'Jackie Joyner Kersee Superwoman'

Well folks, tonight is the Opening Ceremonies of the XXX Olympiad Games in London.
I will be watching them at Homewood's Olympic Training Site at Lakeshore Foundation with some of the USA top Paralympic athletes. My love for the Olympics begin as a child and over the years I have had the good future to meet and know so many Olympic heroes. A few include Alice Coachman, Willma Rudolph, Billy Mills, Bob Beamor, Charlies Barkley, Jennifer Chandler, Rowdy Gaines, Michael Johnson, Florance (FoJo) Griffin, Carl Lewis, but one of my favorites is Jackie Joyner Kersee.

Homewood Public Library Children's Department  has several biographies on Jackie Joyner Kersee, because she is one of my favorite Olympians and people. A product of title IX , she is a shining example of what young women, given a chance to compete in high school and college sports, can hope to achieve. She is also a shining example of an accomplished athlete who gives back to her sport.

Jackie Joyner Kersee Superwoman follows Jackie's athletic career from Lincoln High School in East St. Louis through 1994, a period in time when Jackie was breaking world records and ground for female athletes in Olympic sports. This book is co-authored by Margaret Goldstein and Jennifer Larson. Larson, a seven-time All-American in track and cross country from St. Olaf College, provides a unique insight into the hard work and determination required to be successful in a sport on the Olympic level. 

The London Games are here, and new stars will certainly emerge. I am excited and also feel so lucky I am now meeting some of my Paralympic heroes like Aimee Bruder and Aliison Milford. That said, Jackie Joyner Kersee will always be one of my favorites. She will also always be recognized as one of the top USA Olympians of all times. I hope you will read about her accomplishments and now let the games begin!

 

To reserve a copy of this book click here.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Meet Ivan, a silverback gorilla who is the main attraction at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Ivan has a pretty nice life. He has his TV, his art, and his friends (including Stella the Elephant and Bob the stray dog). Ivan doesn’t really think about his old life with his gorilla family. Ivan is content in his domain. Soon, a new arrival shakes things up at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. When Ivan meets Ruby, a baby elephant who joins them to boost business, Ivan realizes that there is more to life than what he knows. 

    The One and Only Ivan is a lovely story about friendship that you cannot help but love. The characters are endearing and the story of Ivan and Ruby is quite powerful. Based on the true story of a gorilla at the Atlanta Zoo, The One and Only Ivan will utterly charm you.

An English Summer

With the start of the XXX Olympiad Games in London, in less than two days, all eyes will  soon be on England. But the truth is between the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton a little over a year ago and this magnificent production by PBS there are already a lot Anglophiles here in the good old USA.

Downton Abbey, is a beautiful  'period'  production shot on location. In 2011 it entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the "most critically acclaimed English language  television show" for the year", becoming the first British show to be recognized as such by the Guinness Book of Records.  So what are you waiting for?

This August, between watching  the outstanding athletic events going on at the  London Olympics, I highly suggest you find time to make yourself a spot of tea, relax and enjoy Downton Abbey.

To check out Downton Abbey Session One click here.

Click here to learn more about PBS Masterpiece Theater's Downton Abbey

The Gift of Fire / On the Head of a Pin: two short novels from Crosstown to Oblivion

     Walter Mosley's latest work, "The Gift of Fire / On the Head of a Pin: two short novels from Crosstown to Oblivion" is another foray into the world of science fiction.The two novels require the mind to try and comprehend two tales of the past, present, and future.They are as much alike as they are different.One novel delves into the gift of internal fire and how a former god must decide who is worthy of carrying the flame.This flame is the flame that makes one decide to get off the sidelines and do something.The other novel is the meshing of an alien being who looks prehistoric but actually is years more advanced than modern man.Somewhere along the way the more man went forward, the more he went backward. ~L. Jones

Jump!

Michael Jordan was not always a household name. Once upon a time he was just an ordinary boy living in North Carolina with his family. Jump! From the life of Michael Jordan by Floyd Cooper is the story of how that ordinary Michael became 'Air' Jordan, one of the most outstanding athletes of the century.  

Michael Jordan is a two time Olympic Gold Medalist. He earned Gold Medals on the USA 1984 Olympics team, while he was a Junior at the University of North Carolina, and also as a member of the infamous 1992 USA Olympic 'Dream Team' that won Gold in Barcelona, Spain. 

To check out this book click here.

Taste of Home Cookbooks

We have all been there. We open up our cabinets after spending all day at work and we see nothing to eat. Yes, there are usually plenty of ingredients, but what to make? The last time I want to do is spending hours cooking and prepping something, especially after work.

That’s why I love the Taste of Home cookbooks. My two favorites are Taste of Home: The BusyFamily Cookbook and Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious. 

 The recipes are simple, quick, and incorporate items that most kitchens already have (none of those fancy shmancy ingredients you’ve never heard of and cost an arm and a leg), and Taste of Home provides beautiful pictures. I love cookbooks with photos that way I know what it is suppose to look like. If you are looking for some simple and great cookbooks with recipes that your whole family will enjoy then Taste of Home books are definitely what you are looking for. 

Be sure to check out some of the other great Taste of Home cookbooks that are in the system! Click here for more choices. 

Here is a recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Chicken that is a favorite of my family!It is beyond yummy! Enjoy :)

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley by Jamie Fedorko is the biography of the Leeds, Alabama native and member of two USA Olympic teams.

The book is one of the Overcoming Adversity:Sharing the American Dream series. It tells how Charlies, a kid  raised by his Mother and Grandmother, dreamed of playing in the NBA and accomplished that and much more.


It has been said that Charles Barkley's best and worst qualities are that he "tells things just like he sees them." Fedorko seems to have adopted that same philosophy when he wrote this book. It is a simple sixty- four page, interesting and easy to read account of Charles' youth, his college years at Auburn University, his incredible career in the NBA, and his experience as a member of the USA Olympic Basketball Dream Team. Also, and maybe more importantly, it tells the story of how Charles found success after his professional basketball career ended, doing that thing he does so well (or poorly...depending on who you ask) as a television personality.

To reserve a copy of this book for check out click here.