Turkey & Tomato Panini

By EatingWell.com
June 28, 2009
 

A creamy spread full of Parmesan and fresh basil cozies up to turkey and summer-ripe tomato slices for a savory hot sandwich that will quickly become a go-to mealtime solution.

Prep Time:	25 minutes
Ready in:	25 minutes
Yield:	4 servings
Ease of Prep:	Easy

 

Recipe Ingredients
	3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
	2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
	2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
	2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
	1 teaspoon lemon juice
	Freshly ground pepper to taste
	8 slices whole-wheat bread
	8 ounces thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli turkey
	8 tomato slices
	2 teaspoons canola oil

Recipe Directions

• 1. Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.
• 2. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the mixture on each slice of bread. Divide turkey and tomato slices among 4 slices of bread; top with the remaining bread.
• 3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

 

Health Advantages: low calorie, high fiber, low sat fat, low cholesterol, heart healthy, healthy weight.

Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 4
	Amount Per serving
	Calories:	272 cal					Carbohydrate Servings:	2
	Carbohydrates:	36 g		Dietary Fiber:	5 g		Cholesterol:	27 mg
	Fat:	4 g		Sodium:	680 mg		Saturated Fat:	1 g
	Protein:	10 g		Potassium:	118 mg		Monounsaturated Fat:	1 g
	Nutrition Bonus:	Fiber (20% daily value), Calcium & Iron (15% dv).
	Exchanges:	2 starch, 1 lean meat

 Source: Family.go

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Kids and Eating Disorder- The Signs

by: Michelle New, PhD
June 26, 2009

Humans need food and water to live. Kids especially need to eat healthy food – and enough of it – to grow and develop. But for some kids, they hear about food making them “too fat” or they start to worry about food – and some kids stop eating right, eat too little, or try to make themselves throw up after they eat.

Doing this can make kids get very sick – without enough food, or if a kid keeps throwing up – it makes our bodies stop growing and developing in a healthy way. If this goes on for a long time, kids can get very sick and need to go to hospital to be fed through a tube in their nose. Sometimes people can’t stop their bodies getting so sick, and it can even lead to death. Why, then, would anyone do it? Well, there isn’t just one answer – there are many.

Some say it’s because there are lots of too-thin models and movie or TV stars. We see these people’s bodies on TV, the computer, or in a magazine and might feel that we want to look like that too because they seem rich and happy all the time. A lot of us like the way that TV stars and sports celebrities look, or they wish their own bodies looked different.

But that’s probably not the whole story. Most kids just enjoy looking at pictures of famous people and seeing them on TV, but it doesn’t make them change their own lives. Some might start trying to eat healthy and exercise, or ask their parents if they can help them to be more healthy.

But some people go on a diet, which means they start eating less food – and sometimes dieting can get out of control. Some kids at school might start competing about how little they have eaten that day. Some brag about having a diet soda for breakfast. But this can be the start of unhealthy eating problems.

Anyone can have an eating disorder: boys and girls, kids, teens, and adults. Let’s find out more about eating disorders.

What Is Anorexia?

You’ve probably heard about anorexia, which is also called anorexia nervosa (say: an-uh-rek-see-uh nur-voh-suh). With this problem, the main thing is that someone becomes very afraid of gaining weight and also thinks his or her body is too fat (even if the person is thin). Some people just lose a lot of weight by extreme dieting (not eating enough), and some also might vomit after they eat.

People with anorexia often have depression or anxiety. To help someone with anorexia, it is important to have a doctor, therapist, and nutritionist to help, as well as your family.

Some of the symptoms of anorexia include:

• losing lots of weight
• denying feeling hungry (saying you are not hungry even if you are)
• exercising too much
• feeling fat
• withdrawing from social activities (not wanting to go to parties or out for dinner)

What Is Bulimia?

Instead of starving themselves, people who have bulimia nervosa (say: boo-lee-mee-uh nur-voh-suh) will binge and purge. That means they will binge (that is, eat a huge amount of food, like a tub of ice cream, then a big bag of chips, then a box of cookies in 2 hours or so), then purge (try to get rid of it by vomiting or taking laxatives, usually in secret).

Kids who have bulimia usually feel helpless and that they can’t get control over what they eat or other things in their lives. Bingeing and purging can be a way for them to have some control. Kids sometimes develop bulimia when something new or stressful enters their life, like a move to a new town or a parents’ divorce. Kids with bulimia can sometimes be harder to spot than kids with anorexia because their weight is often in the range of what’s normal.

Some of the symptoms that kids with bulimia might have include:

• making excuses to go to the bathroom immediately after meals
• eating huge amounts of food without weight gain
• using laxatives or diuretics (medicine that makes you poop and pee)
• withdrawing from social activities

What Causes Eating Disorders?

There really is no single cause for an eating disorder. Most kids who develop anorexia do so between the ages of 11 and 14 (although it can start as early as age 7), and there are many reasons why. Some kids just don’t feel good about themselves on the inside and this makes them try to change the outside. They might be depressed or stressed about things and feel as though they have no control over their lives. They see what they eat (or don’t eat) as something that they can control.

Sometimes kids involved in certain sports might feel they need to change their body or be thin to compete. Girls who model also might be more likely to develop an eating disorder. All of these girls know their bodies are being watched closely, and they may develop an eating disorder in an attempt to make their bodies more “perfect.”

When boys develop eating disorders, it’s usually because they’re in a sport that emphasizes weight, such as wrestling. Wrestlers compete based on weight classes. For instance, there’s one class for 75-pound boys and another for 80-pound boys. Wrestlers feel pressure to stay in their weight class, which is called “making weight.”

Eating disorders also may run in families, which means if someone in your family has one, you might be at risk for developing one, too. A kid may be more likely to develop an eating disorder if a parent is overly concerned with the kid’s appearance or if the parent isn’t comfortable with his or her own body.

Can Somebody Catch an Eating Disorder?

You can’t catch an eating disorder from someone the way you can catch a cold. But the friends who you spend time with can influence you and how you see yourself. If your friends think the most important thing is to be thin, you may start to feel that way, too. And if they are doing unhealthy things to be thin, you might feel pressure to do so, too

Eating Disorders Do Damage

No one wants to be overweight, but your body needs some fat to work properly. Someone whose weight gets too low will start having health problems. If this goes on too long, those problems may be severe and can cause death.

Anorexia may do damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys. A girl with anorexia may be delayed in getting her period or stop getting her period. Breathing, blood pressure, and pulse also may drop – this is the body’s way of shifting into low gear to protect itself. Fingernails may break and hair may fall out, too.

Kids with anorexia often do not feel well – they suffer from headaches, dizziness, and concentration difficulties. They also may become withdrawn and moody. And people with anorexia will feel chilly even in warm weather because they don’t have enough body fat to keep them warm.

For kids with bulimia, the most serious problem is that their purging means a loss of potassium, an important nutrient. Potassium is found in foods such as bananas, tomatoes, beans, and melons. Too little potassium can lead to dangerous heart problems.

Someone who has bulimia might have problems with tooth decay because puke is acidic. Too much throwing up also can cause “chipmunk cheeks,” when glands in the cheeks actually expand. People with bulimia also may damage their stomachs and kidneys and have constant stomach pain. Like girls with anorexia, girls with bulimia also may stop menstruating.

In addition to the health problems, kids who have an eating disorder are probably not having much fun. Typically, these kids miss out on good times because they pull away from friends and keep to themselves. They don’t want to have pizza with their friends or enjoy a birthday party

Signs of Eating Disorders

Weight loss is not normal, or healthy, for kids because they are growing. If you or someone you know is losing weight, you should talk with a parent, teacher, coach, or other adult that you trust. If a friend is skipping meals, becomes obsessed with how many calories are in food, or starts exercising all the time, these may be additional signs something is wrong. With bulimia, the signs would be someone who’s storing or buying a lot of food, then hiding out to binge and purge.

Getting Well

Talking about having a problem and getting help is the first step to getting back to being healthy again. It’s important to take action as soon as possible. Someone with an eating disorder may see a doctor, a dietitian, and a counselor or therapist. Together, the team can help the person achieve the goals of reaching a healthy weight, following a nutritious diet, and feeling good about himself or herself again.

Source: Kids Health

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

What to do on Summer Vacations?

by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
June 26, 2009 

Like a delicious recipe you cook in your kitchen, a great trip needs more than one ingredient. You need a great place, fun stuff to do, and fun people to share it with, according to about 300 kids who responded to our survey about summer vacations.

Around the World

Some kids are already seasoned travelers, having visited Africa, India, China, Europe, the Philippines, and Fiji, an island in the South Pacific Ocean.

Ellie, 10, had a blast in Portugal – especially the night they were allowed to jump in the pool with their clothes on.

Hridaya, 11, saw the Taj Mahal on a visit to India.

Alex, 10, said his family had a great time in Perranporth and Newquay, beach areas in Great Britain. According to Alex, “Newquay Zoo rocks!”

Across the Country

Back in the United States, kids liked traveling to the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Disney World, and, of course, good old grandma’s house.

Dean, 8, said the best part of his summer is the garden he and his grandmother plant every year.

Other kids said they also had a blast without going too far from home. They visited relatives, ran through sprinklers, and visited nearby beaches.

Sarah, 12, remembers a parade on the boardwalk in New Jersey. People in the parade threw candy to the kids. “Me and my sister got so much candy – enough to last us until Halloween!”

Other kids watched the landscape change as they traveled to a different part of the country.

Taylor, 11, remembers the view out the airplane window as she flew across the United States from the East Coast to Arizona. “Buildings turned into farms, and farms into deserts. It was cool!” Taylor said. “When we got to the Grand Canyon, I was speechless! I can’t even explain how cool and beautiful it was! You would have to see it for yourself

Hammocks, Fishing Rods, and Hula Skirts

Tiannah, 11, said her best trip was to Vermont, the home of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. In addition to the ice cream, she liked lying on a comfortable hammock and sleeping under the stars.

Sophie, 11, liked her trip to Colorado best because she learned to cast a fishing rod in a wobbly canoe. She also learned the backstroke in the hotel pool.

Hawaii was a favorite spot for a number of kids who wrote us.

Diana, 11, liked it so much she wants to move there. “I went to the beach, saw snakes, fish, and a sailfish in the ocean, ate great food, got sunburned, and rode in the new rented car we got.”

Where you vacation is important, but as kids described their favorite trips, it was the people that seemed to matter most. In fact, more than half of kids said fun people were the most important ingredient – more important than a great place or fun stuff to do.

Mabembe, 12, said her best trip was a couple years ago when her family took a very long drive to Toronto for a wedding. “What made the trip sooo fun was that we drove,” she said. “Yes you heard right, we drove! Two and a half days long. I tell ya, it was all worth it because we did it together as a family.”

Lucie, 11, said her best vacation was when her family went to Tanzania in Africa. “I went not to have a safari adventure, but a family one. We went because all my family lives there except my mom, dad, my brother, me, and my sister. That was the best part because I could meet my distant family.”

Fantasy Trips Far, Far Away

Family and friends also were important as kids described where they’d go on a dream vacation. Some kids chose popular vacation spots, but others said they wanted to visit other planets or go back in time!

Jen, 12, wants to visit 1960s. Why? To see the Beatles live in concert. “I am a big fan of the Beatles and am disappointed that I wasn’t even alive when they were together. I’d take my parents so they could tell me about the ’60s so I would know how to act in a different decade!”

Nina, 15, would take her best friend, Kathy, to the moon so they could float around in zero gravity.

Madeline, 8, wants to take her dog, Captain, on a trip to Saturn.

Megan, 10, would like to take her family and her cats, Marcie and Buster, on a trip to see volcanoes. She’d stop in Hawaii and Yellowstone National Park – two volcanic spots – to get a head start on her career. “I want to study volcanoes when I grow up,” she said.

Hyder, 12, wants to go to Norway to see how it stays light for 6 months of the year and dark for the other 6. Who would he take? “My mom because I love her very much.”

Matt, 10, says he wants to go to Washington, DC, to see his uncle and to see the new Major League Baseball team, the Nationals. He’d take his family “because they have done so many things for me.”

Alaina, 13, says she’s always wanted to visit Queensland, Australia. She’d visit the Sydney Opera House and explore Australian culture. Who would she bring? “My mom, dad, and no one else. Ha-ha, just kidding. I’d take along my little brother, too.”

It’s hard to tell if Ashlei, 10, was kidding when she said she’d take no one with her on a dream vacation to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Why go alone? “I want all the chocolate to myself,” she said.

Source: Kids Health

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. We would also want to hear what you are doing for your summer vacation? dan@youngchronicle.com

Kids Ask Sparky – About Playing with Matches

by Sparky
June 25, 2009

Here’s your chance to ask me questions you may about safety. I’ll try to answer as many questions as I can, but I receive a lot of mail, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see your question right away. Be sure to include your first name, your age, and your hometown.

(Q) What happens when you play with matches?

(A) When  playing with fire cause hundreds of deaths and injuries each year. Preschoolers and kindergartners are most likely to start these fires, typically by playing with matches and lighters, and are most likely to die in them.

Safety tips

• Store matches and lighters out of children’s reach and sight, up high, preferably in a locked cabinet.
• Never use lighters or matches as a source of amusement for children; they may imitate you.
• If your child expresses curiosity about fire or has been playing with fire, calmly but firmly explain that matches and lighters are tools for adults only.
• Use only lighters designed with child-resistant features. Remember child-resistant does not mean child proof.
• Teach young children and school-age children to tell an adult if they see matches or lighters.
• Never leave matches or lighters in a bedroom or any place where children may go without supervision.
• If you suspect your child is intentionally setting fires or unduly fascinated with fire, get help. Your local fire department, school, or community counseling agency can put you in touch with trained experts.

Source: NFPA and   Sparky the Fire Dog

Editor’s Note: We would like to hear from you and tell us what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

 

 

Tip of Week – Child Abduction

By Special Agent Bobby Bureau
June 23, 2009

 

Editor’s Note: We are always looking for ways to inform parents of programs that will help them raise their children. Well we found one it is called “Special Agent Bobby Bureau”. We will be joining him to give you tips for kids of all ages. The best way to tell you about this agent is to let him tell you himself.

The Kids’ Page is designed for children and their parents to learn more about the FBI through age-appropriate games, tips, stories and inter actives. We also introduce you to our working dogs and show how FBI special agents and analysts investigate cases. First, can you help Special Agent Bobby Bureau get in disguise for his undercover assignment? He’s depending on you. You have to visit the sight to sign up as a special agent. Today’s Tip: Child Abduction.

Have you ever found yourself separated from your mom or dad? It’s scary, isn’t it? Then you know how your parents feel when they can’t find you! You might not think that it’s a big deal to wander off while you’re in the store with your mom or dad, but think how scared they will be when they can’t find you. Most of the time, you wander back and everything is okay. There are some times when kids are abducted. This means that they are taken against their will. Abduction involves people doing bad things to you or asking you to do things to them that make you feel uncomfortable.

Here’s the hard part: Could you spot an abductor on the street? Could you tell which person in a crowd is a kidnapper? Unfortunately, kidnappers don’t always look or act differently. They may try to give you candy or presents and offer to be your friend. Just remember that they could harm you.

The good news is that most kids or young adults who are abducted are returned home safely. If one of your friends was ever taken, know that they have a team of the toughest, most intelligent and resourceful law enforcement personnel trying to find them: the police. The FBI helps the local and state police investigate the kidnapping.

Remember that child abduction is very rare. However, it is important to use your good sense in all situations.

 

Here are some good rules to follow to protect yourself.

1. Share a secret code word.

You and your parents should agree on a code word that is easy for you to remember. This way, if anyone tells you that you need to come with them because your parents were hurt or are in the hospital, you can ask them for the code word. If they really are a friend, they will know the code word that you and your parents share. If they do not know the code word, you should run away from them as fast as possible.

2. Stay away from strangers.

Who is a stranger? If you’ve seen someone hanging around your playground at school or in your neighborhood, this does not mean that you know him or her. Although he has a familiar face, he is still a stranger to you!

3. Grownups should NOT ask kids to do things that other adults can
do for them.

This means that you should not go, or get in a car, with an adult who, for example, asks you for directions. Grownups should not ask you to help them find a lost puppy or kitten, either. If someone does ask for your help, say, “Wait here and I’ll check with my mom.” Then go get your mom.

4. If you lose your parents in a public place like a store or a park
do not go looking for them.

Immediately ask someone who works there to help you find them. Tell them you have been separated from your parents and you need help finding them.

5. Always ask your parents or a grownup in charge before:

• going anywhere with anybody;
• leaving the yard, play area, or going into someone’s home;
• getting a ride home with someone other than your bus driver or your usual ride; and/or
• getting into a car or going somewhere with somebody even if it’s someone you know!!

6. Once you have permission from your parents:

• Tell them where you are going
• Tell them how you will get there
• Tell them who will be going with you
• Tell them when you will be back
• And get back on time or call to let them know when you will be back!

7. If someone follows you on foot or in a car, STAY AWAY.

You do NOT need to go near the car to talk to the people inside.

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: FBI

Allergies at camp

By Alexander
June 22, 2009

Dear Alexander,

(Q) The school year is about to finish and I’ll be going to a soccer camp during the summer where no one knows anything about my allergy to milk and eggs. My school teachers and classmates were so great with my food allergies, but now I have to start all over. I almost don’t want to say anything, but I know my parents will be sitting down to talk with the coach about what I can and can’t eat for snacks. Do I really have to tell the other kids in the camp?

(A) As you get older, it is harder to tell other people about your food allergy. However, this is the time that it is most important. Everyone is new at the camp, and everyone is getting to know one another. There will be food at camp, so you should find one or two friends whom you will be spending a lot of time with that you can talk to about food allergies. You don’t need to announce it to the world, but having a few people around you who know what foods you should avoid and how they can help if you have a reaction is a smart thing to do. You’ll be setting up a safe network of people, just like the one you have at school right now.

Remember, food allergies do not define who you are. They are just a small part of you that others need to know about so they can help you stay safe.

Good luck!

Your friend,

 Alexander

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchrionicle.com

Source: Faan Kids

Teach Kids Good Money Choices

By MVParents/PIO
June 27, 2009

In order to survive-and thrive-in our American culture, we need money. We need money to pay for the necessities of life. We need money to save so we can plan our futures. We need money to give so we can help make our world a better place.

Yet, how do we teach our children and teenagers how to earn well, save well, give well, and spend well when we’re bombarded with conflicting messages of how to use our money well as adults? Fortunately, we can help our kids make good money choices by teaching them key financial skills, talking about the values that guide our money decisions, and giving them opportunities that not only help them manage money well now-but also in the future.

Focusing on kids’ financial literacy is important for people from all income levels. It’s not about how much money you have (or don’t have), it’s about teaching kids the skills to manage money well so that they thrive. The National Endowment for Financial Education says that as little as 10 hours of personal financial education affects young people’s spending and savings habits in a positive way. With only 7 percent of parents from the same study saying their kids understand financial matters well, it’s time for all kids to learn the skills they need to make lifelong, positive money choices.

 

Facts from Search Institute

While 46 percent of adults say it’s important for adults to give financial guidance to children and teenagers, only 35 percent of adults actually do so.
Young people are more likely to save money when they have more Developmental Assets. While only 27 percent of young people with 10 assets or fewer save money, 70 percent of young people with 31 or more assets save money.

Young people are less likely to gamble when they have more Developmental Assets. While 30 percent of young people with 10 assets or fewer gamble, only 4 percent of young people with 31 or more assets gamble.

The Asset Advantage

Many of the Developmental Assets are core skills and values that are foundational to making smart money choices. These Developmental Assets include positive family communication, service to others, adult role models, planning and decision making, responsibility, honesty, restraint, family boundaries, positive peer influence, personal power, and positive view of the future. Having more Developmental Assets contributes to making smarter money decisions and avoiding high-risk money behaviors, such as gambling.

Ideas You Can Use Every Day

Talking about Money

Kids often complain that they never have any money. Help them see where their money comes from by asking how often they receive money from these sources: allowances, gifts (birthdays, holidays), extra jobs around the house, part-time jobs, things they make and sell to friends, or running a small business (such as repairing bikes or mowing lawns).

Talk about how your values affect your money choices. For example, how does your caring for others impact how you save, spend, and give money away? Why do you sometimes wait to make certain purchases? What does it mean to you to be responsible with your money?

 Every parent needs to (and should!) say no to some requests for money and purchases. When you do say no, focus on values and responsible decision making. Instead of saying, we don’t have money for that, say, “We use our money in other ways” or “This isn’t in our budget” or “We need to save money for a while to buy this.”

When you’re struggling financially, be honest with your kids about your situation. You don’t need to worry them with all the details, but it is helpful for them to learn that money isn’t magical. It doesn’t appear when you want it to. Invite them to be creative and join you in making decisions that are within your means.

 

Learning More about Money Management

Financial management can be overwhelming. There are so many aspects to it, and it’s easy to feel inept about money matters. Focus on what you know and build on that. Research money advice via the Internet or a good book at the library, such as Raising Money-Smart Kids. by Janet Bodnar.

Periodically read about money news in the newspaper, a newsmagazine, or the Internet. Today, a lot of news stories about the economy are making headlines. What can you learn from these stories? What issues do these stories raise to talk about with your kids?

Practicing Money Skills

When you give your child an allowance, have your child set aside a portion of the earnings for saving, for giving, and for spending. By doing this up front, you’re more likely to manage money beyond just spending it.

Although it’s helpful to teach kids that they cannot spend more than they have, it’s also helpful once in a while for your kids to borrow money from you and then pay it back on a regular basis. For example, if your child wants to buy a bicycle, a video game, or an mp3 player, have your child save up a certain amount for a down deposit and then figure out a payment plan (and stick to that plan every step of the way) until it is completely paid off.

Open up a savings account in your child’s name. Take your child to the bank at least three to four times a year to make deposits. Show how your child earns money by saving money.

Help your child discover a passion for a cause, such as saving the rainforest or helping endangered animals. Research good causes at Charity Navigtor.

Source: MVParents

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Sailing on the High Seas

By Demarian Williams
June 25, 2009

Editor’s Note: Kid Reporter Demarian Williams recently interviewed author Ted Bell about his book Nick of Time. Bell’s publications are action-filled spy thrillers. His work includes Hawke, Assassin, and Pirate from the popular Alex Hawke series

SN: What other books are you working on right now?
Bell: I’m working on a sequel to Nick of Time. Have you read Nick of Time, Demarian?

SN: Yes, sir.
Bell: Did you like it?

SN: I loved it.
Bell: Well I’m glad to hear that. In the sequel, it’s going be called The Revolutionary Spy, and Nick is going to learn how to fly his father’s old World War I airplane, and he’s going be making nighttime bombing runs on the Germans that invaded his island. And he’s also going to go back to the Revolutionary War and help General Washington. So I’m working on the sequel to Nick of Time, and I’m working on the next Alex Hawke book, which is my spy thriller. And that’s going be about a problem in England.

SN: In your opinion, what’s the best book you’ve ever written?
Bell: I have to say maybe Nick of Time. I think that’s still my favorite. I don’t know if it’s the best one. That’s like asking someone to pick his favorite child. It was the first one I wrote. I think it’s still maybe my favorite. I just got the first of the real hardcover, illustrated books this morning, and it’s just great to hold it in your hand and look at it.

SN: Where do you get your ideas for books?
Bell: If I knew that, I would patent the formula and sell it. It’s just imagination, you know? It probably comes from spending your whole life reading books.

SN: How do you plan your books? What do you write?
Bell: I live in Florida, and I live on a small lagoon. I sit and look out at the water all day-that’s what my desk is. So I sit and write on my Apple, and I also have a laptop, a Powerbook, that I carry with me when I travel, so I’m writing no matter where I am.

SN: When you write a book, do you make it up as you go along or do you plot it out first?
Bell: I completely do it as I go along. A lot of writers tell me that it would be much easier to do an outline, but I don’t think it would be much fun. I like to sit down every day and not know where the book is going. I have no idea where the book is going to go or how it’s going to end as I’m writing it. About two thirds of the way through, I start to figure out how it’s going to end.

SN: Are some of your books based on real people you know?
Bell: Probably a mix, a blend of people, not specific characters-more personality traits of people I’ve met during my life.

SN: In your opinion, what does a good book need?
Bell: It needs a good story, first and foremost. It needs a beginning, a middle, and an end. A good story is the most central ingredient. It needs characters that you can believe in and be involved with and care about. Care about the characters and what happens to them; that’s the two most important things, I think.

SN: What do you think it takes to be an author?
Bell: I think it takes a lot of desire because I think a lot of people who’ve never written books don’t know quite how hard it is to stick with, to put in the amount of time and just make the commitment to just sit there every day and do it while everybody else is out having fun.

SN: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a writer?

Bell: Read books, as many books as you can, and about as many different subjects as you can-fiction and nonfiction. That’s how you learn to write-by reading.

SN: Did you get some of your ideas for Nick of Time from recent books?
Bell: Not from recent books but certainly from all the books I read as a kid. I felt like there really weren’t any books around like Treasure Island or Kidnapped, books that I had liked when I was 9. How old are you, Demarian?

SN: Twelve.
Bell: So when I was your age, I was reading Treasure Island. But there aren’t any books like that around anymore-except available as classics-and they’re kind of hard to read because they were written so long ago. So I decided to write a modern adventure story like Treasure Island but write it for modern-day kids like yourself.

SN: Was the action setting of your book based on actual events?
Bell: They are definitely. The invasion of the Channel Islands by the Germans in 1940 that Nick is so worried about actually happened. And the Germans attacked the Channel Islands, and they captured the island and held them for the entire World War II. And, of course, the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where Nick is trying to help prevent an ambush of the royal navy so Lord Nelson can get to Trafalgar, is one of the most famous sea battles of history. It’s where the English finally defeated Napoleon on the sea.

SN: How long did it take you to write Nick of Time?
Bell: Typically, a book takes me about a year to write. I was living in England when I started writing. My daughter was 8 years old then, and she kind of ran out of things to read ’cause it was always raining, so that was when I started looking around and just realized there weren’t any books like Nick of Time available for her. So I said, well, I’ll write one myself. That kind of was the idea. So I started it living in England, and I continued writing it once I moved back to America.

 Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Scholastic News Online

Book Review: Nick of Time

By Demaria Williams
June 23, 2009

The main kid characters in Nick of Time by Ted Bell are ordinary kids on an extraordinary adventure through time. Nicholas McIver and his little sister, Kate, are helping their father spy on Nazi U-boats from the lighthouse where they live. Nick finds a mysterious sea chest that contains Leonardo da Vinci’s time machine.

The dreaded pirate Billy Blood will do anything to get his hands on that machine. With the help of some friends, Nick embarks on an adventure that takes place more than 100 years in the past. He travels in time to save his dog, Jip, and others kidnapped by the wretched Billy Blood. He also runs into a relative along the way!

The plot moves quickly. I was definitely able to lose myself in the story. I felt as if I had jumped into the book and joined in all the action. My own world didn’t even exist anymore after I got caught up in the story! I definitely think you should set aside the time to read Nick of Time.

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? And we would like to know what your favorite book is? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Scholastic News Online

 

Saturdays with your Kids

by Beverly Beckham
June 23, 2009

Watching little ones play Little League T-ball is grandparent bliss.

I’ve taken more than 200 pictures. A few are okay. You take photos of little kids in baseball uniforms and you’re sure to get some decent shots. But not one of them comes close to capturing all that’s been happening at Devoll Field in Canton, Mass., for the last six weeks.

Every Saturday morning at 8:30, the field swarms with the smallest players in town. It’s Little League, T-Ball division, and the place is packed not just with kids but also with their biggest fans: their parents and their grandparents. The 5- and 6-year-olds pose in uniforms that some of he town’s businesses have supplied. They bend their knees. They cock their heads. Their shirts slip off their shoulders. Their hats slide down over their eyes. It doesn’t matter. We beam because the kids are cute and sweet and earnest. Plus they’re ours, sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters, waving and smiling and running straight past first base, sometimes straight to us.

My granddaughter, Lucy, wears No. 2 for the Athletics, and her cousin Adam wears No. 6 for the Indians. Six weeks into the season and it’s still more theater than competition for them and their friends. “Hey, Mimi!” Adam shouts from the infield where he stands holding his glove. He waves. He smiles. His best friend, Mattie, gets a hit, runs to first base, gets a high five from his coach. Then he runs to his mother for a kiss.

The Major Leagues cannot hold a candle to this.

One of the kids asks a group of us, “Do you like my costume?” and his father rolls his eyes but his mother and grandmother laugh.

The coaches are men with full-time jobs and little time for much else. But they make time for this, to show children, some who have never held a baseball bat before, how to stand, how to hit, how to field, and how to run the bases.

Parents and grandparents watch from the sidelines, some in chairs, some leaning against the fence. The kids swing and hit, a few on their own, but most with adult help. Everyone yells and cheers every time a ball makes the slightest contact with a bat and every time a kid lands near a base.

There are a few ringers, of course – kids born to the sport. They have all the moves, the grip, the stance, the furrowed brow, the swing, the ping. And it’s GONE! Over the heads and between the legs of children still in their puppy stage.

We cheer for them, too.

You can’t get this kind of entertainment even on Broadway.

My son, a grown-up now, who lives with his wife and children in Manhattan, played on this same small field many years ago. It wasn’t called T-ball then. It was Farm League and there were rules: Three strikes and you’re out. And infielders and outfielders. And no coaches helping you swing the bat. He played first for the Brewers, then the Indians, the Athletics, the Braves, and the Mariners. I remembered just one of the names, but, when I called him, he rattled them all off.

He doesn’t remember what he did yesterday. But he remembers all this.

He was serious when he played ball. Knees bent, hands tight on the bat, an almost scowl on his little-boy face. He used to slam down his bat when he struck out. He used to have to get angry so that he wouldn’t cry.

I like that nobody strikes out in T-ball – that it’s relaxed, that all the kids get to hit and all the kids get to play.

I like this annual rite of spring that is endemic to towns and neighborhoods and old fields that have been trampled by kids for decades.

And I like that from the sidelines, we grown-up kids, so many of us grandparents now, have this surprise opportunity to watch and cheer and smile and shout “Nice hit!”
And snap some pictures again.

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? If there is a story that you want to share with others. You can reach us dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Grandparents

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