Reading Rainbow has Gone Twice as High

A little over a week ago I made this post about Reading Rainbow's Kickstarter campaign. At the time Reading Rainbow had surpassed its initial $1 Million goal and was working towards a $5 Million stretch goal. A lot has happened since then!

Reading Rainbow's Kickstarter campaign has set a new Kickstarter Record for Most Backers (they're over 100,000!). Seth MacFarlane matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1 Million for each dollar pledged over $4 Million. The top Kickstarter campaigns - such as the Veronica Mars team - stepped up to help (prizes, PR, and awesomeness like there). Tons of new prizes have been added.

It has been incredible to watch the dedication to this project.

Now, with only 6 hours to go Reading Rainbow has gone 'twice as high.' They have surpassed their $5 Million stretch goal! This $5M will enable Reading Rainbow to supply 7,500 classrooms for free and supply Mobile, Android, Consoles, and OTT Boxes. It is amazing. But it isn't over until it is over! For every $100,000 raised over  $5 Million, 500 more classrooms will be reached for free. This means that more students in more classrooms will have the opportunity to not only learn the rudiments of reading, but foster a love for it. When children - heck, even adults - love something, they do it and they love learning about it.

This Bring Reading Rainbow Back for Every Child, Every Where campaign has been close to my heart. I am a self diagnosed read-a-holic. I'm addicted. And if there is a therapy for it, I don't want it. My addiction to love of reading has been a blessing. Growing up, my health has always been a struggle. There were days, weeks even, I could not get out of bed. I was in pain, exhausted, or both. I was trapped inside a prison that was my own body. My friendships drifted. It was frustrating, upsetting, depressing - insert whatever adjective or verb you want. Yet, I was positive.

Without reading, I don't think I would have been so positive or happy. Maybe that is an overstatement, because finding the joy in many areas of my life got me through, but the point is: reading was important. Reading is more than opening a book and sounding out words on the page.


My love of reading opened many doors for me. Because of my love of reading, I loved to learn. Learning was fun! (Even now, as I enter my senior year of college, I keep that same outlook towards learning. It has help me come so far.) My love of reading erupted a volcano of creativity within my soul. Books are gateways to any where, any place. You can be anyone. Do anything. Books are maps to infinity. My imagination soared with them and it has never come back down. I write, read, draw, day dream, paint, scrapbook, and craft - all with this creative spark books placed inside my soul. More over, I can invent and analyze with it. This creativity has allowed me to think outside of the box. I've discovered a lot of what is wrong with my health this way and it is going to help my future as a physician diagnosing patients.

So, when I would sit there in pain or lay in my bed, unable to move in exhaustion I had an escape. I could transcend this fleshly prison and travel anywhere. I devoured books 2 or 3 at a time, week after week. Some only took a few hours to read. Others, maybe a few days. I was hungry for them. Then I just started learning things. I researched about history and science, reading all about them and finding passions there. When I became tired of that, I would write for hours, draw, paint, scrapbook, craft, or day dream. I was never bored. Maybe I was trapped in a room or in my house, but I was going everywhere.

Just remembering it brings a huge smile to my face.

As a kid I watched Reading Rainbow. Between every episode I faithfully watched and every book my parents read to me before bed, a love of reading was bound to ignite. I cannot say that one was more important than another because in my mind they are inextricably linked; however, Reading Rainbow did show me how reading and learning went together, enhancing each other. All of the real-life segments, where LeVar traveled and visited places related to the books being read were an example of how reading ties in with our lives, the world, and our learning. It showed me how with reading I could go anywhere, do anything, and be anyone. For a kid, that's pretty powerful. Those are tools that can be used throughout life in every aspect.

This is why Reading Rainbow's return is so important. But, as Levar Burton would say, you don't have to take my word for it.

Here are some of my other amazing Blogger Friends who shared with me how much Reading Rainbow meant to them:

"I loved it!! (...) it was a staple in my life!" - Raewyn from Be a Warrior Queen.

 "I loved Reading Rainbow! (...) We used it at school sometimes, and I can still remember the song. I'm intending on going into publishing and programs like Reading Rainbow, Between the Lions, and my local library definitely helped with that." -  Julia from Pennies & Paper.

"I was able to play the old shows for my kids at my school and they loved it as much as I did as a kid.  My students enjoyed watching the old episodes of Reading Rainbow and Magic School Bus. " - Pam from Hodge Podge Moments and Moments to Teach.

"I watched Reading Rainbow as a kid all of the time and loved it. It's such a trip to watch it now with my kids, but they love it as well. It is a super important show and I would love to see this cause come to life! It's a great way to inspire kids to dive into a storybook and stay hooked." -Amby from Amby Felix.


Lastly, Astrid over at Astrid Stars has also written her own post about Reading Rainbow's Kickstarter - go check it out!

The deadline for the campaign is Wed, July 2, 2014 3:00 PM.  In case you or someone you know still wants to help out...Helping out with the cause is easy: spread the word, share the Kickstarter, encourage others to donate, and, if you can, donate. The donation options run from $1-on up. Every small donation makes a difference, just as much as the large ones. However, the larger the donations you give, the cooler the gifts. (College student here, so I’m sticking to the $1-$10 donation options)

Bring Reading Rainbow Back, Everywhere: Kickstarter

Source: Reading Rainbow Kickstarter

This is not a sponsored post, just a labor of love.

Who wasn't in love with Reading Rainbow?

Reading is magic. Albeit, reading is a learned passion which must be nurtured to develop; once the passion develops, a spark is ignited that can never be quenched. I cannot remember the precise moment when my addiction started. Perhaps it was the first time dad cracked open a Sesame Street book as a bedtime story, Grover-voice and all. Or maybe the first mystery Nancy Drew took me on. Whenever it happened, the important part was that it did. I am lucky. Not only do I know how to read, I love reading.

For many - 1 in every 4 kids in the United States - growing up illiterate is the reality. (source:Reading Rainbow Kickstarter or here if you’re on mobile) That statistic is a disturbing, saddening reality. No child should have to face illiteracy in this modern age. No Child Left Behind was supposed to fix this problem by pushing to increase literacy.

  If you’re wondering what happened to Reading Rainbow? LeVar Burton explained it here. It wasn’t cancelled because it was not popular or had outlived its usefulness. (I know that I, for one, was glued to the screen when it played. When it ended, I was crushed. What about having it for my kids?!) It was taken off the air largely because of the change in education as a result of No Child Left Behind. The shift in education went to teaching kids how to read, the rudiments of reading, and away from teaching kids to love to read. (Which as a short-term goal makes sense: literacy is hugely important in our society, plus it is difficult to love something if you do not know how to do it.) Fostering a love of reading went to the wayside, no finances in the budget left for that. A love of reading became a luxury, not an education. Burton and the Reading Rainbow team know education does not have to an either/or kind situation. Choosing the rudiments over love of reading rather than inextricably link the two together is the definition of insanity. The truly radical notion would be to teach the rudiments of reading while fostering a love of it.

According to the statistics listed on Reading Rainbow’s kickstarter (more information to come) “numerous studies reveal that children who can't read at grade level by the 4th grade are 400% more likely to drop out of high school.” Additionally: “as of 2011, America was the only free-market country where the current generation was less well educated than the one before.”  Clearly, although it has made a difference, No Child Left Behind hasn’t gone as well as planned.

When I look back on my high school career, it is little surprise.  I could count on my hands the number of kids in my large class rooms that loved reading enough to enjoy the learning that went along with it. The majority of them hated it. Despised it. The current education model had so many kids hating reading. It feels like work - painful, awful, and boring. They didn’t care to expand their vocabulary because they didn’t want to read. Poor vocabulary made reading more difficult, but they didn’t want to attempt to understand what they had difficulty with because they hated reading, so they just didn’t read. They didn’t read so their reading grade levels went down. Teachers got mad at students for not trying and goofing off. Students wanted to read less. And so it started all over again. It was a vicious cycle. Motivation and curiosity for learning went out the window.

A love of learning is a love of reading. A love of reading fosters a love of learning. They are hand in hand.

Imagination is the key to everything, Albert Einstein knew that.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." – Albert Einstein

That imagination, that creativity, is what our current school system model is missing. We sacrificed imagination and creativity for the rudiments, the equally important groundwork. These two factors, however, need to be used in balance and compliment; not sacrificing one for the other. Grammar, vocabulary, punctuation – it is impossible to move up in society or career field without this ground work. They are important components of education and communication. Yet, without that imagination, there is no advancement in our society. Inventions, innovations – the internet, the cars we drive, the ways in which we clean up natural disasters and oil spills – are all made possible through imagination and creativity. Before inventing into reality, someone had to imagine the invention. Rip away a love of reading, stifle creativity, and we lose that innovation. Lose grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation and lose the ability to communicate these creations into reality. Passion without means has nowhere to go. Teaching reading is as important as teaching a love of reading and vice-versa. How does one both educate a child to be literate and have fun?

Enter Reading Rainbow.



(I listened to that song the entire time I wrote this post. No shame!)

Reading Rainbow is not just about fostering a love of reading – but a love of learning. The video adventures, such as the classic episodes featuring trips to china town to be introduced to Chinese cooking or to warehouses to see how a product is manufactured, teach children. Books are related to life; they are a doorway to knowledge, adventure, and fun. They teach us about life - problem solving, relationships, sharing. It is not just knowing how a sentence is put together or what it means, but knowing why the sentence is important. When a child is excited about something, loves something, and finds joy in it, they do it. Reading Rainbow got kids excited about reading.

Got? How about gets kids excited about reading.




First the app, now everywhere! The amazing Reading Rainbow team wants to bring back the beloved education show for children everywhere - not only to people with tablet access. Best of all, they want to make this web-accessed Reading Rainbow free for schools in need. This is an amazing opportunity for families and educators who are always on the lookout for ways to better children’s education but do not always have the means. The idea is simple: if kids love reading, kids will read. If kids have access to reading and are taught how to read, they will read. LeVar, Mark Wolf, and their team want to help with both of these factors. By being accessible to schools for free, Reading Rainbow would supplement the rudiments of reading.

In only 24 hours, the Reading Rainbow campaign raised $1 Million Dollars. With that $1 Million Dollars Reading Rainbow will be able to reach everywhere (households) via the web and every child will have access in 1500 classrooms. This is a huge opportunity! 10 days until the end of their campaign and they are at $3, 919, 839 but still not as close to the $5 Mil stretch goal.  $5 Mill will enable Reading Rainbow to supply 7500 classrooms for free and supply Mobile, Android, Consoles, and OTT Boxes. Every dollar still counts. Every dollar enables Reading Rainbow to reach more children, more schools, and do more to make this the best and most educational program possible.  There all kinds of ideas out there for if they reach past the $5 Million mark in the next 10 days (library access included!).

Helping out with the cause is easy: spread the word, share the kickstarter, encourage others to donate, and, if you can, donate. The donation options run from $1-on up. I am going to donation again now! Every small donate counts, just as much as the large ones. However, the larger the donations you give, the cooler the gifts. (College student here, so I’m sticking to the $1-$10 donations) Trekkies should definitely check it out! There are tons of prizes for Star Trek fans listed in the Updates section.

To donate to support, share the kickstarter, or to go to Youtube watch the funny kickstarter video over and over again, getting just as excited as I did - here are the links.

Reading Rainbow Kickstarter

Reading Rainbow Kickstarter Video

Also, go on over and check out the very first page of the Update section (now roughly page 4) on the Kickstarter where you can see an emotional and exciting reaction to the team hitting the $1 Million thresh hold. If nothing else gets your heart beating for this project, that video will.

A love of reading is the basis for an education that can bring a child anywhere. The opportunities are endless. 

Look next week for what Reading Rainbow meant to me, the impact it made on my education, and how it impacted - and continues to impact - others. In the meantime, donate & spread the word!

Blog Tour: Rain by Christie Cote

*Keep reading through until the end for multiple giveaways!*

Today I'm interviewing Christie Cote, author of Rain. I am especially excited to do this blog tour because I know her in real life. Christie and I have spent a semester sitting side-by-side in college courses, sharing our love of books and music. Now we are facebook friends. Everyday we find more and more in common - it's like our being friends was meant to be!

This is Christie. Music lover, author, book devourer,
newlywed, maple syrup connoisseur.  She's got
as much brains as she does beauty - a lot!

Now this lovely lady has published her first novel. Woo! Rain is available in paperback and e-book on Amazon. Christie currently working on getting the paperback version into some stores, such as Bullmoose Music and Barnes & Noble. While the e-book will only be available on Amazon as of now, if you have devices that do not cooperate with Amazon, you can buy the book and convert the file to one that is compatible with your reader via the program Calibre (which is free).

Rain's cover!

Rain blurb:

Taylor Sullivan took her life for granted until she received news that would change her life forever. In a state of denial she met Kyle, who didn’t end up being what she expected. She wasn’t able to escape her new reality, but with his friendship, just maybe she could survive it.

Author Bio:

Christie Cote resides in Vermont with her Husband and their dog. When she isn’t reading, writing, or dreaming up her next story, she can be found shooting targets with her bow, drawing or baking.

Rain is her first book.

Christie writes Young Adult Realistic Fiction, Fiction, and New Adult novels.

Find Christie:

| Website | Facebook | Twitter |Google+ | Instagram | Goodreads | Review Blog |Booklikes |

Without further adieu. Here we go!

                   ---- --  ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ -- ----

First off, describe Rain in your own words.

Rain is a young adult realistic fiction novel. It can also be considered contemporary. The protagonist is Taylor Sullivan, a normal teenage girl in high school. She has a good life with parents that love her. She has taken it all for granted, as many of us do. She receives news that alters her life completely. She fights to survive with the help of her best friend, family, and a stranger that becomes her friend.

What is one thing you want readers to know about Rain?
I’ve been careful not to give away what the main challenge for Taylor is in Rain, but you do find out in the first chapter. It is a sad and happy story and I hope readers will appreciate it.

Rain is your breakout novel. Congratulations! As an emerging author, what have you found to be the hardest part of writing a novel? What is the easiest (or your favorite) part?

Thank you! I think the most difficult thing about writing a novel is not getting intimidated by how much I have to write to produce a novel. The easiest and most fun part is just getting lost in the story and writing.

What journey led you to becoming an author? When and how did this process of becoming a published author start out? 

I have wanted to be an author since I fell in love with writing in middle school. I have been writing ever since, but never finished an entire book until Rain. I’m very proud of this story, and with the encouragement of a few friends and family I decided to go for it and publish my first book. I’m the only one who can make my dreams come true, so that is what I am doing.

The ultimate personality test: how would your main characters - Taylor Sullivan and Kyle -  describe you?
Hmmmm Determined maybe?

What inspired Rain?
I had to start a story in a fiction writing class, in College. I wanted to write a different story, but my teacher preferred us to write realistic fiction, and what I wanted to write was a bit different. I came up with a new story and first just had an image of Rain in my head and a girl and went from there. Before I knew it, I was totally engrossed in the story and had to keep telling the story.

Are any experiences in Rain based on, or inspired by, events in your own life or that of someone you know?

Not exactly, it is a fiction book. I did base some of the characters off of people that are important to me, and I snagged a few conversation snippets that have occurred in my life, but mostly the story just started as an image and I followed it where it took me.

How are you similar to and different from your main character, Taylor? What about Kyle?
Oh goodness. I’m sure how I speak comes out a little in her thoughts and when she talks, but otherwise I think we are pretty different. I guess some of the personality traits are similar. I like some of the things that she does, but appearance and life experience wise we are the complete opposite. I think I can relate to Kyle a little more, but he is very different from me, as well.

Give us an insight into your main character(s). What makes them so unique and special? What particularly qualities about them are relatable and captivating to an audience?

Some authors are planners – with outlines, snowflake diagrams, character biographies, or other means – and others are “fly by the seat of their pants on the rough draft” types. Some write everything in time-line order, others as it comes to mind. Tell us about your writing process: how did you go about writing Rain?

I hate outlines. In school when they were required I wrote my paper first and then made my outline from that. I honestly just get an idea in my head and know the general idea of it and start from the beginning and just see where the story goes.

What piece of the novel did you come up with first – the ending, the beginning, or a particular scene?

I came up with the beginning first.

Were there ever previous incarnations of any of your characters – particularly Taylor or Kyle?
No, but that is a fun idea for a future book.
How did Kyle and Taylor’s characters change from conception to the physical writing? What are some differences?

I don’t think Taylor changed too much from my conception of her to actually writing her story. I definitely got to know her more as I wrote her, but I think she stayed true to how I first imagined her. Kyle was just as much of a mystery to me as he was to Taylor, so in a way he is a lot different than I expected him to be when I first imagined him. His story in complex and I know a lot about him that readers don’t know about yet.

Was the story always meant to end the way it did?

I honestly wasn’t sure how the story wouldn’t end until I got there. It was always vague and ambiguous to me until I was writing it. I think it worked out well that way and I’m happy with the way I ended it.

How do you  beat writer’s block?

Honestly, I haven’t really experienced writer’s block. There are times that my brain just can’t get into writing, so I stop and give myself a break then go back to it, but I’ve never been stuck at a certain part and not been able to continue. There are times that I have had a scene come into my head and yell for my attention. I like to write things in order, I don’t usually skip around, but sometimes I have to stop and write future scenes that take over my head. I suppose if I ever did get writer’s block I would do something like that to get through it.

In a field known for agents and major publishing companies, you chose a path that many authors are now choosing to take: the growing field of self-publishing. For you, what drove this decision? What were your 1-2 biggest learning experiences (or surprises!) of self–publishing?

There are a lot of success stories, not that it means that everyone who self-publishes will be successful. I really like the idea of having full control over the book. I had the control over ever step and didn’t have anyone telling me I had to do it a different way. Self-publishing is a lot of work though, and it is not for everyone. I designed the book cover, editing and hiring an editor is my responsibility, marketing, advertising, setting up the cover reveal and scheduling the blog tour and there is probably more that I can’t think of. All of those things take a lot of time and can cost a lot, as well.

What are your plans for the future? Personal/work/book related.

I have more books that I plan to write. Two more for the Rain series, and a few other projects that I want to work on. I’m also finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Communications.

One writer to another: we all have procrastination habits. What are some of your best or most common procrastination habits?

True story! I’m very good at procrastinating. Anything from checking Facebook too much, to ignoring what I should be doing and watching TV, or doing other unproductive things.

Yay or nay! What are your thoughts on fanfiction? Have you ever written fanfiction before?

I’m not sure I can fairly have an opinion on fanfiction. I have never read or written fanfiction. It also depends if the fanfiction stays purely fanfiction, or ends up getting published, like fifty Shades of Gray. I know the idea is that a fan is writing a piece of work based on someone else’s work, so if that is the case I’m not sure if I can agree with fanfiction being published as an original work. I think it all depends on the piece of work and how it is all executed.

What is your favorite writing space? How about favorite writing outfit?

As long as I have a computer, I can write anywhere. I suppose I like writing on my computer in my home some-what office. I’m always a fan of being in sweatpants and a comfortable shirt.

The funniest/craziest thing that ever happened to you – GO!
I’d tell you, but then I might get arrested…

What is one unique and interesting fact about yourself?
I wrote and illustrated a picture book when I was really young in school. The book was about my cat Midnight. Luckily my drawing and writing skills have developed a lot since then.

My friends have a variety of nicknames for me – ranging from Rinna, to Sparkles, to Lvl5Woodland Elf, to Miss Katie – but I wasn’t always that way. For a long time I didn’t have any nicknames. Now, I have grown so fond of all of mine, I cannot imagine being without. Do you have any funky, unique, or special nicknames?

Well, my family has named me Princess Cupcake. I haven’t had too many nicknames, and some of them I don’t like so I’m not sharing those. I’ve also been called smiley, and Pink Ninja.

Who are your favorite authors?

Oh goodness, this could take a while… Lurlene McDaniel, John Connolly, Colleen Hoover, Cassandra Clare, Patricia Briggs, Tammara Webber, J.K. Rowling, Shelly Crane, Jennifer Armentrout, Michelle Sagara, Elizabeth chandler, Veronica Roth, Lauren Oliver, Jolene Perry, Maria Snyder, and Suzanne Collins. I’m sure I left some out.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Read and write as much as you can. If writing a book seems intimidating, I recommend setting small daily word count goals. Those goals are a lot less scary and are doable and eventually all of those words will add up to something big. That helped me a lot. Also be able to take criticism, and if someone says something negative about your work, don’t let it sway you from writing. Keep doing it, and work to improve, whether they are right or wrong.

 

 This Blog Tour is just FULL of giveaways. So don't miss out! There are three going on right now - get on board!

There is one over at Goodreads. Click through HERE to get there.

Then there is one for this blog for an e-book copy of Rain and a mass blog tour giveaway run by Christie. Below are both of them!

My Blog Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christie Cote's Blog Tour Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be A Warrior Queen

Hi all! There are more posts to come, but due to the upcoming finals week, I'm a bit backed up. Never fear, new content will be here soon!

In the meantime... Earlier this week I hopped on over to Be a Warrior Queen. While dear Raewyn is honeymooning in Europe a few of us have taken over her blog with guest posts. It has been such a joy! My post, Inspiring Through the Pages, is all about getting inspired - particularly with books! (You know, the bookavore that I am.)


You can also find Raewyn here, on her facebook page. Go show that awesome girl some love! (Congratulations, Raewyn! I hope you are having a great honeymoon.)

Imaginary Loves: First read of 2014

Before the end of last semester a friend of mine placed this book in my hand and told me "you must read this." I brought it home, placed it on my bookshelf and there it sat. And sat. And sat. Finals came and went. The holiday rush zoomed by. Next I knew it was the New Year, sparkling new and dangling commitment-free hours tantalizingly in front of me. Hot cocoa in hand, warm pajamas and a snuggle-y blanket I snatched up this promising read.

 I finished Sundays at Tiffany's in the period of two days with interrupted reading. Every moment was worth it. While I cannot vouch that it has been the most life-changing book I have read, or that it is my favorite, it is a well written, heartwarming book with likeable characters, and a plot that spoke to the core of my being. The little girl in me couldn't help but imagine what it would have been like to have my perfect, imaginary friend from childhood step back into my life, for real, as a source of romance. I mean, really...sign me up for that!

Sundays at Tiffany's was my first introduction to Patterson and his writing. I have passed his books on shelves a dozen times and never picked one up. Ever since I got swept into the hype of Twilight for several years, I have been cautious of authors who get a lot of hype or whose writing gets a lot of advertising. It's an irrational caution, the inner rebel in me no wanting to follow the crowd. Honestly, if a friend hadn't placed this book in my hand and praised it so highly, I may never have thought to pick up a James Patterson novel. Which is such a shame.

Until now I have also been unaware of Gabrielle Charbonnet's work; however, I look forward to becoming more familiar with her writing. From what I can tell (if I trust Almighty Google) she's written several books under her pen name of Cate Tiernan. Immortal Beloved especially catches my eye. (It's the fantasy lover in my soul. ;) )

My usual go-to genre is fantasy or science fiction, but on occasion I'll explore outside of that. (The Fault in Our Stars is one of my favorite books and doesn't come close to either genre, for instance.) I have never been disappointed in that exploration. Still, Patterson's usual crime/thriller novels never struck me as something I'd be interested in. This novel has changed my mind.

I was impressed by the writing in Sundays at Tiffany's. I loved the switch of perspectives between 1st person and 3rd person to distinguish between Michael and Jane as narrators. It allowed for a more intimate connection between the reader and Jane and Michael, while also lifting the pace, keeping the plot moving forward. For me, the novel was more character-centered than plot centered. As someone who thrives on well-fleshed characters, a mostly character driven plot was refreshing and exciting. Patterson and Charbonnet give the characters distinct voices and unique personalities. Their attention to details in the characters, even secondary ones, is admirable. They use details to explain characters as well as their relationships, such as shared made up games, personal quirks, favorites and dislikes, tolerance levels and many more.

For any budding writers that want a successful example of character development and growth, the subtle - and sometimes not-so-subtle - changes in Michael and Jane throughout the novel is prime example. Patterson and Charbonnet show how small things such as a new wardrobe, cutting oneself while shaving, and the development of anger or protectiveness can signal character growth without explicitly stating it.

Changes in Jane's personality shine through as she gains new confidence in coming into her own. My only criticism is that I wish these changes weren't spurred by a new male presence in her life, but from her own core, life experiences or some other form of inspiration. The idea that a male gives you new (or renewed) confidence, though true, is not an admirable example for me. My most lasting confidence has always come from within or my own accomplishments. Confidence gained by a male's presence - or anyone else - is fleeting. If they leave, the confidence and changes it inspired can be shattered. Though fitting for the plot of the story, I would have loved to see Jane's character gain that extra depth. Her story, though, and her development, is probably far more the norm, from my experience. It also does not make her a weak or shallow character, by any means. Anyone who has ever struggled with self-esteem understands how very easy it is for external forces to influence confidence and change.

When I read the novel, I was going through an emotionally turbulent time. Jane's negative self-talk and her oppression by those around her was more than my psyche could take as a result; however, Patterson accurately portrays how someone who does not fit the ideal of beauty, has been berated, and has never been put first might feel, act and react. He also accurately portrays how they might allow others to treat them, including accepting love that is less than they deserve. Having known friends who were treated similarly to Jane, shared many of her thoughts and accepted less than they deserved as well, I was impressed by the relate-ability and accuracy of the portrayal. (One of my favorite scenes had to be Jane deciding to buy herself a diamond ring from Tiffany's. The ultimate show of "I can spoil myself, I'm worth it." Love it! Way to pamper yourself!)

Michael is the perfect man - sensitive, charming, an amazing listener, kind and gorgeous - who sweeps into Jane's life to save the day as a child and then, a bit unexpectedly, as an adult. Who doesn't want the opportunity to fall in love with their imaginary friend? There are a few I wouldn't mind that happening with! This story speaks to every woman's inner child whoever developed the perfect man in their heads as little girls. Patterson and Charbonnet bring reality to the childhood game of make-believe. They build a world transposed upon ours where imaginary friends are assigned to children, where they are not human, but possibly not angels either. Where they can choose invisibility or visibility accept for with their assigned children, to whom they are always seen. While anchored in the reality of our world, the addition of living imaginary friends gives the story enough fantasy to feed my fantasy-hungry soul. There is almost a potentiality of truth due to this light dusting of fantasy, as if it could have been.

 I wish that we had been able to see more of and learn more about this imaginary friend world. The idea of it fascinates me. If Charbonnet and Patterson ever decided to do more novels dealing with imaginary friends, I could see it working. It is a story and world I'd love to revisit.

The short of it: the novel is worth the read. I'm so glad to have started of the new year with this book; it really put me in a state of mind to place my best foot forward told my goals in life, live life a bit freer, and stand up for myself more.

One book down, at least four more to go! I'm going to love this year of goals.

What have you read lately?