READING, LEADING AND CELEBRATING MARCH

As many of you know this is Reading month. Sure we celebrate literacy daily here on this blog but March is special. We take time out to connect to books that motivate us, as an author I visit schools and read my own works, we recall the passages that first reminded us that we are inspired any the words of others on pages. What are you doing to make this month memorable? How can you get your family excited about adding to their own reading lists? What special ways can you connect books to your life? Let me know! -Read something great!

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Joseph Addison

I don't know about you but when I have something great to read...I feel smarter, happier, more confident and fulfilled. It can be hard being a writer myself and running a business to take the time to make reading for pleasure a priority. As a mom of a toddler I am very adept at making sure my little guy sees and understands the value of books. We have even began telling each other stories off the top of our heads. His stories usually consist of: Once a time Mommy and Daddy and ice cream the end. I know I know...but he is two! We are working on it. I am fascinated when he grabs a book and appears to read it. Keep in mind he has memorized most of his favorites. So if you are looking for an in-depth conversation on "How to give a mouse a cookie" or "Goodnight Moon" he is your orator. This week I got to meet up with some great readers and writers at an event focused on literacy. Bookstock Michigan will take place on May 15th-May 22nd at Laurel Park Place Mall in Livonia. Opening day will be a great day to bring the whole family. For a $20 donation you can even get first pick of all of the stock! This special admission allows you to get in as early as 8:15 a.m. and the pre-sale runs through 11:00 a.m. I am more than thrilled to take my kid and hubistrator because we will have first choice of over 100,000 books, dvds, cd's, etc. So if the quote above is true my mind is getting prepped for a great workout! I hope that you can join me! Here is the website for those who want to research more intently: bookstockmi.org Read something great!

Summer Reading Round Up!

Have you compiled your list of books yet? Summer is beginning this month and hopefully your love of reading will be reinvigorated! This is a great time to browse your library, bookstore and favorite review sites for your upcoming book adventures. As an author I am busy writing my own adventures-but also getting prepared to read my favorite authors to myself and to my toddler. How often will you decide to read? Will you set the proper environment for your favorite books? Make it special. Read in the park, on the beach by the pool, in bed, the possibilities are endless-just make sure that you do it. Many of your local libraries have contest-see if you can join. You might just get rewarded for it. -Read something great

Spring Cleaning... off your bookshelf

Readers! Spring is here! If you are anything like me-you have a ton of books on your shelves. How often do you get to dive into them? I strongly suggest that you get ready for summer reading and summer giving early. You might be wondering how...I'll tell you. Grab 2 boxes or bins. Mark one: "Donations" and mark the other one "To Read List". Take a look at items that you have read a ton of times that no longer belong on your shelf and make plans to donate to a library, a school or a community group. The other one is your start to getting your summer reading goals met. Spring cleaning can be fun. -Read something great

PREVENTION AND PRE-SCHOOL

Today marks the 1st day of National bullying prevention month. I am often asked at what age should we talk to our kids about bullying and related behaviors. I am pleased to share that many pre-schools and early learning centers have asked me to read my books to their students and talk to parents about pro-social education. It is never too early to teach our kids to be kind. To share with them the importance of caring about others and to try to use practical examples to allow them to work on compassion development. As many of you know I have my own little tot and we are already working on feelings identification exercises. Bookstores and resource stores like Self-esteem shop carry many tools to begin this process. If we can teach young people early how to recognize emotions it is a great step in the process of pro-social learning. Does your center need assistance? Can your family benefit from a personal consultation on emotional understanding and prevention? Please let me know. This Friday I will be at Kindercare centers reading my picture book series to students and beginning the process of pro-social education. If you need an Unbully kit we send great resources through the mail that includes information, tools and resources that aid in prevention. -Read something great

Identifying Conflict starters...

Readers, as we take the issue of bullying seriously we must be realistic. Many of us know bullies. They may be in our classrooms, work places or even our homes. The best thing that we can do is to educate young people on how to deal with conflict and anger to prevent them from being bullies. When kids feel equipped to deal with the hard stuff they can navigate problems in a respectful way and become solution-oriented.
Here are some common conflicts that young people face:

1.) Being teased
2.) Being caught in the rumor mill
3.) being called names
4.) being accused
5.) being treated unfairly
6.) Being excluded
7.) being picked on for being different
8.) Being cheated
9.) Being threatened
10.) Mean notes/texts or cyber bullying

It is obvious that many conflicts can lead to bullying but if we can prep young people on how to identify these situations and have a planned response they may be more equipped to deal with them in a positive way. Do you have any ideas on how to deal with bullying? Have you ever helped a bully to reform? What can you share with the readers of this blog to help them continue to build an atmosphere of self-esteem? Your ideas are appreciated. If we all ban together we can eradicate this behavior and move towards a more peaceful future for our kids and adults. If you are free on Friday October 22nd we are having a Anti-bullying Townhall to disucss solutions and strategies to overcome this growing problem. We will be meeting at 118 S. Main Street, Ann Arbor, 48104 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
-Read Something Great!

Breaking the Pattern of Bullying

Have you ever wondered what creates a bully? As a victim of countless bullies I sure have. Think about it for a second. Okay now that you have pondered the cause-what did you come up with? I have seen studies that link the act of bullying with low self-esteem, inner sadness or a difficult home life. I'm sure that many theories exist for the cause of bully-like behavior. Let's move on to solutions. How can we stop the act of bullying? Can we break the pattern?
I think it is possible. A technique that may be helpful is to confront the behavior as soon as it starts. I'm not saying that we should attack-but we should ask good questions. If we ask a child why they picked on someone instead of allowing it to be a right of passage we might make some incredible headway. Have you ever wondered what is going on in the head of someone who is intentionally cruel to others? How about we ask the child to write down exactly what they are thinking when they exhibit these behaviors. When I was a kid I was told that kids will outgrow bullying behaviors. Do you think bullying is something that is outgrown?
If you do take a look at this...
There are several different types of adult bullies, and it helps to know how they operate:

Narcissistic Bully: This type of adult bully is self-centered and does not share empathy with others. Additionally, there is little anxiety about consequences. He or she seems to feel good about him or her self, but in reality has a brittle narcissism that requires putting others down.
Impulsive Bully: Adult bullies in this category are more spontaneous and plan their bullying out less. Even if consequences are likely, this bully has a hard time restraining his or her behavior. In some cases, this type of bullying may be unintentional, resulting in periods of stress, or when the bully is actually upset or concerned about something unconnected with the victim.
Physical Bully: While adult bullying rarely turns to physical confrontation, there are, nonetheless, bullies that use physicality. In some cases, the bully may not actually physically harm the victim, but may use the threat of harm, or physical domination through looming. Additionally, a physical bully may damage or steal a victim’s property, rather than physically confronting the victim.
Verbal Bully: Words can be quite damaging. Adult bullies who use this type of tactic may start rumors about the victim, or use sarcastic or demeaning language to dominate or humiliate another person. This subtle type of bullying also has the advantage - to the bully - of being difficult to document. However, the emotional and psychological impacts of verbal bullying can be felt quite keenly and can result in reduced job performance and even depression.
Secondary Bully: This is someone who does not initiate the bullying, but joins in so that he or she does not actually become a victim down the road. Secondary bullies may feel bad about what they are doing, but are more concerned about protecting themselves.
Adult bullies were often either bullies as children, or bullied as children. Understanding this about them may be able to help you cope with the behavior. But there is little you can do about it beyond doing your best to ignore the bully, report his or her behavior to the proper authorities, and document the instances of bullying so that you can take legal action down the road if necessary. (info on adult bullying provided by www.bullyingstatistics.org)
It is important that we address this problem early so that those who are aggressors and victims can get the help they need. Do you have an opinion on the matter? Have you ever been bullied as a child or adult? I'd love to hear your comments.
-Read something great

SPEECH + READING= SUCCESS GUEST BLOG BY CHELSEA RODGERS

This is a guest piece by our resident guest blogger Chelsea. I hope that you enjoy this vulnerable-yet heart warming and inspiring post.
Tara Michener –Read something great!

As a kid I had a speech problem. I couldn't’t pronounce certain syllables. As my speech got worse my mom had no choice but to put me in speech therapy. I thought it was the worst thing that could happen to me. I thought for sure my peers would pick on me and think I was stupid. I was dreading my first session. There is only one thing that works when it comes to improving speech.

The day came for me to start speech therapy and I had no idea of what I was in for. The room was full of books. I was asked to pick out a book to read and all that was going through my head was, that’s it, pick a book. Then I thought what kind of book do I grab? I did not read a lot outside of school so my knowledge of books was nonexistent. The first session came and went and I did not get much out of it. Once I started to go more and more I started to look forward to going and to pick a new book to read. It was not until about a month in that I realized that my speech was improving. I could not wrap my head around it; reading helped my speech to improve.
In the end, reading out loud also increased my reading level. I not only wanted to read what was required for school but I began to read on my own. The first book I read for fun was The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy.
Today, I still love to read. Children need to know how important and beneficial reading is and know the one phrase that holds true is practice makes perfect. Do you remember what made you fall in love with reading? Feel free to comment.

Guest Blog about Bullying by Chelsea Rodgers

Today's blog is from our intern Chelsea Rodgers. Chelsea is a student at University of Michigan Dearborn. She is pursuing a degree in the marketing field. I hope you enjoy her post on bullying.
-Read Something great!
Going back to school can be fun and exciting for some kids, for others, it can be scary. Most children look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones, but just as so many are ready to go back to school the same amount or more are afraid of being bullied all year long. School bullying is becoming a daily event at schools. How can parents prepare their children?
In the U.S. 30% of teens are involved in bullying by being the bully or being bullied. It is something that has gotten out of hand and under the radar for too long. A lot of officials do not see bullying or do anything about it. People think being bullied is like a right-of-passage, that it makes kids stronger, it’s not. Being bullied causes kids to be scared, anxious, and insecure.
I know as a kid I was bullied, moving around a lot I had to make a lot of new friends and sometimes bullying was a ritual for the new kid to go through. I was teased about my hair or my braces or being small. Looking back on it being bullied is probably the reason I was shy as a kid. For me the bullying stopped by the time I reached middle school. The only reason the bullying started to subside was because of me.
It’s scary to be bullied and the rule parents tell their kids is to ignore it and it will eventually go away. That does not always work. Parents should give their kids more than just one way to face being bullied. Parents should help their kids practice confidence. Help them to feel good about themselves. Every time they say something negative make them tell you three positive characteristics about themselves.
Let them talk about bullying. There is a new book out, Summer Camp Survival that deals with bullying and self-esteem. Summer Camp Survival is a fun, quick read for teens to learn about gaining self-esteem because in the end everyone is in control of their life.

Fresh as a pack of newly sharpened pencils! (No. 2 that is)

Readers!
Happy Fall. Okay-I know Fall officially starts later in September-doesn't it feel like it now though? The schools are flooded with students and the stores are low on office supplies. I have always associated these things with Autumn. Have you been to a Cider Mill yet? I have! 2 freshly made donuts and counting...see it is Fall! So many great things are on the horizon for me. I was named a Diversity Business Leader by Corp! Magazine last week. It was a great experience and honor to be amongst some of the best business people in my area. The "Who I Am" series received special attention at the ceremony and in the latest issue of the magazine.
Tomorrow we will be welcoming our newest member to the team at Tara Michener Industries, LLC Chelsea Rodgers. Chelsea will be at events, helping out with ideas and you will see her in our blogosphere. She is a student at University of Michigan-Dearborn and a great person.
Do you want to hear a couple of other great facts that make Fall great? My newest book is available now for order. Yes! Summer Camp Survival is ready to be signed by me and read by you-be sure to order your copy before you leave the site today using the paypal buttons.
One more bit of news...I have a new space! I am working from Ann Arbor, Michigan every week starting today. My goal was to make this season fresh and new by meeting people outside of the bubble of my home office. So far-so good. I know that I just shared a ton of news about me-what is new with you? I am always eager to hear more about my readers-especially their work in literacy, diversity and self-esteem.
If you have something great to share-please feel free to comment.
Read something great!

GIVING BACK!

Do you have a person or organization that changed your life as a kid? I recall being helped a lot when I was a kid by many people. Tutors, Teachers, organizations, authors that inspired me and the like. I am happy to work hard at being a memory in the life of area kids. I don't do this alone. So many people that I know sacrifice so much to give back. Today I want to highlight Operation: Kid Equip. This is a awesome non-profit that strives to supply Southeastern Michigan students with backpacks, books and more to make sure that they are well-equipped for a good education. They have a teacher's annex that allows educators to obtain free resources and they have special days that they give kids a chance to partake in getting everything that they need for the school year. I was blessed to be able to take part in one of their events over the weekend. Me and my hubistrator, Jason had an amazing 3 hour long raffle in which we provided books, t-shirts and pens to the lucky winners. We even got to meet the "Yak" from the Detroit Free Press and many other amazing volunteers. If you have a desire to give back look around. Many opportunities are everywhere and if you are in doubt-just ask! :) Read something great!

Introducing Mackenzie Larson and Teen Books By Tara Michener

Readers!
My newest book, Summer Camp Survival is available for pre-order. This book is a chapter book geared towards the teen readership market.

About The Book

Summer Camp is supposed to be easy right?

Not for Mackenzie Larson who has always been considered “the brain” in her small town. Kids at school tease her for being smart and friendless. Vowing things will be different this summer, she arrives at summer camp determined to make new friends only to find the girls here are meaner then back home!
Teased and tormented about her hair, weight and everything else, she feels completely alone and hopeless…until she meets Zach, a hazel-eyed soccer player from the boys' camp, who thinks she is cool. But will Mackenzie finally take a look inside and believe in herself?

Are you interested in pre-ordering your own copy for someone special in your life? Use the paypal buttons to place your order. -Read something great

Guest blog from Jessica Presner & The Village Kid's Club

Note: I had the pleasure of partnering with this amazing kid's club in Rochester Hills, MI. This guest post should inspire and inform. -Read something great!

Seven-year-old Rochester Hills Resident Names
Village Kids Club Mascot

The Village of Rochester Hills announced the winner of the “Name the Kids Club Mascot Contest” during their free story time on Wednesday, July 21. Over 75 children submitted entries suggesting name for the Village Kids Club bluebird mascot. Zachary Oberdier of Rochester Hills suggested the name “Chirpy”, which was selected as the winning name. Zachary, a seven-year-old Musson Elementary student, was awarded a $25 Village of Rochester Hills gift card and a prize from Brilliant Sky Toys and Books.


The Village Kids Club, sponsored in part by Cornerstone Community Financial of Auburn Hills and Kiddie Klub of Rochester Hills, provides free children’s activities to community all summer long. Every Tuesday from 11:00AM to 12:30PM, children are invited to create a free craft in the Village’s Fountain Park. On Wednesdays, children can bring their favorite cuddly pal to Festival Park to enjoy free story time from 11:00am to 11:30am. Each child in attendance receives a free membership card to have punched during weekly activities. Children will receive a prize pack for collecting ten stamps throughout the summer. In addition, participation prizes are awarded after story time every Wednesday.


¬The Village of Rochester Hills brings fashion, dining and ambiance together to create Rochester Hills’ very own downtown. From Parisian to Whole Foods Market and fifty more shops and eateries, there is something for everyone. With parking available in front of your favorite store, shopping the Village is easy and convenient. The Village is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00am to 9:00pm and Sundays from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Village gift cards are available at Whole Foods Market or online at www.thevorh.com.

Update from the weekend and more!

Readers!

I hope that you enjoyed a great thanksgiving this past week. I was able to reflect on my blessings and enjoy lots of time with family and even friends. My friend from college showed up to my signing at Borders Express/Great Lakes Crossings Mall on Saturday with her niece Skylar. Skylar's official birthday is Monday...a big Happy B-day to her. She was treated to the "Who I Am" series by her aunt and I gave her a Janelle glitter pen. The staff at the signing was great and I truly enjoyed signing out books for so many great people over the weekend.

If you would like to come and see me and get a signed copy of my series...you are in luck! I will be at Briarwood Mall (Ann Arbor) in the Borders/Waldens bookstore this Saturday from 12-2! The first 15 people that mention this blog post will get a free gift! I hope that you are there.

In honor of cyber Monday I am throwing in a special gift for all orders of "Who I Am" merchandise purchased on my blog today...remember these books and accessories make great gifts!

Read something great!