W Nikola-Lisa

In a rap-style prose poem, a racially mixed group of children enjoying a sunny day at the playground discovers the virtues of racial diversity and, at the same time, the basic identity of all human beings

The times demand a response. Some people prefer prayer and contemplation. Others prefer action. Both are acts of civil disobedience in their own right, just at opposite ends of the spectrum. Over the years I've come to believe that both are indispensable, that they are two sides of the same coin, distinct but inseparable. Prayer can be a powerful tool, but it is slow in its effect. I'm reminded of the saying, often expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." It does, but very slowly. Hence, the call to action. But action without contemplation is easily led off course, often into wanton destruction and violence. To constrain that tendency, prayer and contemplation are essential, for they provide the moral ground for "right action," action that is positive, peaceful, and progressive. And that, in short, is the essence of these two seemingly disparate visual poems: they are commentaries calling us on the one hand to prayer and contemplation, and on the other hand to action.

The times demand a response. Some people prefer prayer and contemplation. Others prefer action. Both are acts of civil disobedience in their own right, just at opposite ends of the spectrum. Over the years I've come to believe that both are indispensable, that they are two sides of the same coin, distinct but inseparable. Prayer can be a powerful tool, but it is slow in its effect. I'm reminded of the saying, often expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." It does, but very slowly. Hence, the call to action. But action without contemplation is easily led off course, often into wanton destruction and violence. To constrain that tendency, prayer and contemplation are essential, for they provide the moral ground for "right action," action that is positive, peaceful, and progressive. And that, in short, is the essence of these two seemingly disparate visual poems: they are commentaries calling us on the one hand to prayer and contemplation, and on the other hand to action.

Artfully designed in black and white using abstracted portions of enlarged letterforms, Please Don't Say An X Word offers a jumping off point for that all-important discussion about verbal abuse and bullying with upper elementary and middle school students. But first, what is an x word? In math, "x" stands for a missing quantity, as in the equation 2(x) = 4, where x equals 2. And so it is in this book, where "x words" stand for all the "bad, angry, hurtful words" we use to denigrate others in the heat of an argument. Using just the right amount of humor and thoughtfulness, W. Nikola-Lisa, author of the award-winning Bein' With You This Way, urges us to reflect on how we talk to each other, at the same time encouraging us to explore the incredible beauty and richness of language.

Artfully designed in black and white using abstracted portions of enlarged letterforms, Please Don't Say An X Word offers a jumping off point for that all-important discussion about verbal abuse and bullying with upper elementary and middle school students. But first, what is an x word? In math, "x" stands for a missing quantity, as in the equation 2(x) = 4, where x equals 2. And so it is in this book, where "x words" stand for all the "bad, angry, hurtful words" we use to denigrate others in the heat of an argument. Using just the right amount of humor and thoughtfulness, W. Nikola-Lisa, author of the award-winning Bein' With You This Way, urges us to reflect on how we talk to each other, at the same time encouraging us to explore the incredible beauty and richness of language.

In this well-documented and highly detailed account, W. Nikola-Lisa explores how science and technology changed the face of America's colleges and universities during the nineteenth century, bringing much needed reform to the classical liberal arts curriculum as well as suggesting new approaches to instruction.

In this well-documented and highly detailed account, W. Nikola-Lisa explores how science and technology changed the face of America's colleges and universities during the nineteenth century, bringing much needed reform to the classical liberal arts curriculum as well as suggesting new approaches to instruction.

Author and storyteller W. Nikola-Lisa presents three original folk stories in this handsome volume. While the first two stories ("The Girl and the Troll" and "Two Bags of Gold") offer traditional elements of a folk story--magic, daring, wonder, and amazement--the last story ("The Young Boy and the Old Man") is a meditation on the development of writing and the art of bookmaking. Parents, teachers, and caregivers will enjoy sharing this collection of stories with emerging readers and writers.