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I CAN'T Believe That Just Happened!In the Stained Glass Tree, Jilly finds herself in plenty of embarrassing situations, but perhaps the worst is when she goes to her first dance and Brianna "accidentally" spills punch on Jilly's new dress - then she slips and falls in the punch! This just absolutely crushes her spirits and ruins her memory of the dance! She leaves the dance, hides out on the football field, and she nearly lets the moment come between her friendship with Anton and Trina. Ji …

Just like actions have equal and opposite reactions, social interactions have equal and appropriate reactions. When someone offers a greeting, such as “hello,” the expected response is a similar greeting, not to walk by without responding. Likewise, during a conversation, it is appropriate to pause and offer the other participant a chance to talk and not just continue talking forever.Many children seem to learn these unwritten rules by observation and through play. But not everyone can. Fo …

Books are a gift. Opening a new book and allowing yourself to be absorbed into its pages can take you to worlds you never imagined. Different places and times. Magical, far-off destinations. Treasure hunts. Ship wrecks. Tales of friendship and love. New customs, cultures, and civilizations. A view into language, dress, and social mores of the past. Books have always been a part of my life. As a young girl, I loved mysteries. I remember asking for and receiving so many of the old Nan …

Have you ever started off the day with positive intentions only to find your mood spiraling downwards as life seemingly throws all sorts of obstacles your way? Last week, I was rushing to drop off my oldest child to an event. The event was about 45 minutes away not counting the awful traffic that is the norm in our area. When traffic finally broke, I managed to pick up speed only to be pulled over by a state trooper. It seemed we were destined to be late no matter what I did. The day …

Our exciting titles for Spring of 2019 diversify our already exemplary stable of authors by introducing two notable debut voices. Billie Pavicic introduces readers to the delightful Parker Plum, a boy who struggles with negative thinking, and Leona Lugan delights readers with the first chapter book in a series called Middle School Misfits. Alongside new titles from established series and authors, this list is chock-full of future favorites that will appeal to new readers as well as to those who …

Dear Loyal Customers,With the holiday season upon us and 2018 winding down, we at Boys Town Press would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for your support throughout the year.This year has brought some exciting developments at Boys Town Press:New website! In March of this year, Boys Town Press launched a new website with a goal of delighting our customers who purchase through our website. Reorganizing, bundling, improving search capabilities and technologies, ensuring responsiven …

School’s out?! Let the fun begin! At our house, school breaks mean lots of fun activities – but also a little continuing education. Learning does not stop when the bell rings for winter break. Along with their other responsibilities at home, our kids are expected to read for an hour each day. Our kids are avid readers, so an hour is fitting for them. But one hour can be a long time for some kids. In that case, a good place to start is 10 minutes per grade (1st graders read for 10 min …

Parents and educators have all heard it before… A child isn’t happy about what they are being instructed to do, or is struggling with a specific skill or concept, and they come back with, “Who cares? It’s not like I’ll ever have to do this once I get out of school!” Sometimes it can be tough to think of on-the-spot examples of how and when a child will need that particular skill. But, fortunately, coming up with examples of when and why someone needs to be able to read is easier. Stud …

Procrastination. I have a love-hate relationship with this concept. For example, sometimes, when I just can’t get my creativity flowing, procrastinating creates this urgency that seems to stimulate and inspire me. There are times when I find that I just work better under pressure.But there are other areas in life where procrastination really concerns me. Chores? Get them done quickly so you have time with friends or family! Homework? Knock it out so you can enjoy other things. Project at s …

Six tips for helping to reduce excessive technology use. What do you do to excess that you’d like to limit? Eat? Use your cell phone? Watch Real Housewives? I’m guilty of all of the above to varying degrees. (Really, what’s going on with Dorinda?) I’ve always had difficulty with self-control, especially when it comes to food. I remember one time around the age of 14 or 15 when I decided I absolutely had to have an Entenmann’s chocolate banana cake (which, sadly, was discontin …