Why Do They Call It a Bedroom, Exactly?

I guess they call it a bedroom because it's a room with a bed in it. 'Cause to call it a sleeproom would be a total misnomer. At least, it would be in my case.

Here is a partial and by no means complete list of all the alternate names by which my "Bedroom" could be known:

Laundry Staging Area - Since my laundry room (another total misnomer, but this time on the "room" part) is only big enough for one washer, one dryer, and one me, I end up sorting the dirty clothes into piles in my bedroom. Then, when I need to sling up some things to air dry, I set up the drying racks in my bedroom. Then, when the clothes need folding, I spread out the folded stacks of clothes all over my so-called bedroom. 

Recovery Room - Yeah. If you're a parent, or you have parents, you know exactly what this means. Where does every kid turn when they feel miserable and need a place to feel warm and soft and totally pampered? That's right. Mommy's room. 

Surrogate Family Room - Sometimes heading down to the basement family room to watch a little TV seems just a little too...well...impersonal. So instead we retire to the smaller TV, but cozier seating arrangement of my bedr- I mean, the Surrogate Family Room.

Household Hang-Out - Rainy days. Slug days. Mopey days. Bad-day-at-school days. Somehow on these kinds of days, everyone ends up piled on my bed with books or games or toys. 

Occasional Dining Room - You know those kind of days. Everyone's tired. Everyone's cranky. And no one (AKA...me) wants to cook. So we roar off to Mickey D's, bring it all home, spread some towels across the bed - 'cause I draw the line at sleeping on crumbs - and chow down while we take in a little bit of Phineas and Ferb. Hmmm. How about "The Chow Room?"

Satellite Office - Sometimes, that trek down 16 stairs to my lovely office with a comfy couch and awesome bookshelves just seems insurmountable. So, I stay firmly planted on my pillowtop mattress and type away on the laptop. Sometimes I still have to schlep down to the office to get the files I need to get the job done, but still. The point is, maybe I should just call it the Satellite Office. Sure. Then I could call the trips up and down the stairs my Commute...

Bad Dream Banishment Bungalow - Thump! Thump! Thump! Shake. Shake.

     "Mommy?" 

     "Wha? Huh? Buddy, what's up?" 

     "I had a bad dream. Can I sleep in here with you?" 

     Scoot. Scoot. Snuggle. 

     Zzzzzz. 

So many names, but only one room. It's all so confusing. I guess "Bedroom" will have to do for simplicity's sake.

But I still say it's totally misnamed...

Book Review: The Shamer's Daughter, by Lene Kaaberbol

     Strictly speaking, it wasn't really Cilla's fault that I was bitten by a dragon. It was probably sheer coincidence that she decided to throw a bucket of whey in my face on the very day the man from Dunark came. But every time my arm hurts...every time I miss Cherry Tree Cottage and the pear trees and the chickens we had...I get mad at Cilla all over again.

Summary:

Ten-year-old Dina Tonerre has very special eyes, but no one wants to meet them. Even her own friends gradually stop looking directly at her, and don't play with her anymore. She inherited those eyes from her mother, The Shamer. A Shamer is a person with the gift of reading a person's soul, of being able to see everything a person is ashamed of. But as Dina soon learns, it is a gift that is both blessing and curse, and she's not at all sure she wants it. 

Her mother is sentenced to be fed to the dragons because she won't condemn a boy accused of murder - a crime that, after looking into his eyes, she is adamant that he did not commit. Dina is tricked into joining her mother at the castle where she is being held, by the very man who has decided her mother's fate. But when she meets the accused boy, she sees what her mother did - that he is innocent. 

With the help of unlikely allies, Dina embarks on a perilous journey to discover the true killer, and to save her mother and the boy. Along the way, she learns about trust and friendship, and finds the courage to accept who she is.  

For Teachers and Librarians:

The Shamer's Daughter is a dark fantasy with heroic proportions. There are fantastic themes here of good vs. evil, self-acceptance, trust, courage, ethics, and seeking identity. From the mystery angle, have your students keep notebooks and fill them with clues Dina discovers, as well as any other tidbits they feel are important to finding the real killer. Let them discuss the feelings Dina struggles with as she comes to grips with inheriting the Shamer's eyes. Have them chart the good things Dina discovers she can do, as well as the more unpleasant aspects of her gift. 

You could also go with the political angle. Who stands to gain from the murders committed? Why? Or, have your students explore the friendship/trust theme: Dina misses having a true friend, and laments that her Shamer's eyes have scared them all away. What does her mother tell her about this? What do your students think she means by that? When does Dina discover the truth of her mother's words? When is she confused by them? 

Go with the fantasy angle, and delve into dragons - where do they appear in history? How have they been described in literature? Are they based partly in fact? So many ways to use this book...which will you choose?

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

The Shamer's Daughter is most appropriate for your older kiddos - probably age 9 and up. It is a gripping story, part mystery, part self-discovery, part fantasy, and they won't be able to tear themselves away. (And neither will you - you should read it, too!) It offers valuable lessons in self-acceptance, trust, and courage, but it's not at all preachy. It comes across in a totally organic way, and is seamlessly woven into the plot. Be available as they read, to explain things they may not understand, and to discuss words they may not have heard before.

For the Kids:

The Shamer's Daughter has lots to like: dragons, castles, mystery, a girl with strange and powerful gift, action, adventure, and did I mention dragons? You will not be able to put this one down. And guess what? The author has written three more books in this series! Try it - and see what you think.

For Everyone Else:

Though The Shamer's Daughter is a novel for the youngish set, adults will be completely drawn into this fantasy. Full of action, adventure, political intrigue, dragons, and no small amount of soul-searching, it is a book that will grab your attention and never let go. And the great thing is, once you finish, there are three more books in the series, so you can continue the adventures just a little longer. 

Wrapping Up:

The Shamer's Daughter has something for everyone, no matter what your age. So go find it, and get reading!

Title: The Shamer's Daughter

Author: Lene Kaaberbol

Pages: 235

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Publisher and Date: Henry Holt and Co., 2004

Edition: First American Edition

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $16.95

ISBN-10: 0802075410

ISBN-13: 978-0805075410

Author Spotlight: Lene Kaaberbol

Lene Kaaberbol started writing at 12 years old. She published her first book age 15, in 1975 - a novel about a girl named Tina and her horses - and added more to make a series throughout her high school years. She moved into fantasy writing when she was 18 years old, after discovering the work of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Women have an important role in her books, as do themes of seeking identity, personal courage, and ethics.

Though she has been a secondary school teacher, copywriter, literary translator, literary editor, cleaning assistant, and even riding teacher, she is now a full-time writer. She has written for both children and adults, from novels to picture books, and has published several books in her native Denmark. Ms Kaaberbol has also translated her own work into English.

Among her many titles is the stand-alone novel Silverhorse (1992), the four books in the Shamer Chronicles, the Katriona Trilogy, and several other series - including the popular W.I.T.C.H. series. 

Lene Kaaberbol's work has been honored many times, including for her novel, The Shamer's Daughter, which was short-listed for the Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation, and Disney Writer of the Year Award for her work on the W.I.T.C.H. series.

Born January 1, 1960, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Ms Kaaberbol still lives there.

Sources:

Lene Kaaberbol, Author - PanMacmillan

Author Information: Lene Kaaberbol

Lene Kaaberbol - GoodReads

Author: Lene Kaaberbol - HodderChildrens

Author: Lene Kaaberbol Biography - jrank

Lene Kaaberbol - DanishLiterature.info

Interview with Lene Kaaberbol (translated from the original Danish)

A Flash of Something Fun (and Inspiring) on This Otherwise Dreary Day

It's raining. 

And rather dreary. 

I should be writing. But on a day like today, motivation is severely lacking. Even that the ol' adage "Butt in Chair" isn't working so well, 'cause I'd rather wrap myself in a soft blanket by the fire and snooze on the couch.

So, in an effort to combat my desire for a Rainy Day Slugfest, I have turned to mindless tasks that keep me moving, but not necessarily thinking (at least, not on purpose). And that is why I'm hauling load after load of laundry down 16 steps to my washing machine, heaving part of said loads from washer to dryer, then hauling the rest of said loads (still damp) back up 16 steps to the drying racks all set up and waiting to be filled. 

While schlepping laundry up and down the stairs might sneak in some small semblance of exercise, beyond that, it just adds to the dreariness of the day.

And then...I checked email in between schleppings, and found this:

Michelle over at My Semblance of Sanity had left me an award! At last, the clouds began to part - figuratively, at least. (The actual clouds outside are still very much present.) It is a sweet award, and thank you to Michelle for thinking of me! If you've never been to Michelle's blog, check it out - she's known for her hilarity, and is in the middle of participating in NaBloPoMo (challenging bloggers to "Post every day for a month").

After basking in the glow of this lovely award, I pulled up Blogger and got to work on this post. And wonder of wonders, I'm scribbling down other post ideas in between paragraphs. And when I'm done with that, I'm gonna pull out one of those kids' novels and get crackin' again.

But before I go, I want to send this over to Mommy C. She's not blogging so much this month, but it's because she's totally immersed in Authonomy - you can find her profile page here - taking up the challenge to get her writing read, noticed and (hopefully) published. 

Alrighty. The washer is swishing, the dryer is tumbling, and the clothes on the rack are, well, drying. And finally, I am out of my funk, and ready to write.

Huh?

Back when I was a single lass, I had a beginning-of-the-alphabet last name. I was a Fortunate: accustomed to being near the front of every line. I was also accustomed to being finished with whatever I was in line for long before those Unfortunates saddled with an end-of-the-alphabet last name had even gotten started.

And then, I got married. 

Don't get me wrong. C is a wonderful (and immensely patient) husband. But my adopted last name now begins with W. I am now one of the Unfortunates, doomed to be near the end of every line, woefully watching the Fortunates with beginning-of-the-alphabet last names skipping gaily past me as I wait in a linear, er, very hot place.

Today was no exception. At 10:30 AM, the kiddos and I made ourselves presentable, then eagerly trooped off to the polling place. Usually this is a rather fast trip, with a really close parking spot. Today, there were guys directing us to parking in the grass lot across from the building. Then we trudged around to the very back of the building, where the line was snaked around nearly to the exit lane. 

But, we were still in good spirits as we took our place in line. These are exciting times, and this is an historic election, no matter who wins. 

Though the line seemed to be moving rather quickly, ten minutes morphed into twenty, then thirty. Then we stopped counting. Lines for the A-L people were zipping along, and short. Lines for we M-Z's were crawling, and long. 

An hour and a half after we stepped in line, I had voted, the whining from Handsome Boy had ceased (Lovely Girl wisely brought along her writing, and so was too immersed in her thoughts to whine) and we were outta there.

C took an early train home, but called me to say he still didn't get to the polling place parking lot until nearly 5 PM. I figured he'd be heating up his own dinner tonight.

Shortly after that call, he's standing in our kitchen, grinning.

"What are you doing here?" I said. "Go vote! The line will be horrendous!"

But that was precisely not the case. He got in line at 5 PM. In the rain. Just as he pulled out his umbrella, the election official called for people in M-Z. He raised his hand. The official directed him to the shrimpy M-Z line next to the ridiculously long A-L one.

By 5:15 PM he was back in his car. At 5:20 PM, he rolls on in the house.

Sheesh.

Something to Think About as You Go to the Polls...

Martha over at A Curiosity Shop has a video clip from The West Wing that you will want to hear and see as you make your final decisions about the people you will vote into office today.

It is a most powerful 55 seconds.

"...we don't know what the next President's going to face. If we choose someone with vision, someone with guts, someone with gravitas, who's connected to other people's lives and cares about making them better; if we choose someone to inspire us... then we'll be able to face what comes our way, and achieve things we can't imagine yet."

              -Toby Ziegler, character from The West Wing

Politics and Entertainment

First, there was all the discussion over this year's most historic Democratic primary - an African-American Presidential candidate vs. a woman Presidential candidate.

And you know what? That was a most awesome situation.

Then, there was all the discussion over this year's most historic Presidential election - an African-American Presidential candidate vs. a caucasian Presidential candidate who has sacrificed much for his country.

And you know what? That is a most awesome situation.

Then, there was all the discussion over Saturday Night Live, with it's uncanny impersonations of the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates.

And you know what? That is more than a little funny, and great comic relief from all the seriousness of the election.

Then, SNL branched out into Thursday Night Live sessions dedicated to the lighter side of these intriguing and historic political times.

And you know what? That is also more than a little funny.

Now, SNL has branched out even further: into Monday night - which is tonight, since, you know, tomorrow is the actual election.

And you know what? That is a great idea, and more than a little timely.

But why, why, why couldn't they have done it in a time slot that is NOT the Heroes time slot?

Sniffle.