ABC News chief meteorologist for “Good Morning America” Ginger zee will be celebrating the release the of her new book “Natural Disaster: I Cover Them. I am One” at Woodland Mall’s Barnes & Noble.
Zee, who grew up in the Rockford area, will be at the store Saturday, Dec. 9, for a discussion and book signing. The event is at 4 p.m.
In the book Zee pulls back the curtain on her life discussing growing up in Rockford where she developed an obsession with weather as a young girl. She also discusses her lifelong battle with crippling depression, her romances that range from misguided to dangerous and her tumultuous professional path. Many of her personal trials happening while she was covering some of the most devastating storms in recent history, including a ferocious tornado that killed legendary storm chaser Tim Samaras.
The Dec. 9 program at Barnes & Noble does not require tickets. Those interested in getting a book signed must have proof of purchase with their book.
For more information, visit the stores Facebook page.
Teens need messy books, according to author Jonathan Friesen.
“Messy books raise questions, without providing spoon-fed solutions,” Friesen wrote in an opinion piece for Fox News. “Messy books mimic life with their messy characters who muddle and fail — sometimes with finality.”
In reality, Friesen goes on to say, that “life simply unfolds. One moment we ride a good wave, and the next we are swept under.” Friesen knows this first hand since from adolescents, he has had to deal with Tourette syndrome, panic attacks and epilepsy.
So Friesen’s writes messy books, which is OK because “messy stories are good medicine” and they also remind us that we are not alone in what we what feel and deal with, according to Friesen.
Friesen, who is an international speaker, comes to Grand Rapids this month making a stop at the Barnes & Noble at Woodland Mall March 10. He scheduled to speak at 7 p.m.
Friesen has used his Tourette syndrome and epilepsy as a motivating force in his stories. His books, which include Jerk, California, The Last Martin, Aquifer, and Both of Me, give readers the opportunity to see life through the eyes of someone who is in some way disabled and struggling to be accepted and appreciated in their community. All of Jonathan’s books, which have earned him The American Library Association’s 2009 Schneider Award for Best Book for Teens and the Editor’s Choice Award, feature a lead character or protagonist with a physical or mental health condition.
His latest release, “Unfolding,” is a magical story of a child “dropped from the the Oklahoma sky” during a tornado. Her name is Stormi and she is the most perfect girl the narrator, Jonah, has ever met. Jonah has scoliosis and is debilitated by epileptic seizures, which he calls Old Rickety. And despite warnings from her grandfather, Stormi becomes Jonahs’s best friend and the two seek out the town’s biggest secret.
Friesen is the keynote speaker for the annual Michigan Reading Association Conference and a regular speaker at large and small events worldwide. He seeks to motivate and inspire young adult readers and writers through his personal story and message of accepting others for who they are, regardless of differences or disabilities.
Grand Rapids’ Barnes & Noble, Inc. has announced the start of its 2017 My Favorite Teacher Contest, which for the past seven years has provided middle and high school students the opportunity to tell their communities how much they appreciate their teachers.
According to supplied material, students can nominate their teacher by writing essays, poems or thank-you letters that share how their teacher has influenced their life and why they appreciate and admire them. Local participating schools will collect the essays and submit them to Barnes & Noble at Woodland Mall, in Kentwood, for consideration. Entries are judged on the compelling nature of the teacher’s inspiring qualities, the sincerity of the student’s appreciation and the quality of expression and writing.
The local winning teacher will be recognized in the spring at an event held at the Barnes & Noble, where they will receive a award acknowledging their achievement, as well as additional recognition. The student who wrote the winning essay or poem will receive a certificate of recognition and will also be honored at the ceremony.
The Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest submission period ends March 1. Students who want to participate must submit their essay or poem to Barnes & Noble at Woodland Mall by March 1. Only middle and high school students and active teachers employed in local elementary, middle or high schools are eligible to win. More details on the contest rules, and the winning essay from the 2016 Contest, can be found at www.bn.com/myfavoriteteacher.
Dancing. Music. Harry Potter-themed activities & a special giveaway. These are a few of the various things you’ll find at the Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball.
Barnes & NobleGrand Rapidscordially invites customers of all ages to experience its first-ever Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball on Friday, Dec. 9, starting at 7 pm at Woodland Mall, 3195 28th St. SE. Barnes & Noble’s Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball will feature dancing, music, Harry Potter-themed activities and a special giveaway. Customers are encouraged to wear their most festive Harry Potter costumes and holiday attire to the special event as they dance the night away and celebrate all things Harry Potter with Barnes & NobleGrand Rapids.
Magical Harry Potter-Themed Activities & Giveaways
The Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball will be complemented by special activities, featuring a designatedHarry Potter-themed Craft Making Station, where customers can create their own ornaments and owl fans, while supplies last. There will also be Wizard Charades, Trivia, a Word Search, and more, plus a coloring station for customers to enjoy, and a special photo-op station where they will be able to forever capture the magic of the Harry Potter-inspired celebration. Barnes & NobleGrand Rapidswill also feature delicious treats from the Barnes & Noble Café, including free samples of a festive sugar cookie and a caramel apple spice drink, available while supplies last.
Plus,Barnes & Noble Grand Rapids will offer a free giveaway of a specialHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Editionposter, available while supplies last.
Additional activities that will take place at Barnes & Noble Grand Rapids include special guest DJ AB (Adrian Butler), kid friendly crafts, Quidditch games and a costume contest runway.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Barnes & Noble
Fans of Harry Potter can continue to relive the magic at Barnes & Noble this holiday season with a dedicated Harry Potter experience inside Barnes & NobleGrand Rapids.Customers can shop a unique assortment of books and gifts from J. K. Rowling’s wizarding world, includingHarry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II,Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay, as well as Harry Potter wands, chess sets, music and DVDs, hats, scarves and so much more. For additional details, customers can visit Barnes & NobleGrand Rapidstoday.
For more information on how customers can relive the magic of Harry Potter at Barnes & NobleGrand Rapids this holiday season with Barnes & Noble’s Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball, they should visitBN.com/MagicalHolidayBall. For more information on Barnes & Noble’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter with a unique assortment of books, toys & games and gifts, perfect for the whole family, customers should visitBN.com/HarryPotter.
Barnes & Noble Grand Rapidswill host its second annual Mini Maker Faire Nov. 5 and 6 at the Woodland Mall location, 3195 28thSt. SE.
The event is designed to deliver authentic, credible experiences that Maker Faire attendees have historically come to expect. The lineup will give customers the opportunity to “Meet the Makers” by showcasing local Makers including Quota International, The Geek Group and KDL Labs to participate in interactive product demonstrations and take part in collaborative hands-on experiences designed to stretch their imaginations and creative thinking as they work cooperatively to make something original:
Make Workspace
At Barnes & Noble Grand Rapidsduring the Mini Maker Faire, there will be a “Make” Workspace, which is a tech-educational expo space, where customers of all ages will be able to participate in content-driven sessions where booksellers and Makers will demo some of the leading products in modern technology. Customers will be able to experience the latest in virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D printing, pen-invent technology, robotics, coding, programming, and more.
Make & Collaborate, then SHARE!
This opportunity is hands-on experiences around the art of designing, handcrafting and constructing, in the spirit of collaboration, cooperative learning and teamwork. “Making Materials” featured in this portion of the event will include products from some of the leading vendors in science and technology such as littleBits, LEGO®, Magformers, Squigz, Strawbees and Brackitz.
The Geek Group will be presenting at the Mini Maker Faire.
Meet the Makers
Throughout the Mini Maker Faire, Makers, educators and authors dedicated to changing the way people learn, ideate, design, create, build and embrace the future will visit Barnes & Noble Grand Rapidsto speak about the Maker Movement, present their creations and more featuring Quota International, The Geek Group and KDL Labs.
Barnes & Noble first renewed its retail partnership with Make:, publisher of Make: magazine and producer of Maker Faire, back in 2015 to build on the huge success of last year’s inaugural retail Mini Maker Faire and continue Mini Maker Faire events in 2016. The renewed retail partnership reinforces both companies ongoing commitment to advancing tech literacy and bringing awareness to the Maker Movement, with special events, educational learning experiences and promotions throughout the year, all culminating in the second annual retail Mini Maker Faire in November.
There also will be an expanded online presence at www.bn.com/makerfaire this year, which serves as a comprehensive “site within a site,” where Making, Learning and Doing can happen year-round. The site will feature articles, video content and Maker projects that will rotate regularly.
ABC News chief meteorologist for “Good Morning America” Ginger zee will be celebrating the release the of her new book “Natural Disaster: I Cover Them. I am One” at Woodland Mall’s Barnes & Noble.
