Kathy Beckwith

DIDDLYSQUAT is a little story about 1 orange, 2 people desperate to have it, 3 geese, and a court jester with all the answers. Or not. When the jester takes over and insists on the one and only perfect solution, which leaves neither the chef nor the cooper happy, the geese (and the reader) realize that a little pause and a little problem-solving could have done wonders. DIDDLYSQUAT is both whimsical and full of wisdom, a story about the benefits of communicating before jumping to conclusions or making demands. It is an inspiration for learning conflict resolution skills, ways of friendship, and skills of leadership. It is written to delight the young child, but is equally meaningful to children, youth, and adults who experience an ah-ha moment over the surprise ending.

Annie had no plan to go to India. The essay contest was just a class assignment. But because her heart was breaking over what she had done, she wrote, she won, and she went ... Annie falls hard for the new boy at school - a Sikh her parents forbid her to date - raising questions Annie has never faced. Then when a friend dies through events Annie set in motion, she cries out for answers. Escaping from her guilt and regret, Annie accepts a scholarship to study at an international boarding school in India. There she encounters a world she never knew existed. Though she longs for answers, India gives her much more than answers ever could - the courage to question. Come walk (and run and climb) with Annie, Aziz, Ketsa, Vidhya, Danny, Param, and others from Oregon and India, where religions become classmates, and the world changes.

One summer day, Luke and his friends decide to play their favorite game of war, using sticks for guns and pine cones for bombs. But Sameer, who is new to their neighborhood, doesn’t want to join in. When the kids learn that Sameer lost his family in a real war, they realize that war is not a game. The gracefulness of their response and the power of friendship are the real stories here.

One summer day, Luke and his friends decide to play their favorite game of war, using sticks for guns and pine cones for bombs. But Sameer, who is new to their neighborhood, doesn't want to join in. When the kids learn that Sameer lost his family in a real war, they realize that war is not a game. The gracefulness of their response and the power of friendship are the real stories here.