Character in Action


Book Description

How does the U.S. Coast Guard create, instill, and maintain leadership throughout a 40,000 member force spread across the United States? A former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and a best-selling author combine their knowledge of the subject to offer a formula for success. Donald T. Phillips, who has written eight books on leadership, asserts that the Coast Guard is a superlative example of an organization with effective leadership, loaded with leaders at all levels. From a guardsman scraping barnacles off buoys in the Gulf of Mexico to the captain of a cutter in the Gulf of Alaska to the Commandant in Washington, they know exactly what leadership is, how it works, an d why it is important. This case study in leadership uses the Coast Guard as an example for other organizations who want to imbue leadership to every single one of its members. An effective leadership beacon, the book is replete with tangible examples, vivid anecdotes, and explicit guidelines on how to instill leadership throughout an entire organization. Stories abound on Coast Guard efficiency, innovation, and heroism and many are used to illustrate the service's effectiveness and to engage the reader. From the military and government communities to the business world, a variety of organizations can benefit from this outstanding leadership guide.




Action and Character According to Aristotle


Book Description

Aristotle, according to the author, depicts the way in which human acts of various sorts and in various combinations determine the logical structure of moral character. Some moral characters--or character types--manage to incorporate a high degree of practical consistency; others incorporate less, without forfeiting their basic orientation toward the good. Still others approach utter inconsistency or moral deprivation, although even these, insofar as they are responsible for their actions, retain a core element of rationality in their souls. According to Aristotle, moral character depends ultimately on the structure of individual acts and on how they fit together into a whole that is consistent--or not consistent--with justice and friendship.--From publisher's description.




The Character Gap


Book Description

We like to think of ourselves and our friends and families as pretty good people. The more we put our characters to the test, however, the more we see that we are decidedly a mixed bag. Fortunately there are some promising strategies - both secular and religious - for developing better characters.




Living the Hero's Quest


Book Description

The author has developed a manual for the easy implementation of the character education program she created. As an added bonus, the book includes an explanation of the action research completed with the original implementation of this program. It includes the necessary lesson plans, eight original hero tales, annotated bibliographies of other applicable tales, assessment pieces, reproducible forms and instructions for implementing the program and the action research piece. It also includes a sampling of the results of her research to date, original student reflections, texts of interviews and analysis. A foreword by well-known young adult fantasy author T. A. Barron, author of the popular Merlin series, is featured.




Crossroads of Character


Book Description

Follow six cousins through their day-to-day learning adventures as they explore twelve important character qualities and learn to make right choices. This book was written to help young children learn what character is all about, what God's Word has to say about it and how to practically apply it to everyday life. -- Publisher.




Writing Irresistible Kidlit


Book Description

Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers! Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kid's stuff" anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to: • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing. • Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership. • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more. • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords. Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career. If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you.




The Character in the Book


Book Description

When the character in the book gets an invitation to visit his Auntie in her book, he's all set to go. But when he tries to get out of his book, he runs into some trouble. He can't get out at the top of the page, and he can't get out at the bottom. So he tries going forward -- and going forward works! By foot, on wheels, unfazed by the occasional mountain or river in his way, the plucky Character finally zips right out of his own book...and right into his auntie's.When the Character in the Book gets an invitation to visit his dear Auntie, he’s all set to go. But when he tries to get out of his book, he runs into some trouble. He can’t get out at the top of the page, and he can’t get out at the bottom. So he tries going forward, and going forward works just fine. By foot, on wheels, unfazed by the occasional mountain or river in his way, the plucky Character zips out of his own book—and right into his Auntie’s! When the Character in the Book gets an invitation to visit his dear Auntie, he’s all set to go. But when he tries to get out of his book, he runs into some trouble. He can’t get out at the top of the page, and he can’t get out at the bottom. So he tries going forward, and going forward works just fine. By foot, on wheels, unfazed by the occasional mountain or river in his way, the plucky Character zips out of his own book—and right into his Auntie’s!




Hello, Universe


Book Description

Winner of the Newbery Medal “A charming, intriguingly plotted novel.”—Washington Post Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships. Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). “Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits.”—Booklist In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball. They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms. The acclaimed and award-winning author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia. “Readers across the board will flock to this book that has something for nearly everyone—humor, bullying, self-acceptance, cross-generational relationships, and a smartly fateful ending.”—School Library Journal




Legacy of Character


Book Description




Getting Into Character


Book Description

EDITION 2: Revised with some new material gathered through 13 years of teaching these concepts at writers conferences.-------------Want to bring characters to life on the page as vividly as fine actors do on the stage or screen? Getting Into Character will give you a whole new way of thinking about your writing. Drawing on the Method Acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist's use. You'll discover concepts that will lead you to understand and communicate the motivation and psychology of all your characters. These highly effective techniques will help you: ~ create characters whose distinctive traits become plot components ~ determine each character's specific objectives and motivations ~ write natural, meaningful dialogue that moves the story forward ~ endow your characters with three-dimensional emotional lives ~ use character motivation to bring action sequences to exuberant life ~ write convincingly about any character facing any circumstance