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Fleeting Fibonacci

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:50:40 -0400

Spring has sprung here at Casa Fibonooch. Greeting me this weekend from the cherry tree in the front yard were these fragile, beautiful 5-petal flowers. They'll last a week at most, then disappear forever. Oh, fleeting spring! Oh, evanescent Fibonacci!

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. In bookstores now. Follow us here.

N.B.: You’ve probably noticed comments can’t be left on this blog. That’s a shortcoming of my software program, not me. If you are moved to write, please use the contact page and I’ll post comments as soon as I can. Thank you for stopping by.

DynaMath’s Blockhead contest

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:08:25 -0500

I used to be editor of a children’s math magazine called DynaMath, which is published by Scholastic Inc. You might say that’s how I got into the math biz, and kindled my love of math in odd places. I’m pleased to see that the magazine is running an excerpt of Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci in its upcoming March 2011 issue. Students have the chance to enter a sweepstakes to win one of 25 copies of the book that I will personally autograph. Teachers can find out more about the contest rules here and about the magazine itself here. It really is a wonderful resource for students in math classrooms, well worth the money. If you’re concerned about funding for another math resource, follow this link for suggestions. Click on “New Funding” to learn how DynaMath qualifies for funding opportunities such as Title I.

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. In bookstores now. Follow us here.

N.B.: You’ve probably noticed comments can’t be left on this blog. That’s a shortcoming of my software program, not me. If you are moved to write, please use the contact page and I’ll post comments as soon as I can. Thank you for stopping by.

Let’s Hear It for Imagination!

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:55:24 -0500

I have lot of friends in the publishing business. Lots. I was talking to a woman recently who works for a publisher of textbooks. She tells me that her company has a policy of not using the word “imagination” in their textbooks because books using that word will not be bought in some U.S. school districts. She says the word is too closely associated in some people’s minds with the word magic, which, if you’ve been following the debates about the Harry Potter books since they were first published, is a literary hot potato for many people.

I get the objection-to-magic thing, I really do. I don’t like that people feel that way, but I understand it. (I was huge magic geek as a kid. I still have the magic wand and trick card deck to prove it.) But banning your child from ever reading, hearing, or seeing the word IMAGINATION? That’s crazy. Why, I’d argue you need more imagination to ban the word imagination for all the harm it’ll do your kid. The most successful adults I know did not grow up in an imagination-free zone. So for what it’s worth, here are couple of copies of the word. Please feel free to copy and paste into your favorite textbook of choice. Give a few to some wonderful kids, and some boring adults who need it, too, while you’re at it.

IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION. IMAGINATION.

There. Now don’t you feel better?

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. In bookstores now. Follow us here.

N.B.: You’ve probably noticed comments can’t be left on this blog. That’s a shortcoming of my software program, not me. If you are moved to write, please use the contact page and I’ll post comments as soon as I can. Thank you for stopping by.

Get a copy of the Blockhead DVD —and help Heifer!

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:08:22 -0500

Spoken Arts, a very creative film production company, has produced an adorable audiobook and DVD based on Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. They are intended for classroom use, so kids can read along with the audiobook or watch the animated story of Leonardo as he embarks on his adventures in mathematics. Both the audiobook and the DVD come with licenses for public performance, which means you can play it for large classrooms. (By comparison, the DVDs you buy or rent at your local video store are for personal use only.)

I was blown away by the quality of these new Blockhead products. The cities of Pisa and Bugia, and Leonardo himself, all seem to come to life with the music and animation and voice acting.

I want to see these products reach as many classrooms as possible, so I’m making the following offer: Anyone who books a classroom visit will receive as part of their package an autographed copy of Blockhead and a copy of the Blockhead DVD.

I am now also asking a $50 donation for any Skype visits booked from now on. The cost of a signed copy of Blockhead and a Blockhead DVD are included in the cost for a Skype visit. Any monies left over after shipping are donated to the Fibonacci Giving Project, which benefits Heifer International. I do not make any money on Skype visits. It is a wholly charitable venture. For teachers and schools, this is a great deal. The DVD alone is typically priced at $50, so this is a great way to build your classroom library with books and beautifully produced media.

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. In bookstores now. Follow us here.

N.B.: You’ve probably noticed comments can’t be left on this blog. That’s a shortcoming of my software program, not me. If you are moved to write, please use the contact page and I’ll post comments as soon as I can. Thank you for stopping by.

The Fountainhead Bookstore, Hendersonville, NC

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:29:19 -0500

For a short time, I lived in the quaint town of Hendersonville, North Carolina, whose Main Street is chock full of adorable shops. One of those was a bookstore. That shop is now under new management, and I’m happy to have been invited to speak at The Fountainhead Bookstore in February. I’ll post reminders closer to the date, but I’m pleased to share this short interview with Valerie Wellbourn, the shop’s bookseller. Here’s my chat with Valerie.

Can you tell us about The Fountainhead Bookstore?
We have an eclectic selection, including a Children’s Section for the very young up to age 8 and a Tween Section. Customers tell us that we have a wonderful selection within each genre. We try to be a place where bookworms feel welcome and get social opportunities to meet other bookworms.

How did you become a bookseller?
I was a land surveyor for many years, believe it or not. In December of 2009 the local bookstore on Main Street had gone out of business. I was actually looking for just such an opportunity, and as a book lover myself had gotten tired of always driving to the nearest big city, Asheville, for book shopping and book clubs. I opened the kind of bookstore that I had always wished for in our town.

What are some of your favorite books for kids?
A few of my favorite picture books are: “Blockhead” (of course), pop-ups like “Flanimals” or the new Harry Potter pop-up book. “One Red Dot” is awesome, “Of Thee I Sing” is a great new one, and “Children Make Terrible Pets” is very funny. I like the concept of “Beautiful Oops!” very much. I could go on and on.

Why do you think you so many people love the shop?
Customers tell us that they really appreciate the ambience, our helpfulness, and the friendly atmosphere. Plus, they can find certain books here that are hard to find anywhere else.

Why should people support independent bookstore over chains or online stores?
Just remember, Amazon nor Kindle will never, ever host your favorite author. Nor will they ever host a book club. If local indie stores disappear, all you’re likely to be offered in the future are mainstream books (which are not bad in and of them selves, but your choices will be limited).

The Fountainhead Bookstore will host my talk on February 19, starting at 3 PM. The store is located at 408 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC.

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. In bookstores now. Follow us here.

N.B.: You’ve probably noticed comments can’t be left on this blog. That’s a shortcoming of my software program, not me. If you are moved to write, please use the contact page and I’ll post comments as soon as I can. Thank you for stopping by.