Oliver’s Twist

5 Easy Tips on Creating Effective and Charming Children’s Book Characters

Children can be the most challenging readers to attract. It is due to the fact that their minds are fickle and they switch interest too often. One moment they are enjoying the story the next moment they’d be brushing the book to the side. For that reason, children’s books must contain exquisite and entertaining elements for them to make children read and appreciate their content from top to bottom.

There are many ingredients a story contains that make it promising. One of the most notable ingredients is the characters. They are those things that move the story forward and leave a mark on the hearts of children. Some of the charming children’s book characters are Matilda from Matilda by Roald Dahl, the Lorax from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Dot from The Ladybug and the Bully Frog by Caroleann Rice, and Sammie from Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift by Janet Councilman.

So, the key to a captivating story is to create not just a seamless story but also best characters. That said, here are some tips on how to create the latter. Check it out, now!

Instill values in each of the characters

The characters are not only being idolized by kids because of their appearances or because of how they look in pictures. There is a deeper meaning as to why these characters are considered by their readers as their literary heroes. Among the said reasons is the values that each of the characters in the story portray. Take for example; there are a lot of kids who idolizes the protagonist because the character shows kindness and bravery in tough times while there are also those children who admired the antagonist because even if the character was “bad” it showed resilience. Thus, the values that you inject in each will definitely create a big mark on the lives of the readers.

Craft their physical attributes meticulously

One defining trait of a character is its physical appearance. It is the thing that most readers remember aside from their personality and the words that they believe in. If your book is not a picture book, then you must do the magic in the narration or the dialogue. Meticulously describe the appearance of your characters from top to bottom. Do not forget to include the color of their clothes, the length of their hairs, the hue of their eyes, the complexion of their skins, and a whole lot more. This is to help your readers in picturing-out the characters in their minds so that they can imagine and understand the story better.

Give them different varying attitudes

Just like people that have different characteristics, fictional characters must also have varying attitudes. It is to give justice to the story and avoid monotony and boredom. Having a story with characters that have the same attitudes is like creating a monologue and not a story. Hence, make sure that each of the characters has different attitudes to add more color to your story and to move your story forward in a better way. It is also a good way for your characters to be recognized by your readers easily because of their inner attributes.

Make use of the different character types

There are many types of characters. The protagonist and antagonist are just examples of the wide array of characters. There are still a lot of them when you have the courage to uncover the sheet, such as flat character, dynamic character, foil character, and a whole lot more. That said, utilize these types in order to enhance the quality of your story and character set. It is no to put make your simple story complex but make it more captivating instead. Do not settle with the normal protagonist and antagonist, instead you may choose from the different types of characters so that you can create a more compelling story.

Ensure that your characters and plot fit together

The characters are as important as the plot. These two should go along like oxygen and people. The one cannot go on without the other. Hence, they are obviously dependent on one another because without characters there would be no story, and likewise. Your characters must move the story efficiently from beginning to end, thus making the kids get drawn into the story even more.

Terrorism: Definition, Types, Attacks

Perhaps you are familiar with the word “terrorism,” because it has been your topic in school, discussed it with your friends, or heard it in the news. With that, you may have already been educated about the basic idea of it. It may have caused you fear imagining what could happen if there will be terrorism attacks in your area. Terrorism is no joke. That is why it is important that everyone is being well-taught about the subject and not just the shallow meaning of it.

Terrorism refers to the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims, according to Oxford Dictionary. What makes terrorism a fearsome activity is the violence that it executes and its impact to the lives of innocent people. Although violence is an issue that has been infiltrating this harsh world and has not been cured, the degree of cruelty and violence that terrorism exhibit is too extreme that it could danger many lives.

There are many type of terrorism too. These classifications differ on the place of origin, government system, and period in history. Hence here are some of the common categories of terrorism.

Revolutionary Terrorism

This is the most common type of terrorism. Those people who follow this method aim to search for the full elimination of a particular political system. Revolutionary terrorism also desires to make some changes and new structure on a certain political system. Some great examples of the practitioners of this category are the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the German Red Army Faction (Baader-Meinhof Gang), the Italian Red Brigades, and more.

Subrevolutionary Terrorism

This refers to the terrorism that aims not to displace the current regime but to create some alterations on the present sociopolitical system. Because this change is frequently completed by making use of threats that centers on the getting rid of the current administration, practitioners of this type are a bit harder to distinguish.

Establishment Terrorism

This type of terrorism is also referred to as state or state-sponsored terrorism. Practitioners of this type are typically hired by governments or sections of the government that are against its populace, against the groups within the administrations, or against foreign administration or community. This is a rather common kind of terrorism but is really hard to identify because the state’s support to these terrorists are being kept as secret.

The effects of terrorism on the lives of those who experienced it at first-hand, heard the news of the horrendous attacks, or learned about terrorism from their history class have grown greater as times goes by. Terrorism has influenced many platforms, like literature. There have been many great books that were produce over time that tackles terrorism of any kind, such as the novels about white nationalist terrorism, works about the 9/11 attack, and so much more.

Over the years, there have been many terrorist attacks that happened in different parts of the world. Some of these have become subjects of different documentaries while others have become a big part of the history. During these attacks, the safety and protection of every citizen have been threatened. There are also many lives that were lost during these attacks. That said, here are some of the terrorist attacks that happened over the years that you should know.

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth and others
The prison break that cause the bombing of a wall of the Clerken Prison in United Kingdom last December 13, 1867 by Fenian Society
The assassination through bombing of Alexander II of Russia in 1881 by Narodnaya Volya that killed 2 people and injured 98 people
The bombing of Haymarket Affair in Chicago by FOTLU that killed 11 people and injured more than 160 individuals in May 4, 1886
The bombing of the World Trade Center in Manhattan by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda that killed 2,606 people
The firebombing of the Temple Beth El in Syracuse, New York by Ramsi Uthman in October 13, 2000
The shooting at the El Al ticket counter in Los Angeles International Airport by Hesham Mohamed Hadayet that killed 3 people and injured 4

4 Touching Books about Famine and Hunger

Famine is a horrifying situation every person and place in this world fear to experience. Can you just imagine the constant fumbling of stomachs of the citizens but nobody can solve the problem? It is a nightmare having to sleep for God knows how many days without consuming food and water, not because they don’t want to but because they cannot find any resources to get food.

All throughout the history, there have been hungers that happened in different places in the world. Literature, moreover, didn’t fail to document and create heartfelt stories from these horrific events. That said, here are some of the most touching books about famine and hunger that you should not miss reading.

The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith

In 1962, The Great hunger: Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith was published. Hamish Hamilton is the publisher for UK while Harper and Row is the publisher for US. The book centers on one of the most known famine that happened in the history of the world, which is the great famine in Ireland. It has been also referred to as the Irish potato famine in the Victorian period. The death toll reached more than a million, and a lot of residents were pushed by the situation to migrate to America. The famine was not planned by the government; instead it became the result of the ignorance, carelessness, and neglect of the British and those factors hindered the efforts to mend the disaster.

The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia by Byron Conner

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc. published The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia by Byron Conner, M.D. last October 3, 2016. The book is under the genre memoir and is a captivating representation of a catastrophic benevolent crisis which appeared on TV that was drove by Dr. Conner and his family on their missionary journey to Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The famine in the land has put the lives of people at great risk. The estimated death toll for the crisis is 400,000 to 500,000 from years 1983 to 1985. There were also a lot of citizens that were left penniless and broke. There was a strong answer that has emerged in order to support the citizens of Ethiopia. A lot of organizations heed to the call for help regarding the crisis and they aid the people with the basic needs, such as food, clothing, medicines, and blankets.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Laura Hillenbrand is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption. It was published in 2010 by Random House, and was classified as a nonfiction biography. It follows the story of the former Olympic track athlete Louis Zamperini, who survived a plane crash and thrived for more than a month on a raft. He was a natural survivor for he also survived becoming a prisoner of war in three cruel Japanese camps for POW for over two years. After their plane crashed, Zamperini and his mates was ought to face a new problem which is hunger and survival. They thoroughly look for ways on how to get food and fresh water. On their first day of survival, they tried to call for help by signaling a plane but they were unlucky. They started to catch a bird and they luckily did, but they felt ill after eating it. So, they use the bird’s flesh as bait for fishing. They successfully caught a fish and tried to eat it.

Mao’s Great Famine by Frank Dikötter

In September of 2010, Frank Dikötter’s book titled Mao’s Great Famine was published. Walker & Company published the US edition and hardcover while Bloomsbury Publishing published the UK hardcover edition and US softcover edition. The story focuses on the 1958-1962 Great Famine that happened in the Republic of China. The land was ruled by Mao Zedong when the crisis happened. Moreover, the story is mainly based on the 4-year-old research in the newly unlocked nonurban, regional, and city archives. The author characterized the crisis as the worst disaster that happened in Chinese history and of anywhere in the world.

4 Best Christian Apologetic Books to Check Out

You probably have heard about Christian theology, but do you know that it has a branch called Christian apologetics? Well, this branch safeguards Christianity against oppositions. For more than centuries, Christian apologetics has taken several disposition beginning from the history of Christianity’s Paul the Apostle and patrology writers like Origen of Alexandria, Saint Augustine, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian, and pursued by Italian Dominican priest Thomas Aquinas, John Duns, and a lot more.

There are many Christian apologetics in literature. Some of them have been making differences in the lives of the readers while others are starting to give enlightenment to the readers in their own way. So, if you want to get to know more about Christian apologetics — then here are some of the brilliant Christian apologetic books to take check out!

The Spiritual Discernment Guide by Ron T. Tyler, Ph.D.

In August of 2014, Redemption Press published the book by Ronald T. Tyler, Ph.D. titled The Spiritual Discernment Guide. The book contains an astonishing evaluation of fallacious teachings and descendants of apostasy invading the Christ’s body. It also serves as a detailed study manual regarding the fundamentals and utilization of spiritual discernment.

The Spiritual Discernment provides its readers eye-opening proof that a big part of the church is currently battling spiritual death and that the end-times is already happening. The “end-times,” which is the greatest fall out of people from faith that was foretold by Jesus. However, it strongly uncovers the cure for this horrible situation. The one provided in the Holy Scripture, which is taking note of God’s warnings and executing spiritual discernment to reveal the pretentions of Satan.

Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin

Crossway published Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion written by Rebecca McLaughlin in 2019. In this fast paced world, Christianity is the most far-reaching worldwide religion. Christianity also swears to continue carrying on in the future. However, a lot of professional westerners believe that biblical Christianity is a risky and threatening idea to pursue because it is testing some of their deep-rooted faith.

Gathering advanced studies, personal tales, and thorough biblical studies, this book inspects a dozen of questions that keep many people from pondering the belief in Christ. If you examine it thoroughly, the author argues, and the actuality of pain and agony, the complication of sexuality, the aspiration for distinctiveness, the triumph of science, and other apparent hindrances to faith turns into big posts.

Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows by Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias’ book titled Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows the illustrated edition was published in 2010 by Zondervan. This book is a touching memoir of the author, which follows his journey to uncover that the Almighty Father is the man behind every person’s destinies regardless of the intensity of darkness of the shadows that conceal the light.

The author has lives a wonderful life. In Walking from East to West, the author shares personal tales in his life and encourages the readers to come after him to his beginnings and nativity and on his journey through this puzzle called life. Zacharias also narrated his quest for truth in fighting with the Eastern idea and the fresh ideas of Christianity. He has journeyed from East to West and likewise in order to find a response on the cynics’ powerful questions regarding the life’s meaning and god’s existence.

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins

In 2007, Free Press published the reprint edition of Francis S. Collins’ The Language of God: A Scientist Presets Evidence for Belief. For so long, the contradiction of science and faith has been known. These two are like each other’s arch nemesis, they cannot agree on a single subject. However, what seems like two conflicting things can be put together somehow through this book. It is because the book presents evidences to the strength of faith in the middle of agony minus the dilly-dallying of the logical part. This book will inspire and motivate the readers by the author’s personal tale of struggles and uncertainties. The Language of God also uncovers the beauty of the Almighty Father’s creation.

4 Brilliant Books that Surprisingly Tackle both Science and Religion

Religion and science are two different things. Both of them have opposite stands and beliefs when it comes to the Almighty Father. The former believes that the Creator exists while the latter states that everything has a scientific basis. This can be a sensitive topic to some but it cannot be avoided that these platforms sometime collide, but instead of creating a bang they would oddly find a way to put the pieces together.

Literature, however, provides a platform where the two contrasting beliefs would somehow form a peace instead of a clash. With that being said, here are some of the remarkable books that tackle both science and religion.

From Science to Spirituality by Neil C. Griffen

BookSurge Publishing published the book titled From Science to Spirituality in January 11, 2010. This promising book is written by one of today’s brilliant minds named Neil C. Griffen. The book is challenging its readers to wonder about the predetermined beliefs when it comes to the areas in science and thoughts in religion. The book contains carefully researched details where the author intends to show that science and religion are not clashing with each other. There are, in fact, some important details that back up the advantages of utilizing scientific understanding in evaluating spiritual concerns, including the frequent tensed debate pertaining to the existence and presence of a God.

Finding God in Science: The Extraordinary Evidence for the Soul and Christianity, A Rocket Scientist’s Gripping Odyssey by Mr. Michael R. O’Connell

In December 2018, Michael R. O’Connell’s book titled Finding God in Science: The Extraordinary Evidence for the Soul and Christianity, A Rocket Scientist’s Gripping Odyssey was published by Eigen Publishing. It contains information about a rocket scientist at NASA who utilized quantum physics in order to look for God in the field of science. Searching for God in Science unfolds the enthralling highs and lows in the career of a rocket scientist, as well as his journey in discovering God who built the entire universe in the face of postmodern idea and atheistic assertions. The book can be compared to the 1965 film title A Brief History of Time Meets The Greatest Story Ever Told where it uncovers the regularity of the Holy Bible and science in simple language.

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins

The Templeton Prize award-winning author Francis S. Collins is the man behind the bestselling book The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. The reprint edition of the book was published by Free Press in July 2007. It lays down the best claims for the consolidation of logic and faith following the book by C.S. Lewis titled Mere Christianity. The belief that science and faith cannot go along like oil and water has existed ever since. It is because the latter declines the reasoning while the former controls people to living a life without meaning that surpasses the physical. It has become an unending war that seems like cannot be stopped. However, this books is written in order to give the faithful, agnostics, and atheists a proof on how powerful faith can become in the middle of pain without stalling its logical side.

The Creator and the Cosmos: How the Latest Scientific Discoveries Reveal God by Hugh Ross

RTB Press published the 4^th edition of the book by Hugh Ross titled The Creator and the Cosmos: How the Latest Scientific Discoveries Reveal God in 2018. It says that hardly any of you can explore outdoors on a clear and dark evening without having to stop for a while in order to silently and reflectively take a peak on the thousands of stars in the sky. A lot of questions will pop into your mind while stargazing, such as how the universe was formed? Was it preexisting? Is your presence is the result of an opportunity of a supernatural? Is God somewhere out there? What does He look like? These questions will definitely make you skeptical about His presence and will make you look for a scientific understanding to support your beliefs. Thus, The Creator and the Cosmos: How the Latest Scientific Discoveries Reveal God will allow you to perceive the way on how the heavens announce God’s glory.

5 Young Adult Fiction Novels that Were Adapted into Film

Do you have a favorite genre? Is it the one that are intended for young adults and features stories that are wild, fun, and entertaining, like the YA fiction? Well, I cannot blame you for YA have truly proved itself in the harsh competition in the literary world. Among its widely known authors are David Levithan, Rachel Cohn, Jean Archambault-White, Angie Thomas, Adam Silvera, and a lot more.

Are you a fan of young adult fiction books? Then getting news about their film adaptations might have ignited excitement and enthusiasm in you! There is nothing more amazing than waking up in the morning and stumbling upon an article that features your favorite young adult book that is in the works to become a movie. So, here are the all-time favorite YA books that have been made into movies making bookworms living their best lives.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

The film adaptation of this YA novel by Jenny Han was released in 2018 by Netflix. The readers’ favorite couple Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky was portrayed by Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. The other characters of the book were portrayed byIsrael Broussard, John Corbett, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur, Emilijia Baranac.It is the first book and movie of the series and revolve around the high-school love affair of LJ and Kavinsky. But before they became lovers, Lara Jean had to face the most embarrassing moment of her life, which was when the love letters that she wrote to boys that she fell in love with before were sent to each of them.

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns is the third YA novel of John Green and the second one to get a film adaptation. Its movie adaptation was directed by Jake Schreier and produced by Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey. It is categorized as a romantic mystery comedy drama and was released last 2015. The movie starred Cara Delevingne, Nat Wolff, Halstone Sage, Austin Abrams, and Justice Smith. It follows that story of Quentin, also known as Q, along with his friends to go on an adventure and find Margo Roth Spiegelman — Q’s childhood friend whom he’s secretly in love with. The question is: Is the search worth it or not?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite” — The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The quote is among the remarkable quotations that the movie showcases. Stephen Chbosky is the author of the book where the film was based from. At the same time, he is also the director of the adaptation. The movie was released in 2012 and starred Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. The movie centers on the life of a teenager who was considered as a wallflower named Charlie. Although he was socially awkward, he started to make friends and make the best out of it. However, being part of a circle wasn’t enough to bury his brokenness and pain. So, would Charlie continue to become a wallflower or not? Let’s find out.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Starring Chlöe Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley, the young adult novel If I Stay by Gayle Forman hit the theaters in 2014. It was directed by R.J. Cutler and produced by Denise Di Novi and Alison Greenspan. It grossed more than 70 million dollars from a budget of 11 million dollars. It centers on the story of a teenager named Mia Hall daughter of a teacher and travel agent, and the eldest of two siblings. She also has a boyfriend, a musician, named Adam. But that their love story is not entirely where the story centers, instead it focuses on the horrible accident that happened on Mia and her family. The million-dollar question is what would you do if you have seen death, would you strive to live knowing that everything will never be the same again or would you choose to rest in peace?

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Wendelin Van Draanen is the author of the novel Flipped. It is among the novels that will remind you how puppy love is the best thing in the world. Because of its wonder, it was adapted into film with the same title as the novel. The movie was released in 2010, which was directed by Rob Reiner. The stars of the film were Madeline Carroll, Callan McAuliffe, Rebecca De Mornay, Anthony Edwards, John Mahoney, Penelope Ann Miller, Aidan Quinn, and Kevin Weisman. This movie revolves around the puppy love between two neighbors named Julie and Bryce. It doesn’t only makes you fall in love but will also help you understand the value of faith, family, and passion.

All About Mystery Fiction: Introduction, History, Categories

You probably have heard of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie, two of the infamous mystery fiction writers of all time. Have you already considered knowing what the popular mystery fiction genre is all about? We’ll here’s everything that you need to know about this genre!

Introduction to Mystery Fiction

Mystery fiction is an offspring of fiction that commonly revolves around a peculiar death or crime that has to be solved. Each story in this genre is frequently associated with a closed circle of culprits where every culprit has a sound motive and a fairly good chance to commit the horrendous crime. The protagonists of mystery fiction tales are usually detectives or regular people who happen to become a detective. They soon put the pieces together and solve the puzzle by logical deduction from evidences and facts shown to the readers.

This genre is also associated with detective tales that emphasize the mystery or a particular suspense ingredient and its reasonable solution, take whodunit for example. It can also differ from hardboiled detective tale that center on action and bold realism. Moreover, mystery fiction goes beyond what is expected for it also includes in its scope a supernatural peculiarity. It is where the answer to the mystery doesn’t have to be something rational and there is also no misdeed contained.

Brief History of Mystery Fiction

Mystery book genre is considered as an early form of literature that has emerged since the early nineteen hundreds. The gradual development of literacy started during the English Renaissance; so, as individuals learn to read, they also started to have an independent thinking. Their self-reliance and individualism paved the way for them to enhance their own reasoning and problem-solving skills.

The probable reason why mystery fiction didn’t really become popular in the 18^th century was because of the insufficient true forces of the cops. Prior to the Industrial Revolution movement, a lot of places would opt to have a police officer and a watchman. The officer would become aware of each person in the particular place, and crimes in the place were commonly solved swiftly or remain unsolved. However, as humans start to come into big cities, the police started to create a structured system and that is when they realized that they also need not just cops but also detectives. That, my friend, is when mystery books were birthed.

Among the earliest modern mystery fiction books is the novel by E.T.A. Hoffmann which is Das Fräulein von Scuderi. It is also the work that greatly affected the pieces The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe and Zadig by Voltaire. In 1860, Wilkie Collins published his book The Woman in White that is subcategorized as an epistolary novel. Moreover, the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle presented the remarkable detective off all-time named Sherlock Holmes in 1887, and is being read until today.

Mystery fiction has become a widely patronized genre just about the turn of century along with the enhancement of dime books and pulp magazines. Novels became extremely helpful to mystery fiction considering that several authors write about mystery and detective fiction books during the 1920s. Among the significant works in the 1920s were the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. These series were being widely read by both kids and kids at heart until today. It is also in the 1920s when Dame Agatha Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan also known as Agatha Christie rose. Her books Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and more gained popularity.

Categories under Mystery Fiction

The literary genre is a broad corner to delve into for there are a lot of categories that appear and need to be known. Mystery fiction is among the genres that contain a wide variety of sub-genres. So if you want to know more about its sub-categories, please see list below:

Detective novels – this genre encompasses the crime books that revolve around detectives, regardless if

Cozy mysteries
Police procedural
Caper stories
Hardboiled mystery fiction
Legal thriller
True crime
Police procedural
Softboiled mystery fiction
Heist
Espionage
Inverted mystery

In today’s time, there have been thousands of mystery fiction novels that were being published; some of them are conquering the bestseller lists while others are moving lives of the readers. Among the prominent mystery fiction authors of all-time are Agatha Christie, Marry Higgins Clark, Arthur Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins, Gillian Flynn, JB Clemmens, Tana French, Dan Brown, and more. Most of their books have been adapted into film and other forms of adaptations because of their greatness.

Indeed, mystery fiction has proven itself to be one of the remarkable and all-time favorite genres in the world of literature. So if you are a sucker for mystery fiction or you want to dig into this genre, ready your curious mind because you can play Sherlock or Nancy in no time!

5 Wonderful Children’s Books About Trains to Add to Your Shelf this August

It is the last month of summer. Have you had your best summer getaway yet? If not, then don’t worry because you can still make the most of the remaining days of summer by doing something different. You can set aside the long road trips, swimming trips, island hopping, and other get away for now and spend the rest of the summer at the comfort of your home. You may enjoy summer while opting to go for a staycation by reading books or watching movies. You can also get tanned while reading your favorite book or you can bond with your family and pretend that you are in a book club together!

Literature is indeed a good platform that will help you spend your last month of summer. It already got anything that you wish for, traveling, imagining, enjoying, and gaining knowledge. Books will make you and the kids entertained in the four corners of your homes; thus, making you safe from the threat of covid19 outside. So what are you waiting for? Get a book and start reading now! But if you are a little short of books for you have crashed out most of them in your reading list, then worry not. Listed below are the books not just for children but for kids at heart that you may add to your shelf and TBR list.

Katie and Kenney Tour the Railroad by Kieth Niles Corman

In January 14, 2016, Dorrance Publishing published the book by Kieth Niles Corman titled Katie and Kenney Tour the Railroad. It is a children’s book that aims to promote the railroad safety for children and the significance of railroad. The story centers on Katie and Kenny who are being taken by an engineer into the local railroad together with their father to explore the place. Katie and Kenney Tour the Railroad also talks informs people, not just kids, that railroads are not playgrounds.

Locomotive by Brian Floca

This Caldecot Medal, Sibert honer, and Orbis Pictus honor awardee was written by Brian Floca. It was published by an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing in September 3, 2013. This book is perfect for young learners and young at hearts because contains magnificent illustrations; thus, it is categorized as a nonfiction picture book. Locomotive focuses on the story of a family who embarks on a journey in the summer of 1869 with the use of a transcontinental steam locomotive. The novel amazingly narrates the employees, passengers, sceneries, and the impact of creating and utilizing the very first transcontinental railroad.

Shark Vs. Train by Chris Barton

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers published the book Shark Vs. Train last April 1, 2010.It was written by Chris Barton and was illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. This is book has fallen under the picture book genre and is intended for kids ages 4-8 years old. With the infamous battle of the Justice League superheroes Superman and Batman, would the match between two incredibly different creatures Shark and Train can have the same impact level to the readers? The competition between the shark and the train encompasses Ping Pong, bowling, burping, and more!

Charlie the Choo-Choo by Stephen King

In November 11, 2016, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers published the book Charlie the Choo-Choo: From the World of the Dark Tower. It is written by Stephen King under his pseudonym Beryl Evans and was illustrated by Ned Dameron. The story was published in the author’s past book called The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands, where the book is discovered by Jake. Also in the 22^nd chapter, the tale is being narrated similar to the Beryl Evans type. Charlie the Choo-Choo was launched and presented to the public during the Comic-con held at San Diego. It was when 150 copies of the book’s limited edition were handed to the attendees.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is the author and illustrator of the classic children’s book titled The Polar Express. Its publication took place in 1985 by Houghton Mifflin. It was preceded by The Mysteries of Harris Burdick and followed by The Stranger. The book won the Caldecott Medal in 1986 and also made it to the bestseller list of the New York Times. It was also named as among the Teacher’s Top 100 Books for Children in 2007 after the poll conducted by the National Education Association. The story is set in the author’s home town, which is Michigan and is undeniably inspired by the author’s memories of going to the department stores as a kid, specifically Wurzburg and Herpolsheimer. The Polar Express was also inspired on a mental picture of a kid roaming around the woods on a foggy evening and journeying where a train was going.

Civil War: Its Causes and Outbreak

The Civil War was considered as the bloodiest war in the history of America. It was also known to be the most alienating battle that took place in the US after denting the Union Army in opposition to the Confederate States of America. This bloody battle caused thousands of deaths, 620,000, and millions of injuries to people who have witnessed this horrific event. The south was even left in shreds. The Civil War broke in 1891 after how may years of boiling frictions between the north and south states because of a couple of important things, including slavery, rights of the states, and westerly extension.

Civil War Causes

During the middle of 19^th century, the America was going through a period of extreme development. There was a radical economic diversity that existed between the southern and northern parts of the nation. North America’s manufacturing and industry was booming, as well as its agriculture although it is usually bounded to small-scale farmers. South America, on the other hand, was in accordance to a large-scale farming method that rested its fate on the fruits of the Black slaves’ labor in order to produce particular plants and crops, such as tobacco and cotton.

In the northern part of the state, there was increasing numbers of people who want to abolish slavery and their thoughts regarding the matter. Thus, the resistance and defiance of the northern people to the expansion of slavery into the new western region resulted into the worry of the southern Americans that the backbone of their economy, which is slavery, was in jeopardy.

Furthermore, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was submitted to the US Congress in 1854. It basically opened all the new regions to slavery. There was a violent struggle that formed between the people that are pro and anti-slavery. The anti-slavery people in the northern region resulted to creating a political party that clearly aims to oppose slavery expansion, which was called the Republican Party.

The anti-slavery group just received the devastating news when the Supreme Court made slavery legal in the indicated regions after ruling in the 1857 Dred Scott case. In 1859, an armed group of abolitionist led by John Brown raided the US military weaponry at Harper’s Ferry in the hopes of freeing slaves. However, John Brown was caught, arrested, and hanged because of the raid. After the raid, the southern Americans started fearing that their slaves will plan and conduct some rebellions; thus, heightening the tension and conflict of the northern and southern territories of USA.

What people considered as the last straw was the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860. Hence, 7 states in the South American have broken away from the US in just a three-month timeframe.

Civil War Outbreak

In March 1861, the newly elected president Abraham Lincoln took office. The federal forces terrorized the Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Lincoln requested for a fleet to replenish the harbor in April 12 on the same year, but the Confederate forces fired the primary shots causing the outbreak of the war.

It was Major Robert Anderson who was the commander of the Sumter, who also surrendered less than 48 hours of the attack, making Pierre G.T. Beauregard to manage the fort. After the attack at Fort Sumter, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas joined the Confederacy. Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland also known as the boundary slave states did not break away; however, there were a lot of residents that were giving out their sympathies to the Confederate.

Even though Civil War seems only an off-balanced conflict when you look into its shallow details, with the Union’s 23 places taking delight on the massive perks in terms of people, products, and railroad building, the Confederates had a sturdy military custom, together with some of the greatest armed forces in the country. They also believed in one advocacy, which is to protect their deep-rooted rituals, heritage, and practices, where slavery is its prime.

During the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas, there were a total of 35,000 Confederate troops that are led by Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson. The date when the battle happened was July 21, 1861. Commander Jackson forced a massive amount of Federals to draw back from Washington D.C., rushing any hopes of a fast Union success and causing the President Lincoln to summon at least half a million more enlistees.

The Civil War is, indeed, among the unforgettable wars that have happened in the history, the peril that it brought, blood that it shed, and horror that it casted will forever live in the memories of the survivors. Some of the horrific and heartwarming events in the war have been topics of many pieces of literature. The book by Keith Corman called Scourged Souls is a great example. The words “Scourged Souls Civil War” refers to the novel of Corman that was set during the American Civil War.

There may be a lot of lives that were lost but the silver lining of it all is the hope of ending slavery and raising equality regardless of a person’s race and color.

6 Technological Advancements to Expect in the Near Future

Since the dawn of technology, we humans have looked into the future with curious eyes and imaginative hearts in conceptualizing theories and projections of what futuristic inventions and innovations await us. As the rate at which technology develops begins to expand rapidly, out ideas towards what could be in store for us in the near future continue to evolve. One particularly well-written fiction book speaks of a project – The Russian Madhouse by Badman (critically acclaimed and award winning author Rick Badman) in which the author details his extensive work on advanced flywheel-powered cars, which he drives to victory at the 2037 Indy 500.

Technology is transforming our environment at an unprecedented rate. Throughout the course of just few short years, the internet, smart apps and social networking have changed how we interact and get knowledge about the planet. This has opened up new avenues for the distribution of knowledge, both true and fake, and brought new perspectives to the public dialogue of society. Comparably, the industrialization of the physical world via the internet, with billions of devices springing up and joining in, has provided new possibilities for efficiency and recreation, as well as new methods for cyber-physical systems attacks.

When we transition to a society that is more interactive and open than it has ever been before, we must always expect the improvements that technology will bring. Rapid developments in artificial intelligence highlight a future in which purpose-built robots can conduct a broad variety of human functions, displacing many types of human labor. This may result in significant efficiency increases, but also big economic and social changes. Advancements in biotechnology and synthetic biology are offering many more revolutionary changes, with advancements in medical health, disease extermination and even the expansion of human life.

Futurists have often supported and promoted unsustainable technological solutions. But why not consider the very possible implications that may come to impact us sooner or later? We need to think strategically and change the current foundations of our culture if we want to support the technologies that we know will benefit mankind.

In this article, we’ll be discussing 6 of the most promising and exciting innovations in technology that we should be on the lookout for in the near future:

Neuro-hacking

Some severe neurological disorders continue to afflict the human race. Due to one key factor, we haven’t cracked the issue yet – because we can’t control the nerves. Once neurosurgeons and neurologists begin to yield clearer knowledge through research of nerves and their workings, we may witness at real-life hacking in the future.

Imagine making the nerves instantly reactivated following a automobile crash and without causing any trauma whatsoever. If that occurs, you should assume intellectual agility for a lifetime.

Advancements in aerospace tech

The human race will begin its return to orbit in 2020, powered primarily by the private sector. Technology advancements have stalled after the Cold War, however, big aerospace development firms including SpaceX and Blue Origin are showing very promising breakthroughs in technology.

SpaceX is designing a “Starship” spacecraft, which would reuse the whole structure of the vehicle. Starship can reduce transcontinental space journeys to 20-30 minutes. State and international enterprises like LinkSpace are making significant spaceflight progress in China.

With these innovations in space tech, there’s no doubt that the future will yield even more highly advanced breakthroughs in technology.

Faster computers

2020 may see the need for enhanced efficiency from edge computing devices, as improved sensors and broader AI models already support a range of different apps. There is a increasing need to infer more data while making decisions without submitting information to the server.

Processor entrepreneurs from all over the globe have built technologies to satisfy growing demand. High-performance AI chips, classified as neuromorphic or brain processors, imitate brain function and run top AI algorithms.

Betavoltaics- recycling nuclear waste to produce electricity without moving parts

Supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and operating in conjunction with Stanford University, researchers have introduced technologies close to photovoltaic systems with one significant distinction: high-energy electrons from radioactive waste-products are used instead of sun photons.

Betavoltaic processing has been around since the 1950s, but work concentrated on tritium or nickel-63 as beta emitters. The researchers’ thought was to reconsider the technology from a radioactive transit point of view and use Strontium-90, a common isotope in hazardous material.

The Betavoltaic system may potentially produce roughly one watt of electricity continuously for 30 years — which will be 40,000 times more energy dense than existing lithium ion batteries. Early uses include tactical hardware using low-energy control for a prolonged period of time or powering remote devices where replacing batteries becomes troublesome.

Zero-size hardware

The most essential aspect of today’s technical innovations is simple – less space, more energy. Organizations like Intel and IBM are pushing intensely to produce smaller and smaller processors. As soon as we move a little further, we can expect to see more space-effective and more powerful gadgets.

It is one of the more practical new technologies, offering us more space and opportunities to work with.

Communication though holograms like in the Sci-Fi movies

While we can create fairly convincing holograms, technological technologies could trigger all real-life contact to cease. Imagine converting your entire conscious experience to a hologram on a different part of the globe.

Direct contact is no longer needed. Some especially enthusiastic experts suggest that we should be able to combine the holographic picture with our senses and emotions.