Kids & Books BlogWatch for updates to our Kids-and-Books.com Blog. Jul 25, 2010, 10 Stumbling Blocks to WritingHomeschoolBlogger.com is offering another free class for homeschool parents – this time on helping kids overcome their fear of writing. Space is limited, though, so be sure to sign up soon if you’re interested. The class will be held Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 2 p.m. EDT. The instructor is Kim Kautzer, co-author of WriteShop® (an incremental writing program), honored as one of Cathy Duffy’s 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. “I love to encourage and equip apprehensive parents, showing them that teaching writing is much more objective than they think,” says Kautzer, “and that with the right tools at their fingertips, they can encourage and motivate their struggling writers.” Some of the stumbling blocks Kautzer addresses are lack of confidence, limited writing vocabulary, and worry about criticism from mom or dad. Again, be sure to sign up for this class soon, since space is limited! Jul 21, 2010, Free Class for Homeschoolers: Teaching a Love of ReadingIf you’re a homeschool parent (or thinking of becoming one), this is a class you should seriously consider attending: Homeschooling: Teaching a Love of Reading.
Instructor Janie Carnal (affiliated with Spalding Education International) taught 2nd – 4th graders for over 23 years and has served as a mentor and teacher providing professional development, mentoring, and coaching for K-8 public school teachers.
What You'll LearnThis class will not only teach you how to develop a love of reading in your child, it will also make teaching language skills much easier, helping you to better understand the structure of language. The one-hour class will be held at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 22, with a “pre-show” on “Why Homeschool?” at 3:00 EDT. You can register for the class here. Jul 17, 2010, VIDEO: Grace Lin – Newbery Honor winnerGrace Lin is an amazing writer and artist. She’s also fantastic at promoting her books! Her website is extremely interactive. She has several blogs, most of which relate to her travels to other countries. And last December, Today Show’s Al Roker interviewed Lin on his Book Club for Kids show. The book discussed on the video (which you can watch below) is Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
Less than two months after this show aired, Lin was named one of the 2010 winners of the Newbery Honor for this book. Jul 16, 2010, Children's PublishingThe growth in sales of electronic books and online reading devices point to huge changes in the world of children's publishing. Learn about changes in the industry and the current best books for kids. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Children's Publishing" Jul 14, 2010, Fight boredom – read a book!
Did you know July is Anti-Boredom Month? Maybe it’s because this month is the middle of summer for most kids, which means parents often hear that dreaded phrase: “I’m BO-O-O-ORED! What can I do??” One answer I give my son when he asks this question is: “Why don’t you read a book?” (Not an option for him, in his mind . . . unfortunately.) But reading books really IS the perfect antidote to boredom for most kids. Several times this summer, I’ve noticed kids curled up in chairs in waiting areas of places like banks or stores, so wrapped up in a book that they’re oblivious to the world around them. If you're looking for some "non-book" ideas to keep your kids busy this summer, check out these links to pages with free printable word searches, activities, and online reading material: Word Play: Dinosaur Word Search Diary of a Wimpy Kid (online version) On the Rocks (online comic strip)
Jul 12, 2010, The perfect book for future paper engineersEleven years ago, two well-known paper engineers decided to create a book that explained the “nuts and bolts” of their craft: making pop-up books. The name of the book is The Elements of Pop-Up: A Pop-Up Book for Aspiring Paper Engineers, and the authors are David A. Carter and James Diaz. According to Carter and Diaz, aspiring paper engineers learn how to create pop-ups by studying what other pop-up artists have done. So the authors thought it would be an especially appealing book to illustrators if all the basic elements of pop-up books (such as different types of folds, wheels, and pull-tabs) could be found in one place. Hence, this book. Each page has three-dimensional samples of the different pop-up elements, making it easy for readers to figure out how to assemble their own. Included in the book are a glossary of terms and a step-by-step picture guide on how to create a pop-up, adding immensely to the value of this book. Carter and Diaz have generously provided downloadable die-drawings for all of the pop-ups shown in the book. You can find them at the link below: Jul 10, 2010, PRIZE: The Movable Mother Goose!Robert Sabuda has announced his “giveaway” for the July contest: a copy of The Movable Mother Goose pop-up book, along with a signed bookplate. As with many other Mother Goose books, this one has some unique twists to the pictures accompanying these familiar nursery rhymes. Jack Be Nimble appears as a grasshopper, and the four and twenty blackbirds are wearing sunglasses. :-) Treat your kids to some fun Mother Goose-based online games at the link below: Jul 10, 2010, Monet for childrenI don’t know what it is about Claude Monet that fascinates me. Maybe it’s the colors in his work, and the subject matter. There’s a tranquility in his paintings – lots of landscapes, waterscapes, and shimmery pastels. MONET (EYEWITNESS BOOK) So I couldn’t resist taking a look at one of the famous Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books . . . on Monet. Published in 1992, this book (written by Jude Welton) is filled with photographs, illustrations, and even caricatures. (Monet started his artistic career drawing caricatures, many on commission!) For children who enjoy art, this can be a great “first step” into non-fiction. The book starts with a quote from Monet about his early life in LeHavre, on the coast of northern France, and ends with photographs of the paintings exhibited in “The Sistine Chapel of Impressionism” in the Musee de l’Orangerie in Paris. LINNEA IN MONET'S GARDEN I bought this book over 10 years ago. Written by Christina Bjork and illustrated by Lena Anderson, Linnea in Monet's Garden was published in Sweden in 1985. Two years later, it was translated into English by author/illustrator Joan Sandin. The book follows the journey of a young girl who visits Monet’s pink house and garden in Giverny. It’s written in the form of a journal, and on each page, there’s a cartoon-like drawing of Linnea, asking questions like “How did the children reach up to the table?” or doing things like dancing on the Japanese Bridge. There are photos of flowers, museums, rooms in Monet’s home, and members of his family. At the back of the book are lists of museums and things to do in Paris, a timeline for major events in Monet's life, and even his family tree! I encourage you to consider sharing this book with your own children. You may just help spark in them a passion for art that will last a lifetime. THE MAGICAL GARDEN OF CLAUDE MONET The Magical Garden of Claude Monet, written and illustrated by Laurence Anholt, is another beautiful children’s book about this Impressionist. The book has a center spread that folds out horizontally, showing the main character Julie, her dog Louie, and Monet all in a boat on a lake. Thanks to Anholt’s skills, this book is one that even very young children can appreciate. Check out Anholt’s fun website at the link below: Jul 7, 2010, Is your child a frustrated artist?
All kids can draw, but some get more frustrated than others with the mechanics of getting things to look like they want them to look. That’s where publishers like Usborne and Barker Creek can help. Both publishers have produced numerous books that specialize in helping kids learn how to create pictures by using very simple instructions. USBORNE PUBLISHING Usborne Publishing is Great Britain’s largest independent publishing company, with several different categories of books. Arts and crafts, cooking, music, and baby jigsaw puzzles are only a few of the MANY choices you’ll find at their website: Usborne Children’s Books. BARKER CREEK PUBLISHING Barker Creek Publishing has a series of drawing/writing books that teach children to draw through very simple, step-by-step instructions. Since I used one of these books while tutoring some of my younger students, I speak from personal experience when I say these books are great. The kids not only got to practice drawing, they also got to practice their handwriting skills. Each of the eight books in this Draw Write Now series contain pictures focused on three different topics, most of which revolve around one theme. For example, Book 4 has an arctic theme, and Books 7 and 8 focus on animals of the world. THE STORY BEHIND "DRAW WRITE NOW" BOOKS Authors Marie Hablitzel and her daughter Kim Stitzer created these books using more than 150 of the drawing and handwriting lessons Marie developed during her 30 years of teaching. Marie saw her students becoming more and more frustrated with both writing and drawing, so decided that regular practice in a supportive environment would help the children develop their technical skills. By weaving subjects like math, science, geography, and social studies into these lessons, Marie had discovered a formula that truly made learning come alive for children. Now, thousands of children all over the world can benefit from those same lessons! For yet another book on drawing, check out the link below. It’s my son’s favorite. Jul 6, 2010, History in picture books
Three different books, three different histories.
Whale Adventure (2007)Just over three years ago, a drama unfolded in the San Francisco Bay involving two humpback whales: Delta and Dawn. After “making a wrong turn” into the Bay, this mother and child duo then managed to slowly make their way up the Sacramento River! Delta & Dawn: Mother & Baby Whales’ Journey (published in 2008) was written by local TV news anchor Stefanie Cruz as a picture book to help young children learn about this amazing story. Illustrated with beautiful full-page watercolors, local artist Lily Toppenberg has done a wonderful job of helping to bring this story alive for youngsters.
Titanic Disaster (1912)Also published in 2008 was another book based on history: Titanicat. (Can you guess which historical event this one’s about?) Award-winning author Marty Crisp and illustrator Robert Papp have collaborated to create an amazing story. The first time I saw this book, I quickly flipped through the pages, not sure if I wanted to read it (even though I loved the illustrations). But when I noticed the author’s note at the back of the book about the story being based on actual events, I decided to read it after all. I love stories where “truth is stranger than fiction.” Thanks to trusting the instincts of a cat who left the Titanic (along with her kittens) at its last stop before heading out to sea, an Irishman charged with taking care of the “ship’s cat” decided to abandon ship himself. If you have a child who loves cats and/or adventure, don’t miss this book!
Family History (300 years . . . and counting)When I Was Young was written by James Dunbar to help young children imagine what life was like when their parents and grandparents were young. Published in 1998, this book does a great job of portraying history from a child’s perspective, going back in time, with each child hearing their grandparent reminisce about their grandparent’s childhood. The illustrations (drawn by Martin Remphry) are done in a cartoon-like style, showing the way people dressed and how kids played in each preceding generation – all the way back to Colonial times. Lots of fun details in each picture will keep kids reading this book many times over! Jul 4, 2010, Happy 4th of July!I couldn’t let the holiday go by without at least wishing all of my readers a Happy 4th of July! I’ve listed the titles of a couple of books centered around the theme of 4th of July: Apple Pie 4th of July, written by Janet S. Wong and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. This multi-cultural book was written for children age 4-8, and is about a young, first-generation Chinese-American girl who’s not so sure her parents are doing the right thing by serving Chinese food on such an American holiday. The linotype illustrations give a unique flavor to this book. America the Beautiful, written by Katherine Bates and illustrated by Wendell Minor. This is another book targeted toward young children (age 4-8), and will no doubt become a family keepsake. The beautiful watercolor and gouache illustrations help children connect the words in the song with the things they actually represent. Be sure to check out the artist’s website too! Jun 26, 2010, Webkinz Writing ContestStarting at midnight (12:00 a.m. EST) on June 26, Webkinz World fans who live in the United States or Canada will have the chance to enter a creative writing contest. The deadline for entries is one minute before midnight on July 2, which means the contest is only one week long. So be sure to have your kids start working on their stories soon! In 1,000 words or less, they need to tell why they think the MAZIN’ Hamsters are coming to live in Webkinz World. Five of the most creative entries will win a MAZIN’ Hamster plush toy. For a link to details on how to enter the contest and the official contest rules, click here. (At the time I posted this, the date I saw on the rules said May 8-9 – a contest they held for Mother’s Day. So maybe the dates will have been changed by the time you check them out. However, I’m sure the rest of the instructions are the same for this contest.) HAVE FUN WRITING!! Jun 23, 2010, Press ReleasesPress releases help you stay current on new books for kids and changes in children's publishing. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Press Releases" Jun 21, 2010, The World of Dr. SeussKids who enter the world of Dr. Seuss never really leave. Ted Geisel knew the importance of literacy and how to get children reading his books. Permalink -- click for full blog post "The World of Dr. Seuss" Jun 16, 2010, A pop-up book for Dad or the kids?Do your kids enjoy sports? If so, Sports Illustrated Kids has a pop-up book they may be interested in: WOW! The Pop-Up Book of Sports. You might even want to surprise Dad with a copy this weekend – for Father’s Day! Published almost eight months ago, this book was done by a paper engineer I’d never heard of before: Bruce Foster. This book is much more than a fascinating display of pop-up art. It’s also a storehouse of information on interesting events in sports history. Coupled with great photography and sturdy pop-ups that hold up under multiple opening of pages, this book could easily become a treasure your whole family will enjoy and want to pass down to future generations! You can take a “sneak peek” at the book at the link below: Jun 14, 2010, Easy Reader BooksParents who know the importance of literacy rely on easy reader books to get children reading early. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Easy Reader Books" Jun 13, 2010, Teaching Children with DyslexiaWhen I started tutoring children in reading, I was told by a woman (who’d been teaching for over 20 years) that if a child who’s in 2nd grade – or older – is still having problems with reading, it usually is because he or she has some form of dyslexia. She told me that she didn’t find out she had a mild form of it until she was an adult. I don’t know for sure how true this is, but I did see this problem with the kids I was tutoring in reading – even the high school junior I was working with at the time. Soon after that, I found a book at a local school supply store, that looked like the perfect resource: How to Reach & Teach Children & Teens with Dyslexia, by Cynthia M. Stowe, M.Ed. The subtitle on the book is “A Parent and Teacher Guide to Helping Students of All Ages Academically, Socially and Emotionally.” This book is a great resource for anyone who has a child or student with dyslexia, and looking for ideas on how to help them learn. It even has a chapter on teaching adults with dyslexia. The depth of information in this book is impressive. Helping students with reading is only a very small part of what this book covers. It also includes chapters on:
Scattered throughout the book are interviews with people who either have this disability or who work with those who do. There are also lots of activity sheets that teachers will especially find useful. One very interesting chapter is called “Ten General Principles of Instruction.” The chapter talks in-depth about how to help a child (or adult) with different aspects of learning in ways that help focus in on each individual’s specific weaknesses. The principles they list are:
In the coming months, I plan on adding pages to this website that will help parents and teachers of kids with special needs, including dyslexia. These will include interviews with local experts and links to resources where you can find out even more information on these topics. Jun 10, 2010, The Secret Circus . . . only the mice knowThe author of The Secret Circus is Johanna Wright, a new author/illustrator who has a cartoon-like style of drawing. Published just over a year ago, the book is targeted toward pre-schoolers. It’s already earned itself a 5-star rating by almost all of its reviewers on Amazon! Wright generously makes her illustrations available in the form of posters at her website's artwork page. Lots of great pictures there! Just reading the description of this book reminded me, in some vague sort of way, of stories I’d read as a child. The idea of a place that only one person knows about (like the mice in this book being the only ones who know where a miniature circus is) reminds me of Lucy discovering a strange, new world inside of a wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. And of the miniscule world Horton discovers when he hears a “who” in Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who! Jun 9, 2010, A French cat and the seaIt’s been six years since Farrar, Straus and Giroux published the picture book The Cat Who Walked Across France, but I had never heard of it. The title was what first caught my attention. The author, Kate Banks, lives in the South of France. Georg Hallensleben, the illustrator, lives in Paris. Even though I’ve never been there, I’m fascinated with the country of France. I’m also a cat lover, so this looked like a fun book. It was better than I expected. The words are simple, yet deep – almost like poetry. And the brightly-colored illustrations look as though they’d been placed there with a palette knife, reminding me of some of Gauguin’s work. The age range for the book is stated on Amazon as being from 9 to 12, although younger children who are excellent readers might be able to read it too. Kids of any age will enjoy listening to it, though. The story is about a cat that lives in a “stone house by the edge of the sea,” but is forced to move when his owner dies. Most of the story revolves around his quest to find his way back to the house. I won’t spoil it for you, so you’ll have to find out for yourself what he finds when he finally makes it back to the stone house at the end of the book. Jun 8, 2010, Win a Strega Nona book!WOW!! That’s all I can say about the gift Robert Sabuda is giving away this month. The book is Brava, Strega Nona!: A Heartwarming Pop-up Book, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola and fashioned into an amazing pop-up masterpiece by paper engineers Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. Since its publication in late October 2008, all 23 reviews on Amazon for this book have been 5-star, the most recent of which was posted less than a month ago. One of the praises about the book is how sturdy it is, considering how intricate some of the pop-up designs are. If this sounds like a book you’d like to own, be sure to go Sabuda’s contest page and fill out the entry form. The winner’s name will be announced in early July. For information on other pop-up books and paper engineers, check out my Pop-Up Books page here. You can read about some of dePaola’s other books at the link below. Jun 4, 2010, VIDEOS: New picture booksFour months ago, Mo Willems came out with a picture book called Cat the Cat, What is That? This book is aimed toward younger children than his pigeon books. You can see the author talking about the book in this fun trailer. Willems’ latest book, City Dog, Country Frog, will be released June 8. For the first time, however, Willems has collaborated with another artist for this book: Jon J. Muth. Muth’s beautiful watercolors do a great job of creating a mood that helps to engage the reader in the story. Muth has illustrated many other books over the past several years. He’s also written several books. In this video, Muth talks about why he moved into picture books from comic books.
The book Muth mentions in the video – Come On, Rain!, written by Karen Hesse – was published over 11 years ago, but is still being enjoyed by children and their parents. I’m always impressed when I see as many 5-star ratings as this book has. Looks like one I’ll have to pick up at the library one of these days! Jun 3, 2010, National Audiobook MonthDid you know there’s actually a month set aside to celebrate audiobooks? I didn’t. But I’m glad there is, because digital literature can easily get overlooked as a powerful way to get children interested in reading. For the auditory learner, it makes the whole experience of reading come alive – especially if the narrator is good. It’s a fun way to experience books for non-auditory learners too, though. By listening to the voices of characters in a book, it’s often easier for children to visualize the action. And listening to a narrator also helps children become more fluent with their own reading and builds their vocabulary. One excellent picture book/poetry book that also comes in audiobook form is The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders, by Jack Prelutsky. The audiobook version came out in 2005, three years after the print version was published. The book has a 5-star rating on Amazon (one as recently as last month), and has been proclaimed as being fun even for non-poetry lovers! For even more proof of the value of audiobooks, see this page on Get Caught Listening at Get Caught Reading’s website: May 30, 2010, Geronimo StiltonFinding easy chapter books your kids will love isn't always easy. Until they meet Geronimo Stilton! Permalink -- click for full blog post "Geronimo Stilton" May 25, 2010, Get Caught Reading this weekEven though there’s only one week left of "Get Caught Reading" month, I wanted to mention a few resources to you teachers who may be looking for new ideas to get your students reading. These resources are great for parents, too.
JudyMoody.comJudyMoody.com is a website that’s far more than a display case for the latest Judy Moody books. This page for teachers and parents offers free downloadable activity kits, including a word search puzzle and instructions on how to create a “me collage.” You can also download a free teacher’s guide, which includes several pages of ideas on how to tie in the Judy Moody books with just about any subject you’re studying. It’s been 10 years since Megan McDonald wrote her first Judy Moody book. Illustrator for each of her books has been Peter Reynolds.
Children’s Books for LatinosThe Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), REFORMA, and the Association of American Publishers’ Publishing Latino Voices for America (PLVA) Task Force have published a list of children’s books written in Spanish. The list is just a sample of what’s available from AAP-member publishers, and includes titles for children ranging from pre-schoolers through young adults.
GetCaughtReading.orgThe importance of reading to children is really emphasized at this website. Their Literacy Fact Sheet and Fact Sheet on the Importance of Reading to Infants and Young Children are just two examples of the excellent information they have to offer. May 22, 2010, Happy Birthday Arnold Lobel!Today marks the birthday of a well-known author of easy reader children’s books: Arnold Lobel. Lobel would have turned 77 today. (He died in 1987, at the age of 54.) One of Lobel’s most popular books is Frog and Toad are Friends, first published in 1979 by HarperCollins. Lobel actually illustrated many of his books, too, including this one. I just finished reading this book to one of the 1st graders I tutor (a little girl who’s surprisingly not fond of being read to!), and it kept her attention. In fact, she decided to read one of the pages herself. Judging by the number of 5-star ratings given by Amazon readers, there are lots of other kids out there who love Lobel’s books, too. Odd Owls & Stout Pigs: A Book of Nonsense is the name of a new book by Lobel’s daughter, Adrianne Lobel. Published less than six months ago by HarperCollins, the book is a collection of stories written by Arnold Lobel many years ago and given away as gifts. Adrianne says she discovered them with the help of an archivist. The drawings are originals that were scanned in and enhanced with oil pastels and colored pencils. May 20, 2010, YA biography on ‘Lucky Lindy’Today marks the date of a very famous event in American history: Charles Lindbergh’s first Transatlantic Flight. His flight started the morning of May 20, 1927, on a runway in Long Island. It ended late evening the next day, in Paris. Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero, by James Cross Giblin, is a fascinating book that gives an in-depth look at the life of this national hero in the world of early aviation. Found a couple of great online resources for kids, with more info on Lindbergh: CharlesLindbergh.com has a TON of information on several different aspects of early aviation, including original photos. PBS Kids has a section completely devoted to the subject of Flight, including a page on famous “”barnstormers”. Here’s a brief video of Lindbergh’s flight:
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(One of Lindbergh’s children, Reeve, is an accomplished children’s book author. One of her picture books, My Hippie Grandmother, is still getting rave reviews at Amazon, seven years after being published. Since it has nothing to do with aviation, I won’t say more about it here. You can see the titles of Reeve's other books - which include several children's books - at the link below.) May 17, 2010, ‘I Like Webkinz’ contest
From May 12 through May 26, Webkinz World is running an “I Like Webkinz” contest. To enter, simply write a 1,000-word (or less) essay on why you like Webkinz World. Entries will be judged based on creativity, grammar, and style. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE ORIGINAL. To submit an entry, just visit www.webkinznewz.com. Contest rules can be seen here. Get more information on Webkinz, including their history and the charitable programs started by the Ganz Webkinz Foundation, at my Webkinz World page. May 15, 2010, Getting your foot in the doorHere’s one way to “get your feet wet” in the world of children’s publishing: write non-fiction for magazines. Children’s magazines are often more likely to accept non-solicited work from writers since they need a higher volume of material to fill their pages (especially if they’re published monthly). They also don’t seem to attract as many submissions from aspiring writers as book publishers do. If you’re still trying to get your first piece of writing published, listen to this podcast/video from the Children’s Writing Book Journal, narrated by Jon Bard, managing editor of Children’s Book Insider. Another great resource for writers submitting articles to children's magazines is KidMagWriters.com. Learn more about them at the link below. May 14, 2010, It's Children’s Book Week!Teachers and librarians looking for ideas to help their students celebrate Children’s Book Week should take advantage of this resource: a page for Teachers, Librarians, and Booksellers on the Children’s Book Council (CBC) website. Although the CBC works year-round to encourage reading among children, the second week of May has been set aside to recognize the importance of children reading since 1919. Local events are being held all over the country this week. If you don’t see your city on this list, call your local library or bookstore to see if they’re planning anything. And if they’re not, you can always plan your own event, whether with your students or your own children! Of course, this isn’t the only week you can plan reading events. ANY week is a good one to get kids reading! May 13, 2010, Never too late to celebrate limericks!Somehow, the fact that it was National Limerick Day yesterday escaped me. So now I guess I’ll just have to wish everyone . . .
Yesterday would have been the 198th birthday of Edward Lear, creator of the form of poetry known as the limerick. Born in 1812, he was the 21st child in his family(!!). He was an artist as well as a writer. You can read more about his life here. My first exposure to Lear’s limericks was in a book my family owned: Better Homes and Gardens Story Book, published in 1950. Here are a couple of fun resources to help your kids write their own limericks and see what other kids have written: Limericks for (and by) Children from Brownielocks and the 3 Bears. How to Write a Limerick (by Bruce Lansky) at Giggle Poetry. May 10, 2010, Writer has ‘inside info’ on animalsI came across an interesting author today. Was actually looking up information on a book my son has gotten interested in lately: Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac, by Avi. Apparently, according to Amazon, Iron Thunder is often purchased along with another action book by a completely different author: Roland Smith. Curious, I took a look at the book. It’s called Elephant Run. The story starts out in London, during the Blitz in World War II. When the apartment that 13-year-old Nick is living in with his mom is bombed, she sends him to Burma, where she figures he’ll be safer on the family’s teak plantation. When the Japanese invade Burma, they capture Nick’s dad, leaving Nick alone to survive as best he can. The suspense and action build from there. One thing that makes this book so riveting for young readers is the way he’s able to bring the animals alive. Smith’s unique background as a former zoologist helps, of course, but so does his dedication to writing daily. This video will give you a glimpse into who Roland Smith is, including his passion and dedication to the craft of writing. Smith has an information-packed website. Near the bottom of his home page is an item about a boy named Austin. Smith says that when he writes books, he “tries to create readers.” Austin is one of those readers he helped to create! You can see Smith’s website at the link below. Austin’s story is near the bottom of the home page. May 8, 2010, Write a book for Cheerios!A few weeks ago, I bought a box of Cheerios that had a book attached to the front of it. It was a children’s book, called Tea for Ruby. The author is Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. I thought it was a great promotional idea for General Mills to do something like that, but never thought much more about it. Then yesterday, I saw a news item in the May 10th issue of Woman’s World, talking about Simon & Schuster’s program called the Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Contest. This is a FANTASTIC opportunity for aspiring children’s book authors, since it’s only open to children’s authors who have yet to publish their first book. The deadline for manuscript submissions is July 15, 2010 (over two months from now). The book mentioned in the article is 1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman, who won $5,000 and a book deal with Simon & Schuster. Degman’s got a great blog too, called Habitual Rhymer. Take a look at it here. For information on other winners in the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories contest, check out the link below: May 6, 2010, 'No Biting, Louise'This month’s contest at author Robert Sabuda’s website is a book by Margie Palatini: No Biting, Louise. The illustrator is Matthew Reinhart. (Reinhart has also collaborated with Robert Sabuda on several pop-up books. You can read about them here.) This hard-cover picture book features a “pig-tailed, pint-sized alligator with new gleaming-white baby choppers.” Obviously, with teeth like that, Louise wants to chew on EVERYTHING! This is a great book to share with children who may be struggling with learning not to bite others. But I’m sure other kids will enjoy it too. Sabuda makes it easy to enter the contest. Just enter your name and e-mail address in the online form here. Apr 30, 2010, PoemcrazyWell, it’s the last day of April – National Poetry Month. What a long month this has been! Between taking on two extra students for tutoring (for a total of seven) ... putting my son back in public school (something he’s VERY happy about and seems to be doing OK with) ... hand-feeding my son’s blind leopard gecko several times a week ... and putting my 13-year-old cat on thyroid medication (hoping his weight loss is from thyroid, not cancer) ... WOW. Am just glad I have this blog to focus on at times like this! It’s like a mini-escape some days!! Which brings me back to the topic of today’s post: Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words, by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge. I got to meet Susan at a poetry workshop she ran at California State University, Sacramento, back in October 1997. She’s a fascinating person and excellent at inspiring “wanna-be” poets. First published in 1996, the book is now in its 21st printing! And it’s still changing people’s lives (which is why it’s still around). Although Susan wrote this book for adults, Poemcrazy is now on the New York Public Library List of Outstanding Books for teens. And for years she brought poetry to kids in workshops taught through the California Poets in the Schools program. Whether you’re trying to write poems of your own, trying to help your child start writing poetry, or are a teacher wanting to help your students “think outside the box” with the words they write, Poemcrazy is going to help you. Trust me, it really will! The practice assignments Susan gives at the end of some of the chapters are helpful too. One example of the power poetry has in bringing insight and healing to people can be seen in this excerpt from her book (about a 7th-grade boy who always broke pencils):
“I am a yellow thing
that people like to use. When I am broken in half my heart is breaking. I am a pencil.” I came across a blog entry about Poemcrazy that does a great job of giving a taste of what’s inside this book in just a few short paragraphs. Check out the link below: Apr 29, 2010, ‘How to Eat Like a Child’‘How to Eat Like a Child’ is the heading across a two-page spread in a fun book of poems published by Orchard Books in 1994. Never Take a Pig to Lunch (and Other Poems About the Fun of Eating) is the title of the book. It’s a compilation of poems written by several different authors and poets, selected and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. As you can probably guess, this book is filled with funny poems. The illustrations are great too – colorful and cartoony. I like the poem called “Cooked Carrots,” by Delia Ephron:
On way to mouth, drop in lap.
Smuggle to garbage in napkin. When I was young, it was peas I smuggled to the trash. I actually loved carrots! Here’s another good one (by Peter Wesley-Smith):
ARBUCKLE JONES
Arbuckle Jones I’m disgustard. Another “funny food” poem I came across is “My Car Is Constructed of Pickles,” by Kenn Nesbitt. You can read and listen to it here. This poem first appeared in Nesbitt’s new book (published just a year ago) called My Hippo Has the Hiccups. It comes with a CD too! For more fun stuff on kids’ poetry, check out Brownielocks and The 3 Bears at the link below. Apr 28, 2010, 'Poems are green . . .'I love this quote. It’s simple, yet deep – very much like the book I found it in: Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People. The author is Jane Yolen, a prolific author of over 200 books, including a fair amount of poetry. All of the images in the book are photographs – and to say they’re beautiful would be an understatement. The page layouts throughout the book are works of art, each one depicting a different color with pieces of poetry placed in just the right spot on each spread. Here’s the poem for “Orange”:
I want to take a bite
out of that sunset sky, letting the orange juices run down my chin, spitting out the pulp onto the rocks below. The photographer, Jason Stemple, is Jane’s son. I loved this quote of Jane’s that I saw on Tricia Stohr-Hunt’s blog, The Miss Rumphius Effect, on what she enjoys about writing poetry for youngsters: What are the things you enjoy most about writing poetry for children/young adults? Jane: I can help them see the world anew. I can put into words some of the longings, and lingering doubts, some of the puzzles and muzzled moments of their lives. I can give them songs to sing. Apr 27, 2010, Webkinz WorldWebkinz World is popular with both kids and adults. Learn more about adorable Webkinz online pets here. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Webkinz World" Apr 22, 2010, Poems of cats and dogsPersonally, I’m more of a cat person, even though I love dogs too. I guess I fit the stereotype of a writer who always has a faithful cat sitting nearby. Could that be why I've noticed more cat poetry than dog poetry over the years? Well, today I came across a book of poetry devoted entirely to dogs: Once I Ate a Pie, by Patricia MacLachlan (author of Sarah, Plain and Tall and Emily MacLachlan Charest (Patricia’s daughter). The watercolor illustrations (by Katy Schneider) are beautiful and do a fantastic job of portraying the personalities of the dogs. I think my favorite poem is “Needle Nose”:
I have a very good nose. I can open mail, too.
If something is closed, I open it. The book of poetry on cats that I picked up today (Curious Cats in Art and Poetry) is actually a collection of well-known poems by different authors. The illustrations are just as varied in style as the poems themselves, and fun to look at. Publisher is The Metropolitan Museum of Art – which explains why one book could have so many original illustrations in it! My favorite poem from this book is one I first read as a child, called “Kilkenny Cats”:
There once were two cats of Kilkenny, No author listed for this one – just “Traditional.” For poems on just about any creature you can think of, check out the link below: Apr 21, 2010, Poetry with math??While looking for some new books of poetry, I came across a couple that I NEVER would have expected to find: books that teach math using poetry!! The Grapes of Math, by Greg Tang, is filled with pictures and rhymes that will help any child grasp the concepts of math very painlessly. Math Fables is also filled with rhymes that help children as young as preschool get familiar with grouping numbers. I’ve always considered myself a “word person” – someone not good with math. Even though algebra came easily for me in 9th grade (maybe it was those letters being used as variables that I liked). But recently, I’ve been tutoring a 6th grade student in math. Because she’s a little behind in math, it’s not as difficult as I thought it would be. In fact, I’m kind of enjoying it. Have also had to help my 5th grade son with his math, which is really stretching my mental “math muscles.” Check out Greg Tang’s website: GregTang.com to see more of his books and find out what types of workshops and speaking “gigs” he does. Apr 13, 2010, Create poetry online!POETRY IDEA ENGINE I just came across a tool to help you (and your students or children) create your own poetry! It’s called Poetry Idea Engine. Click the green “Start” link, and you’ll be taken to an interactive screen that allows you to create your own free verse, haiku, limerick, or cinquain. I just tried it myself, and it’s fun! MAGNETIC POETRY Here’s another great tool for creating poetry online, but this time it’s with virtual magnets. I’ve tried magnetic poetry before, but what’s nice about the online version is you don’t have to put all of the “magnets” back afterward. You just click “Reset” to start over! (The one I tried was “Kids Kit.”)
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For 30 different ideas on ways to celebrate poetry this month, visit the Poets.org website. Apr 12, 2010, A key to every poemJack Prelutsky is one of the most popular poets for kids today. And if you’ve ever ready any of his books, you’ll know why. His poems are crazy, nonsensical, and completely FUN to read! At his website, click on the blue “Grownups” link that appears when you click the red artwork, and you’ll see a page with fantastic resources for both parents and teachers on how to engage children with poetry. In this video, Prelutsky shares his thoughts about every poem having a “key”:
Click the link below to see a list of Prelutsky’s poems, including a couple of audio versions. Apr 6, 2010, Celebrating National Poetry MonthIf you’re a teacher, you already know that April is National Poetry Month. And you’re probably looking for ideas on how to engage your students’ attention with poetry. Well, here’s a great video featuring poet Janet Wong, whose idea of a “poetry suitcase” sounds like a fantastic way to draw kids into the world of rhyme and rhythm.
If you’d like to get to know Janet Wong a little better, take a look at this post (see "more info" link below) on Patricia Stohr-Hunt’s blog: The Miss Rumphius Effect. Apr 5, 2010, Win a box of Oz Magic cards!This month, Robert Sabuda is offering a free box of Oz Magic cards to the lucky winner of his website’s April contest. (According to the Gift Shop page on his site, these cards – which are now out of print – used to sell for $25 a box. Which makes this month’s prize even more special!) Every month, Sabuda gives away something fun that’s somehow related to the world of pop-up. Last month, it was his book Baby Signs, published by Scholastic almost exactly a year ago. Sabuda also has a great blog: The Pop-Up Studio NYC. That’s where I learned about a new pop-up exhibit that’s opening in Cincinnati, Ohio in less than a week. The collection belongs to Carolyn S. Hughes; you can read more about her and the exhibit at another paper engineer’s website: Bruce Foster Paper Engineering. Looks like Bruce Foster is another paper engineer I need to add to my list of excellent pop-up book creators on my “Pop-Up Books for Kids” page! Apr 3, 2010, Writing a book for children?I was in 4th grade when I first decided to become a writer. Becoming an author seemed very “do-able” since I’d already written a story for a book my classmates and I were putting together. And I’d written numerous book reports for which I’d received praise. Plus I enjoyed writing! (And reading, of course.) Fast forward to junior high and those pre-teen/early teen years, when kids start trying to figure out where they fit in the world. I’d pretty much given up on the idea of becoming an author since writing a book didn’t seem like a great way to pay the bills. So instead, I went into journalism. However, I’ve never completely lost my desire to SOMEDAY write a children’s book. If you’re like me and have thought that writing a book for children is something you might do SOMEDAY, I have a suggestion to help you make that dream a reality very soon. I recently renewed my membership to a website dedicated to helping aspiring children’s book authors: CBI Clubhouse. One of the site owners, Jon Bard, wrote an e-book that’s VERY inspiring. It’s called The Greatest Children’s Writing Success Secret. Jon shares the name of the book which inspired him to write the e-book, but I'm not going to give it away here. Take my word for it, though - it's a life-changing book. He’s offering the book to anyone who becomes a member of the site. (By the way, I’m not an affiliate, so I don’t get anything out of referring you to them. I just want as many people as possible to know about this awesome site!) Whether you’re a brand new author who’s never been published, or a seasoned author who would love to have a way to connect with other authors and learn even more about the field of children’s book writing, please do me a favor and check out the CBI Clubhouse. Mar 22, 2010, Arts & crafts for kids of all agesHere are five arts and crafts books, along with a great online resource, to help get you started with some fun ideas for activities to explore with your kids. Alphabet Art: With A-Z Animal Art & Fingerplays (by Judy Press; illustrator – Sue Dennen) Reviewers have called this book “the best craft book to teach the ABCs” and a “great source for an early childhood curriculum.” The fact that it’s still available through Amazon, even though it was first published over 12 years ago, is just one indication of the book’s quality. Another is the unanimous 5-star rating the book was given by nine different reviewers. Geared toward 2- to 6-year-olds, this book provides almost 100 ways to learn the ABCs, including a variety of games and reading rebus (picture) sentences. The Little Hands Art Book (by Laurie Carlson; illustrator – Loretta Trezzo Braren) Published by Williamson Books less than two years ago, this is another very popular craft book with moms and teachers. Eleven out of 13 reviewers gave it 5 stars. Each project provides alternatives for making the project either simpler or more difficult, based on age. Scribble Art (by MaryAnn F. Kohl) This is an EXCELLENT beginning art book for kids – and a great resource for parents and teachers! Its “open-ended” projects (no definite end results expected) make it an ideal tool to help children explore their creative side. The Big Messy Art Book: But Easy to Clean Up (by MaryAnn F. Kohl) Published almost 10 years ago, this book is another 5-star book from an author who excels at taking the mystique out of art and making it fun for both children and their parents (and teachers). This book has a wide variety of activities, that are appealing to kids ranging in age from toddlers to teens. Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough, and Modeling Experiences (by MaryAnn F. Kohl) Among the great “ingredients” in this book are 31 different recipes for playdough! That in itself amazes me, since I used to make playdough from scratch for my nieces and nephews when they were young. At the time, I never dreamed there was more than one way of making playdough! As you may have noticed, three of these five books were by one author, MaryAnn F. Kohl. If you’re interested in learning more about her company, Bright Ring Publishing, check out her website. You’ll love her page on free art activities too. And last but not least, MaryAnn Kohl even offers fantastic tips to teachers who are interested in getting their ideas published. As someone who’s succeeded in doing just that, her page on “Publishing Your Teaching Ideas” is an excellent resource for teachers who are also aspiring authors. Mar 17, 2010, Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
Are you wearing green today? You don’t have to be Irish to get in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day. Today’s crafts and activities are focused on green things (as in St. Paddy’s Day, not eco-green). One fun activity you can do with your kids is this St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt. You can turn it into a reading activity by having one of your kids read the instructions, then telling you what materials they need to do the activity. Then have them explain the steps as they go along. They won’t even know you’re teaching them reading comprehension! This Green Stamp craft is another fun activity. If you have potatoes and green acrylic paint, you have everything you need for this one. As with the Scavenger Hunt activity, let your children read the instructions. Cooking is one of the best activities you can do with your kids. So is baking – especially when you’re making unusual things like these yummy “Taste a Rainbow” cupcakes! As with the first two activities, let your kids do the reading and gathering of ingredients. Click the link below to find more fun recipes to help you celebrate the “wearin’ of the green”! Mar 16, 2010, Making knots is fun!
In honor of National Craft Month, I’m going to be featuring a few different types of books on crafts for the rest of March. Today’s book is Knotting: Make Your Own Basketball Nets, Guitar Straps, Sports Bags and More (Kids Can Do It, written by Judy Ann Sadler and illustrated by Celeste Gagnon. This is a fun book for both girls and boys aged 9 to 12. Published by Kids Can Press, this book shows kids how to make both simple and complicated knots with rope, cord, or twine. As you can see from the title, boys will enjoy this book too once they learn how to create their own basketball nets, guitar straps, and sports bags. Speaking from personal experience, my own son totally loves learning how to make different knots in Boy Scouts. One good resource we’ve found through our local Boy Scout store is a box of flash cards (Deck of Knots), based on the Handbook of Knots by Des Pawson. The deck of cards includes full-color, double-sided cards showing instructions on how to make all kind of knots. One of my son’s favorites is the Stevedore Knot – named after the type of knot stevedores (dock workers) use as a “stopper” knot. Mar 12, 2010, Geronimo Stilton: A man or a mouse?The Geronimo Stilton series of chapter books was one I’d never heard of. Until the 4th grade student I’m tutoring told me about it. He showed me several books he had – all of them written by a mouse named Geronimo Stilton. Well, I knew there had to be a person behind the mouse, but I had to do some searching online to learn who it was. Turns out it’s a woman, not a man, and her name is Elisabetta Dami. She lives in Milan, Italy. The publisher is Edizioni Piemme. This prolific author has written over 40 titles for the series, and counting. Book #41 (Mighty Mount Kilimanjaro) is due out in April. The first four books in the series were released in the United States in January 2004. (Previously, they’d only been published in Italy.) According to Answers.com, it looks like she’s been writing one a month ever since. The first one in the series, Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye, has earned a 5-star rating on Amazon. So have several other books in the series. Geronimo may be a mouse, but he’s also a journalist. He runs a paper called The Rodent’s Gazette. Check out the The Rodent’s Gazette website. You’ll find some printable activity sheets, interactive maps, and more. These chapter books are great for children in grades 2 through 6. They’ve got humor, mystery, and suspense – a great combination for boys . . . even those who say they hate to read! Mar 8, 2010, History of Pop-Up BooksThe history of pop-up books goes back farther than you may think. Learn who first created these books, and why they're still popular today. Permalink -- click for full blog post "History of Pop-Up Books"
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Are you into Webkinz? If so, and you don’t mind writing, you could win yourself a Sparkling Pegasus!
