Books with author Robin Ballard

"I used to be the baby, but now I am big." So begins this story of a not-very-big sibling who suddenly finds himself with a baby brother. He willing shares his toys with the baby, he plays with him, and he knows when to be quiet. He sings a cheerful song when it is needed, and he teaches his brother many useful lessons. But sometimes even the biggest of us likes to be the baby -- and in this loving family, that is no problem at all!

I tell you this story because for too many years, people have told my stories for me. I am ready to speak for myself. So where do I begin? ........ Juli Jeong Martin, transnational/transracial adoptee ...... Pieces of Me, Who do I Want to Be is a collection of stories, poems, art, music, quotes, activities, provocative questions, and more all for the young adopted person who wants to figure out his or her story but doesn't know where to begin. A submission based book with over 100 different pieces, this book was designed for the teen who happens to be adopted, but it will reach all those who live, love, and work with them. It is a book of voices, from ages 11 to 63, speaking honestly and authentically about what it means to be adopted. Most are adoptees from around the world some are transracial, some are international, some are from foster care, some are young, some are old. There are a few adoptive parents, birth parents, and professionals who share themselves in here as well. It is a series of experiences, expressions, feelings, hurts, hopes, dreams, and struggles from a wide range of individuals. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, some will make you happy, some will make you feel less alone, some will offer advice, and some will just share. All of them are figuring out where the Pieces of Me fit in with Who I Want to Be. Organized around the idea of putting a puzzle together, there are five major sections: 1. Gathering the Pieces ......... 2. Stolen Pieces .......... 3. Fitting the Pieces .......... 4. Sharing the Pieces .......... 5. Where do These Pieces Go?.......... - all offering hope, encouragement, empowerment, and a sense of not being alone. Although it was conceived for the young adopted person, there are universal themes of healing, hope, and struggle all of us can resonate with. And if you are a parent, birth parent, or professional who works with adopted and foster kids, you will find a glimpse into their world, a place that you might not often be invited to share. This book has hands on activities for teens including t-shirts, sock bunnies, collage and postcards. There are thought provoking questions and places to doodle and think. Reading this book is not just for teens. Others who might read this include social workers who work with pre and post adoptive parents, teen group coordinators, therapists who work with the teen population, school counselors, pre and post adoptive parents, relatives and friends.

Some (young) people spend their days at day care. Some (slightly older) people spend their days at work. And despite the difference in their ages, what they do can be surprisingly similar. Whether you are a kid or a grown-up, you may build, or read, or paint, or plant seeds, or attend a meeting. How you spend your day matters. And it's nice to know that the people you love may be doing a lot of the same things you are doing! Sharing this book with a child is almost as good as spending the day together.

Book One begins when the shadow of a dead man is summoned to the world of the living. On the moonlit banks of the Nile he watches as a boy is pursued. He knows the boy, his name is Ahmose, and he knows the fiend who is trying to kill him…Only a few months earlier, Ahmose left his family’s farm to attend school in the magnificent temple of Amun in Thebes. Under the watchful eyes of the priests, he visits the House of Life where the injured are cured by magic and he learns from the sacred texts stored in the House of Books. In ancient Egypt the heart is the seat of all thought and emotion, and listening to the texts Ahmose learns that the gods as well as mortals suffer from love, envy and revenge.Step back in time with 'The Lost Spells of Egypt'. Discover what an archivist was willing to die for and why some still seek it today.

Two years have passed since Ahmose began his scribal studies in the temple of Amun in Thebes. He is now Sage Ani’s assistant, and together they travel to Pharaoh’s tomb and oversee the correction of a powerful but dangerous text. Despite Ahmose’s best intentions, the all-important promise he once made remains unfulfilled. He knows that has to act, but before he can complete the task once given to the archivist, the past returns with a vengeance. With a new conspirator on his side, it seems that the archivist’s enemy will indeed achieve his heart’s desire. In this last book in The Lost Spells of Egypt series, the destinies of Kai, Baal and beautiful Astarte converge in one gripping, and wholly satisfying finale.