Digital Commons Network^™

The Land Of Forgotten Girls, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

This is a story of children, Sol and Ming, whose mother and sister dies in the Philippines. After moving to the United States, their father abandons them to their stepmother’s abusive care. Their neighborhood is a poor one; the park has no grass or playground and rats infest the walls of their four room apartment. Few people speak English and rarely do any ethnically diverse people speak to one another. Sol learns to cope with their hard situation by retelling and embellishing the bedtime stories her mother once told her about Auntie Jove who traveled the world having fantastic adventures. …

Kids, Cancer And A New Green Leaf, Leah Christopher

Children's Book and Media Review

Soon after Ms. Hansen runs a 5K race to fundraise for cancer research, she discovers that she has breast cancer. Instead of hiding the news, Ms. Hansen, a teacher, tells her fifth-grade class. They learn about cancer as they support her through the operations, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. One troublemaker, Jamon, learns to look outside his own problems to care about his teacher, and he gives more effort at school. As Ms. Hansen explains, he is turning a new leaf. By the end of school, her cancer treatments are over and Jamon is a more committed student. Ms. Hansen and …

Kid President's Guide To Being Awesome, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

Robby Novak, better known as Kid President, has spent a lot of time trying to make the world more awesome. In this guide, he shares a list of 100 ways that his readers and fans can make the world more awesome too. Fans of his YouTube videos will recognize familiar things like his pep talk, the advice to send a friend a corn dog, and to treat everyone like it’s their birthday. The book also shares some information about how Robby stays positive in spite of his brittle bone condition, a background on some of his videos, select interviews with …

Journey, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

A little girl in a big city just wants someone to spend some time with her, but her family members are all busy with their own activities. The girls discovers, amidst her bleak surroundings, a bright red crayon. But it is no ordinary crayon; it is a magical crayon that transports her into another world, full of color and far off places. She journeys through a forest, finds a castle-city, and follows a bright purple bird, all the while coloring bright red tools in the moment she needs them. The bird is captured by an evil emperor and his soldiers. …

Journey #2: Quest, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

Quest picks up where Journey left off: with the boy and the girl riding their magic-drawn bicycle down the street. But it begins to rain and they find cover under a bridge. Out of the blue, a door appears on the wall of the bridge and a king steps out handing them a map. He is dragged away by the evil emperor’s soldiers and he drops his orange crayon. The boy and girl follow them back through the door and begin a quest to find the other three magical crayons. They journey underwater to the ruins of a grand aquatic …

Jerusalem: A Family Portrait, Carlie Smith

Children's Book and Media Review

The Halaby family is as dysfunctional as the city they live in -- 1940s Jerusalem. Each brother fights in his own way against colonizers: Mozzi, the youngest, rebels against his European teachers; Ezra joins a radical Jewish nationalist group; David fights in World War II; and Avraham becomes a communist. When the UN approves two-states in Palestine, the tensions between Arabs, Jews, Europeans, radicals, and moderates explode. The family is divided along these factions as well, and Ezra and Avraham become enemies. Simmering beneath the political tension is family strife: David goes missing but his unborn child and wife come …

I Am A Witch's Cat, Cynthia Phillips

Children's Book and Media Review

Not everyone gets to have a witch for a mom, but this little girl does! She is the witch’s cat. She knows mom is a witch because she has special potions in the bathroom cabinet (that no one is allowed to touch) and she cackles with her friends. She even has a special broomstick that she uses around the room and even allows her special cat to take rides on it. Being a witch’s cat is the best.

The Honest Truth, Leah Christopher

Children's Book and Media Review

Is it better to face death by accepting it or running away? When twelve-year-old Mark receives the news that his cancer is back—again—he disappears, trying to find meaning in his life by following his dream to scale Mt. Rainier. Shaking the police off his trail and fending off bullies, Mark manages to arrive at the mountain in a terrible blizzard. With his sidekick dog, Beau, Mark begins the icy ascent. As he climbs—getting heavier, colder, and sicker with each step—he realizes what gives his life meaning: his family and friends. They have struggled to understand how he has felt all …

Hedgehug's Halloween, Cynthia Phillips

Children's Book and Media Review

Hedgehug the hedgehog has been invited to a Halloween party, but wait--is that tonight?! He has forgotten all about it and has nothing to wear to the costume party! It’s okay his friends are there to help him find a costume. The only problem is that no matter how clever the costume Hedgehug’s spines keep ruining it. Is it time to just give up and go home? No way, Hedgehug’s friends come through for him in the end with the perfect costume. The party is a huge success thanks to his friends.

Hauling A Pumpkin: Wheels And Axles Vs. Lever, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

Noah is visiting a pumpkin patch and wants to get a large pumpkin. But he finds that it is too heavy for him to lift! His mom takes the opportunity to teach Noah about using tools to help lift and move the pumpkin. First he learns about using a lever. The handle of a shovel is the arm of the lever. When putting the shovel next to a log, the arm turns on a fulcrum as it is moved up and down. The lever and fulcrum can lift the pumpkin but it takes other tools to move the pumpkin. A …

Gris Grimly's Tales From The Brothers Grimm, Carlie Smith

Children's Book and Media Review

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm cataloged a treasure trove of European folktales that are brought to new life in this edition. Old favorites like Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, The Elves and the Shoemaker, and Cinderella all make an appearance. Just as intriguing are the lesser known heroes like the princess without hands, the woman who disobeyed the Virgin Mary, and the vast array of animals who form bands, proclaim popes, and search for true love. Perhaps they may appear strange to some readers because the stories are less common, but in many cases these tales have familiar morals and magic. This …

Girls Who Rocked The World: Heroines From Joan Of Arc To Mother Teresa, Laura Trumbo

Children's Book and Media Review

From painters to pilots, inventors to nurses, and poets to warriors, Girls Who Rocked the World by Michelle Rohm McCann and Amelie Welden is an inspiring, biographical collection of stories of young women from all over the globe who made a significant difference in their communities. Each chapter discusses the life of a new subject, usually one woman but there are a few chapters about sisters who made a difference together. Their stories begin with a textually dramatized account of a significant event in each woman's life. Typically the introductory story is about their inspiration, their why, and their launching …

Frankencrayon, Nicole Gamez

Children's Book and Media Review

Frankencrayon is a hysterical and original story of a bunch of witty crayons. The first thing you notice is the red stamp that warns that the book has been "cancelled.” You are then greeted by a purple, green, and orange crayons, who are clearly surprised to see you there as the reader. Pencil steps in and starts to tell the story about how a mysterious RED scribble appeared and sabotaged the whole book! Therefore the big red CANCELED stamps are all over the book. The crayons tell the reader the story behind the cancellation: during a rehearsal for the book, …

Five Kingdoms #4: Death Weavers, Tessa Mcmillan

Children's Book and Media Review

Leaving Constance in the safety of Zeropolis’s Unseen, Cole and his friends enter Necronum. At holy or haunted locations within the kingdom, the spirits of the dead (known as echoes) and the souls of the living (bright echoes) can traverse between reality and the afterlife (the echolands). Following clues from an echo named Sando, Cole’s party learns that Honor and Destiny are trapped within the echolands. However, Sando deceives Cole and imprisons Mira, Jace, and Joe’s bright echoes. Sando is a henchman to Nazeem, the evil originator and leader of the shapecrafting movement. With Hunter and Dalton watching over the …

Five Kingdoms #3: Crystal Keepers, Tessa Mcmillan

Children's Book and Media Review

After a rocky arrival into Zeropolis, Cole, Mira, Dalton, and Jace join the local Unseen resistance. But consistent persecutions force the Unseen to go deep for their safety. Once they meet Mira, their main objective is to find Constance. With Constance’s star missing, Unseen leaders convince Cole to travel to Junction City and contact Queen Harmony. When Cole meets with her, Harmony asks him to spy on Owandell, a conniving royal official who introduced shapecrafting to her husband. During a secret cult meeting, Cole realizes Owandell is more of a threat to the Five Kingdoms than the High Shaper. Cole …

Crimson Bound, Whitney Troxel

Children's Book and Media Review

The Devourer once ruled over Rachelle’s world with endless night. The Devourer and his Forest Born servants terrorized and killed all in their path, until Zisa and Tyr defeated him. But that was a long time ago and few people believe in the Devourer anymore. Even fewer believe that he’s coming back. Rachelle knows the stories are real, and fears what will happen if the Devourer is not destroyed once and for all. The problem is Rachelle is a bloodbound. She was marked by a Forest Born three years ago and will eventually turn into one. Even though she’s sworn …

Cold War On Maplewood Street, Leah Christopher

Children's Book and Media Review

Among the everyday struggles of an eleven-year-old, the TV announcement of President John F. Kennedy interrupts: Russia is threatening nuclear war. As the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolds and panic spreads rapidly through Joanna’s community, Joanna also faces conflicts closer to home: resenting her older brother for leaving her to enlist in the navy, feeling lonely as her single mother works all day, hoping for the attention of a cute boy, avoiding her scary elderly neighbor, and discovering her friend’s family problems. By the end of the week, the whole country breathes a sigh of relief as peaceful negotiations between leaders …

Carl's Halloween, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

Carl’s Halloween is the newest in a series of picture books about Carl the Rottweiler and his friend Madeleine. It is Halloween night, Madeleine’s mother has to go help Grandma and leaves the child and dog to pass out candy to the trick or treaters. Madeleine, who is a toddler, and Carl decide that they want to join the Halloween fun, so Madeleine puts on a fancy hat, and drapes one of Mother’s necklaces around Carl’s neck. They set off out the door, Carl carrying Madeleine on his back and a basket for goodies in his mouth. They have a …

Bob And Flo: Penguin Friends At Preschool, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

On Flo’s first day of preschool she arrives with her red bucket full of fish for her lunch. She meets Bob who is pulling a train. After painting a picture, she notices that her lunch is there but her bucket is gone. She looks all around for her red bucket walking right past Bob who has a red bucket on his head for a hat. Next she sees that Bob is building a block tower but doesn’t notice that he is standing on a red bucket. She then sees some bucket shaped sand castles and listens to Bob playing with …

Blocks, Amanda Judd

Children's Book and Media Review

Sharing is so hard sometimes. When Ruby has all the red blocks, and Benji has all the blue blocks, what happens when Benji wants some red blocks too? At first they fight, then decide its best to work together and share all the blocks creating a wonderful masterpiece.

Blackhearts, Tessa Mcmillan

Children's Book and Media Review

For five months Anne has been surviving servitude to the rich shipping merchant, Master Drummond. However, Anne secretly plans to escape to the West Indies—the location where Anne’s English father and her West Indian mother fell in love. Anne’s goal is sidetracked when she meets Master Drummond’s son, Edward “Teach”. Teach, freshly returned from a year at sea, is immediately drawn to Anne because of her strength, intelligence, and beauty. Teach offers her friendship, but she hesitates because he is engaged. As time goes by, the pair cannot deny they have met their match in one another. Teach decides to …

Bink And Gollie, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

Bink and Gollie are two inseparable, roller-skating, adventure-taking friends; but they are also both very different. In this charming beginner’s chapter book, DiCamillo and McGhee tell three stories of Bink and Gollie and how they compromise so that they are both happy. Flamboyant socks, far-away adventures in the Andes, and a new fishy friend are the center of the three separate chapters. In the end Bink and Gollie, despite their differences, realize that their friendship is really something special for the both of them.

Beneath #2: Above, Tessa Mcmillan

Children's Book and Media Review

On the run since their escape from the Deep; Pat, Coop, and Kate plan to reunite in Oregon. However, their reunion is postponed when Alex Dane—Lod’s brother who helped the teens escape—shows up and tasks Kate to shadow Lod’s members that are gathering in the area. Alex, Pat, and Coop follow Kate’s trail so they can understand Lod’s next move and then notify the authorities. Kate lets herself get captured by Lod’s minions, but she tries to earn their trust so she can hide her involvement with Alex, Pat, and Coop. Eventually she is found out and Pat, Coop, and …

Asylum, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

Dan is sixteen and has come to New Hampshire College Prep to get a jump on college courses over the summer. Since the regular dorms are under renovation, students are assigned rooms in an old crumbling structure, a former psychiatric hospital called Brookline. Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan decide to explore the building and discover disturbing photographs of patients and old case files in a dusty office. Curiosity leads the trio in detecting a hidden door leading to an old operating theater in the basement. Murders start happening, strange notes appear in Dan’s room, messages are sent …

Abracadabra: The Story Of Magic Through The Ages, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

Even from the earliest recorded history, people have been performing magic to fool, inspire, educate, and entertain. In this nonfiction book, it summarizes the history of magic from the beginning to the modern day. Nequist explains how the most famous magic tricks were created, how the most influential magicians got started and developed their craft, how magic went from being punishable by death to requested by world leaders, and many things relating to how magicians perform tricks and astound their audiences every day. The book contains instructions to perform eight of the most common and oldest magic tricks, sections on …

Tag-Untag: Two Critical Readings Of Race, Ethnicity, And Class In Digital Social Media, Paul W. Eaton

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

This article utilizes post-qualitative inquiry, providing two critical readings – one from a critical-cultural poststructural perspective (rooted in intersectionality theory) and one from a critical posthumanist perspective – of one student’s relationship to race, class, and ethnicity across distributed social media spaces. The act of tagging-untagging as described by Miranda is central to unpacking the two critical readings offered in this article. How students understand, articulate, and potentially unpack race, ethnicity, and class in the digital age requires college student educators to move beyond traditional developmental theories, exploring and engaging the ambiguity of these socially constructed concepts in a technologically …

Index To Volume 87, Human Biology Editors

Human Biology

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Contributors, Human Biology Editors

Human Biology

No abstract provided.

Research And Study Of Fashion And Costume History Spanning From Ancient Egypt To Modern Day, Kaitlyn E. Dennis Miss

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Through a generous donation to Morehead State University, research has been conducted on thousands of slides containing images of artwork and artifacts of historical significance. These images span from Egyptian hieroglyphs to the inaugural dress of every first lady of the United States. The slides are in the process of being recorded and catalogued for future use by students in hopes of furthering academic comprehension and awareness of the influence of fashion and costume history through the ages. Special thanks to the family of Gretel Geist Rutledge, faculty mentor Denise Watkins, as well as the Department of Music, Theatre, and …

Dietary Supplement Attitudes And Behaviors In The Personal Training Profession, Allison Hull

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Dietary supplement attitudes and behaviors in the personal training profession

Allison Hull, Gina Blunt Gonzalez PhD (Mentor)

Department of Kinesiology, Health, and Imaging Sciences

Morehead State University, Morehead, KY

Dietary supplements are a growing multi-billion dollar industry. Supplement usage is widespread and many individuals take supplements for health, performance, and disease prevention reasons. However, due to a lack of FDA regulation, there are concerns with the safety and efficacy of many dietary supplements. Exercise professionals and personal trainers are in a position to educate the public on dietary supplements; however, it is unknown how exercise professionals and personal trainers approach …