this is still the best thing that’s happened since I wrote these books – and it’ll certainly look good on my CV. 6,787 people can’t be wrong, right?

A huge thank you to everyone who has downloaded a copy. Thanks to you, I’ve been sporting Happy Face for most of the week, even when I’m on the loo.

A Celt relaxes between battles at Knight Realms, one of the LARPs featured in the new book Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games by Lizzie Stark (Photo credit: Kyle Ober; photo courtesy of James C. Kimball)

So you want to be Harry Potter, or Aragorn, or Frodo, or Kirk or Picard, or a barbarian. Or some mash-up — say, a steampunked brigand Robin Hood character who pilots a dirigible while stealing from the rich and giving the poor. Or a dwarf who’s in love with a werewolf. Or name your universe.

In LARP (live-action role-playing), you can be all that you can be.

However one describes this hobby/art form/performance — part Dungeons & Dragons game gone native, part walk-through choose-your-own adventure, part real-life video game with padded battle-axes and swords, part improv theater in the woods — LARP is experiencing a cultural surge.

Why? As Huey Lewis once sung, it’s hip to be square. We all feel more comfortable in our geekiness. But also this: Perhaps gamers are tiring of getting their fantasy fixes via screens. Because LARP requires being there — in the flesh. You can’t phone or Skype in a LARP. Folks get their DIY geek on, crafting their own capes and slapping on their own make-up. If the game master says it’s OK to play a French zombie-elf with a penchant for cheese, you run wild and do it. In the real world. You have to be real while you are being, er, fake. Like in novels, sometimes you have to make stuff up to tell the truth.

Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games (Chicago Review Press), a new book by journalist Lizzie Stark, gets to the heart of these questions.

Stark not only did her homework, she got an A+. She’s not reporting from the safety of her office, but from the boffer-swinging trenches of LARPing action. (Boffers are those foam weapons used for simulated, in-game combat.) She dons her costume to infiltrate the ranks of several LARP groups, from a wild west world called Deadlands to a medieval-themed game called Knight Realms to the U.S. military, which uses immersive role-playing as a training tool. She even travels to Denmark to check out the super-charged Nordic LARP scene. (You thought American LARPers were dedicated? Think again.) She also delves into LARP’s history and origins. The book is full of insightful and expertly written commentary by someone who knows of which she speaks.

Author Lizzie Stark (photo credit: Anannya Dasgupta)

Author Lizzie Stark is a freelance journalist who has contributed to the Daily Beast and the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is founder and editor of the literary journal Fringe and holds an MS in new media journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in Edison, New Jersey. (Full disclosure: I read an advance copy of Leaving Mundania, and submitted a blurb for the book’s back cover.)

I had a chance to check in with Stark during the early part of her book tour, before her life got too nutty. She talked about negative stereotpyes against LARPers, how kids can get involved in LARPing, where LARP is headed in the future and LARP’s “secret super-power.” And pickles.

[Note: Want to see Stark in person? Here are some upcoming events where you can hear the author read from her book: May 12: Modern Myths, Northampton, MA; May 15: Corner Bookstore, Manhattan; May 16: Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA; May 30: WORD, Brooklyn, NY. For more info on events and to read more about Leaving Mundania, visit Lizzie Stark.]

Gilsdorf: Tell us why you wrote the book.

Stark: Participatory culture has always fascinated me, and it doesn’t get more participatory than LARP. I wanted to peel back the curtain on this hidden subculture and find out what made the LARPers tick.

Knight Realms director James C. Kimball as the Count of Winterdark, a local noble in the world of this LARP (photo credit: Kyle Ober; courtesy of James C. Kimball).

Gilsdorf: How did you get into LARPing?

Stark: I’d never gamed before I started reporting for the book — in fact, I had an aversion to games — so I entered the world of LARP as an outsider. I spent my first few games observing other people before realizing that this was a terrible way to figure out what’s fascinating about a participatory hobby. So I threw myself into LARP, playing in a medieval fantasy game for 18 months, trying out different convention LARPs, and even running a Cthulhu Live game myself.

Gilsdorf: Did you consider yourself a geek before you started to LARP? What was the nature of your geekery?

Stark: I absolutely consider myself a geek, then and now. Growing up, I geeked out to origami, folk tales, and string games. My adult geekery involves writing, cookery, and Xena. I wrote my masters thesis on pickles — not the vinegar kind (vinegar kills!) — but good old fashioned delicious pro-biotic fermented pickles. Fermented foods are a little bit like LARP — each locality has a different (airborne microbial) culture that makes pickles or LARP different and special.

Gilsdorf: When talking to kids and teens about my book, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, I get a lot of questions about how to get involved in LARPing. What advice would you give?

Stark: Joining a LARP group is like dating; you have to find a party you’re compatible with. Think about the sorts of movies and books you like, and try to find a LARP group doing something similar. It might take a few tries before you find the right fit. For starting resources, I’d recommend Shade’s LARP List, which has links to many regional games. And gaming conventions, or other subculture conventions are a great place to meet LARPers and quickly experiment with a variety of games.

Gilsdorf: While video games, D&D and other nerd fun is largely acceptable now, compared to 20 years ago, I feel LARP is still the most out-there of the gaming genres. Most gamers who play Mass Effect would probably never participate in a science fiction boffer LARP; they might deride it as dress-up silliness. A result, people often categorically discriminate against LARPing. If you were a parent or mentor to kids, how would you shield young LARPers from the negative stereotyping? How to they armor themselves? Or do you not think this is an issue?

The full Cthulhu Live cast. From a LARP that Stark helped run (Photo: Lizzie Stark)

Stark: I think that the social stigma against LARPing is silly — why don’t we treat dressed-up sports fans, or Halloween costuming in the same way? — but sadly, in the US it’s still part of the culture, and some gamers still have internalized shame about the hobby they enjoy. I think that the best weapon against stereotyping is self-confidence — rolling out one’s interest in LARPing without apology and in a way that doesn’t invite apology, explaining it clearly and concisely to people who haven’t heard of it before, and recognizing that people who are disrespectful of something you enjoy don’t make the best friends.

Gilsdorf: Did you LARP at all with kids, or was it mostly adults? I wonder if there are legal issues at some LARPs that kids and adults can’t be at the same event.

Stark: I have definitely LARPed with kids. Many parent-child groups play Knight Realms, the medieval fantasy game I attended in New Jersey for about 18 months. Kids have to be at least ten, and accompanied by an adult in order to attend. For safety reasons, the game requires kids under 14 to be “non-combat” meaning that they can’t wield or be struck with boffers — the padded weapons used to simulate live combat. Oftentimes, kids play healers, and by the time they hit 14 their characters are quite powerful and sought-after.

A bedouin and a goblin conspire at feast time in Knight Realms. (Photo credit: Kyle Ober; photo courtesy of James C. Kimball)

So in general, LARP is a kid-friendly activity, especially in Denmark, which has a large kid-LARP movement. In the U.S., organizers who run games with adult themes will simply include an age limit in their game materials; when in doubt, ask.

Gilsdorf: Did you ever see technology being used in LARP and if so how?

Stark: Oh, yes. Sometimes, it’s used on a meta-game level to ease logistics, for example, when game organizers communicate with one another/herd monsters using walkie-talkies. But technology also plays a role in many games. Sci-fi games might ask players to complete simple circuits in order to start up the space ship, for example. In the book, I cover a pandemic flu simulation that staffed online bulletin boards with off-site individuals to simulate a local community’s response to player decisions.

Gilsdorf: What was the biggest surprise about LARP you discovered while putting Leaving Mundania together?

The obligatory pre-LARP mirror shot of Verva Malone, Lizzie's first LARP character. The cigarette is fake. (Photo credit: Lizzie Stark)

Stark: Its secret super-power: LARP has the power to create meaningful, close-knit community among almost anyone. I saw this power manifest over and over again during the writing of my book.

Gilsdorf: At what point did the project cease becoming research and felt more like fun?

Stark: Probably when I started hauling homemade pickles to Knight Realms and selling them in game as my character; it was a lot of fun to watch people eat them.

Gilsdorf: Where is LARP headed in the future — any ideas?

Stark: Two ideas. I think LARP is headed toward recognition as an art form. The Nordic countries already have a robust arty-LARP scene that is increasingly influencing art-LARP and indie roleplaying scenes in the states. Plus, the NEA [National Endowment for the Arts] expanded its grant guidelines to make digital games eligible for funding last May, legitimizing games as an art form. Arty games are here to stay.

I think we’ll see more educational LARP in the states as well. The Nordic countries have already begun leveraging LARP’s power to keep kids interested and involved. For example, there’s a school for teens in Denmark called Østerskov Efterskole that teaches through roleplay, along with a handful of other edu-LARP groups. In the U.S., the Camp Half-Blood summer programs, based on the Rick Riordan novels, seem to have similar aims. And I know of more than a few U.S. LARPers who are interested in getting into the educational game.

Gilsdorf: Well, thanks for your time and congrats on the book. I hope it’s a big success.

Stark: Sure. Thanks for having me. LARP has something valuable to add to the cultural conversation. Everyone should try it at least once!

To read more about Leaving Mundania and Lizzie Stark, visit her website.

And be sure to check out more conversation with Lizzie Stark on this week’s GeekMom podcast.

I have partnered with Alpha Books to offer a winner three books that will challenge and delight you! The three books that the winner would receive include:  The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Picture Puzzles, Volume 2 , Puzzle Baron’s Sudoku and Puzzle Baron’s Logic Puzzles, Volume 2. These three brain-challenging books include a variety of puzzles for beginner through expert solvers. If the puzzles prove too difficult, there’s an answer key in each book to help.

These books are great and whether you are on the road or simply sitting back in your own living room, you will enjoy the challenge and the skill that it takes to tackle these (at least some of these).

Giveaway

• Grab my badge to your sidebar

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site

• Sign Up for the Divadom Newsletter

• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)

• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away 3 @puzzlebaron & @IdiotsGuides #Books that will Challenge Your #brain -http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway #win #giveaway” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

• Like The Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint on Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimateCollegePreparationBlueprint (Leave username in comment)

• Sign Up for the Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint Newsletter

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until May 17, 2012 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

There is a mess in this house, long and winding — a trail of places left, those to go, and the hopes and tangents along the way. To leave it is lazy and layered in dust and frustration. To clean it is to deny that the sun ever thought to shine.

All things are out of order — lost crowns are newfound treasure, and open-faced books are the windows that we all fall into. Every out of place thing is but a bookmark where words did run across the paths of adventure. Every small muddy footprint is but a footnote to home and history. So many mountains. So many molehills.

Brooms are the batons of a warm and happy brass band. Their days are spent in sweeping parades and the spreading of springtime. They spend their nights in kitchen closets telling tales of clouds and flying to mops, buckets, and all who would listen. The quiet is filled with longings always longer and the constant wonder of which straw will be the last.

The day rolls slowly over shade and shadows, and the house tells time across cobblestones and wildflowers. The stars show up better late than never.

A rare spot of uncluttered floor lends itself to the wild dance of many things, and songs grown within the moment. Our little home is warmed by little boys and their hearts are full of rumpus.

There is a mess in this house, and it will linger through the morrow.

_____________________________________

In memory of Maurice Sendak, 1928 – 2012

Illustration from In Grandpa’s House

For more than 25 years, American Girl’s award-winning books have helped millions of girls discover the joy of reading and have earned the trust of parents and educators. This summer, to celebrate books and encourage girls to keep their reading skills sharp while school is out, American Girl is introducing Read-a-palooza, a summer reading program created for girls ages 8 to 12. Packed with fun activities and incentives that encourage literacy, Read-a-palooza will run from May 1 to September 3, 2012, and also will include a charitable partnership with Save the Children’s U.S. literacy program.

To participate in Read-a-palooza, girls can visit americangirl.com/reading, where they can download colorful bookmarks and free book-related content, such as tips and materials for starting a book club. They’ll also be able to do reading challenges and take fun, interactive quizzes. Starting in June, girls can participate in Read-a-palooza by visiting an American Girl retail store, where free reading events will be offered all summer long.

To further emphasize the importance of reading and to help a great cause during its Read-a-palooza campaign, American Girl is partnering with Save the Children’s U.S. literacy program. From May 1 through September 3, 2012, $1 of every book purchased through American Girl (up to a maximum of $100,000) will support Save the Children’s efforts to raise literacy rates in impoverished communities by providing basic education and equipping schools and teachers with reading materials. In addition, American Girl will make its third donation of books to Save the Children this fall, bringing the value of the company’s total book donation to nearly $1.5 million.

For more information about Read-a-palooza and American Girl’s partnership with Save the Children, visit americangirl.com/reading.

Giveaway

Bonus Entries

• Grab my badge to your sidebar

<a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

• Subscribe to the Dad of Divas Reviews Site

• Sign Up for the Divadom Newsletter

• Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)

• Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away 5-6 American Girl #Books  -http://dadofdivas.com/giveaway #win #giveaway” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)

• Like Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

• Like The Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint on Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/TheUltimateCollegePreparationBlueprint (Leave username in comment)

Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until May 11, 2012 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

——————————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

————————————————————————-

New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com