Hi and welcome to Episode Thirteen of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to listen to this blog as a podcast, you may do so at http://forecaststormy.libsyn.com.

Being bullied is certainly scary whether you’re an adult or a child, but especially if you’re a child. The book NO ROOM FOR BULLIES by JOSE BOLTON, SR. and STAN GRAEVE is subtitled “FROM THE CLASSROOM TO CYBERSPACE – TEACHING RESPECT, STOPPING ABUSE, AND REWARDING KINDNESS.” The section on Internet bullying is especially timely in light of recent controversy about MySpace.com and other sites utilized by teens.

Stories about bullies are followed by how you can help (your child, your friend, yourself). The various types of bullying are discussed, and there are quotes by now-famous victims of bullies: 2003 Miss America Erika Harold, actor Tom Cruise, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and actor Harrison Ford. This book is a valuable resource for parents, educators and students. Learn more at http://www.boystownpress.com/.

On a lighter note, CHARMING THE PRINCE by TERESA MEDEIROS is, well, charming. Lord Bannor the Bold finds himself an unwilling papa to a dozen unruly children, all left at the castle doorstep at one time or another. He sends his steward out to find a nanny for the brood. Enter Lady Willow, a spirited young lady who’ll calm the savage beasts and their master, too. CHARMING THE PRINCE is a cute, funny, fractured fairy tale that makes for some good reading on a rainy day.

Speaking of rainy days, it is one here. If you’re looking for an excellent classic to enjoy all over again, try BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (the movie, not the book—I’ve never read the book by Truman Capote; maybe I should). Anyway, the movie stars the indomitable Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard (pre-A-Team days). Buddy Ebsen even makes an appearance as Audrey’s estranged husband. If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, Holly Golightly is a party girl who moves to New York to find fun and excitement. She gets involved with a mobster who she sees as simply a nice old man in jail who needs a visitor. In the meantime, gigolo George Peppard moves into Holly’s apartment building. He falls hard for Holly, but she’s determined not to give her heart away to anyone, not even her pet cat.

If classic romance isn’t up your alley, Cartoon Network is running some new JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED episodes this month. I watch this show with my children, but it’s really enjoyable. If you’d like to revisit the days when you pretended you were Wonder Woman or Batman or the Green Lantern, check out JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED. For a thirty-minute animated cartoon, this show has some of the most witty, sophisticated writing on television. The show airs at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Cartoon Network.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at [email protected].