Books with author Deborah Parker

Death guides usually have rather normal names like John, Mary, Harry, and Jessica. And even ones not quite so normal, like Bartholomew or Ambrosia. They also have the most interesting tales behind their deaths. But one particular death guide has a few problems: she cannot remember her name or the details of her demise, and thus has no story of her own. One fateful night, she meets a young girl that may change her death forever. Inspired by the works of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman, and in the style of children's tales of old, The Death of Death is a tragic, yet sweet little tale about loss and acceptance. Suitable for ages 12 and up.

Set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Deborah Smith Parker's coming of age memoir takes place in the 1950s during three transformative summers she spent on a horse ranch. As a young girl growing up in the Midwest, she longed for the life of a cowboy. At age 13 her parents allowed her to go west to live her dream where she met her first love—a horse nick-named Tank. She spent her summers riding, wrangling, and sleeping out under the stars while her extraordinary relationship with Tank developed, shaped by the poignancy, hilarity and drama that tested relationships undergo. Like the rugged mountains in which these events took place, this story has rapidly shifting light and shadow which Parker artfully leads the reader through with humor and well-wrought descriptions of vivid pictures of life on the ranch—daily chores, risky antics and real peril, coping with dirt and dangers on the trail, and learning the language of horses, her horse in particular.

In the Garden tells the story of three young children who explore the flowers, vegetables, insects, and birds in a garden. The book is marked by its colorful watercolor illustrations and whimsical verse that will enchant parents and kids alike. At the story’s conclusion, the three children decide to plant their own garden. In the Garden will leave young readers excited to dig in the dirt and plant a garden of their own. Each page is a work of art that will be enjoyed by first-time readers and their parents alike.

Mimi Koehl tinkers with machines. Some are so tiny they can’t be seen by the naked eye, and some disappeared millions of years ago. But Mimi isn’t a mechanic. She’s a biomechanist. Mimi Koehl uses engineering and physics to study the designs of living things that fly, swim, drift, and crawl. She loves solving riddles about how creaturesâ€"from feathered dinosaurs to flying frogsâ€"live and move. Mimi’s curiosity has led her into all kinds of natural neighborhoods. She has braved turbulent waters to explore how giant green sea anemones survive crashing waves. In Chile, while studying seaweeds, a rogue wave washed Mimi off one cliff and slammed her into another one. But nothing stops her desire for discovery. To uncover answers, Mimi has attached leashes to microscopic animals and created ingenious models using raspberry gelatin and even Silly Putty. Today Mimi searches the worldâ€"and her imaginationâ€"for answers to life’s challenging mysteries. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Hope Calling

Taniwha Creek is a great place to grow up, and Kaz, JT, and Tai love nothing better than to spend lazy afternoons hanging at their favorite waterhole. They have a passion for touch rugby and are super determined to win the upcoming tournament and the grand prize: passes to the new theme park, Extreme Water! But theres a problem. The coachs nephew Kade is a spoiled brat who ruins every game with his selfish play and embarrassing tantrums. As the boys try to figure out how theyre going to win, they notice strange things going on at the local waterhole. Was that an eel wrapped around Kades legsor something worse? Do logs mysteriously change direction as they spin? Or is that a freak of nature?Join the fun, mystery, and adventure that take place at Taniwha Creek!

A horse-crazy girl growing up in the Midwest, Deborah Smith Parker longs to live a cowboy's life in the West. When she turns 13 her parents allow her to live her dream on a western ranch where she meets her first love -- a horse named Tank. After a bumpy start, their extraordinary relationship begins to emerge, complete with the poignancy, hilarity and drama that tested relationships undergo. Set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Parker's coming-of-age-memoir takes place in the 1950s during three magical summers at a horse ranch and chronicles the development of her friendship with Tank. Looking back on that time decades later, Parker comes to realize that Tank was a kind of spiritual guide who protected her from danger and guided her to a greater understanding of the connections of the seen with the unseen worlds that would come to play a greater part in her life. With humor and well-wrought description, Parker paints a vivid picture of life on the ranch -- the dirt, hard work, risky antics, and dangers on the trail while learning about the consciousness of horses and the language in which they express it.

Today’s digital technology allows teens to produce short films with enviable accessibility. But there is a darker side to today’s technology, too: the expectation to live and share your life online, to become an instant success with your first creations. Imagine being free to experiment and play with the medi-um, with a mentor beside you helping you craft solid, professional work that never looks like a home movie. Industry pro Deborah Patz is that mentor.Much like writers pen journals they don’t publish (aka “writing practice,” as taught by Natalie Gold-berg), Write! Shoot! Edit! mentors teens in “first film­making” ― crafting complete, scripted movies in a safe place free from public exhibition and scrutiny, experimenting with the medium, and discovering one’s own visual storytelling voice.You want to direct and edit, but your friend wants to write? Not a problem. Don’t read the book in order! Just follow the path. Write! Shoot! Edit! is written in three distinct and intertwining paths, so you can experience the book as you want to: as a writer, director / DOP, or editor.Start making scripted films today so that you can be the overnight success of tomorrow!

I had the privilege of covering a newspaper story about the Los Angeles Maritime Institutes TopSail program in San Pedro, California, cofounded by retired teacher and coast guard licensed captain Jim Gladson and a handful of friends, including Captain Alice Robinson, who is the inspiration behind the ballad. I accompanied them on a weekend trip on the hundred-foot-tall ships to Catalina Island with dozens of preteens manning the two brigantines. Many of the junior-high-age kids were considered at-risk youth. One of the girls had only house slippers to wear on deck while others were clearly neglected-looking and shy. Alices first and only rule on board ship was Everyone is friends here, meaning everyone was to put any gang-like squabbles behind them and work as a team. By the end of the weekend, under Alices funny, carefree tutelage, the bonny crew could rig and raise sails, lower dinghies into the water, cook their own meals, swap the decks, and more. The general transformation was wonderful and bittersweet to behold, and Alice set the mood.

I had the privilege of covering a newspaper story about the Los Angeles Maritime Institute?s TopSail program in San Pedro, California, cofounded by retired teacher and coast guard licensed captain Jim Gladson and a handful of friends, including Captain Alice Robinson, who is the inspiration behind the ballad. I accompanied them on a weekend trip on the hundred-foot-tall ships to Catalina Island with dozens of preteens manning the two brigantines. Many of the junior-high-age kids were considered at-risk youth. One of the girls had only house slippers to wear on deck while others were clearly neglected-looking and shy. Alice?s first and only rule on board ship was ?Everyone is friends here,? meaning everyone was to put any gang-like squabbles behind them and work as a team. By the end of the weekend, under Alice?s funny, carefree tutelage, the bonny crew could rig and raise sails, lower dinghies into the water, cook their own meals, swap the decks, and more. The general transformation was wonderful and bittersweet to behold, and Alice set the mood.