Mama Hope

by Tanya Egan Gibson

On Mother's Day a stranger might hand you a rose. "We honor you today..." the card attached to it will read, "...because mothers are a scarce resource." Across the United States (and especially in the San Francisco Bay Area), volunteers from Mama Hope, a non-profit organization founded by San Francisco resident Nyla Rodgers, in memory of her mother--writer and teacher Stephanie Moore--will gather to hand out free roses to women in honor of mothers around the world, especially Kenya. The card asks only that you check out the foundation's web site: www.mamahope.org.

Stephanie was my writing teacher and friend. I first met her at a California Writers Club meeting at Book Passage, where her presentation was so dynamic that knew I had to take classes from her. She was funny as hell, and kind but tough--traits Nyla inherited from her. Nyla was only in her twenties when she lost Stephanie to ovarian cancer, but instead of, say, curling up in a ball, Nyla started a foundation to save other people's lives in her mother's memory. Mama Hope has built an entire clinic in Kenya serving 120,000 who otherwise wouldn't have health care.

The goal of the Roses of Hope Campaign is not only to spread love to mothers in local communities--women like Stephanie who "mothered" every writer who came to her classes saying, "I suck. I can't do this," and left wanting to write again-- but also to raise awareness for Mama Hope's health clinic project in Kenya's impoverished Isiolo Region. The Mama Tumaini health clinic is the only community-run clinic within 500 miles. All donations raised as a result of campaign efforts will fund continued health care services, and specifically the vaccine that prevents mothers infected with HIV from passing on the disease to their unborn children. It costs less than $25,000 to run the busy Mama Tumaini clinic for an entire year.

San Francisco Bay Area participants, including a number of mother and daughter teams, will meet in front of the historic Ferry Building in downtown San Francisco to spread the message of Mama Hope through gifts of fair trade roses to passersby. Additional volunteer groups in Marin and Sonoma Counties will congregate to hand out Roses of Hope in their towns. Rose recipients will be encouraged to pass along the flowers to their own mothers--or other mothers whom they respect--in honor of mothers in Kenya who routinely care for an average of 12 or more children, compensating for mothers lost to HIV and AIDS.

Nyla hopes this will be "an inspiring and uplifting community event, in which hope, joy, and motherhood will be celebrated. At the same time we hope to bring attention to the fact that an entire generation of mothers in Sub Saharan Africa are disappearing due to HIV/AIDS and that the 16 million orphans that have been left behind need our support."

For more information about the 2009 Roses of Hope Campaign, and about Mama Hope in general, please visit www.mamahope.org. A happy and peaceful Mother's Day to all.

Books and Movies

by Sophie Epstein

Hi, I'm Sophie Epstein! I'm a twelve year old girl, and I'm the author of the book blog Mrs. Magoo Reads.
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I recently interviewed two people about their opinions about books turned into movies.

Do you prefer to read the books before viewing the movie version, or the other way around? Why?

HBP: I nearly always read the book first, for a couple of reasons. One is that the book is almost always better that the movie, so I want to enjoy it thoroughly before seeing the film version. Another reason is that when I read a book, my own imagination creates the pictures of the characters, the setting, etc., in my mind. When I see a movie, the movie places those images in my mind. So, if I see the movie first, while I am reading the book, I have the images from the movie--that is, someone else's images--in my mind. And I don't like that! Even if I see a movie after reading a book, because visual images are so strong, they usually supplant my own imagination's creations; I don't necessarily like this, but I can't help it.

WCE: I definitely prefer reading the book before seeing the movie version----when reading the book, I want to create the 'visual images' of the characters, settings, etc. in my mind's eye, rather than have the movie set it for me. Also, I have found that oftentimes the movie takes liberties with interpreting the book that does not appeal to me.

What are some movie versions that you have preferred over the novel it was based on?

HBP: I loved the movie "The Jane Austen Book Club," and this is an occasion where I read the book after having seen the movie. I must say, I preferred the movie. I have watched it numerous times. Another movie which I preferred to the book was "One True Thing," based on the novel by Anna Quindlen. Again, I saw the movie first.
WCE: Actually, I tend to read more non-fiction; I can't think of a movie version I've preferred more than the novel. In fact, there are too many movies made out of novels that I have not enjoyed.

What books do you think have been successfully turned into movies?

HBP: All the Harry Potter stories. I think the movies are terrific! Also, the "Wizard of Oz," which is a wonderful book if you haven't yet read it, and I have no doubt that you have seen the film. I think the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" is excellent--almost as good as the book. I like the movies, almost all of them, that have been adapted from Jane Austen's novels, but don't ever let the movies replace your reading of these most excellent novels!!!

WCE: What immediately comes to mind is 'To Kill a Mockingbird', and 'The Grapes of Wrath'.

What books would you like to see turned into movies?

HBP: "A Secret History" by Donna Tartt.

WCE: Definitely the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by John Kennedy Toole, "A Confederacy of Dunces'.

The Evolution of a Book Blog

by Sophie Epstein

Hi, I'm Sophie Epstein! I'm a twelve year old girl, and I'm the author of the blog Mrs. Magoo Reads.

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I've been blogging for over a year now, and Mrs. Magoo Reads has undergone many changes. I've changed the color scheme at least five times, added another sidebar, changed the banner picture, and added many widgets. However, the most important changes have taken place in the content.

If you read my very old reviews, you'll see that they're extremely short and not very descriptive. Now, my reviews are much longer and more descriptive. A few months ago I added pictures to all my posts, and at the beginning of August I altered my reviewing format. After a few months of blogging, I started adding features. I started posting author interviews. I recently added a feature called Saturday's Scribe: every Saturday there is either an interview with an author or a guest blog. I also have Movie Monday (a book review video posted every Monday) and various contests. You can also take a quiz to find out what type of reader you are. I've set up various stores for Mrs. Magoo Reads as well.

Check out one of the review videos I made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzmhU-Rv79M

This is a review I wrote in October 2007:

When the famous and popular author Vida Winters decides to tell the truth about her past, no one can believe it. For years, Miss Winters has told lie after amazing lie about who she was and where she lived. And our protagonist, Margaret, doesn't even understand why she was the one chosen to listen to the story: she has never even read one of Vida Winter's books.

Telling a clever and witty tale, Diane Setterfield has put together a real masterpiece. The unexpected surprise at the end will keep the reader smiling for at least a week afterwards and will inspire any young writers who plan to write their own novel. Teenagers up to adults will be lost in the world of 'The Thirteenth Tale'."

Here is one I wrote in August 2008:

Title: Sisters of Misery
Author: Megan Kelley Hall
Grade: A
Ideal Audience: Girls, 11-16
Reading Type(s): The Mysterious Reader & The Down-to-Earth Reader

Summary: Maddie Crane is a member of the Sisters of Misery, a clique that includes the most popular- and feared- girls in her high school. The leader of the group is Kate Endicott, who belongs to the richest, most influential family in the town. Maddie's always followed Kate without question, despite the nasty tricks the Sisters of Misery must perform.

When Cordelia, Maddie's beautiful and mysterious cousin, comes to stay with Maddie- and inevitably starts attending the same high school- the Sisters of Misery immediately dislike her, to say the least. But Cordelia is able to show Maddie what Kate really is: just plain mean. Unfortunately, the two girls will end up discovering the extent of Kate's cruelty.

One night, the Sisters of Misery do horrible, tortuous things to Cordelia, and force Maddie to participate. But the next morning, when Maddie awakes on the doorstep of her house with barely any memories of the previous night, Cordelia has disappeared. Maddie knows it is her duty to find her cousin, but what if Cordelia doesn't want to be found?

My thoughts: I was extremely impressed by Megan Kelley Hall's debut novel, especially by her characterization. The Sisters of Misery are not your average mean cheerleaders, especially Kate. She even shows that Cordelia is not just another of the pretty girls you read about in books: she has dark secrets, too. Last but not least, the character of Maddie, the narrator of the story, is complex, a mystery even to herself.

Sisters of Misery is interwoven with mystery, intrigue, drama, and even schoolgirl troubles. I would recommend it to many teenage girls, as well as girls in middle school. I'm looking forward to the upcoming sequel, The Lost Sister.

Buy this book: Sisters of Misery

I've also gotten a variety of readers since I started Mrs. Magoo Reads. When I first started it, my only reader was a friend from school and my little sister. Now, I get thousands of hits a month, and am constantly getting new visitors, as well as a regular following. I love to hear my readers' feedback, and I am constantly trying to improve my blog to make it the best that it can be.

Do you have any suggestions for my blog? How has your blog evolved over the course of the months/years?

Is Reading Sexist?

by Sophie Epstein

Hi, I'm Sophie Epstein! I'm a twelve year old girl, and I'm the author of the blog Mrs. Magoo Reads.

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One thing I've noticed about people's reading habits is that both boys and girls read books with boys as the protagonist (Harry Potter, Eragon, etc). However, very rarely do boys read books with girls as the protagonist. Is this simply a difference in development and tastes, or is this a sexist trait shaped by society? Please let me know what you think.

This can pose a problem for authors who write books with girls as the main character. A male protagonist may be safer, but a female one could be more compelling given the circumstances of the book. However, a debut novelist might be hesitant about cutting off such a large portion of readers, and then there goes a great idea.

Anyway, back to my question of, "Is this simply a difference in development and tastes, or is this a sexist trait shaped by society?" Well, I doubt any guy is going to be picking up the so-called "girly" books anytime soon. You know, the ones where a girl spends the whole novel pining after a crush, or where a group of girls sit around and paint nails and gossip. Has any boy in the history of time picked up one of those books, if not as a joke or a dare? I don't think so.

But what would the guy version of those books be? Ones where a guy spends the whole novel pining after a crush, or where a group of guys play football and have paint ball wars? Actually, girls do read those books, and not just because of a dare or as a joke.

Why is this? Are girls actually interested in those books, and guys genuinely don't like the "girly" ones? Or is it because society has made it acceptable for girls to read the guy books, but not the other way around? If so, how has society done this? Why is there chick lit (literature for chicks), but not dude lit?

These are some of the things I am thinking about, and I would love to hear your opinion.

The Demands on a Teen Blogger

by Sophie Epstein

Hi, I'm Sophie Epstein! I'm a twelve year old girl, and I'm the author of the blog Mrs. Magoo Reads.

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Now that school has started again, my schedule has gone from slightly busy to busy busy busy! On a typical weekday, my parents wake me up at 7:30 (7:00 when they are feeling particularly cruel and unsympathetic), and I get ready for school. School ends at 3:00, and I come home and have a snack. If I don't have soccer practice, I start in on my homework. There's a lot of it.

Then there's my blog, Mrs. Magoo Reads. It may seem like all I do is write reviews, but there's a lot more. I facilitate interviews with YA authors, keep in touch with various publishers and marketing agencies, run contests (I'm currently running a contest to win a copy of She's So Money by Cherry Cheva, as well as one to win an awesome shirt--please head on over and check them out!), make review videos, email other book bloggers, respond to readers, work on blog promotion, and make sure that I haven't committed some sort of faux pas along the way. Oh, and, of course, I need to read the books. Details, details.

You might be wondering why this post is being published late at night: I was watching McCain's acceptance speech. Now that the 2008 elections are upon us, I am doing my best to keep up with the politics. This is another time consuming factor.

I also participate in Teens for Safe Cosmetics. Our mission is to "...educate the public about safe and healthy lifestyle choices that create healthier homes, schools, and community environments that are free from harmful chemicals and pollutants." Judi Shils founded the group as a part of Search for the Cause (yes, there are certain chemicals found in some cosmetics that increase your risk of getting cancer). We are going to be launching our Teens Turning Green line at Whole Foods. All the products in the line will be organic and fabulous, so please check it out! We meet every Sunday, and I also very recently made a short video for us.

Soccer practice, soccer games, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and piano are also contributing factors to my busy schedule.

I am still working on managing my time so that my life is less hectic and less crazy. What about you? How do you manage your time?

A Love of Reading and a Blog Name

by Sophie Epstein

Hi, I'm Sophie Epstein! I'm a twelve year old girl, and I'm the author of the book blog Mrs. Magoo Reads.

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There is no doubt in my mind that my mother inspired my love of reading. I remember my three-year-old self, sitting next to my mom, watching her write letters or combinations of them, and me sounding them out. Gradually these letters progressed to full words and then to sentences. By the time I was four, I could read Amelia Bedelia with no help at all. After that, I was off and running. I was reading everything that I could get my hands on.

Through it all, my mom encouraged me. Our home has always been crammed with books; even at a young age, the alphabet was part of my life. We had an alphabet puzzle, and all the letters were different colors. I played with it so often that, at the age of two, I could tell you which color each letter was- with my eyes closed. That was not my only claim to fame when I was two, however. I could also fluently recite the alphabet forwards... and backwards! Today, I can do it faster backwards than I can forwards (do you think this says anything about my personality?)

On road trips, I was given books to read to keep me busy. To this day, I still read when we travel, but the weight of our luggage gets significantly heavier as soon as I put in my books! When I was little, I also did a "book club" with my parents: my mom would read to me one night, then my dad the next. As soon as I finished a book with one of my parents, we would go out to dinner to discuss it. Some of the books we read were Charlotte's Web, The Secret Garden, A Wrinkle in Time, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Back to the present... My mom recently got her masters in English Literature, and currently runs book groups here at Book Passage. Her website can be found at www.literarymasters.net

As you know, my love of reading eventually became the motivation behind my book blog, Mrs. Magoo Reads. However, before I created it, I had to think of a suitable name. That's where my dad comes in.

Have you ever heard of the cartoon character Mr. Magoo? He's short, has a stubby nose, and has very poor eyesight. Despite his cane, he's always knocking into things. Well, my dad related his eyesight to reading glasses, and, because my blog would be about books, he suggested the name Mrs. Magoo Reads (Mrs. because I'm a girl). I immediately loved it.

I'm currently trying to come up with a good logo for Mrs. Magoo Reads (and if you have any ideas they would be much appreciated!) I would love to do something with the Mr. Magoo image, but there are too many copyright issues involved. How about something with a pair of large glasses acting as the two "O"s in Magoo?

If you have a blog, where did you come up with the name? If you don't have one, what would you name your blog if you were to have one? I'm also interested in knowing what your favorite childhood books were.

The Birth of a Book Blog

by Sophie Epstein

Hi, I'm Sophie Epstein! I'm a twelve year old girl, and I'm the author of the book blog Mrs. Magoo Reads. Below is the story about when and why I started it, and a little more about blogs in general.-----

A little over a year ago, I became fascinated with the concept of a blog. Anyone can have one, you can write about whatever you want, and people from all over the world can read it. Pretty cool. So, as any eleven year old would do (I am now almost thirteen), I decided that I wanted to start one.

Step one was getting my parents' permission. My mom was worried about my getting stalked (she has read the many stories in newspapers about cyber-stalking); therefore I had to run all ideas by her before beginning anything. So, I had to think of a fun- and safe- idea. I thought... and thought... and finally decided to create a blog about something I love: books.

After getting the okay from my parents, I started my blog. It is located at www.mrsmagooreads.com. It has come a long way from when I first started it, but I'll be writing about that in later posts.

A blog, by definition, is "A website on which an individual or group of users produces an ongoing narrative".

Here are some fun blog statistics I got from http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2007/04/06/blog_usage_statistics_and_trends.htm

There are approximately 120,000 blogs made every day

There are about 1.4 new blogs created every second

So think about it: by the time you've finished your latte, 2,520 blogs have been created

There are about 1,500,000 posts written each day

There are about 17 posts made every second

By the time you've finished your latte, 30,600 posts have been written

There are approximately 70,000,000 blogs total

For someone about to start a blog that she hopes will attract visitors, these statistics can be quite daunting. After all, you're competing with 70 million other blogs, and not all are going to be winners. Luckily, Mrs. Magoo Reads now has a growing following that has developed over the past year, which I hope will continue to expand in the future. My TV debut (which I'll blog about later) certainly helped to get visitors.

There are also various blog hosts (similar to a web service) that a blogger can use to get started: blogspot, wordpress, and weebly are just a few. I use blogspot, the most popular and well-known host. You can find tons of different layouts all over the web that you can use.

Browsing the blogosphere, you'll see that there is an almost infinite number of subjects blogged about: blogs like mine --- book blogs, and blogs about cars, movies, computers, cameras, sports, dolls, furniture, food, fashion, games, music, TV shows, and so much more. Look for any subject, and you're sure to find it.

What about you? Do you have a blog? Which blog host do you use? What do you blog about? Why do you blog? What are some of your favorite blogs?