"The Fate Twister" tells the story of Lena and Martin and their struggle to hang on to each other in the face of hatred, danger and clashing backgrounds. Their story begins when these strangers squeeze into a bathtub to dodge a tornado on the ground. Martin Guy is just passing through and wants to start over in California after a guilt-ridden divorce. He was fired from his job as a professor as a result of some bad choices. Lena Clark, a religious woman from a small East Texas town, is at a crossroads in her life after divorcing her cheating husband. Despite their different backgrounds, Lena and Martin risk having a relationship in spite of opposition from Lena's only daughter and from an undocumented Mexican teenager who claims she has been forced into sex slavery. Martin's effort to rescue the attractive young girl from slavery risks endangering his relationship with the woman who may give him a second chance at real love. And Lena's good deed to help the girl jeopardize her relationships with Martin and with the small community that is her home.

Whether you are a teacher, librarian, childcare provider or parent, you will find in this wonderfully presented handbook a wellspring of ideas and information on the art of storytelling to and with pre-school and school-age children. Provides ideas and materials for: infants, toddlers (ages 2-3), pre-schoolers (ages 3-5), primary level (ages 6-8), and family programs. For each group, information is provided about age-appropriate books and other printed resources, along with a wide variety of materials for other storytime activities. Included are finger plays, activities using puppets complete with instructions for making them, and materials suitable for creative dramatics with suggestions on how to involve the children. Also included are outlines for sample story programs that provide ideas for combining materials and activities to create age-appropriate themed programs. Story Programs will be the source of endless hours of enjoyment and enrichment, both for the children and the adults who use the materials it introduces.