Talking Allergies

I was also really into books when I was younger (still am of course):I would read almost one a day sometimes. I ADORED Kit Pearson's books...I read almost all of them. I definitely think you should get those for your daughter.

Now school takes up so much of my time. All I have time to read is my course material. And after three years in Communication Studies...there isn't much new material circulating anymore!!

I have been slowly getting through a pretty good book: Blind Faith by Sagarika Ghose. It's not religious, it's more about a woman's personal journey of self-discovery. I like it, I just hate that I've been reading one chapter every couple of days!

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Associate Editor at Allergic Living.
Allergies to all nuts and legumes except soy and green beans.

I read Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali not that long ago...great book!
http://www.amazon.ca/Infidel-Ayaan-Hirs ... 0743289684
Very interesting perspective, I learned a lot about a topic that I knew nothing about.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Just finished "Look Again" by Lisa Scottoline. I thought it was pretty good, i'm trying to read as many books as I can right now because the summer semester in school is brutal and I wont have time to read good books over the summer.

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Daughter 3.5 years) - Dairy, Eggs, Peanuts, Sesame, Beef; asthma and eczema
Daughter (2 years) - Peanuts Eczema
Son (7 months) - Contact allergy to something food undetermined

fun to see what folks are reading. I *love* Gaskell. haven't read Cranford. highly recommend _Wives and Daughters_. i've been meaning to read Doidge's book...thanks, Julie for the reminder! at the moment, I'm rereading _Claire's Head_ by Catherine Bush (a Torontonian). v. interesting portrayal of how a chronic illness (in this case severe migraines) can shape one's life. I like the fact that part of it is set in TO!

I came across another book I loved. My Mountie & Me: A True Story by Nora Kelly. I met the author through my work toward the end of her life. I heard she had written a book and so I looked it up in the library.

It was a facinating glimpse into the life of a woman who faced many challenges and persevered. I was surprised to find that she had made an impact on my life at an early age through some of her other publications-she wrote several of the music primers we used in grade school many years ago!

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

I love Jean Little's autobiography, "Little by Little". It is an entertaining reminder of how one can conquer adversity. Jean tells of her journey to becoming an author with humour and honesty. I believe Jean lives in Guelph now but spent early years in China. She has been blind most of her life.

One book that I really liked was is Death On The Ice: The Great Newfoundland Sealing Disaster of 1914 by Cassie Brown.
(I suggest you read in the winter-you won't camplain about the cold!)
http://www.amazon.ca/Death-Ice-Newfound ... 0385251793

If it weren't for the polictical incorrectness associated with sealing , I think this would make a great movie.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

I'm taking notes - some great ideas here.

Helen - ahh, Catherine Bush, I'd forgotten about her. She's supposed to be good.
I do enjoy when books are set in familiar surroundings.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Thank you all for your great ideas. We took our daughter's birthday trip to Chapters and she was thrilled. We ended up with Bridge to Tarabithia, Diaries of Anne Frank, Eragon, A Wrinkle in Time and....my memory lapses, oh yes, Ella Enchanted. There were so many more that she wanted I have a feeling we will be back at Christmas!
She is reading A Wrinkle in Time right now and is over 1/2 way through. What has made me grin all evening has been the exclamations at about 40 intervals "mom, this is the best book ever". Every time I ask her to get up and do something I get a "but I'm in the best part". We all know that in a really good book it is all the best part. I LOVE watching her enjoy to read.

I just read The Giver, her teacher gave it to our daughter so I thought I'd read it also. A small but very thought provoking book by Lois Lowry.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

My eldest daughter loved "A Wrinkle in Time " when she was that age. i read it too so that I could relate. My daughter went on to read all of the others in the same series. Lois Lowry's "The Giver" is really thought provoking. There are two others , "Gathering Blue" and "The Messenger".
Other favourite authors were Sharon Creech (Chasing Redbird) and Joan Bauer (Best Foot Forward).

The Giver is one I was telling my husband about that I enjoyed a great deal when I was younger. Should have thought about that one!

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Daughter 3.5 years) - Dairy, Eggs, Peanuts, Sesame, Beef; asthma and eczema
Daughter (2 years) - Peanuts Eczema
Son (7 months) - Contact allergy to something food undetermined

I am almost finished "Sarah's Key". Well written. It is set in France in 1942. Not a kids book. Similar topic for youth is The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. Time travel in that one.

Our daughter finished Bridge to Tarabithia, A Wrinkle in Time and Ella Enchanted. After reading Ella Enchanted she came up to me and said "you know what mom, after reading the book the movie now seems really cheesy". I love it when she understands how much better the book is when the story has been made into a movie. So many kids think the book comes after the movie. She read the complete Narnia series a couple summers ago and now doesn't enjoy watching the movie as much.

I myself read the Diaries of Anne Frank which we bought for our DD. AAAAh, I haven't read it in years and this is the new complete edition with previously edited material. The Definitive Edition, The Diary Of a Young Girl/ Anne Frank. I think reading it as an adult and a mother made it more difficult. As I neared the end of the book I had butterflies in my stomach, for with this book the end is really the end. The few lines made me gulp also when Anne is talking about how she would love to have a book that was read by many and how she felt her diary was drivel which no one would ever have any interest in reading. What was so interesting to read was that no matter what circumstances a teenage girl finds herself in she still deals with foremost the trials of being a teenage girl. WOW!

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

Diary of Anne Frank reminded me of another book. Hannah's Suitcase.

http://www.hanassuitcase.ca/

It's written for grade 4/5, but I read it as an adult. It's really good.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

Hannah's Suitcase is a really good one to help students connect with that period of history. I was able to take a class to hear the author. There is a video link through CBC. I think you just google the title of the book to find it.
I have finished Sarah's Key and would recommend it especially if you are in a book club. I didn't know the French police rounded up Jewish families who were ultimately separated and sent to Auschowitz.
I am trying to read Nikolski which won Canada Reads this year. So far it is okay but I am having more of a challenge being drawn in to this story.