TOMGIRLZ FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

My Tomgirlz friends and I look out for each other, but we also care a lot about our community. Since I am in all the TOMGIRLZ chapter books and I think reading is really cool, I would like to see all children enjoy reading as much as I do. So I decided to start a new community service program that I am calling BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE FOR LITERACY. I will visit children anywhere I am invited like libraries, organizations, events, and children's hospitals. My first visit will be at the Holtz children's hospital in South Florida in August. I will give more details when I get them.

The best thing is what I'll be doing there. I will get to talk to the children about some of the messages in the books and my creator (the book author), will read a chapter from MACKEY THE MEDIC to them. Then I will perform my talent act from the TOMGIRLZ TALENT TROUBLES book, which will be just like bringing the book to life!

I hope they will enjoy the visit and that I can bring a smile to their day. Remember...Laughter is the best medicine!

TOMGIRLZ TOO THURSDAY: RACHEL RAY, MAKING MORE THAN GOOD FOOD

There are so many amazing Tomgirlz out there, I didn't realize how hard it would be to highlight just one person each week! I had many considerations for today, but decided to go with RACHEL RAY.

I always liked Rachel Ray, but was truly first impressed when I watched an episode of her TV show. She had a young boy as her guest and he really put down cooking, saying it was for girls. Rachel put the boy together with a celebrity male chef and they spent some time together talking and cooking. I forget what kind of food they made, but to me the importance was in the magic that was made. The boy smiled, enjoyed, and now believes that cooking is for everyone!

Rachel Ray is not without her critics, but she refuses to change who she is based on the views of others. This is what really makes her a role model TOMGIRL. Her success comes from just being herself and not trying to fit the mold of others. Way to go!
My mom can't cook at all (well, at least not to the point that the food tastes good!), but Rachel has taught me that cooking is about so much more than just the food. It is about bringing people together, it is about sharing experiences, creating a mood, and connecting with one another.

Food is a recurring theme in the Tomgirlz chapter books. There are many restaurant scenes, food fights, and the book titiled TOMGIRLZ A,B,SEA! is all about the tomgirlz creating mush cup cookies!! In fact, Rachel Ray even makes an appearance in that book. She is on the same cruise with me and my friends and we actually get to meet her!

Rach is definitely one of our tomgirlz. She has a fearless can do spirit that is infectious and she is anxious to share it with everyone. And look at her success in sharing!... She has numerous cook books in publication, a wonderful magazine, and her TV show is now in its second season. Way to go Rach! Even if we don't learn much about cooking (sorry Rach, I could watch you forever and remain a terrible cook), we should all be able to learn a little about living life from Rachel Ray. Above all, the fact that if you take a dream and add some ingredients like action and perseverence, you can make your dreams come true.

THURSDAY TOMGILRZ TOO: HILLARY CLINTON

A television interview of Bill Clinton became very interesting when he was questioned about his feelings towards Elizabeth Edwards’ attacks against Hillary Clinton concerning her run for the White House. Mrs. Edwards was very critical about Hillary’s role for women and said she was behaving like a man.

No one directly involved in Hillary Clinton’s campaign made a response to Elizabeth Edwards’ statement, but Bill Clinton’s response was as follows… “She’s not acting like a man; she’s behaving like a leader.”

In one very short perfect sentence, Bill Clinton showed an incredible understanding of how women, as well as our young girls, ought to be treated in this world. Why should a woman being strong and effective mean she is man-like? Why should a young girl who likes to catch bugs, jump in puddles, and is smart on the ball field mean she is boy-like?

My belief is that most young girls possess great strengths and leadership abilities and have what it takes to grow into successful women who benefit our communities. Unfortunately, attitudes such as those expressed in Elizabeth Edwards’ statements are damaging for young girls. Hearing attitudes like that early in life can cause girls to subconsciously hold themselves back and not become all that they are capable of.

Just like Hillary Clinton is behaving like a wonderful role model for our young girls, the Tomgirlz also strive to be good role models. Our chapter books were created in response to the negative tom-boy versus girlie girl labeling girls are faced with every day. Ideally, this should be a world where all girls fit and are valued for who they are. All girls are welcome under the tomgirlz label which basically stands for being yourself; there is no longer any need for a girl to try to fit a label that someone else would like to stick her in. Unfortunately, as we have seen, it is often girls who are the meanest to other girls and they grow up to be women who are unsupportive of each other.

The Tomgirlz are about character building by teaching girls to be supportive and respectful of their peers and community. We are about self respect, being cool and funky without being provocative, being independent and competitive while building others up instead of tearing them down or being mean, and promoting genuine good attitude and love of life. All of these positive messages are demonstrated through very funny stories which hopefully will also help foster a love of reading.

Thank you Hillary Clinton for your TOMGIRLZ attitude. We need more statements like when you said in a recent debate, "I'm not playing the gendar card, I'm playing the winning card."

DO YEAR 2008!

There are a lot of plans for the TOMGIRLZ in 2008. Here's just a couple of things you can expect to see....

1. Yes! There will be more books added to the chapter book series! The 6th book has been started and introduces a new character named Abigail. Unfortunately, there are still some not so kind kidz in the world and they call her "flabby Abbey". Yes, Abbey suffers from obesity, but she is still a person and Mackey and the TOMGIRLZ take Abbey under their wings. Through this funny story, the girls learn about exercise and nutrition, the serious issue of childhood obesity, and once again demonstrate the spirit of friendship.

2. I would like periodically to choose a real life Tomgirl (sometimes child, sometimes adult) and feature her on my blog! I am very excited about this because there are many wonderful girls (and women) out there with true TOMGIRLZ spirit and I can't wait to recognize them. Look for headings titled TOMGIRLZ TOO!

If you have any of your own ideas to improve this blog for all of us, please share! I'd love to hear from you.

MIAMI BOOK FAIR 2007 PHOTOS

Thanks for everyone who visited the TOMGIRLZ booth and author Dana Lurie at the 2007 Miami Book Fair!

I'm In Two New Books

Hey Kids! Sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been busy working on these new books for the Miami Book Fair.

In the first book, TOMGIRLZ TALENT TROUBLES, my friends and I are in a school talent competition. I want to win soooo bad, but I still see it as a great learning opportunity. I meet a new friend in this book. Her name is Andee and she dances SALSA with her brother Drew. They are such amazing dancers that it makes me want to learn salsa too! And guess what? Andee is a great teacher!

In TOMGIRLZ A, B, SEA! my mom wins 15 tickets to a cruise. That's awesome! Unfortunately, we are short one ticket for Keekee. No Keekee? No way! The rest of my friends and I decide to have a bake sale and buy the ticket for Keekee. That's where all the fun begins!

I hope you enjoy my stories,
MACKEY

I Just Created Mush Cup Cookies!

My fifth book is currently underway and is once again all about me and my TOMGIRL friends. Yes, we do find trouble and make messes as usual, but that's really not on purpose. In this book, "Tomgirlz A...B...Sea", we are all going on a cruise that my mom won tickets for. Unfortunately, there is no ticket for Keekee. Well, we can't bear to see someone get left out. So...we decide to have a bake sale and earn enough money to buy the ticket.

In the process, I created a new twist on the chocolate chip cookie called mush cups that everyone is going crazy for! I think they will make this bake sale a real success.

MY FAVORITE COMPUTER GAME

Have you checked out my website? I just got a cool new link that goes to my favorite game. I change my mind all the time about which game is my favorite, so it will change often on the site too. Right now the game is Monkey Lander. I don't know why, but that cute little monkey keeps me playing for hours. If you want to try it, go to my site at www.TOMGIRLZ.com If you scroll down the page, you will see a link to my favorite games! Have fun!!!

Cool FACE PAINT Idea

I love face paint. The only thing I don't like about it is when you have to wait in line, but sometimes that means the artist doing the face paint takes more time with each kid and can do really cool things. Here is a sample of a really cool face paint idea... JACK SPARROW! Have the artist make eyes down your face and on top of your eyelids. People will really stop and stare!

Nancy Drew Is Definitely One Of Our Tomgirlz

Did you see Nancy Drew yet? My Mom took me the other day and it was awesome. If you didn't see it yet, you definitely should. My Mom loved it too! We talked about it over dinner after the show and decided she's definitely TOMGIRLZ material! She dresses the way she wants, is definitely competitive, strong, courageous, and SMART! Most important, Nancy Drew is never mean to others...even if they appear to be mean to her. Those girls at her new school were bullies to her, but she never let that stop her from being herself and doing what she felt had to get done. In fact, even though they bullied her at the start, she was always nice to them. And the bully girl's brother... even though he was young, overweight, and nerdy, she accepted him for who he was and they became true friends. Nancy Drew gets drawn into her dangerous adventures for the purpose of helping others. That's awesome!! That's Tomgirlz! I'm a new Nancy Drew fan.