If you received this email and had trouble reading it, go to
http://www.childrencomefirst.com/ccfbulletin0601.shtml  

The idea that beauty is to be found in becoming undernourished and anorexic is debunked; a book review by a 3rd grader; free study guides and strategies; a look at a mythical creature; an ATM machine for books; blogs on writing, on Spain banning underweight models and on a Cuban eStore; companies join to offer reduced price textbooks; and a company to use when sending out electronic bulletins. Here's the CCF Bulletin with news and information posted to the CCF site:

NEW TO THE CCF SITE:

• Education: 
  • Freeload Press has purchased Textbook Revolution. The companies joined forces to reduce textbook prices and bring greater services to students and other learners
• Reporters: 
  • The Tale of Despereaux - Reviewed and recommended by Megan, a 3rd grader from Oregon.
• CCF Youth: 
  • Skinny Models Are Out -We never thought anyone would have the courage to stand up and declare that allowing anorexic-looking models to be seen as the standard of "beauty" was wrong. We're elated that the word is getting out and that someone, finally, had the courage to start the ball rolling.
  • Be Ugly in 2007: Find ugly in "beauty" -"Ugly is the new beautiful," the theme of ABC's TV show Ugly Betty, is picking up steam. "The fight for female self-esteem gets pretty ugly," reports Ann Oldenburg in an USA Today article about the BE UGLY '07 public service campaign that starts on-air tonight during "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve."
  • Study Guides & Strategies - Do you know how to prepare for a test? How to study in groups? Do you know what the "Ten tips for terrific test taking" are? These and many other study strategies and study guides are available to you when you visit the Study Guide & Strategies web site that Joe Landsberger has provided as an educational public service.
• CCF Kids: 
  • The Kraken: Is this mythical creature real? -What do "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" have in common? They both talk about the Kraken, the most horrifying legendary sea monster ever. And now Japanese researchers off the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo have filmed the capture of one such giant creature. The giant squid they captured is 3.5 meters long (11.5 feet), still a young specimen by giant squid standards.
• Bestsellers:
  • Booksense Bestseller Lists - Links to the lists are updated regularly
• News:
  • The Espresso Book Machine: An ATM for books - "Buying a book could soon be as easy as buying a pack of gum. After several years in development, the Espresso - a $50,000 vending machine with a conceivably infinite library - is nearly consumer-ready and will debut in ten to 25 libraries and bookstores in 2007. The New York Public Library is scheduled to receive its machine in February." [CNNMoney.com]
  • Explore the NY Times Archives - We've been receiving and enjoying a free subscription to The New York Times online for quite some time. Now they have launched TimesSelect, a service that gives you access to every article published in The New York Times since 1851. What we liked about this service is that, especially for writers, it allows them a 14-day free trial period where they research articles published for the past 100 years.
• Reviews:
  • The Art of Dramatic Writing - Frank Delgado tells us why he recommends this title, "I though I was ready to launch a book until I read Egri's book. He explains how to make the difference in a great story, a story that will be remembered for its character, as oppose to a common story, a nice story."
• Blog:
  • On Writing: BIC HOK TAM - For all our writing friends, have you heard of the BIC HOK TAM mantra? It stands for "Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard, Typing Away Madly," and it's the theme song of the BIW, (book-in-a-week) group.
  • Kudos to Spain for banning underweight models - What a phenomenal turning point this may prove to be! At last someone has dared proclaim to the world that anorexic-looking models are not what the fashion industry ought to be parading on their various catwalks. In this case it was The Spanish Association of Fashion Designers who decided to ban models with a BMI of less than 18. [Click to read BBC article]. 
  • Olgy's Cuba eStore!! -Originally from Cuba and thankful to have found a home in the USA after she was forced to leave her homeland, Olgy is featuring special products related to Cuba on her eStore. Top among these is Andy Garcia's film, now available on DVD, The Lost City. It is the movie to watch to understand what two million Cuban exiles have gone through.
• Donations:
  • Constant Contact: A great way to communicate! -We've been using Constant Contact and absolutely love it. Now they have a program that if anyone becomes a paying customer via the links on this page, they'll donate $30 to Children Come First and they'll also credit $30 to you as a new subscriber.
    

REVISIT OLD FRIENDS: Some of our favorite articles posted over the years.

• Cheryl Klein, Editor at Arthur A. Levine Books, gives us a rare opportunity to understand, from an editor's point of view, what it is that makes a manuscript work and what keeps it from working. Klein's eBook, The Rules of Engagement: How to Get (and Keep!) A Reader Involved in Your Novel, is available as a free download from the CCF site.
• Check Yourself - We came across the www.checkyourself.org site after seeing advertisements for it on TV. It's a good "mirror" to look into. There are short quizzes one can take related to alcohol, marijuana and other drug uses and the answer, based on your responses, comes back as you soon as you click the submit button.