Professor Owl’s Book Corner #WATWB ~ Learning Challenged Now Teaching

Welcome to the “We are the World BlogFest” (#WATWB ). The #WATWB was inspired by a simple conversation about how all the negativity on social media was weighing on us. Wanting to make a difference, we decided to try to do our part to infuse social media with all the good stories that are out there. We hope to share the stories that show kindness, compassion, hope, overcoming challenges and in general, the impressive resilience of the human spirit. For every dark, negative story out there, there is a positive, heartwarming story that will add some light and lift the human spirit. #WATWB was started in  2017, this month marks our forty-eight opportunities to share positive uplifting stories to inspire, give hope and motivate others. The last Friday of every month bloggers share their stories led by two co-hosts, this month’s co-hosts are Eric Lahti(https://ericlahti.wordpress.com/) and Sylvia Stein (https://sylviasteinswritingcorner.blogspot.com

 When I came across this article and video, I just had to share it, to me it is a wonderful step forward.

Those who know me can tell you how passionate I am about sharing positive information for and about young people with disabilities and learning challenges.  I was also a Literacy Tutor for many years and found it to be the most satisfying volunteer work I was involved with. 

A German university is training people who have mental disabilities or learning difficulties to become teachers. Those who complete the program will bring to their new profession a unique perspective based on their individual disability. A German university has developed a program that trains people who have mental disabilities or learning difficulties to become teachers — in areas that include social studies, medicine, design, and architecture. Those who complete the program will bring to the teaching profession a unique perspective that’s based on their individual disability. Our report follows seven men and women through the training program, which is sponsored by the Institute for Inclusive Education at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. All seven have worked at other jobs but felt that they were not living up to their full potential. This program is aimed at helping them to do just that. If they complete the training program, they will be hired as “education specialists,” and offered employment contracts similar to those of university lecturers or assistant professors. We’ll find out whether the program will improve the participants’ self-esteem, how they cope with the stress of learning a new profession, and whether they are accepted by their fellow students at the university.

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PROFESSOR OWL’S BOOK CORNER ~ OCTOBER 29, 2021

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE ~ STAY SAFE AND HAVE FUN!

THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY

• 

by A.A. Milne  (Author)

Read this Murder Mystery Novel set in an English Country House“:

Of course, it’s very hampering being a detective, when you don’t know anything about detecting, and when nobody knows that you’re doing detection, and you can’t have people up to cross-examine them, and you have neither the energy nor the means to make proper inquiries; and, in short, when you’re doing the whole thing in a thoroughly amateur, haphazard way.” ― A.A. Milne, The Red House Mystery

This Xist Classics edition has been professionally formatted for e-readers with a linked table of contents. This e-book also contains a bonus book club leadership guide and discussion questions. We hope you will share this book with your friends, neighbors and colleagues and cannot wait to hear what you have to say about it.

A house party in the county turns into a crime scene when one the host is murdered. A.A. Milne’s delightful mystery novel takes the reader on twists and turns and arrives at a logical solution to the case.

• Get your next Xist Classic title for Kindle here: http://amzn.to/1A7cKKl
• Find all our books for Kindle here: http://amzn.to/1PooxLl
• Sign up for the Xist Publishing Newsletter here.

I remember when as a teen we were given this book as a reader for our class, I really enjoyed it then many years ago, and enjoyed it when I recently read it again after I found my copy at the back of my bookcase,

This is a delightful twisty mystery with a duo who were by their own admission playing Holmes and Watson. As country house mystery it lacks the array of guests but otherwise satisfies. I just wish there were more mysteries with these two!

Available as kindle and paperback at www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca and available at your School and Public Libraires.

Xist Publishing is a digital-first publisher. Xist Publishing creates books for the touchscreen generation and is dedicated to helping everyone develop a lifetime love of reading, no matter what form it takes

ATTENTION ALL YOUNG WRITERS: NANOWRIMO STARTS NOVEMBER 1ST!

Are you a young writer 17 years of age or under who has always wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo? Well, you can!!! Did you know that NaNoWriMo has a Young Writers Programme just for you.

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WHAT IS NANOWRIMO?

Every year approximately 100,000 young writers participate check out their website and sign up to participate…..http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/

NaNoWriMo allows an individual to silence their inner critic, as it does tend to emphasize quantity over quality.  For those writers who are often intimidated by their inner critic the urgency of the contest motivates them to push through fears, the need for perfection and keep writing.  With the fast pace of NaNoWriMo, adult writers need to produce approximately 1667 words per day so there is not a lot of time left for editing or worrying. Young writers can choose a goal which is achievable to you. With school, homework and afterschool activities you can set a reasonable goal for you to reach.

NaNoWriMo hosts virtual writing events to provide participants with an active supportive community and raises money via donations as well as sales of promotional items, which it donates approximately 50% of its net intake to reading charities.

NaNoWriMo has proven to be a popular contest and does not appear to be slowing down. The first year only 21 people participated to date the number reached 798,162 participants producing approximately 367,913 novels. NaNoWriMo initially began to instigate and inspire writers to create impromptu novels, and it has become an exceptionally successful contest. In fact, many of those NaNoWriMo novels became rough drafts which eventually became published novels.  Books such as Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell, Wool, by Hugh Howey, The Darwin Elevator, by Jason M. Hough and Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress by Marissa Meyer were all born out of NaNoWriMo.

PREPARING FOR NANOWRIMO

We are less than a week away to the start of this year’s NANOWRIMO and if you haven’t started making plans it’s not too late.

There is no set way on how to write a novel, everyone has their own way. You may have heard the phrase “Plotter or Pantser” which describes whether a person outlines their novel before writing it or whether they fly by the seat of their pants and go without making too many plans.  There are benefits of doing it both ways and it really is all about what works for you.  I, myself, am an outliner, I like having a rough map of where I’m going before I set out.  I plan out my chapters and create my characters in advance of sitting down to write.  While some feel this is way too stifling and can’t be quite as creative it helps give me a framework to keep the story moving forward and avoid getting stuck for ideas halfway through. If I’m struck by some paths or ideas that aren’t on my outline, I still draft out the scenes and see if they’ll fit in down the road.  I recommend you follow the path that feels right for you.  If you are not sure where to start, there are some terrific books out there. Two I recommend are No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty, the founder of NANOWRIMO and Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland.  Both are incredibly good books that each offer a unique perspective on whether to plot or not. NaNoWriMo also has a great NaNo Prep handbook that’s free to download here.

Personally, I can’t wait until November first, and I am putting the finishing touches to my story notebook, have already set up my outline on my computer and I’ve been busy creating a mood board for my new story on Pinterest and my writing soundtrack on Spotify, all to help keep me inspired and motivated while I write. If you are thinking of joining the website, please feel free to add me as a buddy here! Don’t forget to log-in, buddy up and get valuable tips and encouragement on the NaNoWriMo website please feel free to add me as a buddy here!

To learn more about NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers program check it out here: https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/pages/for-writers

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PROFESSOR OWL’S BOOK CORNER, OCTOBER 23, 2021

Welcome to this week’s Book Corner, we hope you are now into your regular school routine and are all keeping safe and well.

This week we have a different kind of book of the week, a new fantasy that is due out this month, to get some idea of previous books in this series we suggest you may look at one of your local or school Libraries for previous books on I am Margaret Moore in this series or see if they are available for your readers so that you appreciated this week’s. book.

I Am Margaret Moore

by

Hannah Capin (Goodreads Author)

 Lyrical and haunting, Hannah Capin’s I Am Margaret Moore is a paranormal thriller that tests the hold of sisterhood and truth.

I am a girl. I am a monster, too.

Each summer the girls of Deck Five come back to Marshall Naval School. They sail on jewel-blue waters; they march on green drill fields; they earn sunburns and honors. They push until they break apart and heal again, stronger.

Each summer Margaret and Rose and Flor and Nisreen come back to the place where they are girls, safe away from the world: sisters bound by something more than blood.

But this summer everything has changed. Girls are missing and a boy is dead. It’s because of Margaret Moore, the boys say. It’s because of what happened that night in the storm.

Margaret’s friends vanish one by one, swallowed up into the lies she has told about what happened between her and a boy with the world at his feet. Can she unravel the secrets of this summer and last, or will she be pulled under by the place she once called home.

Eerie and unsettling yet filled with hope. When Margaret Moore meets a young man and falls in love during summer camp, everything is perfect. And then it is not…

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

Although this was not the usual kind of book I review, it was a little slow in getting started, but once into the story plot and great word building, I must say it was a surprisingly enjoyable read and I will be looking for future books in this series. I give this book four stars ****.

This book is available at www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca other good books stores, and your Public and School Libraries.

 

 

 

Need someone to talk to? 

Kids Help Line   Phone e-mental health services are available 24/7 across Canada. This means we are here for you: Call 1-800-668-6868 ~ htps://www.safehelpline.org 

Homework Help Canada. Address: 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4W 3E2. Local: (416) 855-0700 Toll-Free: 1(855) 822-0700 Email: info@homeworkhelpglobal.com. LIVE SUPPORT. From the Blog. 01 Sep Dorm Room Checklist: What to Bring to College (And What to Leave Behind) 0; 30 Aug Types of Literary Devices: The Ultimate List (With Examples) 0; 16 Aug How to Make Friends in University …

Professor Owl’s Book Corner ~ 10th. October 2021

HAPPY THANKS GIVING! TO OUR CANADIAN READERS

 

STAY SAFE! REMEMBER 

PREACTICE DISTANCING

WASH YOUR HANDS

AND

WEAR THOSE MASKS WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR BUBLE

 

Ski Weekend:

A Novel Paperback – Oct. 26, 2021

by Rektok Ross (Author)

The Breakfast Club meets Alive in this gripping tale of survival, impossible choices, and the harrowing balance between life and death.

Six teens, one dog, a ski trip gone wrong . . .

Sam is dreading senior ski weekend and having to watch after her brother and his best friend, Gavin, to make sure they do not do anything stupid. Again. Gavin may be gorgeous, but he and Sam have never gotten along. Now they are crammed into an SUV with three other classmates and Gavin’s dog, heading on a road trip that cannot go by fast enough.

Then their SUV crashes into a snowbank, and Sam and her friends find themselves stranded in the mountains with cell phone coverage long gone and temperatures dropping. When the group gets sick of waiting for rescue, they venture outside to find help—only to have a wilderness accident leave Sam’s brother with a smashed leg and soon, a raging fever. While the hours turn to days, Sam’s brother gets sicker and sicker, and their food and supplies dwindle until there is not enough for everyone. As the winter elements begin to claim members of the group one by one, Sam vows to keep her brother alive.

No matter what.

Filled with twists, secrets, and life-changing moments, Ski Weekend is a snow-packed survival thriller featuring a diverse cast of teens that will appeal to fans of One of Us is Lying and I Am Still Alive.

Named a Best Book of Fall by Cosmopolitan, Yahoo! Life ~ She Reads ~ She Knows ~ Book Trip ~ Women.com, and more!
*2021 American Fiction Awards Award-Winning Finalist in Young Adult, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Winner in Young Adult, and Firebird Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction.

I really enjoyed this book, it started off a little slow for me at first, but once it started picking up and I found myself unable to put the book down until it was finished. 

I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to review this book for you, get your advanced orders in, it is to be published on October 26th,2021.

 

Available from   http://www.amazon.com, http://www.amazon.ca  

and tother fine book stores and your Public and School Libraries

Join us next week for our next newsletter ~ Stay safe and remember there are people out there that can help you.

 

About The Author

 

Rektok Ross is the pen name of Liani Kotcher, a trial attorney turned award-winning young adult author and book blogger. An avid reader since childhood, Liani writes exactly the kind of books she loves to escape into herself: exciting thrillers with strong female leads, swoon-worthy love interests, and life-changing moments. She graduated from the University of Florida School of Journalism and obtained her juris doctorate at the University of Miami School of Law. Originally from South Florida, she currently splits her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles with her husband, step kids, and her dogs. You can find her online just about anywhere at @RektokRoss, as well as on her website, http://www.RektokRoss.com, where she blogs about books and writing. –This text refers to the paperback edition.

Review

2021 Firebird Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction
2021 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Bronze Medal in Young Adult – Thriller
2021 American Fiction Awards Finalist in Young Adult
Featured in Cosmopolitan‘s “15 Compelling Fall 2021 Books to Add to Your Reading List”
Featured in Yahoo! Life‘s “You’ll Want to Cozy Up With All These New Books This Fall”
Featured in SheReads.com “Most Anticipated YA Books of Fall 2021”
Featured in SheKnows.com “16 Books Coming Out This Fall We Can’t-Wait to Read”
Featured in BookTrib‘s “13 Must-Reads to Keep You Cozy This Fall”

“Ross offers YA readers genuinely diverse characters, each of whom continues to grow throughout the narrative. . . . Brace for impact readers, this YA thriller holds little back.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“This is a suspenseful book that had me thoroughly hooked from page one . . . The emotional journey of Ski Weekend is relentless . . . ”
—Readers’ Favorite, five-star review

“A nail-biter with some surprising moments. Recommended for high school and YA collections.”
—School Library Journal

“Full of twists and thrills, Ski Weekend 

 

Need someone to talk to? 

Kids Help Line   Phone e-mental health services available 24/7  across Canada. This means we are here for you: Call  1800-668-6868 ~ htps://www.safehelpline.org 

Homework Help Canada. Address: 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4W 3E2. Local: (416) 855-0700 Toll-Free: 1(855) 822-0700 Email: info@homeworkhelpglobal.com. LIVE SUPPORT. From the Blog. 01 Sep Dorm Room Checklist: What to Bring to College (And What to Leave Behind) 0; 30 Aug Types of Literary Devices: The Ultimate List (With Examples) 0; 16 Aug How to Make Friends in University …

Order Now | Homework Help Canada

Need someone to talk to? 

Kids Help Line   Phone e-mental health services available 24/7  across Canada. This means we are here for you: Call  1800-668-6868 ~ htps://www.safehelpline.org 

Homework Help Canada. Address: 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4W 3E2. Local: (416) 855-0700 Toll-Free: 1(855) 822-0700 Email: info@homeworkhelpglobal.com. LIVE SUPPORT. From the Blog. 01 Sep Dorm Room Checklist: What to Bring to College (And What to Leave Behind) 0; 30 Aug Types of Literary Devices: The Ultimate List (With Examples) 0; 16 Aug How to Make Friends in University …

Order Now | Homework Help Canada

Professor Owls Book Corner ~ September 29th., 2021`

 

Welcome back to week two of your latest version of Professor Owls Book Corner, we hope that you are all keeping well and still following the distancing and wearing your masks when you are in close quarters or with a crowd of people.

This week’s issue will have your usual book of the week corner along with our Literacy section, we will help you improve your reading skills or reading speed.

If you have a problem with the reading we will cover that for you too, by showing videos of other teens and how they overcame and learned how to find the tools and to enjoy your time with books.

We will also share with you other sites and programs that are available to help you with all areas of learning.

    

 

  50 Popular iPad Apps For Struggling Readers & Writers

https://www.teachthought.com/literacy/50-popular-ipad-apps-for…

• Helpful Tools
• Fundamentals
• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling

These tools are useful for both educators and students with reading disabilities alike, aiding in everything from looking up a correct spelling to reading text out loud.

1. Speak It! Speak It! is a great text-to-speech solution that can allow students with reading disabilities to get a little help with reading when they need it?
2. Talk to Me: Talk to Me is another text-to-speech application. It can be used to read words…

Licensed Literacy Tutor. Sylvia McGrath

Truly Devious 3-Book Box Set:

Truly Devious, Vanishing Stair, and Hand on the Wall

 

By Maureen Johnston.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson delivers the witty and pulse-pounding conclusion to the Truly Devious series as Stevie Bell solves the mystery that has haunted Ellingham Academy for over 75 years. Now available in paperback.
Ellingham Academy must be cursed. Three people are now dead. One, a victim of either a prank gone wrong or a murder. Another, dead by misadventure. And now, an accident in Burlington has claimed another life. All three were in the wrong place at the wrong time. All at the exact moment of Stevie’s greatest triumph . . .
She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.
At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles, there must be answers.
Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heading toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.
In the tantalizing finale to the Truly Devious trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson expertly tangles her dual narrative threads and ignites an explosive end for all who’ve walked through Ellingham Academy.
Praise for the Truly Devious series:
“Readers, hang tight: there’s one more round to come, and if the signs are right, it’ll be to die for.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The Agatha Christie-like ecosystem pairs with lacerating contemporary wit and alternating past and present scenes makes for a multilayered, modern detective story.” —New York Times Book Review
“Remember the first-time reading Harry Potter and knowing it was special? There’s that same sense of magic in the introduction of teen Sherlock-in-training Stevie Bell.” —USA Today (four stars)
“Be still, my Agatha-Christie-loving beating heart.” —Bustle

This book is the third in the series although these books can be a stand-alone read, they are outstanding when read alone. They have fast-moving characters that are fun amiable.

These books are full of twists and turns that begin as an endeavor to solve a long-ago kidnapping and finish with two more deaths and a riddle to solve. The story is entertaining for both young adults and adults
Once I started reading this series, I just could not stop until I had finished them.

These books are available from www.amazion.com, www.amazon.ca, www.kobo.com, and other fine bookstores also your School and local Libraries.

Join us next week for our next newsletter ~ Stay safe and remember there are people out there that can help you.

Need someone to talk to? 

Kids Help Line   Phone e-mental health services available 24/7  across Canada. This means we are here for you/  Call  1800-668-6868 ~ htps://www.safehelpline.org 

Homework Help Canada. Address: 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4W 3E2. Local: (416) 855-0700 Toll-Free: 1(855) 822-0700 Email: info@homeworkhelpglobal.com. LIVE SUPPORT. From the Blog. 01 Sep Dorm Room Checklist: What to Bring to College (And What to Leave Behind) 0; 30 Aug Types of Literary Devices: The Ultimate List (With Examples) 0; 16 Aug How to Make Friends in University …

Order Now | Homework Help Canada

http://www.homeworkhelpglobal.com/ca/product/order-now-canada/

Professor Owl’s Book Corner. Week of September 22nd,2021

` Support available.

 

 

Welcome back to week two of our new weekly newsletter, we hope you enjoyed our last issue set up, and you found our new format easier to follow.

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This week we will share with you a video on, and how other students found the first week back to school and their reactions to Covid 19.

 

 

Need someone to talk to? 

Kids Help Line   Phone e-mental health services available 24/7  across Canada. This means we are here for you/  Call  1800-668-6868 ~ htps://www.safehelpline.org 

 

   

Shadow and Bone

 

 

 

by Leigh Bardugo

Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Six of Crows and the Crooked Kingdom.

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold—a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic, not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite—and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems. It is thrilling, magical, and captivating! Great word building, amazing story, and interesting characters, this book has it all!

I really loved reading this book and can’t wait to know what happens next. Makes me so motivated to read the next books in the series.

A New York Times Bestseller
A Los Angeles Times Bestseller
An Indie Next List Book
This title has Common Core connections.

Read all the books in the Grishaverse!

The Shadow and Bone Trilogy
(previously published as The Grisha Trilogy)
Shadow and Bone
Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising

The Six of Crows Duology
Six of Crows
Crooked Kingdom

The King of Scars Duology
King of Scars

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic
The Severed Moon: A Year-Long Journal of Magic

Praise for the Grishaverse

“A master of fantasy.” —The Huffington Post
“Utterly, extremely bewitching.” —The Guardian
“This is what fantasy is for.” —The New York Times Book Review
“[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp.” —NPR
“The darker it gets for the good guys, the better.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Sultry, sweeping and picturesque. . . . Impossible to put down.” —USA Today
“There’s a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo’s original epic fantasy that sets it apart.” —Vanity Fair
“Unlike anything I’ve ever read.” —Veronica Roth, bestselling author of Divergent
“Bardugo crafts a first-rate adventure, a poignant romance, and an intriguing mystery!” —Rick Riordan, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series

 Shadow and Bones and all other books are available from http:/www.amazon.ca. http://www.amazon.com. https//:www.kobo, com other fine book stores and your School and Public Libraries.

Professor Owl’s Book Corner, Week of September 15th.2021

 

BACK TO SCHOOL ` ISSUE

Welcome back to Professor Owl’s Book Corner!

During our short break, we read some of our readers’ letters, saying that they had found our monthly newsletter too long, and asked if we could make it shorter, with this in mind there will be making some changes.

We will be breaking down the newsletter into four small weekly ones, that will be posted every Wednesday.

These newsletters will still cover many of your favorite pages including the weekly book of the week in our Book Corner, Crafters Corner, Literacy help, Community Boards, and Writers Corner. We will also include some “Help Links”.

It is September again and many schools around the world are welcoming their students back to school after two years of Covid 19 that interrupted school for many young people.

Most of you tried online learning some did their learning other ways. Students around the world are going to school under quite different circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many schools have reopened with varying degrees of extenuation depending on government guidance, while others haven’t reopened at all but instead implemented distance learning. We will take a visual tour of what and how students around the world are dealing with during this unusual time.

What’s happening at Variety? ~ We’re coming together to create an impact.
Events provide ways to get children with disabilities out in their communities to socialize and participate in the fun. Donors, volunteers, and families rally around a common goal: to extend these opportunities to every child who needs them.
The Access Expo
FRIDAY, SEP 17, 2021
8:00AM-7:00PM VARIETY ONTARIO 3701 DANFORTH AVENUE, SCARBOROUGH ON
The Access Expo
Back for the second year in a row, the Access Expo is a free 2-day event taking place on September 17 and 18, 2021, and will host exhibitors at Variety…
EVENT DETAILS
Golf Fore Kids
FRIDAY, SEP 24, 2021
8:00AM – 2:00PM REMINGTON PARKVIEW GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Golf Fore Kids
Golf Fore Kids Charity Tournament *Registration is FULL* BID FOR KIDS Online Auction is LIVE! As part of our Golf Fore Kids Charity Classic, we are running an Online Auction! …
`EVENT DETAILS

  WHAT”S NEW?~We are OPEN! New COVID Protocols

Variety is open! Ahead of the new provincial policy, we will be requiring proof of vaccination from our members, and as of September 13, 2021, bookings are not required to use our facilities. We will still be operating at 50% capacity. If you are looking to reactivate your membership, call our front desk at 416-699-7167 or email membership@varietyontario.ca. For more information on memberships, click below.

READ MORE
• The Access Expo is One Week Away! September 17-18th
The Access Expo is returning for the second time to Variety Village this September! In the first ability expo since COVID, discover ability-enhancing products and services, play adaptive sports, and attend informative workshops. There’s something for #everyBODY!
Come join us, it’s free:

READ MORE
• SHOP: The Inclusion Initiative
The Inclusion Initiative’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection is now available! They have everything from activewear to sweaters, t-shirts, hats, kids’ apparel, and more! Click below to see what’s in store – 100% of net proceeds will be donated to Variety
When you purchase their apparel, you take the pledge to play for inclusion. #IPlayForInclusion

READ MORE
Upcoming Events
• The Access Expo
SEPTEMBER 17 & 18, 2021 VARIETY VILLAGE

• Golf Fore Kids Charity Classic
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021, 8:00AM-2:00PM REMINGTON PARKVIEW GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

• Truck or Treat Food Truck Festival
OCTOBER 30 & 31, 2021 VARIETY VILLAGE/BIRCHMOUNT PARK COLLEGIATE PARKING LOTS

Variety programming empowers children with disabilities to be seen, participate, and feel included. We bring accessible facilities to life with sports, fitness, activities, summer camps, skills training, and coaching for competitive and Paralympic athletes. Through local partnerships, we extend our reach through accessibility training and education.
• 2 Swimming Pools
• Cardio Room
• Accessible Equipment
• State of the Art Weight Room
• MONDO Indoor Track
• 3 Full-size Sport Courts
LEARN MORE ABOUT US

Dodging for Dimes – Get your corporate team or a team of friends together for this fast and fun charity dodgeball tournament. No training, no practice, just loads of fun with a big impact on Canadians living with physical disabilities.
•
Johnny Reid – A Time for Having Fun – Johnny Reid wants to remind everyone that Christmas – regardless of the circumstances – is A Time for Having Fun!
•
Join us on September 17th for our virtual job fair! – Come find out what positions are available and what makes March of Dimes Canada such a wonderful place to work.
•
Kitchen Ceilidh – Join us November 7th for some good craic and cook along with Chef Brooklyn Hillier with entertainment by J.P. Cormier!
•
National Family Caregiver Day – A Moment for You: A Conversation Among Caregivers – Join us on Tuesday, April 6, for a virtual conversation of the incredible unseen contribution of caregivers.
•
Opening Doors for Accessibility – If you are an individual living with a disability, health professional, caregiver, or family member, you should attend this free community resource showcase.
•
opportunities with Kate Linder and Y&R Friends – OpportuniTea high tea in Toronto and Calgary, features Kate Linder (Esther Valentine), along with her actor friends from the top-rated North American soap opera The Young and The Restless.
•
Rock for Dimes – Find out when Rock for Dimes battle of the bands will be coming to your community at http://www.rockfordimes.ca
•
Spiking for Dimes – Get your corporate team or a team of friends together for this fast and fun charity volleyball tournament.
March of Dimes Canada Head Office
10 Overlea Blvd.,
Toronto, ON M4H 1A4
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The Keeper of Night
Release date – Oct. 12, 2021

 Kylie Lee Baker (Author)

A girl of two worlds, accepted by none… A half Reaper, half Shinigami soul collector seeks her destiny in this haunting and compulsively readable dark fantasy duology set in 1890s Japan.

Death is her destiny.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.

When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death…only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

Professor Owls Review:

The Keeper of Night is a story of mixed legends and traditions. Combining the distinctive Reapers of England and combining it with the legendary stories of Shinigami’s and Yochai’s, the author Kylie Lee Baker weaves a dark and sinister tale of death for herself and those who serve her.

This story has a lot of interesting characters including the honorably vague Ren and her consciousness in the form of her younger brother Neven.

The Keeper of Night will leave you guessing throughout the story and trying not to hold your breath for the second book.

 I would like to thank Net Galley for the advance copy that enabled me to give you information on this terrific book.

 Review
“Sharp and seductive…a fantasy with teeth.” —Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

“The Keeper of Night is an absolutely thrilling tale of one girl’s search for identity and a sense of belonging. With its rich worldbuilding, high-stakes and well-drawn characters, Kylie Lee Baker has created a must-read tale.” —June Hur, author of The Silence of Bones

“Dark, gruesome—and absolutely captivating.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Baker’s debut is atmospheric… A cliff-hanger ending will have readers anxiously awaiting the final title in this duology.” —Booklist
Don’t miss the must-read sequel coming in 2022!

About the Author

 

Kylie Lee Baker is the author of The Keeper of Night. She grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a BA in creative writing and Spanish from Emory University and a Master of Library and information science degree from Simmons University.

 

This book will be available from   www.amazon.com, http://www.amazon.ca, and  www.kobo.com    

Professor Owl’s Book Corner ~ Book of the week ~ 22/08/21

The Forest Kingdom

(Asperfell Trilogy, Book 2)

by Jamie Thomas

• 

Briony is free from the walls of Asperfell, but not from its strange and savage world.

Lost in the frozen wilderness, Briony leads her friends ever northward, in search of a rumored cave wherein lies their only hope of returning home to the kingdom of Tiralaen with Prince Elyan, the rightful heir to the throne, to save her people from civil war.

What she discovers instead is an impossible kingdom of opulence and decadence beyond her wildest imagining. Here, an ancient goddess is about to awaken once more… and she has never forgiven Briony’s people for their intrusion into this world, nor the centuries of bloodshed that followed.

Caught in a deadly web of secrets and lies that stretches across generations, Briony holds the fate of two kingdoms in her hands. To leave this new world behind is to condemn its people to anguish and death. But to stay and fight, Briony must abandon her home and everyone she’s ever loved—including Elyan.

To save one kingdom, the other must fall.

A great fantasy series, the storyline and the characters really hold your attention throughout the book.

The plot and storyline just become more intriguing as the story and series develop. I am looking forward to the 3rd book in the series and cannot wait for it to be released.  I give this book five stars!

I would like to thank NetGalley for the advanced copy so that I could review it for Professor Owl’s book reviews.

Available from  www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca, www.Kobo.com, and other fine bookstores.

Professor Owl’s Book Corner ~ Book of the week August 11th, 2021

These Hollow Vows Hardcover – July 20, 2021

Reviews:

by Lexi Ryan  (Author)

Product description:

“Sexy, surprising, and full of secrets. These Hollow Vows is a lot like the world of Faerie – seductive, enthralling, and dangerous. With two very different love interests, lots of heated moments, and a spectacular ending, this is the fantasy romance I have been craving”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series
 
“A sexy new take on fae fantasy, THESE HOLLOW VOWS swept me away from the very first page and left me breathless and impatient for the next installment. Brie is a smart, capable heroine readers will love to root for in a dazzling new world filled with magic and romance. Prepare to fall for your newest book boyfriend.”—Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician.
 
“Lexi Ryan wrote a beautifully broken and epic fantasy that completely blew me way. Complete with twisted fae, love triangles that make my heart pound, and exceptional world building, These Hollow Vows is a must read for fans of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout. I highly recommend and am in dire need for the next book!”—Carrie Ann Ryan, NYT Bestselling Author of the Elements of Five Series
 
“An enchanting story of magic, adventure, and the lengths we will go to for the ones we love. Lexi Ryan takes readers on a rollercoaster ride we won’t forget and leaves us begging for more of this story and world.”—Catherine Cowles, author of the Wrecked series

“Engaging writing and worldbuilding…. a compelling hook.”—School Library Journal

About the Author:

Lexi Ryan is the New York Times best-selling indie author of over twenty-five romance titles, and the 2018 winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Contemporary Romance: Long. Her novels have sold over 725,000 copies. She lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and a spoiled dog. Twitter: @writerlexiryan.
 Abriella was a great protagonist in my opinion. She was strong, powerful and never backed down from a challenge. There were times where I was expecting her to take the easy way out because that happens a lot with YA protagonists, but honestly Abriella’s actions even surprised me a lot of the time and I was very impressed with her as a character

My review:.

I found the faerie world to be fascinating and a total fun location for the book to take place. The author did a grand job of setting up the differences between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, emphasizing that neither one of them is “good” or “bad”. Overall, this made the story a more fun and realistic too.

I enjoyed this read so much, that I could not put it down until I reached the end of the book, I will certainly be getting the next book in this series when it comes out sometime next year to find out where the  book takes us in Abriella’s next journey/

I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to get this advanced copy so I could review it for you.

Available from: www.amazon.ca, www.amzon.com, www.kobo.com , other fine book stores and your. Public Library.

Don’t Underestimate Me! ~ July #DisabilityAwareness #WATWB

Welcome to the “We are the World Blogfest” (#WATWB ). The #WATWB was inspired by a simple conversation about how all the negativity on social media was weighing on us. Wanting to make a difference, we decided to try to do our part to infuse social media with all the good stories that are out there. We hope to share the stories that show kindness, compassion, hope, overcoming challenges and in general, the impressive resilience of the human spirit. For every dark, negative story out there, there is a positive, heartwarming story that will add some light and lift the human spirit. #WATWB was started in  2017, this month marks our forty-eight opportunity to share positive uplifting stories to inspire, give hope and motivate others. The last Friday of every month bloggers share their stories led by two co-hosts, this month’s co-hosts are myself Sylvia McGrath and Belinda Witzenhausen.

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Those who know me can tell you how passionate I am about writing and promoting Disability awareness. Although originally filmed for the International Day of People with Disabilities 2018, I think it’s a message that should be shared everyday! Don’t Underestimate Me is a wonderful video that speaks volumes and I am sharing it for this month’s #WATWB.

For more information about #WATWB or to join us and help spread positive stories like this click here.