Review of Address Unknown by a Young Reader

        I recently received a very thoughtful review of my book Address Unknown from a young reader. Her comments show her to be a caring individual and a good indication that we won't go wrong by placing hope and confidence in her generation. Below is her review.

My Review of Address Unknown, by Charles Warren

        Mr. Warren's book Address Unknown was great! I read it in about 1 to 1 1/2 days, it was that interesting!
        I like to read books that you could say are 'real world' type themes, like things that happen in the world today, which is why I loved Address Unknown! I think it was a great theme to write about.

        I am going to be completely honest, I loved the book, but the beginning wasn't boring, not at all, it wasn't like nothing happened, but not much did. I understand that you needed to portray Marshall, Mindy, and
their Mother homeless, and that they will only be homeless for five weeks, and that they needed to keep it a secret.

        The part of the book when things were happening, like when Crystal stayed on Marshall, repeatedly asking things like when she could see his new house, got me thinking, and got me excited for the rest of the book. But during the beginning, in my point of view, anyway, is that what happened mainly in the beginning was a sort of routine, maybe? That is my only negative comment, the rest of which I loved!

        Being 12 years of age, I have begun to understand many forms of crisis' in our world, such as homelessness, and things like that. I think it is important for people to be aware of homelessness, whether it be just knowing about it, or deciding to start food drives, donate money, or even if you are homeless for a temporary period of time, to stay calm, not panic, and to realize hundreds of thousands of people deal with this sort of thing every day!

        Like I said, I like to read about things that can happen in our world, so this book I particularly enjoyed.

        All over all, I think you did an excellent job creating this book! I love it, and I am sure other kids like me will enjoy this book also.

Sincerely,

Ellie

(P.S. Thanks for signing my and my sisters copy of your great book!)

Address Unknown Available on Kindle

Address Unknown, my novel about the struggles of a homeless student is now available for Kindle and many other eReaders through amazon.com.

Praise for Address Unknown:
  

“Right on target with what homeless students and families go through.”

       Dee Dee Wright, Homeless Liaison for Students in Polk County, Florida

 "A compassionate and engrossing story about homelessness in America. Its vivid descriptions bring each character and scene to life, helping the reader to experience some of the pain and anxiety the homeless endure. I highly recommend 'this read'!!

    Ms. Joyce K. Viscusi, MA, 28 years in education.

 This novel will help promote awareness and empathy for an ever growing problem that families often keep secret due to shame and fear.  It is a great story and a timeless social commentary for students, teachers, and community members.

Bernice S. Warren, Elementary School Counselor for 30 years, National Board Certified

My Novel: Address Unknown, the Story of a Homeless Teen Is Available

Many of you have been asking when my novel Address Unknown would be available. I am happy to report it can now be purchased on www.amazon.com and other outlets.

This is a novel for middle grade students, eight to thirteen years old, about a boy who becomes homeless. Those who have read it give it high praise. I hope you will enjoy it as well.

Resources for Bullying

Here are some very helpful websites for information on how to deal with bullying.

www.PacerKidsAgainstBullying.org

www.StopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov

www.tolerance.org

www.StopCyberbullying.org

www.Safeteens.com

Do you know of others to share with us?

Do You Know If Your Child Is Being Bullied?

        Up to 160,000 students miss school every day to avoid being bullied. As many as 25% of students say they have been bullied in school. With such high numbers saying they have been bullied, how do you know if your child is one of them?

        It's not easy to know and it's not the first thing one usually thinks of when school isn't going well.

        Following are some signs that parents should look for that are possible indications of being bullied. While bullying isn't always the answer, it is always something that should be included in the possible reasons for these symptoms.

• Has his behavior changed lately? Is he more sullen, withdrawn?
• Are his grades going downhill?
• Does he not want to go to school? Is he often sick or not feeling well on school days?

What you can do if you suspect your child is being bullied:

Let him know it's not his fault-it's the bully that has the problem.

Whether or not your child admits to being bullied, let him know that no one has the right to bully him. Encourage him to tell you and an adult at school if anyone bullies him.

If your child isn't sure, have him answer these three questions:
1. Did someone say or do something that made him feel bad or afraid?
2. Has it happened more than once?
3. Is that person bigger, older, or more powerful than your child?

If the answer to these questions is "yes" then he is being bullied.

Go on your local school board's website and learn what resources they have in place to deal with bully behavior and what their policies are. Work with school personnel to stop all forms of bullying.

What has been your experience with bullying behavior? Do you have any suggestions to add that might be helpful to others?

Homeless Statistics Aren't Just Numbers, They Have Faces

        The numbers of homeless people continues to increase every year. In the 2008-2009 school year the Hearth Project identified 2,038 homeless students in Polk County, FL. In the 2009-2010 school year the number increased to 2,289.  For the 2010-2011 school year it continued to increase to 2,453.

        We must never forget that these are not just numbers. Each of the 2,453 has a face. Most of the homeless are single moms with small children.

        My soon-to-be-published novel, Address Unknown, speaks to this issue and encourages discussion. Perhaps it will lead to more being done to assist those in this very difficult situation. That is my hope.

Road Kill Snow Skiing

        I've been snow skiing one time. "Road Kill." That's what they called me. 

        As I struggled to the beginners class over snow and ice, skis clamped firmly in place, I had two "aha" moments: 
          1) I would rather be walking barefoot across hot beach sand and 2) do I have an up-to-date last will and testament?

        We beginners stood in a line facing the instructor. He told how to bend our knees and lean this way in order to go that way. He very gracefully demonstrated. Then it was our turn.

        I bent my knees and leaned as instructed, but my skiis apparently weren't listening--they never went in the direction the graceful instructor said they would go.

        I did learn how to stop.  All you do is fall down. I practiced stopping more than I wanted to. I was good at it. 

        Often, when I stopped, the skiers behind me were surprised since we weren't practicing stopping at the time and, being beginners, they practiced stopping also--by running into me. Road kill.

        The class grand finale was to go on a ski lift and ski down the "easy" beginners slope. For those of you who have never been skiing before let me tell you a secret they don't tell you until you are in line for the ski lift-the lift doesn't stop for you to get on.

        When your turn comes you have to hurry to position yourself so the lift chair hits you in the buttocks and you fall into the seat. It sounds easy, but here's the tricky part-you're wearing skiis. When I hurry, I practice stopping. You're not supposed to stop when in line for the lift.

        Another secret they don't tell you until you are actually seated on the lift-it doesn't stop for you to get off.

        Directions for getting off the ski lift:
          1. Jump.
          2. Land upright on your skis.
          3. Very quickly ski out of the way so the person seated behind you,
              who will be jumping into the very same spot you jumped, does not
              land on your head. Falling is not recommended.

        I do not remember skiing down the easy beginners slope. This should not come as a surprise--people who go through a traumatic event often can't remember anything they did while going through said event.

        I wouldn't mind going to a ski resort again. But next time I'll watch the skiers from the lounge with a hot drink in my hand. And I won't have to worry about my last will and testament.