Allergic to My Family – Liza Ketchum

Five living dolls: meet the Dionne quintuplets

Liza Ketchum — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 12:55:14 +0000

The quints in 1937. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Rosie worries about her big family getting bigger. A real-life Canadian family, the Dionnes, started with quintuplets in 1934. Despite the five girls finding fame as toy doll inspirations and child celebrities, their personal lives weren’t easy. Here’s a look at their early years in the media spotlight.

Rosie enjoys marine wildlife on ‘porpoise’

Liza Ketchum — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 12:56:54 +0000

Rosie and her mother spotted porpoises swimming by the beach. How do you tell the difference between dolphins and porpoises? Here are some tips:

Helicopter hero outsmarted California wildfire

Liza Ketchum — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 12:55:42 +0000

A Navy rescue helicopter carried water to a California wildfire in October, 2007. By English: Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt, U.S. Marine Corps [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Rosie found help fast when fire threatened her home.

One 2014 California firefighting hero did all his lifesaving while piloting a helicopter.

Are donkeys really stubborn?

Liza Ketchum — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 12:55:33 +0000

“Canyon Donkey” by Laura Leveque

Are donkeys really stubborn? Rosie faced that possibility at a birthday party. Sometimes, a donkey’s personality is just plain fearless. Here’s a Colorado inspiration that made headlines in 2012.

40 years later, Brady Bunch fans multiply

Liza Ketchum — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 12:55:58 +0000

By ABC Television (eBay item photo front photo back) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

At the beginning of Allergic to My Family, Rosie is shocked to imagine being one of six children. America’s most famous fictional six-kid family has stayed young on television for more than 40 years. Fans of “The Brady Bunch” celebrated in 2014 with the first-ever “Brady Con.”

Californians care for animal wildfire victims

Liza Ketchum — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:56:01 +0000

Rosie’s California home is threatened by a wildfire. The state has learned how to help forest animals who suffer injuries from such blazes. Discover how some Californians have learned how to care for animal wildfire victims.

Skunks as pets

Liza Ketchum — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 13:00:37 +0000

In Allergic to My Family, Rosie’s family adopts a skunk. Could you really have a skunk for a pet? It’s possible, but over half of our states have laws against doing so. Do your research first, so you know all it takes to raise such an unusual animal.

Here are two sites, Just Skunks and a National Geographic photo-essay by photographer Vincent J. Musi, that will provide you with more information.

A possible career?

Liza Ketchum — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 11:55:12 +0000

Careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are much in the news for young people. Many schools are refocusing their curriculum to encourage careers in these fields. Rosie has thoughts about becoming a marine biologist in Allergic to My Family. Here’s an interesting link to some of the foremost marine biology research centers in the United States. What about including one center as a destination on your family vacation plans?

Allergic to My Family fuels Olympic gymnastics dreams

Liza Ketchum — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 15:05:40 +0000

This month, we’ll take a behind-the-scenes look at one of my middle-grade novels, Allergic to My Family. It’s a tale of adventure and family, filled with humor, available as an e-book.

The main character, Rosie, has plans for being an Olympic gymnast. Are there young readers in your world with the same ambition? And who wouldn’t aspire to be this gymnast?