Alas, I'm No Princess...

Do you ever become reminded of  books, stories, or past memories in an unusual way? Sometimes that is the most fun. Recently I woke up one morning and found, much to my amusement, that I had slept on two small bicycle helmets belonging to my seven year old daughter's Polly Pockets.

For those of you who are familiar with Polly Pockets, you know they are very small dolls with a myriad of accessories and rubber clothes. What you might not know, however, is the fact that there are some pint sized Pollys about half the size of the originals. So you can well imagine that the bicycle helmets for the pint size versions are only about the size of a very large pea.

Picking up those pea sized helmets from my bed, I began to laugh. What was I laughing at you ask? Why the story of The Princess and the Pea of course. You know, that old Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale that tells of the princess who slept uncomfortably on a huge stack of mattresses because someone had placed a pea underneath the bottom mattress. Apparently the fact that she was able to feel the pea was the tell tale sign that she was true royalty.

Since I obviously did not feel the peas I was sleeping on, peas that were right under me and not even under a stack of mattresses, I am not a princess. Saddened as I am by that knowledge, I think I will survive. I might even go to the library and see if I can find a copy of The Princess and the Pea to share with my daughter, who for some unknown reason, was playing where I sleep.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Celebrating With Jo Linsdell

 

 

Hello everyone. Today I am hosting a great new author, Jo Linsdell, as she travels on her virtual tour with her children's book "Out and About at the Zoo". This book is a colorful, simple, and fun book perfect for the very young. Join a small boy on a journey to the zoo with his mum and enjoy the animals they meet there. You can get your very own copy @ Amazon or you can pop on over to my Face Book Fan Page and enter to win a free e-copy.

Be sure to stop by her personal website as well to find great items like downloadable activity packs and animal masks. It's sure to be a blast, so come join the celebration!

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

The Feel Good Power of Earning Something!

 

Did you ever want something really badly? Well, one of my Fern Valley kids knows exactly how you feel. Sammie Gruff, an only child and somewhat shy individual, recently saw a bike that she wanted and this is the story of her and that bike.

  

The Bike

It was shiny chrome and candy apple red with a white basket and a squeaker horn. It was absolutely the best bike Sammie Gruff had ever seen. As she stood there admiring the new bike at the end of the ladder aisle in Mr. Flocks Hardware store, she could already imagine herself riding it down the main street. Sammie had a dream that she had never told anyone yet, and that was to own a brand new girl’s bike.

Sammie had an old bike which had been handed down to her from a cousin. But it was a boy’s bike with no basket and lots of dings and scrapes. It wasn’t that she was ungrateful for the bike. Sammie was always the most grateful and pleasant goat you could find in Fern Valley. Any of her friends would tell you so. It was just that she had never had a brand new bike before.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said under her breath.

“What did you say dear,” said Mr. Flock who was walking past with a box of new hammers. He set them down and began scratching behind his wooly black head. “Now where am I going to put these hammers,” he said to no one in particular. He had already forgotten he had even asked Sammie a question. Mr. Flock was like that. He was one of the nicest sheep you could ever meet and an extremely fair merchant, but he was easily distracted.

“Nothing,” Sammie answered as she left the store and headed for home. Four blocks down from the Hardware store and three more blocks to the left was Sammie’s home. It was a beautiful Victorian house with stained glass windows and an enormous front porch. As she let herself in the front door, she could hear her mother singing in the kitchen.

Sammie’s mother Martha was in the same choir as Betsy Woolrich’s Grandmother and could often be found singing hymns as she cooked, cleaned, or just sat relaxing. It always made Sammie feel warm and happy inside to hear her mother sing joyfully to the Lord.

Sammie went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Her mother was putting a noodle casserole in the stove, so she didn’t see or hear Sammie come in. When she turned around, she let out a startled noise. “Oh hello muffin, I didn’t hear you come in,” she said. “So what have you been up to this fine summer day,” she asked?

“Well,” Sammie said a bit hesitantly, “I was at the hardware store and I saw the most beautiful bike ever made.”

“Really, said her mother with a smile in her eyes. “And what made this particular bike so beautiful?”

Sammie spent the next ten minutes explaining the beauties of the bike. It’s shiny chrome, its perfect color, the useful basket, its newness, and the fact that it was made for a girl. Her hesitancy turned to excitement as she explained the dream she had to own such a bike.

“I see,” said her mother. “Well, let’s discuss it when daddy comes home from work.”

It was another hour before Mr. Gruff got home and they sat down to dinner. As her mother scooped generous helpings of noodle casserole and green beans onto each plate, Sammie told her father all about the bike.

“Since you already had your birthday last month, perhaps we could come to some sort of an agreement if you really want this bike.”

“Oh yes, daddy,” Sammie nodded eagerly.

“You might want to wait until you hear the bargain,” he laughed. Mr. Gruff agreed to pay for half of the bike if Sammie would pay for the other half. This meant that she would have to do extra chores around the house and neighborhood to earn enough money.

Since the bike sold for forty dollars, she needed twenty dollars to pay for her half. She had seven dollars left from her birthday, so that meant she had to come up with another thirteen dollars. She thought that should be a cinch. Well, she hoped it would a cinch. She noticed Mrs. Rocky the elderly goat who lived next door had a lot of weeds in her flower garden. Maybe in the morning she would see if Mrs. Rocky needed help weeding.

Sammie was awake with the sun the next morning, and after quickly dressing and practically inhaling a bowl of cereal she was out the door. She rang Mrs. Rocky’s doorbell and patiently waited. When Mrs. Rocky answered the door, she invited her in.     

“It’s so good to see you dear,” she said.

“It’s nice to see you too Mrs. Rocky,” Sammie said politely.

“And what are you up to this summer.”

“Well,” said Sammie who was suddenly attacked with a case of shyness, “I was wondering if you had any odd jobs like weeding that I could do. I’m trying to save money for a new bike.”

Mrs. Rocky smiled encouragingly at Sammie. “As a matter of fact dear, I could really use some help weeding the flowers. I could also use some help cleaning out the attic. You know I’m not as young as I used to be.”

So after a few instructions, Sammie got busy weeding. Mrs. Rocky had a large lot with several flower beds, so it took Sammie the better part of the morning and afternoon to finish the weeding. After she was done, they agreed that the attic would have to wait until the next day.

“Mother, Mrs. Rocky paid me two dollars for weeding her flowers,” Sammie said excitedly as soon as she got home.

“That’s wonderful dear,” her mother said as she added some pepper to the black bean soup she was making. “How much more do you need?”

“I only need eleven more dollars. And tomorrow I am going to help Mrs. Rocky clean out her attic.”

“Well, that should be quite interesting. I don’t think Mrs. Rocky has cleaned out that attic for at least twenty years.”

Sammie’s mother was right. Mrs. Rocky’s attic was crammed full of odds-n-ends of things. In one corner stood several tall dressers with old clothes peeking out of the overstuffed drawers and in the other corner were all manner of lamps, baby strollers, tricycles, plant pots, pictures, and boxes. Everything was covered in a fine layer of dust which made Mrs. Rocky and Sammie start to sneeze. “Why don’t you begin by opening those two windows,” said Mrs. Rocky.

They spent the whole day dusting, sorting, and organizing. One pile was to be picked up by the thrift store man, one pile was to be given to Mrs. Rocky’s grandchildren, and one pile was for the trash barrel. Sammie began carrying the trash pile down an armload at a time. By the time the two of them finished the attic, Sammie was one dirty, hungry, and tired child.

“You’ve done a fine job Sammie,” said Mrs. Rocky as she handed her a ten dollar bill.

Sammie could hardly believe it. She had never earned ten whole dollars before. She hugged Mrs. Rocky so hard she about toppled the woman over. This meant she would only need to earn one more dollar. Sammie thanked Mrs. Rocky again and headed home to show her mother.

As she lay in bed that night, Sammie wondered what she could do to earn that last dollar. Nothing came to mind immediately so she just said her prayers and went to sleep.

The next morning when her father had learned she only needed one more dollar he asked if she wanted to help him wash the car.

“Oh, yes daddy. Thank you very much.”

Sammie was eager to earn her last dollar, but she also wanted to do a good job for her daddy so she took her time. Her father washed and rinsed the high parts and Sammie washed and rinsed the low parts and the wheels. Finally they were done and Sammie had enough for her half of the bike purchase.

“Can we go to the hardware store now,” she begged her father.

“Yes, muffin, I just need to grab my keys and wallet from the house,” he said.

Sammie was already in the car waiting when her father returned. He just smiled and got in the car. Sammie, who was usually pretty quiet, chatted all the way to Mr. Flocks. Once there, she quickly found Mr. Flock and told him she wanted to purchase the bike. As she counted out her twenty dollars and added it to the twenty her father had already set on the counter, Sammie felt a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Not only would she be the owner of the most beautiful girl’s bike ever made, she had also worked hard to earn it and that felt really good.

“I’ll see you at home,” she told her father as she mounted her new bike outside of the hardware store.

“OK muffin,” he said. “Have a good ride home.”

“I will daddy,” she said. And he knew that she would.

If you enjoyed this story of how Sammie learned as she earned, then you will probably also enjoy the other eleven stories in my book Fern Valley-A Collection of Short Stories which is available in both paperback and Kindle versions. So what are you waiting for, go get your very own copy right now.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Getting to Know Author Joyce Dunbar

Last year I met Author Joyce Dunbar in the most unusual way; I asked her for an interview because I mistook her for another author. You can probably imagine how embarrassed I was to realize my mistake which I discovered when she mentioned that her Mouse and Mole series was no longer in print. I was certain that the copy my daughter and I had checked out from the library had been a current book. When I went back to search the internet and find out exactly what book we had been reading, I found that we had read a book by a Mr. Wong Herbert Yee also entitled Mouse and Mole. Upon further research by both Joyce and I, we found disturbing similarities to her work; but that is a story for another day.

Over the span of the last year as I have had the pleasure of getting to know Joyce better, I have found her to be an extraordinarily talented author, and it is my hope that you enjoy getting to know my friend from across the pond as much as I have!

1. Hello Joyce, tell us a little bit about yourself: Where you are from, how many books have you had published, how did you get your start, etc…

I come from the industrial north of England, but now live in the beautiful medieval City of Norwich - which has just become Unesco City of Literature. I've published over 80 books, and have several more in the pipeline. I knew I wanted to be a writer as soon as I discovered Shakespeare and spent several years trying out different forms - poetry, plays, journalism, short stories. It was when I married a lawyer with ambitions to become an illustrator that I found my forte - children's books. JUGG, published in 1980 and illustrated by my husband, was accepted immediately by the first publisher to see it. Unfortunately, the publisher went out of business and the book hardly made it to the shops. 

But I'd started! I'd written and published a book. I still have many copies in my attic.

 2. What were some of your favorite books as a child?

 I didn't come from a bookish household - but my mother was an avid reader and my father read TOM SAWYER & HUCKLEBERRY FINN to us - which was life changing, because Mark Twain was the only author I could name at an interview for the Grammar School. Other than that, I loved Fairy Tales and Fables. My brother bought me JOHNY APPLESEED, which I loved also. I didn’t really discover children’s books until my own children were born.

3. How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?

I was 35 when my first book was published. I felt very discouraged when the publisher said he would have to pulp them. I bought the whole lot - and couldn't write for two years afterwards. I was then asked to do some radio stories - which got me an agent. I was on my way.

Writing is a bit like gardening, onlookers see only the plants that flourish, the gardener sees the ones that didn't. While others can see my many published books, I know about the many unpublished ones, and the projects that stalled. This isn't a complaint. No one ever said a career as an author is easy. Nor should it be. 

4. What made you decide to write for Children/YA age groups? Are you currently working on any new projects?

Simply that my husband was a very visual person - and so was I. The book was a kind of love letter to him - all the more precious to me because the marriage didn't last. For me there is no greater joy than seeing an illustrator translate my words into pictures. I love the whole process, the first look, the problem solving, and the finished book.

Yes, I'm always working on a new project. I have a new book coming out in October, called PUSS JEKYLL, CAT HYDE, and another called TWINKLE, TWINKLE SQUIGLET PIG, which is being brilliantly illustrated at the moment. I have started an adult book, and may concentrate on that for a couple of years.

5. What do you find the most difficult part of being an author?

Well - you are always pushing your boundaries, so the point where you find your strength is also the point where you find your weaknesses. I write a lot of rubbish to begin with - and think I have set myself an impossible task. The trick is to stay with it, to wait for that magic moment of breakthrough. But there can be weeks of despondency where I think I am finished. Mainly, I think writers have to make themselves available - to sit on the chair and stare.

I have interests rather than hobbies, though I used to sew, knit and paint. I was a very keen gardener for many years. Now my interests are traveling, walking, theatre, Art galleries, people watching, animals, and of course, reading.

6. What words of encouragement would you give to children who might not be great readers yet?

I would say 

READ, because reading is food for the brain. 

READ, because reading helps you to find out about lives you haven't lived, 

READ, because language is power, 

READ because it helps you to grow as a person and find out who you are. 

READ because reading is fun, fascinating, interesting.

People who don't read are at the moment closing libraries, cutting educational budgets, and rolling back the years of progress that has made literacy and culture available to everyone, thus adding to their numbers. They are a real threat.

7. What words of wisdom do you have for new authors?

IMAGINATION, INVENTIVENESS, SIMPLICITY, DIRECTNESS, ECONOMY. This is my mantra. To that I would add TENACITY. 

8. Of which accomplishment are you the most proud?

I think any mother would say, my children. My daughter Polly is a writer and illustrator, my son is a fashion photographer. I now have a grand daughter too. Of course, I am proud of my books - it means I have left an imprint of the person I am. I'm also proud of overcoming many major setbacks, and of living just where I'm meant to live. 

I think I am very fortunate to have had a 32 year long career in a golden age of children’s books. All this is under threat now, from the digital revolution. But I think parents will always want real books for their children, with pages to turn, to smell, pore over. Real books are friends in ways that e-books can never be. 

9. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?

I don't like listing awards. I don't even remember them. But I do have a website www.joycedunbar.com where you can find out all sorts of other things you might like to know and ask me any more questions.

 

10. And last but not least, please tell us anything else of interest that I have neglected to ask.

Illustrator Debi Gliori and I came to the States on a book tour in 2002 to promote TELL ME SOMETHING HAPPY BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. We were meant to go in September 2001 - but then came 9/11. So the trip was postponed until 2002. By then the book had been picked up by psychologists and reviewers as a way to help children feel secure again. We traveled mainly in Texas - ending up in New York. 

What amazed me about America was the sheer enthusiasm, the queues and crowds of people, the welcome, and the hospitality. Here, people don't make a fuss. It's considered bad form to promote yourself or boast about awards. So on the whole, I keep a low profile.

I wrote this particular book long before 1996 as a way of making myself feel secure after my husband had left, my children had gone to university, my cat died, my best friend committed suicide and my agent retired. I just wanted to wake up in the morning and find everyone in place! 

I didn't dream, for a moment, that it would in future bring solace to others in the face of such a dire tragedy. But that is the power of story, to transform, to reach through time and space. It illustrates the way in which a writer can turn life around, their own, and others. It also makes the point that children's books can be anything but childish. They address the big questions of loss and grief and change, but in metaphor, rather than literally.

Another best seller is THIS IS THE STAR, the story of the Nativity, illustrated by Gary Blythe.

One other thing I should mention is that I am a deaf lip-reader. My first novel MUNDO AND THE WEATHER CHILD, was about a deaf child and his imaginary companion which was runner up for the Guardian Award (one that I do remember). Also, because there are so few picture books for deaf children - I wrote MOONBIRD illustrated by Jane Ray. This has been performed in Singapore - they invited me over for a week, Thailand, and France. Deafness is very limiting in all sorts of ways - mainly the phone - but it gives you a unique angle which is very good for writers. Thank goodness for e-mail!

I have never lived in the deaf community - when I was young it meant rejection and ridicule - so I masqueraded as a hearing person to the point where I taught Shakespeare for 20 years, 10 of them in his birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, where we lived for 10 years. I teach on a Greek island, run writing course and regularly visit schools. I speak normally and most people don't realize I am deaf until I tell them - or they speak to the back of me.

I hope this will be of interest to you and your readers.

All good wishes

Joyce 

Cross Promoting

One of the things I learned early on in my writing career is the benefit of helping fellow authors. Cross promoting is beneficial for both parties because it opens up a broader audience then either author would have alone. Cross promoting reminds me of the story of Stone Soup where each person brought one thing to add to the pot of soup. When each person added their one item, the soup became complete and plentiful enough for all to share.

I have tried to cross promote fellow authors since the start. I have tweeted, posted, and touted the talents of many, but recently I have been making efforts to make my Face Book page more useful. One of the ways I have devised to do this is by creating catchy names for each day of the week. I now have Sensational Sunday, Marvelous Monday, Tantalizing Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday, Fantastic Friday, and Satisfying Saturday. Having established interesting days of the week, I now promote at least one or sometimes two fellow children's authors per day. When mixed in with all my regular Fern Valley news it makes for a very lively site that I think my fans are enjoying even more then before.

So my advice to authors everywhere is to find others who write in a genre similar to yours and start working together. And while you're at it, stop by Fern Valley's site even if it's just to say hi.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

City On a Hill - Guest Post by Darlene Shortridge

Besides blogging on this, my personal site, I also blog collectively with six other Christian ladies five of them who are writers like myself. Recently one of my collaborators posted this story called a City On a Hill. This story was eloquently written and touched me deeply in the spiritual way in which it was intended, but it also spoke to the writer in me. As writers we daily deal with rejection, fear, writer's block, criticism, bad reviews, and so forth and so on. And as with anything else in life, we have two choices to make: defeat or fortification.

Darlene Shortridge, one of my Sisters In Cahoots and the author of City On a Hill, graciously allowed me to re-post her article. I hope you find the same inspiration in it as I did.


~There once was a city, ravaged by forces so brutal, so tremendous that the city forgot how to breathe. On occasion it would gasp, sucking for air, trying to give the impression of life, of vitality. Only a fool would be convinced of its longevity, for certainly death was knocking at its gate.

The people of this city were afraid. They saw monsters behind every closet door and heard creaks and moaning, even when there were none. They hid in their homes, behind closed doors fearful of what might come next.

Upon entering this city, a visitor felt the oppression. The heaviness would weigh on his shoulders, increasing the load he must carry. He soon felt the desire to flee the city in a desperate attempt to preserve what hope he had left. If he waited too long the city would overtake him and his thoughts of flight would be no more.

The city walls began to crumble, some from the terrible force that evaded and some from the lack of care by its inhabitants. Truly, this city had been read its last rites.

There was another city, which was also attacked by brutal forces. For a moment, this city forgot to breathe. Then as if a life giving force whispered in its ear, this city found its feet and clamored from the ground that wanted to envelop it.

The people of this city shed their fear. They exposed the monsters behind their closet doors and eliminated the occasional creaks and moaning. They threw open their shades and unlocked their doors. They embraced the future and looked forward to a bright sunny tomorrow.

Visitors felt the electricity upon entering this city. It was a place they could put down roots. They felt alive and free, ready to embrace this new world to which they traveled. The possibilities seemed endless and the opportunities were abundant. Visitors did not wish to leave, but instead grafted into the vine of the bloodline of this city, becoming one of its own.

The city walls were built up, fortified. Expansion was within the realm of possibility. New met new and the old passed away. The air was intoxicating and invigorating. Truly, this city was a city of life.

Which city are you? Are you a city dying at the hand of ravaging storms or are you a city that breathes deep and becomes stronger when trials and tribulation come your way?

Are you a city that lies down, defeated? Or are you a city that fortifies and conquers when adversity strikes?

Are you a city hiding in a valley from which visitors flee? Or are you a city on a hill, a beacon to the lost?

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Thanks for taking the time to grow with me!
Darlene Shortridge

Top Ten Things That Should Be On Your Author Website

From time to time I like to share with fellow authors, especially new authors, the things that I have learned on my publishing journey. One of the things I have learned is the importance of having a website. A website is important for  many reasons, one of them being that having a home base with all your pertinent information in one place is helpful for fans, potential customers, and media. So with that in mind, here are the top ten things that should be found on your author website.

Home Page-  Every author website should begin with a home page. This is the landing page for everyone who stops by and it is also the page where you make your first and hopefully best impression. Be sure to include your name, the name of your site, and your branding message. In other words, what do you stand for as a writer, what do you promote, what can people expect from you. My branding message is "Kids Who Read Can Do Anything". This not only lets my readers know that I promote children's literacy, but it also lets them know how important I think good reading skills are for children's future success.

Bio- Every author website should have an interesting biography because lets face it, people are a curious lot. Readers want to know about the authors whose books they find intriguing. They want to know where you live, what other hobbies you have, and what makes you tick. This helps them to connect to you on a personal level and when people feel connected they are more likely to care and share!

Book List & Synopsis- Readers need to know what books you have available and what each book is about. A brief synopsis of your book or books gives them a taste of your writing style, allows them to see what genres you write in, and if well written, will wet their appetites. This is also the place to add the covers of your book or books because we all know a picture is worth a thousand words.

Easy To Find Contact Info- Contact information is a key ingredient. Fans want you to be accessible and the media don't want to have to dig for information if they are interested in you and your product. I usually make my mailing address available for those readers wishing to send me letters or pictures; each which  fills me with delight when it arrives.

Reviews and Interviews- Reviews and Interviews are an authors credibility builders. They show possible customers that there is an established audience for the work. People are leery to read books by authors of whom they have never heard and generally wish to see recommendations before making a decision of their own. Make note that links to reviews and interviews should always be made to appear in a separate window so that potential fans remain on your site until they choose to leave.

Availability- Today's customers like everything they come across to be user friendly and nothing turns them off as quickly as a site that doesn't allow them to effortlessly find what they are looking for. Links to the various places that your book/books are available should be assembled in one easy to find place. And similar to review and interview links, they should be made to appear in separate windows.

Events Page- Now that you are a published author, you want to connect with the public and this is the page that allows you to do just that. This is the page where you share your projects such as an upcoming book, a book launch, a contest or promotion, book signings, and any speaking engagements. People want to know what you are doing and where can meet you in person, so be sure to keep this page up to date.

Current Picture- As stated earlier, people are a curious lot. Not only do they want to feel that they know all about you, they also want to know what you look like. The more people recognize you from your picture, the more people will remember you; the more people remember you, the more likely they are to share with others about you and your work. This another great way to build credibility.

Added Value Content- Added value content are pages that draw the reader back over and over again, pages that show the reader that you are not totally self absorbed, pages that offer the reader something of value.Value content can be almost anything you think your target audience would be interested in. My audience consists primarily of mothers of children from six to twelve; I, therefore, offer pages introducing other great children's books that I recommend, craft sites, recipes, safe sites for kids, etc...


A Call To Action- And last but not least, you need a call to action. A call to action is exactly what you want your visitors to do before leaving your site. As an author, I have two things I want my visitors to do before they leave. I want them to comment on what they think about my site, and I want them to buy my book. On my home page I state that I would like people to look around, find something useful, and then leave me a comment about the site. Underneath this statement I have placed a comment box for them to do this. I have also placed, on several pages, small "buy now" buttons that are linked to my book's Amazon page.These buttons make it easy for people to go right to the point of sale.

And there my friends you have a list of what content should be in an authors website. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Those Great How To Books!

There are so many great books to read for the sheer pleasure of reading, but often we forget about what I like to call the "How To Books". These are books that instruct us how to do some particular thing like crafts, building with Legos, gardening, and much more. Cook books are a big hit at our house because I love to cook and my daughter loves to help me. She loves to help so much that she told me when she was four, "I am a good cook mommy. I know how to make coffee (this from watching my husband), sandwiches, cereal, and salads." Now that she is seven, her expertise includes toasting bagels and English muffins. She has also helped me with many a batch of cookies, brownies, and cakes.   

As an avid collector of old cookbooks found at auctions, garage sales, thrift stores, and bargain basement rummage sales at local churches, I wondered if my Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls was still available. Much to my surprise, this 1957 classic can still be found at Amazon. I thought with summer quickly approaching I would try to involve Emily in more cooking projects. Two particular recipes that I think will be fun to try are the Ice Cream Cone Cakes (who wouldn't love one of those?) and the Good Kid Cookies which look like faces of boys and girls.

At the end of summer perhaps I'll post a pictures of our creations. Meanwhile, I would love to hear what kind of "How To Books" you and your sprouts like? 

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

The Little Things In Life!

 
Enjoying the little things in life is an important and integral part of living. If one is unable to enjoy the special little moments that happen each day, then life becomes dreary and unbearable. I am a firm believer in this and that is why I take such great pleasure when my daughter reads to me on the way to school.

This morning, on our thirty minute ride, she read two of her accelerated reading books to me. Both books she read happened to be by the legendary Mercer Mayer. The first book was titled Just Grandpa and Me. This story is about little critter and his grandpa spending the day together and shopping for a new suit.  Even though I could not see the pictures as she read from the back seat, I laughed repeatedly when little critter said things like, "I had to hold Grandpa's hand so he wouldn't get lost." As an adult I know very well that all the things little critter says he is doing for the benefit of Grandpa, really pertain to him.That is probably what makes it so funny.

The next book she read was Me Too. This book happened to be about little critter and his younger sister. Every time little critter does something, his little sister says me too. Every time little critter has something, his little sister wants it too. In the end when little sister has a candy cane of her own and little critter says, "Me too,"sister agrees and shares. It was  a wonderful story about how children often learn by the good example set for them.

As I laughed,  I thought how pleasant it was to be able to spend those joyous moments with her. Sometimes, as adults, we don't laugh as often as we should. When my daughter is grown and I am long gone, I want her memories of me to be pleasant, positive, joyous, and many! I guess that is why I work so hard at appreciating the little things in life.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Do You Have Emerging Readers?

With school almost over for this year, I thought I would re-post something from a couple of years ago. Summer is a great time for those of you with small children on the verge of reading to work on the fundamentals, and this post just might be the place to help you get started.

My husband and I started working with our daughter since she was two. We worked on the alphabet, number recognition, drawing, writing, and numerous other subjects. Because of this, when she was barely four she told us she wanted to read. Of course this thrilled us to no end, and I immediately set out in search of a beginning reading program.

Having lived a mere five blocks from the library as a child, and having spent almost every waking moment of each summer there; I decided this was the place to start my search. So a hunting I did go. What I found was the BOB books.

BOB books are a series of books designed to gently guide children into the first stages of reading. The first few books use just a few letters to make simple words. These few simple words are then repeated on almost every page so the children become familiar and comfortable with how letters form words. Each new book adds a few new letters and sounds. The set I found at our local library also happened to have audio Cd's which could be listened to while reading.

While it took most of the summer and the first part of pre-school for her to actually get the hang of phonics, once she did, she was reading everything in sight. She read shampoo bottles while taking a bath, store fronts when we shopped, road signs when we were driving, and books from both the public library and our own collection. The BOB books definitely helped her develop the pre-reading skills she needed to get started.

She is now finishing up first grade, has tested at a fifth grade reading level, and has a great love of the written word. So if you have a child who is on the verge of reading, take it from me and check out BOB books at your nearest library or at http://www.bobbooks.com .

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!