Cool for Tweens: The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker!

Debbie Allen, of F.A.M.E. fame, has created a brand new Nutcracker: the Hot Chocolate Nutcracker. It's an urban take on a classic, and tweens will surely relate to this update. The story is narrated by three wise-cracking mice, one of whom is played by Ms. Allen. The Gala performance is even headlined by former tween-queen, Raven Symone (who's still a tween fave with her hit show, "That's So Raven" on Disney Channel and "The Cheetah Girls" series - and BTW, she's got a new show coming out soon - "The Great State of Georgia" will air on ABC Family).

We're disappointed that this will be showing only in L.A., but send us your review if you go - we'll post it!

The show runs December 9-11 at UCLA's Royce Hall, and proceeds benefit the Debbie Allen Dance Academy.

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HP7 New York Premiere Night

The tweens and even the parents in our house are breathlessly awaiting the Thursday night midnight showing of the 7th Harry Potter movie, "The Deathly Hallows, Part 1". (Checkout the movie's official Facebook page for some great video.) The cast attended the U.S. premiere of HP7 last night in New York City at Alice Tully Hall. In attendance were the three stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson (sporting a gamine new haircut), Rupert Grint, and Tom Fenton.

Emma Watson discusses Hermione's style and her Free People clothing collaboration in a nice interview here.

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Attention Tweens Who Want to Work For a Magazine!

Tween fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson is partnering with Jane Pratt (former editor of Sassy - check out our list on the right for books we're reading now) to a launch a new magazine for tween girls! And she needs your help! Tavi writes on her blog, " . . . a great advantage to creating a magazine today is the access to talent and voice. This is supposed to have a "for the people, by the people" kinda vibe. We want to find the best possible group of people for this project, and a wide range of ages, styles, etc."

If you want to be a part of Tavi's new 'zine, email her at MagazineSubmissionsAreFun@gmail.com. She asks for samples, specifically: "A sample -- whether you would put the specific sample in the magazine or not -- of your writing of all and any kinds, photos, artwork, whatever you're good at and think would be at home in a feminist, creative, moody-teenage-girl magazine. Be sure to include the sample of your work, your age and location, and some kind of something about yourself. Talk a lot about yourself, please."

Work fast: the deadline is this Friday, November 19th!


Photo from www.thestylerookie.com, taken by Ella.

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Local Tween Parenting Expert Rosalind Wiseman Live Chat on Friday, Nov 12

Don't miss this! Tween parenting guru Rosalind Wiseman will be on a Live Chat at WashingtonPost.com today at 11am EST. She'll be discussing how parents and tweens/teens can communicate without strife. We are HUGE fans of Ms.Wiseman - check out our interview with her here.

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A Fabulous Way to Engage Tweens During Dinner

I just stumbled upon a new book by Laurie David (over-achieving mom and producer of "An Inconvenient Truth" - yes, THAT "Inconvenient Truth" - the Academy Award winner) called "The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect With Your Kids One Meal at a Time". I haven't yet read the book (hey, I just learned about it this evening), but I have devoured her blog.

An amazing idea from her blog is called "The Special Bowl of Treasures". The idea is to set out a large bowl at the beginning of the week and let your kids fill it up with tiny treasures they find. At the end of the week, you set the bowl in the center of the dinner table and take turns hearing about each treasure. For reticent tweens and teens whose daily response to "how was your day?" is "fine", this tactic seems very cool. We're going to test drive it next week - I'll report back on how it goes.

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The Sweetest Countdown for Tweens

Dylan's Candy Bar has created their first Advent calendar to help countdown the days until Christmas. If you and your tween celebrate Christmas - this is the coolest, ONLY age-appropriate Advent Calendar we've seen in years.

$10 from Dylan's Candy Bar

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Tween Girl Scouts Take Action to Solve Homelessness

We just read this post in a local Chicago paper and HAD to share this great story:

In preparation for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (Nov. 14-20), four local Girl Scouts have launched a new Participation Patch for Junior Girl Scout troops in Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park and parts of Chicago. Clare Darnall, Caroline Hesterman, Jennifer Martenka and Bria McNeal, all 8th graders at Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park, created the "There's No Place Like Home" program to raise awareness for local solutions to homelessness. This "take action" project concludes three years of work toward earning the Silver Award, the highest award for Girl Scouts ages 11-14.

What a great project!

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First Tweens and the White House on Halloween

Halloween at the White House this year welcomed hundreds of tween-age kids from the Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools in the District as well as military families. Students ages 6 to 14 trick or treated at the White House that was re-done in orange and purple for the evening.

The President, First Lady, and First Grandmother handed out bags of organic sugar cookies (made with honey from the White House bees), and guests were treated to face painting, pumpkin carving demonstrations, and a dress-up booth.

First Tween Sasha Obama dressed up as a turkey this year, and Malia Obama's choice was a Sour Patch Kid. Neither girls were present for the White House event this year; both were trick or treating in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Does your tween have extra Halloween candy? If so, she might consider donating some to a good cause: Treats 4 Our Troops is collecting donations of excess Halloween candy to send to our brave men and women serving overseas. This local non-profit collects the candy and handles all the packaging logistics. Contact information is on their website, and there are drop-off points throughout the Washington metro area.

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Bring a Tween to Vote With You Today

Election Day is today! Bring your tween daughter or another tween along to vote with you. Students begin studying about American Government in middle school, so chances are this will coincide nicely with their school work.

Here are some great stats from Girls Inc.:

• Research shows that exposing a young person to the polls is one of the best ways to ensure they will vote in the future. Take your sister, daughter, niece, friend or neighbor with you when you go to the polls to vote. 
• Although women are 51% of the population, they only make up 14% of the U.S. Congress (women of color are only 3.4%). It's important for women to exercise their political voice and power, and voting is the first step! Talk with the tween girls in your life about voting. Research shows that personal contact is the best way to motivate someone to vote.

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What's Cool for Tweens in November: MsTwixt's Calendar

Ms Twixt's Calendar

• Nov 1 Hello Kitty's birthday
• Nov 1 Hilary Knight's birthday (illustrator of "Eloise")
• Nov 2 Kendall Schmidt's birthday
• Nov 2 Cookie Monster's birthday
• Nov 4 Eloise's birthday
• Nov 5 Kevin Jonas' birthday
• Nov 7 "Shake It Up" series premiere on Disney Channel
• Nov 9 Kay Thompson's birthday (author of "Eloise")
• Nov 10 Lilly Pulitzer's birthday
• Nov 10 Sesame Street's anniversary
• Nov 10 Emerson Rose Tenney's birthday (Teri Hatcher's daughter)
• Nov 12 Anne Hathaway's birthday
• Nov 12 "Avalon High" movie premiere on Disney Channel
• Nov 13 National Gallery's outdoor skating rink opens on the National Mall
• Nov 13 Monique Coleman's birthday
• Nov 15 "Harry Potter 7: The Deathly Hollows" U.S. movie premiere in NYC - ticket info here
• Nov 18 Mickey Mouse's birthday
• Nov 18 "Harry Potter 7: The Deathly Hollows" movie midnight opening!
• Nov 23 Miley Cyrus' birthday
• Nov 24 "Tangled" movie opens
• Nov 29 Louisa May Alcott's birthday (author of "Little Women")
• November Big Time Rush tour (locations TBD)

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