Books with author James McDonald

The Washington sisters make good in the ’hoodIt may have taken them an extra year or two to do it, but the Washington sisters finally graduated high school, and this definitely calls for a celebration. But after the party ends, then what? The girls have no plans. Unlike their smart best friend Raven Jefferson, who’s away at college, and their nerdy best friend Toya Larson, who’s in computer training, and their overall best friend Aisha Ingram, who's rocking in TV commercials, Keeba and Teesha are still hanging out on neighborhood benches as if nothing's changed. Then an older friend convinces the sisters that they, too, have a skill – braiding hair – and why not make a business of it? With a loan from Aisha, the Washingtons open TeeKee’s Tresses in a rented storefront, and the future looks pretty solid . . . that is, until a rival’s jealousy, a landlord's greed, and a politician’s scheme turn the sisters' world upside down. Janet McDonald introduces readers to two sisters who discover that all you have to do is stick together to handle life’s many twists and turns.

Upon an a simple, ordinary piece of paper lives three scribbles. Just your regular old scribbles to the average person, but in the hands of a child the scribbles become everything imaginable. Help your child move from scribbling to drawing and become the artist they want to be with the adorable story, The Scribbles. Never underestimate the power of the scribbles and the amazing imagination of children. Through the eyes of a young child the clouds in the sky take on all kinds of shapes, from animals, to dragons and cityscapes; and on the beach becomes kingdoms and backyards are where rockets launch and unicorns graze. Kids have a way of bringing the simplest things to life. For toddlers, wild lines are the beginning of a creative journey, for preschoolers scribble lines are a little more thought out. When kids get to kindergarten, scribbling is a serious undertaking that with encouragement will blossom into a love of drawing and creating. It's easy to forget humble beginnings and focus only on the step by step lessons that teach children the skills to draw, but it's in those scribbling moments that travel way outside the lines that imagination begins to expand and build. My own scribbles had long been forgotten; until, when teaching my children to draw, I came across those long lost friends, peeking up from the page, and the book The Scribbles came to life. Celebrating all the stages of artistic development is an integral part of growth. For kids, scribbling is one of the first steps in artistic expression. This is a story that celebrates being a beginner, so the next time a young child brings you their page of scribbles look a little closer and imagine what you might find.

Growing up isn’t easy, and one of the major struggles is knowing what to be. Be is a book that takes a fun look at the many possibilities of what we can be in our life. The choices are endless. Be encourages self-respect and is filled with positive ways to spend the day. Whether with family, friends alone or at school, part of being human is figuring out what to be.

Hustle's personal Harlem was sorely in need of a renaissance. For him, it was the place where a scared kid named Eric Samson had been ditched by druggy parents and dismissed by frustrated teachers. Abandoned to the streets to raise himself, Eric Samson knows life won't be easy, beginning with the choices he must make. The fast cash of the streets still tempts him, but the threat of getting locked up – again – is daunting. Maybe Eric's way out is as Harlem Hustle, the rapper he dreams of being. At his side is Manley "Ride" Freeman, surrogate brother and best friend. And Jeannette Simpson, the college-bound "round-the-way" girl he hopes will be more than a friend. But does Eric have the strength to leave the familiar street life behind and the courage to reach for his dream?In her companion to Brother Hood, Janet McDonald once again captures the rhythms of Harlem in this fast, funny story of a restless teenager who uses the power of words to rise above it all.

Hustle's personal Harlem was sorely in need of a renaissance. For him, it was the place where a scared kid named Eric Samson had been ditched by druggy parents and dismissed by frustrated teachers. Abandoned to the streets to raise himself, Eric Samson knows life won't be easy, beginning with the choices he must make. The fast cash of the streets still tempts him, but the threat of getting locked up – again – is daunting. Maybe Eric's way out is as Harlem Hustle, the rapper he dreams of being. At his side is Manley "Ride" Freeman, surrogate brother and best friend. And Jeannette Simpson, the college-bound "round-the-way" girl he hopes will be more than a friend. But does Eric have the strength to leave the familiar street life behind and the courage to reach for his dream?In her companion to Brother Hood, Janet McDonald once again captures the rhythms of Harlem in this fast, funny story of a restless teenager who uses the power of words to rise above it all.

The Washington sisters make good in the 'hoodIt may have taken them an extra year or two to do it, but the Washington sisters finally graduated high school, and this definitely calls for a celebration. But after the party ends, then what? The girls have no plans. Unlike their smart best friend Raven Jefferson, who's away at college, and their nerdy best friend Toya Larson, who's in computer training, and their overall best friend Aisha Ingram, who's rocking in TV commercials, Keeba and Teesha are still hanging out on neighborhood benches as if nothing's changed. Then an older friend convinces the sisters that they, too, have a skill – braiding hair – and why not make a business of it? With a loan from Aisha, the Washingtons open TeeKee's Tresses in a rented storefront, and the future looks pretty solid . . . that is, until a rival's jealousy, a landlord's greed, and a politician's scheme turn the sisters' world upside down. Janet McDonald introduces readers to two sisters who discover that all you have to do is stick together to handle life's many twists and turns.Twists and Turns is a 2004 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease...Sound like science fiction? It's not!When Sister and Brother are told their Grandfather is having BRAIN SURGERY for PARKINSON'S DISEASE they are at first shocked, then very frightened—and they have lots of questions.Although this book is written and illustrated for children, it is also an excellent primer for anyone wanting to learn the basics of Deep Brain Stimulation.