"This Day" honors religious diversity and provides a model for classrooms to talk about families' beliefs and practices while respecting the separation of church and state. Middle elementary students who've ever been bullied for being different will find "This Day" a good and comforting read. 

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Now, about "This Day." What's it about?

At Lincoln 
Elementary, 
Ms. Normale rewards a group of science students with a field trip to the coast. Ajwad, Rachel and the others might have thought twice about accepting the honor if they’d known what was to come!




From the author:
 The seed for “This Day” began with concern for bullying of religious minorities. Out of that desire to honor diversity, I discovered a deep vein of similarity running through disparate beliefs and practices, including those flowing outside any religious stream. How did I come upon the likenesses? A group of science students ~ you might call them geeks ~ showed up in my mind and basically told me their story of a field trip gone haywire, and how, at their intersection with disaster, the most unlikely stepped into hero’s shoes. Oddly ... the kids’ affinity to science expanded into a way to honor “separation of church and state” in schools, yet allow for dialoguing amongst all persuasions. (Elemental for a multicultural society, n’est pas?) And how is this effected? Well ... you’d better read the book. Ajwad, Rachel, Li Hua, and Lon don’t want me to say more, though if I stay to write another sentence, homeschooling Zanaeda and Ms. Normale surely will!

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Cover Art & Design:
Elena Raspopova
Kiev, Ukraine

Thanks for sharing your comments about "This Day" and for passing the author's http://www.esandypowell.com and Facebook links along. Your "Likes" on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/E-Sandy-Powell/282267558550148 and Amazon attract "This Day" readers from homes, schools and interfaith community programs.  And your Amazon reviews are appreciated too! 

Easy to Purchase Copies from amazon:
To allow for a little of the amazon share to be skimmed off for the author's local library (it won't cost you anything), go straight to the book's page through the Port Oford Library Amazon portal; just type "E. Sandy Powell, This Day" in the Amazon box right on the library's home page:
http://www.polibrary.org/ Or, if you prefer, here's the direct link for a "This Day" purchase:
http://www.amazon.com/This-Day-E-Sandy-
Powell/dp/0985908807/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349404217&sr=1-1&keywords=E.+Sandy+Powell%2C+This+Day

Common ground & diversity

“Delve into the lives of five children, each unique yet finding common ground. Join in their adventures as five families come to a deeper understanding of the common threads that run through us all. Parents and children alike will enjoy reading this book which offers an excellent diversity of vocabulary, as well as a moving glimpse into the many characteristics which define us and give us meaning. As a mother and a spiritual person I suggest that everyone read this deeply moving story."                        
Jamie Williams Huynh, Quincy, CA

Class discussions

“This book is so amazing-fit for any age. I can visualize teachers reading This Day to a class and generating great discussions.(I would have used it in my classes in my 33 year teaching career!) ... You've included so much in your book, from a wonderful trip to see a Darlingtonia to a language dictionary and study questions. Hope colleges and universities choose this book as a must-read for new teachers.”                                              
Phyllis, retired teacher

And what are readers saying?

Turn discord into dialogue:

'What an antidote to all the current religious turmoil!
"This Day" is going to help turn discord into dialogue.' 
                                           a busy fellow author on this coast

An engaging story with many applications:

This review is from Amazon: This Day  
"As a retired educator I was drawn to "This Day." I spent several years as a classroom teacher, child care director and advocate for children from the immigrant, refugee and homeless American populations. I can see how this story could be used successfuly with each of these groups. It could be read to children (or read by them). Parent groups would find it valuable as well as any adult reading group. There is a language dictionary and suggested discussion questions included too. I wish this book would have been around when I was working!
Though this book could be used in an educational setting, it doesn't mean the story is just for school. The story is engaging and fast moving. The author introduces and develops all the characters so that you are really "pulling for" them to succeed. I read the book in an afternoon and could not put it down until I had finished. As an adult who reads quite a bit, I found the story interesting and challenging for me and know it would appeal to a wide variety of ages. The author never "writes down" to the younger audience. I intend to share this book with my grandchildren."         J. Reich

Interfaith perspective:

"This story deals with every day yet complex issues that can happen in any body's life at anytime. It navigates the poten-tial mine field of misunderstanding in a most delicate way. Its message is simple but profound because it touches the most innate and pure part of human beings, their hearts!
 I thoroughly enjoyed reading This Day."
 Mohammad Fani, Director Interfaith Dialogue
 Camp Brotherhood, Washington State

Click on the cover below to enlarge, please, for better reading of the book's backers, Imam Jamal Rahman, Rabbi Shohama Wiener, and Catholic Liturgist Rolando Rodriguez:

A Master~Peace!! 

This review is from Amazon: This Day (Paperback)
"This book is Powerful! I can't remember being more moved than I was in this reading of E. Sandy Powell's This Day. This book is well-suited for children and adults alike with a clever, endearing writing style that had me hooked from the first page. 
I was awed by the Author's attention to details, from the glossary of words and phrases that the reader followed chronologically, to the study guide/questions at the end of the book.
It is a book about diversity and how a group of kids and their teachers came to new level of understanding of each other and themselves.
Powell took me on a journey of spiritual and personal growth as she brought each character into my mind and heart as I found myself happily joining them on their own Self~Love and Love~of~Others journey.
"Diversity" is beautifully and poignantly explored, sending me within to examine my own thoughts and feelings and gifting me with a new and expanded perspective.
If it were possible to give this book more stars I would!
This Day belongs in every school, every home and every heart....its message is that powerful."                                        L. MacAdams                                                  

Teachers: Key Words to link "This Day" to your curriculum, or explain how "This Day" fits your community demographics and class needs:  help with bullying, diversity, religious pluralism, spina bifida, science, multiculturalism, wheelchair access, field trips, CAR :-)

Through their teacher, community center adult, or church leaders, kids can discuss "This Day" directly with the author, and/or the illustrator, via author and her buddy "TranslateGoogle." mail to: [email protected]
Teachers, after you've read "This Day" to your class, schedule their Skype interview with the Author! (Converse first, by phone or Skype, so you're comfortable with the author's set-up and style prior to bringing kids into the conversation.)

Also by E. Sandy Powell:
http://www.amazon.com/E.-Sandy-Powell/e/B000APYAJ2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1349532372&sr=1-1

Artwork by Елена Распопова aka Elena Raspopova, collaborator extraordinaire:
http://iscusstvo.jimdo.com/картины-artworks/

  Elena 

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