Showing results by narrator "Beverly Enwall" in All Categories

All of Melissa Brewter's cousins have to take music lessons from domineering Aunt Alicia, but only Melissa, a senior in high school, really likes them, not because she is her Aunt's star pupil but because she loves filling a room with music. Just as they are all getting ready for the annual recital, Melissa's Uncle Hank, long gone from their hometown and his three brothers and their families, pays them a surprise visit, which pleases all of them except Aunt Alicia, who is seldom pleased with anything. Then, the day after the recital Aunt Alicia is found dead....

There has to be a reason for learning, and it has to be one that makes sense to the learner. The purpose of education is not to preserve the good old days nor is it to create a Utopia in the midst of our imperfect society. The mission of a school is to provide education, the kind of education that helps each child explore and develop his or her individual abilities. We've lost sight of that. And until we "fix" that, we will not fix the system. It cannot be fixed by band-aids nor by bandwagons. But it can be addressed with common sense and a willingness to evict a few sacred cows from the pastures.

In mid-15th century, Spain King Henry IV ruled Castile. Well-meaning and trusting, Henry's rule and fondness for his male lovers - one of whom provoked reactions ranging from the widespread loyalty of the common people to assassination attempts by the Barons. This is the story of how, through events and unlikely love affairs among the rich and powerful, Henry's obscure half-sister Isabel became Castile's most famous Queen.