Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids
By Kip Fulbeck. Foreword by Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng. Afterword by Cher

Excerpt – “I have a personal stake in this. For starters, as an artist, I’ve created work exploring personal identity for the better part of two decades. In many ways, I’ve bet my career on the fact that we all have a need to tell our own stories, to define ourselves, and I’ve been fortunate enough to share this work with audiences of all ages all over the world. But this book is something more significant. On March 21, 2009, I became a father. My son, Jack, was born—named after my own father. And in this one moment, my life, and the meaning behind my entire work as an artist, shifted significantly. After two decades making art that questions the very idea of race, that explores the complications and consequences of choosing sides or affiliations (or worse, having them chosen for you), that argues against the concepts of compartmentalization, categorization, and conceptual laziness, my stakes have suddenly been raised.”

Photos from the book Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids are currently on exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, California (March 20, 2010 to September 26th, 2010)

via Chronicle Books

I have always been troubled by the ‘bean sitting in a damp paper towel on the window sill in a clear plastic cup’. It is easy, mess-free and rather quick to reward – parents expect it, but is it a true learning experience? I think it is time we scrap this yearly ritual and look into what other options we have for ‘growing’ in the classroom. Grow Great Grub is a book I would like to see being used by teachers and children to explore the possibilities that may exist around them.

“Your patio, balcony, rooftop, front stoop, windowsill, or planter box is a potential fresh food garden waiting to happen. In this book, Gayla Trail, the founder of the leading online gardening community You Grow Girl, shows you how to grow your own delicious, affordable, organic edibles virtually anywhere.”

Congratulations Gayla! Your drive and accomplishments never cease to amaze me.

“A first of its kind, this book portrays the growing sustainability movement in American K-12 education. It showcases inspiring stories of public, independent, and charter schools across the country. It offers hope, inspiration, and expert advice, while documenting a rising trend that is good news for education and the environment.

Smart by Nature is beautifully written by our senior editor, Michael K. Stone, who has covered education for sustainable living for nearly a decade. It features a foreword by Daniel Goleman, author of Ecological Intelligence, and has already been endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation, David W. Orr, Alice Waters, and others.

Since many of you have already asked, here are a few ways you can help:

* Write a short review on Amazon.com
* Send this message to all your friends and all the educators you know
* Become a fan on our new Facebook page and share your thoughts
* Blog about it
* Ask your local bookseller to carry it
* Buy copies for the schools you care about

We encourage you to purchase your copy from University of California Press. Smart by Nature is also available from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Thank you for your support and for being a part of this vital community.”

Warmly,
Zenobia Barlow
Cofounder and Executive Director

“In his new book, “Inside the Painter’s Studio”, artist Joe Fig documents the day-to-day lives of 24 contemporary artists with photos of their studios, notes on their work habits, and interviews about where and how they make art. In addition, Fig’s own sculptures are shown—miniature reproductions of the artists themselves in the process of creating, a spellbinding sort of diorama as portraiture. For any artist, historian, or art fan, there’s fascinating stuff in the minutia about gear and paint brands, and also the larger questions about what it takes to get up every morning and go paint. As Chuck Close says, “Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work.”

via themorningnews.org

About Canada: Childcare. “In Canada, early childhood education and care includes childcare programs, kindergartens and nursery schools. When these programs are well-designed, they support children’s development and accommodate parents who work or study. About Canada: Childcare answers questions about early childhood education and childcare (ECEC) in Canada. Why doesn’t Canada have an ECEC system, even though other countries do? Why is ECEC so important? What is missing in Canada’s ECEC landscape and why? Can ECEC programs be designed as wonderful environments for young children or are they merely necessary but not particularly desirable places to keep children safe while mothers are at work? Is ECEC primarily a public good, a private family responsibility or an opportunity for profit-making? Early childhood education and childcare is a political issue, the authors argue, and Canada needs an integrated system of services. The absence of a universal publicly funded ECEC system is detrimental to families, women and children and Canada’s future.”

Martha Friendly and Susan Prentice

A must have! Written by Andrew Larsen Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher

Excerpt from An Imaginary Garden: “Poppa got out his paints. He mixed a bit of white and a bit of black. Together they made gray. Stroke by stroke, stone by stone, Poppa built a wall. It stretched from one side of the garden to the other. Above the stone wall, Theo painted a soft blue sky.”

“Theodora loved her grandfather’s old garden. His new apartment’s balcony is too windy and small for a garden. But what appears to be a drawback soon leads to a shared burst of creativity as Theo and her Poppa decide to paint a new garden. As they work side by side — sowing seeds with brushes and paint — a masterpiece begins to take shape that transforms the balcony into an abundant garden.”

Design is the Problem: The Future of Design Must Be Sustainable, by Nathan Shedroff – published by Rosenfeld Media

“Design is the Problem explains:

1. How sustainability isn’t as difficult to understand and address as many would have you think
2. Several of the leading frameworks and perspectives on sustainability
3. How to insert sustainability into the development process that you’re already using
4. The many, practical strategies that make the products, services, and events you design and develop more sustainable—right now”

via oberholtzer-creative.com

Currently reading:

A book by Richard Louv

“Last Child in the Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. More than just raising an alarm, Louv offers practical solutions and simple ways to heal the broken bond—and many are right in our own backyard.

* 100 actions you can take to create change in your community, school, and family.
* 35 discussion points to inspire people of all ages to talk about the importance of nature in their lives.
* A new progress report by the author about the growing Leave No Child Inside movement.
* New and updated research confirming that direct exposure to nature is essential for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.”

Be sure to check out Richard Louv blog childrenandnature