Seaford elementary kids write the book on fruits and veggies

By April Abel (delawareonline)

This week was a dream come true for Seaford teacher Renee Clarke and her young students: They got to see their newly published book for the first time.

“Fruits and Veggies Rock!” is the product of a year of hard work, learning new skills, and a lot of enthusiasm from the class, their teacher and the Nutrition Services Department of the Seaford School District

“The book is in the children’s own handwriting; it features their illustrations. We worked together to review the galley proofs from the publisher in class,” Clarke said.

For $21.99, the 34-page, full-color paperback is available through online retailers or from the publisher’s Web site, Xlibris.com. Xlibris is a print-on-demand publishing house in New Jersey.

Last October, students from West Seaford Elementary School’s “Talent Pool,” the gifted and talented program for second- and third-graders, were learning about exotic fruits and vegetables from other countries. They studied maps and read about produce. Clarke said there was so much interest that she wanted the children to learn about everyday fruits and vegetables as well.

Seaford Supervisor of Nutrition Services Patty Cunningham heard about this and wanted to give the students some hands-on and tasting experience.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture grant made it possible for the school to have “Wheelbarrow Wednesdays,” when wheelbarrows of fresh fruits and vegetables were made available in the school’s halls so the children could choose healthy snacks and try something new to them.

“Wheelbarrow Wednesdays were a big success, and any produce left at the end of the school day was made available to children who wanted to take some home,” said Vice Principal Todd Fishburn. Some students’ families cannot afford to buy fresh produce, and the surplus from this program helped provide for their needs as well.

On Wednesday, parents, Nutrition Services staff, and Fishburn attended a book signing to congratulate the students.

Clarke and Cunningham introduced the young authors and then presented each with a copy of the book.

Jordan Marine read from his story about carnival cauliflower, which is a hybrid that grows in vivid orange, green, or purple. “It tastes like mild broccoli,” Marine said. “I think I liked the kiwi fruit better.”

Caleb Sellers waxed poetic about sweet potatoes, saying that they looked like “toes in the field” and “orange mountains when cooked.”

Clarice Pamplona chimed in next: “It was fun to do the book, but sometimes hard to put our research into our own words. In second and third grade at my school, we get introduced to computers. I liked that.”

The year the students spent on the project brought many different kinds of lessons, educators said: health, nutrition, foreign culture, computer skills, online research and how books are made in this age of digital technology. The wonder of print-on-demand books is that a small group of students in a small town can, with a little help from dedicated adults, publish a book and have it available online worldwide.

Cunningham is planning a child-friendly cooking class to teach students about easy, quick snacks that are healthy and fun to prepare.

“Learning is not just about taking tests,” she said.

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Image source: paulshealthblog.com

Children’s book helps readers grieve loss of pet

By Timothy P. Howsare (Hernando Today)

Where do pets go when they die? Will I meet my pet again in heaven? Children, as well as adults, often ask these

Local author and illustrator Dara Boland-Bonomo has published a children's book titled "Woody's Garden" that helps children and adults cope with the death of a pet. HT photo by TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE

 questions.

“Woody’s Garden,” a children’s book published by local author and illustrator Dara Boland-Bonomo, was written to help grieving pet owners of all ages go through the terrible time of losing that special friend.

The book’s main character, an unnamed little girl, is sad because her dog and best friend, Woody, is gone.

To help her through her grief, the little girl and her family plant a flower garden with a sign over it that says “Woody’s Garden.”

In the middle of the garden is Woody’s food dish with bird seed scattered around it.

Every day the little girl visits Woody’s Garden. Although she misses her friend, she sees the happiness the garden brings to the birds and butterflies and thinks that Dog Heaven must not be far away.

“Every time the breeze blows, I imagine Woody wagging a mighty tail …” the little girl thinks to herself as she visits the garden.

Every page of the book is graced with Boland-Bonomo’s charming color-pencil drawings, and in the back are brief instructions on how to care for your pet garden.

Boland-Bonomo, a Weeki Wachee resident originally from Long Island, N.Y., said the death of her own dog, Woody, inspired her to write the book.

A small mixed-breed, Woody died at age 14 in 2003. She now has a toy poodle named Teddy.

Boland-Bonomo said she and her husband David were especially close to Woody because they got him shortly after they were married and have no children.

Woody was like a son to the couple, she said. Though they realized Woody’s life would be short compared to theirs, his death was nonetheless a traumatic experience.

“We had all the warning signs, he had heart attacks, but seeing your 14-year-old dog die was just a terrible experience,” she said.

She also remembers Woody’s death as a sad day for her veterinarian, who had to put him to sleep.

“The look on his face was so helpless,” she said.

She hopes local veterinarians will stock copies of her book, which retails for $12.99, to sell to their pet owners. Discounts are available to buy the books in quantity, she said.

Boland-Bonomo’s current veterinarian, Dr. Don Cooper of the Animal Care Center of Weeki Wachee, said he thinks planting a garden in memory of a pet is a good way for families to deal with their loss.

“This book would definitely be helpful, especially for small children,” he said.

Boland-Bonomo is the author of two self-help books, “How to Sleep Like a Bear” and “How to Eat Like a Tree.” The first is intended for people who have trouble sleeping and the second is about healthy eating.

Her nutrition articles and artwork have been published in Your Health, Total Health, FIT, The Raleigh News and Observer, The Phoenix and Herb Quarterly, according to a press release. A pen and ink and color-pencil artist, Boland-Bonomo also illustrates greeting cards.

Copies of “Woody’s Garden” can be ordered online at www.xlibris.com/WoodysGarden.html. The book should be available on amazon.com by the end of the month, she added.

You also can order the book by contacting Boland-Bonomo directly at 352-596-3232 or daraboland@bellsouth.net.

She said anyone who purchases “Woody’s Garden” can receive a $10 voucher toward a pet portrait she will draw from a photo.

Community news editor Timothy P. Howsare can be reached at 352-544-5284 or thowsare@hernandotoday.com.

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Learning & Development: Picture Books – Happy endings

Source: NurseryWorld.co.uk

Children’s laureate Anthony Browne talks to Annette Rawstrone about what inspires him and why we need to spend time just looking with children.

Encouraging children and adults to value and enjoy sharing picture books is the aim of new children’s laureate Anthony Browne, whose popular books include Gorilla, Little Beauty and Willy the Wimp. The award-winning author and illustrator is concerned that we are turning into a ‘visually illiterate nation’.

‘I think that some parents are pushing their children quicker and quicker to move away from picture books on to what they call “proper books” because they think educating their children is about moving on to words and leaving picture books behind them,’ he says.

‘I think a rounded child, and a rounded person, should read both pictures and words. I think picture books are so special and there is such a bond between a parent and child, or carer and child, when sharing picture books. It is not just about reading pictures or words, it is all about the interaction between the two of them. They can look at the pictures and look at the associations and spin-offs, and things in the pictures can be many-layered.’

SURREAL TOUCHES

This is certainly the case for Anthony Browne’s own work, with the strongly narrative watercolours blending realism with intriguing, surreal touches. Revisiting his pictures brings many fresh surprises – a banana posing as a microphone or substituting for ballet shoes, references to famous works of art incorporated into everyday modern scenes and sly touches of humour hidden in the background detail.

It’s with sadness that he notes, ‘A lot of adults look at a picture and then turn the page, whereas children can see so much in them. For a lot of children, just looking at picture books is a very pleasurable experience.

‘I want to achieve respect for picture books and encourage people to look and to value looking. We do live in a visual age, but a moving visual age with computer games, film and television. I don’t think we value sitting down and really using our eyes and looking at images.

‘Someone said that on average, a person spends 30 seconds looking at a painting in a museum and then they look considerably longer at the caption that goes alongside it. We are losing the ability to look and with that, we are losing the ability to draw. Adults will so often state that they can’t draw, and yet when I go into schools and visit children who are five and six, they can all draw.’

ESSENCE OF CREATIVITY

Anthony Browne has refused to join other children’s authors’ recent calls to boycott school visits under the new Vetting and Barring scheme, saying that if all people who work with children have to be checked by the police then authors should be no exemption, though he does question the £64 fee.

A game he talks a lot about when he meets children is ‘the Shape Game’. As a child he played it with his brother and he later turned it into a book of the same name, following his experiences as Illustrator in Residence at the Tate Gallery.

‘I play the Shape Game with children because they start to believe they can’t draw. But they can naturally, instinctively draw. Drawing is about communicating. It is not about producing perfect representation, but about communicating ideas, and the Shape Game encourages that.

‘It is a simple but fun game. Ultimately, it is the essence of creativity, because every time we create a picture, write a story, compose a piece of music, or we have taken something that we have seen, heard or read, we have transformed it into our interpretation, something of our own.

‘It may be that at the same time that children start to say “I can’t draw”, they are pushing away the picture book. We don’t value looking. I think we are quite a visually illiterate nation.’

ANIMAL ANTICS

Drawing gorillas is a particular passion for Anthony Browne and they feature in many of his books. ‘They are fantastic things to draw,’ he says, ‘in the way that old people’s faces are expressive and are more interesting to draw than young people’s faces, or an old, gnarled tree is more interesting than a young tree.

‘There is so much there when you look into a gorilla’s eyes. It almost seems like there is a human being looking out at you- you can imagine or feel the intelligence and emotion and sensitivity. We continually discover more and more about how close to them we are.’

Gorillas also remind him of his beloved father, who died in front of him when he was just 17. He recalls, ‘He was not like me, he was a big man, a physical man. He had been a boxer and he encouraged my brother and me to do physical things, but he also sat and drew pictures and wrote poems with us. He was a lovely contrast of someone who was big and powerful and strong, but also sensitive and gentle, and gorillas are rather like that.’

Despite his love for his father, Anthony Browne’s depiction of father figures in his books can often appear quite harsh, something that he says was not deliberate. ‘In Zoo the man is seen as a bit of a monster; he’s irritable and makes terrible jokes. But I actually felt sympathetic towards him because he was struggling with his role as a father and a husband and he was not finding it easy. But some people saw that as attacking him. There happen to be males in particular stories who are struggling to cope with their lives, I certainly don’t see them as monsters.

‘Maybe My Dad was a watershed for me. I found my father’s old dressing gown and it took me back to feeling like a small boy who thought his father was wonderful and who could do anything. I was then able to write a book with the first really warm, positive father, based on my Dad and that dressing gown.

‘I think it freed me, although I never thought I bashed dads or males. I had previously wanted to do a book about a warm father, but because I was a father of young children I found it difficult. Everyone assumes that your characters are you. I thought that if I did a really warm, loving, fantastic father, then people would think I was suggesting that I was. I felt embarrassed. As my children got older – they are 24 and 26 now – it became less of a problem, and when I found my Dad’s dressing gown it freed me.’

THE END

During the next two years in his role as Children’s Laureate, Anthony Browne hopes that his passion for picture books will help children, adults and the publishing industry all appreciate them for what they are – works of art.

He says, ‘I’d like to see teachers showing picture books to all ages, talking about books, encouraging children to notice things and to look and maybe to revisit books and find new things on the second, third, fourth read.’

Now that really would be a happy ending.

BIOGRAPHY

Anthony Browne was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, in 1946 and grew up near Halifax. After he finished school he attended Leeds Art College, graduating with a graphic arts degree in 1967. Before focusing full- time on children’s books, he worked as a medical illustrator and illustrated greeting cards.

His first book, Through the Magic Mirror, was published in 1976 and he now has nearly 40 titles to his name. Gorilla, published in 1983, won an unprecedented number of awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal, the Emil/Kurt Maschler Award, the New York Times Best Illustrated Book and the Boston Globe Book Award.

He was also awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal for Zoo (1992) and Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland (1988), and Voices in the Park (1998) also scooped the Emil/Kurt Maschler Award. In 2000 he received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for his services to children’s literature – the first British illustrator to gain the international honour.

One of his best loved characters is the chimp Willy, who has appeared in Willy the Wimp, Willy the Champ, Willy and Hugh and Willy the Wizard.

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Image source: muchmorebooks.co.uk

Follow the Different Seasons of Life Through a Leaf’s Eye

Author Pamella Jere’ Bowers knows well that kids aged two to eight years old have minds that are very open to learning new things. In her quest to teach children the laws of nature and the ways to understand the genesis and proliferation of their families, she shares this educational and charming picture book, Larry The Leaf and His Family Tree.

Listen as Larry the Leaf, from a strong and mighty oak tree, shares his story. His life begins on a warm spring day as a tiny bud of his family tree. As time passes, his physical appearance develops gradually to a sap receiver and eventually to a leaf form. As Larry’s life story continues, you and your little ones will discover the basic composition of the family, as well as the rich relationships they have with each other. Also, this story shows the stages of plant growth, highlighted in detailed fashion.

Larry The Leaf and His Family Tree imparts some special life lessons and great values to your children. Author Pamella Jere’ Bowers portrays the seasons of life through the eyes of Larry the Leaf. Be there as he enjoys living and experiencing the fullness of the seasons.

Larry The Leaf and His Family Tree will be featured in the New York Library Association Book Exhibit in Niagara Falls, NY on October 15-16, 2009. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Pamella Jere’ Bowers was born and raised in Big Bay, Michigan, along with eight other siblings, lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is married and has one son. They lived in Northwest Montana for sixteen years, then moved back to Big Bay five years ago. She has had a career in the nursing profession for twenty-two years, currently working as Emergency Room Registered Nurse. She wrote Larry the Leaf and His Family Tree two years ago, while enjoying spectacular Upper Michigan fall. This is her first children’s book published, but she will continue to enjoy working on more adventures using animals and nature as the protagonists in life’s lessons.

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A Young Animal’s Determination to Spend a Cold Christmas in the Mountains

Christmas is a joyous season we spend with the ones we love. In Farmer Anton’s barn, Christmas is celebrated in another farm in the lower hill, since all the animals need protection when the weather turns extremely cold – except Clarabelle, a calf who wishes to spend her Christmas in the icy mountains, away from her family and friends. Find out if she realizes this dream in a delightful picture book authored by Yolande Gershel, Clarabelle’s Christmas.

During the spring, when Farmer Anton takes his herd to a hilltop to witness the beauty of the vast lands, the cows and their calf are overjoyed. They spend their time running, rolling, and kicking the marvelous grass – but Clarabelle isn’t really interested in playing. Instead, she climbs the highest spot behind the farm and stares at the breathtaking mountains. She reveals to her friends that she wants to spend Christmas on that place. Farmer Anton and the other animals become worried because Clara Belle might not survive the weather during the holidays. Despite her friends’ warning, Clara Belle is determined to make her wish come true.

Will Clarabelle realize her dream? Tag along as this young animal explores the beauty of her newfound haven and meets new friends. Find out if Clarabelle’s Christmas this year will be the most memorable event of her life. Clarabelle’s Christmas is a lesson-filled tale crafted for children across cultures. Interesting and truly entertaining, this charming book teaches your kids the beauty of having dreams and doing everything to make them happen. Grab a copy now.

For more information, log on toXlibris.com.

About the Author

Yolande Gershel was born in Berne, Switzerland in 1948. She was raised in Geneva and completed all her schooling there. When she was nineteen, she lived in England to perfect her English. She now speaks French, German, and English.

She worked for a few years in international agencies before going to Swissair as flight attendant. She met her American husband of thirty-two years in Brazil. They lived in New York for ten years before moving to Florida, as her husband demanded relocation. She misses Switzerland very much and relocated there on a permanent basis with their two dogs. She took an interest on watercolours a few years ago and had a book printed. She loves reading, hiking, photography, skiing and snowshoeing.

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Where There’s Smoke..– An Entertaining Story About Firefighters

Everybody loves a good story and — especially for kids — its so much better when there are pictures to look at. Let your kids indulge in the joys of reading and go on a whimsical trip of the imagination as author and artist Ronald C. Raub tells the story of The Monster Fire Brigade.

It all started with a mouse. This engaging tale is about the humorous antics and mishaps that take place when the firemen of The Monster Fire Brigade respond to a call to put out a fire. It began when a cat, who was chasing a mouse, almost managed to get the whole house burned. Fortunately, a quick-thinking maid called the fire department just in time.

With bright colors and wonderful attention to detail, this is an entertaining picture book that will definitely delight the young ones. The setting for the story is the Victorian Era reflected by the costumes, uniforms, fire fighting equipment, train and architecture true to the time period. It is written in rhyme and some artistic license is taken in order to accommodate the story line and rhyme of the poetry.

Have some quality time with the kids and enjoy reading together Ronald Raub’s The Monster Fire Brigade. Get a copy now. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com. This book will be featured in the upcoming American Association of School Librarians Book Exhibit National Show to be held in Charlotte, NC on November 5-8, 2009. Watch out for it!

About the Author

Ronald C. Raub is the father of five children and grandfather of nine. He received his BA in Education from Central Washington State College with a major in Art and a minor in Industrial Arts. He taught Arts and Crafts for 8 years and retired from Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard with more than 28 years of service. His work illustrating The Monster Fire Brigade was a hobby spread out over a 25-year period beginning in 1984.

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Story Time Has Never Been This Fun!

Enter a child’s fantasy world, where imagination is reality and dreams come true. Story Time with Grandma is a collection of fun and adventure-filled stories young children will surely enjoy. Read these stories to and with your kids and help them learn about colors, places, and animals, while encouraging their imagination to soar.

Meet Grandma’s darlings and share in the fantasy of their imaginations. Latrice loves Grandma’s cookie shop and she’ll do anything for a bite of her chocolate chip cookies. Her mom promises to take her to the cookie shop on Saturday, but it’s still two days away. What will Latrice do ’till then? Your race car dreams will come to life as you zoom around the track with Travis. He can’t have his Uncle Mark’s new car in a glass, but he’s got a pleasant surprise waiting for him. Now, don’t miss Malcolm’s special day. Moving day may be scary at first but he’ll get by with a little help from his friends. Finally, travel to faraway places with Matthew-if you can keep up with him. You better not blink or you too will wonder, ‘Where is Matthew?’

Have fun reading these endearing stories with your child again and again. Illustrated by children themselves, Story Time with Grandma holds a special place that kids will want to visit over and over. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Barbara Ann Dade, a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother is the matriarch of her family. She spent over twenty years educating preschool children in Washington DC; “I don’t just love children, I adore them and I always will.” After retiring from DC Public Schools, she spent her days with her grandchildren and dedicated her time to her faith. Her grandchildren are the love of her life.

About the Illustrators

Barbara Dade and Tamera Latrice Stringfield created the images for the first short story, ‘Grandma’s Cookie Shop’. Barbara Law is Grandma’s junior illustrator who loves to draw for Grandma. Barbara Law illustrated ‘Travis and the Race Car’. Malcolm, Matthew and Maria Reams illustrated ‘Moving Day with Malcolm’. Dawn Phillips is an illustrator for children’s books and magazines with the inspiration to write children’s books. Dawn Phillips illustrated the cover art and interior images for ‘Where Is Matthew?’.

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Adopted Monkey Explores Belize

A little monkey falls down from a tree, is picked up by kids who toy him around before he is adopted by a woman who nurtures him back to health, and then travels all over the world with his adoptive mom, seeing many different faces, cultures, and settings in the places he visits. Pancho’s Great Adventures: Belize is the enchanting story of a traveling monkey by author Debbie Curling.

The first in a series about a little howler monkey who travels around the world with his adoptive mom, this book is about Belize, the country where Pancho was born. His diary is filled with actual photographs of his adventures, as well as anecdotes and tales of his experiences and impressions, making it a cross between a scrapbook and a journal.

Both informative and captivating, these books are a teaching tool which the author hopes will help children learn a little geography and history about the countries Pancho visits. They are also a literary goldmine of traditions and other cultures, and a catalyst for learning to cherish the Earth and its resources. It is useful in teaching children why they must take care of our planet while developing an eagerness to travel and see the world for themselves.

Pancho’s Great Adventures: Belize is not only about this beautiful and exotic country, but also about how a single mom who loves him adopted Pancho. She is giving him a wonderful life filled with fun and adventure, and he is happy and well-adjusted. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Debbie Curling was born and raised in Belize, Central America. She lived in England for a few years before moving to the United States, settling in Los Angeles where she worked in television production. She has a Master’s Degree in English Literature and enjoys traveling and reading.

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Some Thoughts About Picture Books

By Gladys Hunt (tumblon)

We take for granted the amazing combination of words and pictures in story books for children. Words alone can create all sorts of delight; they can help you see and feel and imagine. Words tell stories and help us understand. Words rightly used are power. Swedish poet, Helga Henschen, said it beautifully when she wrote,

words can become suns
words can become rivers
words can open gates
and build bridges
words can overthrow tyrants
if enough of us
arm ourselves with words

Pictures, on the other hand, tell stories, evoke laughter, outrage, happiness and give us another kind of information.  When the right words are combined with the right pictures, something magical happens that is a gift to the reader.  In a sense each is half the story—the pictures and the words. But the sum of the whole is greater than its parts.

Picture books are important to children and parents, but I wonder if you have ever thought about all that goes into a successful book. I mean a really extraordinary book. First, imagine that two visions have to merge and become one book. The artistic style of a book must capture the intent of the author of the words. A picture book text is not complete until the artist is finished with the pictures.

A few authors are gifted both with words and pictures. I think of William Steig who tells his stories so skillfully using both gifts. Another is Kevin Henkes, and James Marshall comes to mind. I like Amy Schwartz’s What James Likes Best. With uncluttered illustrations from a little boy’s life, she offers open-ended questions to ask the readers what they liked best. Preschoolers never tire of making the choices Schwartz provides with her illustrations and her words. Look for these author/illustrators and others like them.

But most picture books begin with words, and the author has to trust that an artist will say with pictures what was originally imagined as the words were written. What an act of faith to let a story go into the hands of an editor, who is then charged with finding the right illustrator who can make the book say what the author had in mind!

Think of the possibilities, for example, for illustrating a nursery rhyme.

Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed to see such a sight,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

No two illustrators will handle this in the same way. All kinds of decisions need to be made by the illustrator. What kind of a cat? Where is he playing his fiddle? Is he in an orchestra or a solo performer? What kind of cow? Is the moon full or half? What kind of dog? Are the dish and spoon pictured as elopers or simply a dish and a spoon with legs? What is the landscape for this bizarre, nonsensical rhyme? How heavy and graceful are the lines? How does the artist display the humor of this situation?

Well, that’s just an old rhyme that anyone could take a crack at, but what if you were an author with a new story and you were dependent on an illustrator you might not even know, someone the editor was going to choose for you? Just thinking about this should make you appreciate what goes into making a really good picture book.

Imagine how delighted Ruth Krauss must have been when Maurice Sendak drew his charming illustrations for A Hole is to Dig or her loveable A Very Special House. It’s difficult to think of anyone else doing those pictures which enhance the charm of her words.

The author’s words have to leave some space for the illustrator to help tell the story; otherwise there would be no combination magic. And the illustrator must tell the same story that the author does. When Gene Zion wrote his first Harry book he began this way, “Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything, except…getting a bath.”  I wonder whether Zion’s idea of the dirty dog matched the one drawn by Margaret Bloy Graham. Or was he thinking of a different breed—maybe a Dalmatian—and what kind of spots did he have? The series is a winner because Graham knew what kind of dog to draw. Zion left room for the illustrator to help make the story. He told only two things about the dog—that it was white with black spots and that it didn’t like baths. The next time you read this book notice how much space Zion gives to let Graham tell the story with him.

Good picture books do that. They have carefully honed word-choices. The writers have to keep chipping away at the words to make them as sparse and emotive and effective as possible—kind of like writing poetry. All good children’s books have memorable sentences as a result. This is a gift to the illustrator who enters into the story and tells it in a way that matches the author’s intent. Who can keep from loving a really good picture book! I hope this blog helps your enjoyment of these creative works.

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Image source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

A Silly Worm Story Awaits Young Readers

On a rainy day, while everyone is in a hurry to find shelter, worms squirm to move up the ground. Either to save themselves from drowning or simply bask in the rain, these worms have a special reason why they do so. Authored by Debi A. McRae, an amusing story about six worms who meet each other as they come out of the rain soaked ground awaits readers in A Silly Worm Story, a children’s picture book released through Xlibris.

The story begins when a little worm pops out of the ground during one particularly rainy day. However, this little worm did not come out for nothing. As he slowly makes his way up, one question forms in his mind. “Who am I,” he wonders aloud. Lucky for him, another worm slithers by and tells him who he is. “You’re Neether,” said the second worm named Nyther. Before long, four more worms start popping out of the ground, all having silly names as well-Eether, Eyther, Nothin, and Whatever. In real life, worms are neither male nor female, which is the reason for the silly names. However, as the worms engage in an even sillier conversation, a ‘whoosh’ sound came over them. What-or who-could have caused this frightening sound? Read the book to find out.

A Silly Worm Story will be featured in the Pennsylvania Library Association (Regional) Book Exhibit in Harrisburg, PA on October 18-21, 2009. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author and Illustrator

Debra McRae is hearing impaired with the ability to communicate in American Sign Language. She was born in 1963. She became hearing impaired when she contracted the measles at the approximate age of two years old. As she grew, her hearing became more difficult. However, she refused to allow this disability to prevent her from fulfilling her talent as a piano player or a story writer. She also enjoys writing poems and songs.

The illustrator, Donna Larsen, born in 1961, is Debra’s older sister. She too, became deaf as a result of the measles at a very young age. She communicates using American Sign Language. Donna does not allow her hearing disability to hinder her love for art as she enjoys her natural ability to draw and paint.

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Image source: insidetorontoblogs.com

The Importance of Kindness and Cooperation Through a Delightful Picture Book

Even at a young age, parents should instill in their kids the important values that would shape their character. Their learning will guide them in dealing with others and in facing life’s tests. In a charming story authored by LaVonne L. Lewis, kids and their parents will discover how light a burden becomes when they receive love and support from the people around them. Author Lewis inculcates kindness and cooperation through her book, The Caretakers of the Animals.

Readers will meet a family of gnomes, known as the caretakers of the animals. Helping animals in need has been their job since the beginning of time. One chilly evening, a bunny couple visits their humble home to ask for help because their baby is lost. The Daddy and Mommy gnome then organize a search team, including Daddy and Mommy Bunny, to rescue the baby bunny before she gets harmed. The team has to go to the place where her parents left her, and to get there, everyone has to cross a bridge inhabited by mean trolls.

The Caretakers of the Animals exhibits the admirable leadership of the gnomes and the strategies they employ to rescue a poor animal. Kids all over the world will get to know the gnome family and learn how they use their role in the animal community in a selfless way. With vibrant pastel illustrations between its covers, this book entertains the young ones and cultivates understanding and love for learning.

For more information on The Caretakers of the Animals, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Dr. LaVonne L. Lewis has a Doctoral Degree in Psychology and is also a Critical Care Nurse. She spent a great deal of her time working with children in both areas of her expertise. She received the 2007 National Nurse Hero Award. She has also received the prestigious Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Medal from the President of the United States for volunteering over 6,000 hours helping others in need. She closed down her private practice of Psychology when her daughter Elizabeth was born. She lives in a log home with her husband and daughter (their tree house) in a forest community in California. LaVonne’s inspirations for her story came when it was nap time for Elizabeth. She and Elizabeth would cuddle together on the couch and LaVonne would begin weaving gnome stories. Elizabeth loved the stories and could not get enough of them. This is the first of the many stories LaVonne told Elizabeth.

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Helping children choose a career

By Deanna Howard (Press-Citizen.com)

Iowa City author Bonnie Bradley wants to give children career choices.

Although police officers and firemen are noble professions, they often are the only careers that get highlighted in children’s books.

Bradley wanted to change that.

She recently published four books with Xlibris Corporation. Bradley shares stories of a painter, massage therapist, chiropractor, landscaper, roofer, daycare worker, farmer’s wife and others.

“These are all valuable occupations that people do to keep us going,” Bradley said.

The stories are based on people Bradley knows in Iowa City.

The farmer’s wife is her mother, Joyce Duffy.

In the book, the farmer’s wife gardens and cooks as well as helps with farming. She holds gates open when needed and helps drive cattle.

“So many people know what farmers do, but they don’t know all that a farmer’s wife does,” Bradley said.

A story on a real estate agent is based on Mary Davin, of Dick Davin Realtors, 201 E. Benton St. The story explains all the work Realtors do to get a home ready to be sold.

Davin enjoyed reading the story. She said she thinks children would be interested in finding out about careers in Bradley’s books.

“I think she is a wonderful children’s author,” Davin said.

Bradley, a mother of five and grandmother of 13, has always wanted to be an author. She worked for many years in ACT’s financial aid department. She currently works part-time at the company as a phone operator.

“I am glad that the opportunity of writing finally came about,” Bradley said.

Reach Deanna Howard at 339-7360 or dhoward@press-citizen.com.

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Family project becomes kids book

By Julie Zeeb – Daily News

Tehama County has a new author with Corning resident Ruth Myhre’s book Chase-N-Cows recently published by Xlibris.

“I was so excited to get the first copy,” Myhre said. “It started out as a thing for my friends and family and my son and it turned into a project.”

Myhre said she was in a store, saw a children’s book and decided she wanted to give it a try. Also inspiring her to write the book was her son, Chase, who is in kindergarten and her daughter, Brooke, who is in preschool, she said.

“Every night we read about three books and they’re so long,” Myhre said. “I wanted something shorter.” Myhre started out by trying to create a book using pictures she had taken and then painted of her son on the ranch and at rodeos.

“I thought it would be fun to do a little Western book that people in the area can relate to,” Myhre said. “I wanted to capture that moment in time- the little things he said and did.”

While this is her first book, Myhre said she is thinking about doing another for her daughter and would like to do a book about her father, Sam Blackburn, a rancher and World War II veteran.

Myhre’s book can be purchased at Heartfelt Designs Gallery, 623 Main St., and Two Foxes, 614 Main St., or online at Xlibris.com. The books also will soon be available online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Myhre is planning a book signing for Nov. 6 at Heartfelt Designs to coincide with the Downtown Art Walk scheduled for Nov. 6 and 7.

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A Book About a Dragon in When Dragons Drool — New Book That’s Colorful and Entertaining

Kids love stories and fantasies. From fairies to dwarves, from witches to unicorns, all these creatures has been a part of our world when we were kids. One of the most popular beings however, is the dragon. A lot of movies and stories have been done using it as the main star. There were dragons as king and dragons as warriors. Either way, it never fails to entertain us. All of these entertaining elements are portrayed vividly in When Dragons Drool, a new book that will surely give you a dose of a life with a dragon.

When Dragons Drool follows the exploits of Moko, a dragon who got sick from cold. Because of his enormous size, snots were everywhere. He makes a huge noise when he sneezes and he is so hot that his temperature reached five hundred and ten. How do you medicate such a big creature? Can you give him a simple cold and fever medicine? Find out and enter the colorful world of a boy who tried everything to take the sickness away from his dragon.

With fantastic art done on each page, be playful with your kids and experience, When Dragons Drool. This book will be featured at this year’s Beijing International Book Show. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com or call (888) 795-4274 today.

About the Author

Dana Milligan is an award-winning poet. Dana writes children’s books and rhythm-and-rhyme poetry. She believes rhythm and rhyme helps young readers in phonemic awareness, and that children learn to read with their ears first. She likes to make words dance to a rhythmic beat. She is a member of SCBWI, Teachers and Writers Collaborative, and Austin Songwriters Group. She enjoys sharing her work with elementary schools across Texas. Dana lives in Austin, Texas. If you would like to have her read at your school, you may e-mail her at danarenemilligan@yahoo.com. Dana and the artist, Teresa, worked hand and hand together to create When Dragons Drool. “Teresa makes words come alive with her professional touch in the art.”

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Stories-In-Rhyme for Young and Old

Young and adults alike are in for an exciting reading and listening experience as author Helen Diane Wilcox offers a wonderfully written and illustrated book, Twinkle Town Tales. It is a collection of lesson-filled stories told in delightful rhymes. Both readers and listeners will encounter a myriad of characters — people, animals, and even inanimate objects — to bring color to the tales, ignite spark in everyone’s imagination, and bring them sweet dreams.

Twinkle Town Tales is a charming anthology of stories in rhyme, with each story accompanied with vibrant illustrations and images that make this picture book even more engaging. Readers will meet an ensemble of personalities and creatures, some fascinating, others eccentric, but each one emulating a value, trait, or lesson.

In “The Grandfather Tree,” readers will get to know a very old, timeless tree who sacrifices himself for the safety of the animals he loves. There are also cute little chicks, “BeeBo and BoBee,” who learn to value their mother hen’s warmth and protection. Children will love the magical “Twinkle Town” — a town floating on a cloud and situated perfectly to catch the radiant shine of the sun, stars, and moon — where Twinkies enjoy working, playing, living, and making little Earth kids happy with their invisible drops. Many other enchanting characters like “Mari, the Leaf that wouldn’t let go,” “Old Lou,” “Treetop,” “Sunny,” “Lovely,” and more await readers of all ages.

Twinkle Town Tales is definitely a perfect book for a reading-and-listening session inside or outside the class. It is also recommended to everyone who wants to enjoy good quality time with family and friends. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Wanting to give something to her new great granddaughter, Helen Diane Wilcox started writing these little stories. Rhyming words has always been a great joy and so much fun. She lives with her husband and Cairn Terrier “Katie Lou” in Clayton, California.

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A Small Act of Heroism — A Delightful Story That Gives Importance to a Child’s Thoughts and Emotions

A delightful story inspired by a true event awaits young readers in Dorothy E. Wildes‘ Packy: The Trolley Riding Elephant, a picture book centered on heroism and giving importance to a child’s thoughts and emotions.

In the story, a young girl named Hepsy and her brother Hiram accompany Packy, the Trolley Riding Elephant. As they go on a tour, Packy misbehaves and makes a mess, leaving the rest of the tourists displeased. Realizing the deeds he has done, he behaves for the rest of the tour. But suddenly, an unexpected incident happens. The trolley sways rapidly, making Hepsy lose her grip on Packy. The next thing she knows, Packy has flown off the car and is lying down in the tracks. What would happen to Packy now? Read the book to find out.

Based on an incident that happened at the Seashore Trolley in Kennebunkport, Maine, in April of 1992, Wildes’ smartly crafted adventure tale perpetuates the value of kindness. On one of the trips, a child started to scream as she realized that her doll fell off onto the tracks. Recognizing the importance of a doll to the child, the motorman gallantly dismounted from the car and retrieved a slightly ruffled but unhurt elephant. Inspired by this event, Packy: The Trolley Riding Elephant, is a fun, entertaining, must-read story for all children.

Packy: The Trolley Riding Elephant will be featured in the New York Library Association Book Exhibit in Niagara Falls, NY, on October 15-16, 2009. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

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‘Pass It On’: Short But Sweet Storybook

Kathryn Fantasia and Jeff Flanagan team up in spreading love and compassion as they launch through publishing services giant Xlibris with their storybook, Pass It On. Fantasia spells out their book’s important and heartwarming message while Flanagan vibrantly illustrates.

Pass It On follows a young boy’s path through his family’s many expressions of love. With each encounter, family members task him to share the emotional lessons they have imparted to him. The boy goes on a thoughtful journey of discovering how to do that, which he stumbles upon one edifying day.

If a story’s spirit and message can be epic in only a few short pages, Pass It On is that story. It enfolds a timeless lesson for children that parents will appreciate, and affirms that family is a child’s most powerful learning environment. For more information on this book, log on to Xlibris.com.

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Ebony The Egg Eater by Patrena Lynn Roach

Ebony The Egg Eater book is an inspriational treat! Ebony The Egg Eater was written for two reasons: 1) To encourage children to dream. 2) To help children learn how to be a blessing to others, by using their God-given talents.

Written to inspire and spread the message of hope to young people, Ebony The Egg Eater is a new story about a little girl named Ebony who fulfills her dreams through positive outlook, faith, and hard-work. This must-read volume teaches children that at a young age, they can do whatever they want as long as they believe.

A book that will encourage you to dream and instills the message that there is nothing too hard for God, Ebony The Egg Eater is a wonderfully illustrated book with easy conversational writing style. A rich allegory that redefines a whole new generation of readers, this read shows the importance of having faith and pursuing passion.

An appealing book perfect for story time, Ebony The Egg Eater is a rare, special treat that simply must be savored and shared.

The author’s life is an open book. Patrena Lynn Roach is an artist, designer, art professor, and author. Blessed with the gift of art, she began to draw at the young age of three. A true artist, Patrena lives and breathes creativity while enjoying simple and beautiful things in life. Throughout her life, she felt compelled to use her gifts to motivate and inspire people. She also enjoys creative writing and hopes to write more books in the future.

Patrena Lynn Roach used two exciting advances in the publishing world to help bring Ebony The Egg Eater to readers: a publishing service called Xlibris, and a new digital printing and distribution technology known as “Print On Demand”. Xlibris provided Patrena Lynn Roach with the tools necessary to get her book published, and Print On Demand allows each individual copy of the book to be printed as it is ordered. For more information about Print on Demand or Xlibris please write to: info (at) xlibris (dot) com or call 1-888-795-4274.

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New Children’s Book Follows a Team of Animals on a Mission to Get Lost Ducklings Back Home

Children and animal lovers alike are about to experience a memorable quest that emphasizes helping others and keeping the community safe in The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones and the Watchers: Duckie Doo One, Three, Two, the first book in the adventure series of Oliver Wagglebones & the Watchers(tm) created by Rachel M. Laghi.

The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones and the Watchers: Duckie Doo One, Three, Two tells a fascinating tale of a group of animals on an exciting mission. Readers will meet Oliver (a Yorkshire terrier) who leads the fun, adventurous and sometimes silly crew of neighborhood detectives called the Watchers. Their members include Sir Lawrence the Cardinal, Chester the Squirrel, Bella the Beagle/Basset Hound and Freckles the Woodpecker.

This colorful team, each with their own unique qualities and strengths, works together and investigates curious events, solves neighborhood mysteries and makes sure that the neighborhood is safe for everyone. Through each adventure, the Watchers exemplify how teamwork and clever, creative thinking can solve any problem. Duckie Doo, One, Three, Two follows the Watchers as they cleverly and creatively figure out just how to best reunite a mother duck with her lost ducklings.

With its fascinating artwork and touching story, The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones and the Watchers: Duckie Doo One, Three, Two will keep its readers entertained from the first page until the very end. In addition, this release includes a glossary that gives the definitions of more advanced words, highlighted throughout the story, encouraging reader independence and an expanded vocabulary. To order a copy, please visit Xlibris.com and Oliverwagglebones.com, or call (888) 795-4274 today.

About the Author

Leaving “corporate America” after sixteen years of working in media and marketing for full service advertising agencies, Rachel Laghi, aged forty, decided it was time to hang out with a different kind of animal – the four-legged kind – and opened her own pet sitting business, Happy at Home Pet Sitting, LLC. Working with animals all day and observing their truly unique behaviors was the inspiration behind Laghi’s first children’s book, The Adventures of Oliver Wagglebones & the Watchers(tm): Duckie Doo One, Three, Two.

This is the first book in a whimsical adventure series that follows a colorful team of animals – the Watchers – along on their mission to investigate mysteries, help those in need, and keep the neighborhood safe. Through each adventure, the Watchers exemplify how teamwork and clever, creative thinking can solve any problem. With a degree in English & Literature from Barry University, Miami, FL, Laghi truly understands the importance of instilling a love of reading in children at an early age.

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How To Teach Your Child To Write

Article source: Gagazine

It’s truly a joy to witness a child go through different milestones. As a parent, I can’t help but marvel at how my preschool daughter is learning new skills each day. Ever since she started attending school, she has taken more interest at writing. Her interest has already gone past scribbling because she has understood that written words have meaning.

With her enthusiasm to learn, I provided her with several worksheets where she can practice tracing letters and shapes. After I gave her a brief instruction on how to follow broken lines, I immediately assumed that she can already follow through. In a matter of minutes, she gave up frustrated, angry, and displeased with her work.

Writing may seem really easy especially when we keep on doing it each day. However, there is really more to it, than just merely using a pen and paper to create patterns. As parents, we need to go back to the basics to understand that writing is more complex, than what we really perceive it to be. In truth, writing actually requires both motor and critical thinking skills, and it also involves a series of steps that needs to be done in the proper order.

In teaching your child how to write, you have to bear in mind that learning the skill actually takes time. Parents need to acknowledge that children develop at different rates, and it is very possible for some children to develop faster than others. It is then important that you provide a supportive learning atmosphere, so that your child will get the most out of the teaching sessions.

Provide plenty of opportunities for practice, and try to keep learning activities short. Young children may not be able to keep their focus on prolonged teaching sessions. You can entice your child to practice by having plenty of writing materials readily available. Make sure that you have writing worksheets, paper, chunky crayons, markers and other supplies, in the room where your child frequently stays in. Young children may treat scribbling or scrawling as a form of play, and parents should take it as an opportunity to encourage early literacy skills.

You can make learning activities more fun by adding some creativity. While your child is doing an exercise, try to make up stories related to the pattern that your child is tracing. You can also set particular themes each week to make it more exciting. With a little creativity, you can get your child to look forward to these learning sessions.

Set simple and realistic goals each day to avoid frustration. Perhaps you can start slow, and then you can determine the right pace for your child. You may just trace one pattern in a day, or you can add more variety depending on your child’s pace. A child can easily get frustrated especially when he is really eager to learn. Let your child know that it’s perfectly alright to make mistakes, or crooked lines for that matter, so that he will feel that his efforts are not at all worthless. Keep in mind that your child can best learn when he is taught at the right pace.

It is also important that you praise your child for his progress and his daily accomplishments. You may even hang some of his works at an area in your home, so that he will be proud of his efforts. If your child feels a sense of fulfillment by doing writing exercises properly, he may be more driven to practice some more.

It will definitely take some time for your child to develop the muscles, skills and coordination necessary to write properly. However, you also have a lot of possibilities on your end, on how you can encourage literacy skills in your child. And with that, I embark on this new journey with my daughter with much hope. We will certainly have difficult days, but her improved strokes are already reason enough for me to believe that I must be doing something right.

Written by Jane Heiza
http://www.gagazine.com/author/Jane Heiza

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Watier’s ‘Secret Magicks of Maine’

Article and image source: Village Soup

Author/illustrator Matt Watier, originally from Union, will introduce his new book “The Secret Magicks of

Author/illustrator Matt Watier, right, and his father Roland are shown visiting with a guest at a Vose Library signing for his first book in 2004.

Maine“Saturday, Aug. 15, at two Midcoast locations.

Watier will be at Union’s Vose Library from 10 a.m. to noon and at Rockland’s Lucky Dog Gallery from 1 to 3 p.m. His father, storyteller Roland Watier, will read from his son’s book at the library event.

“The Secret Magicks of Maine” is the Matt Watier’s second book. He graduated from Medomak Valley High School in 1997 and received his bachelor of arts degree in illustration and design from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His first book, “ANTS: Another Nice Tasty Sweet,” was published by Marhwood Press in both Hebrew and English in 2004.

Watier’s childhood in Union was spent listening to the sounds of the pond near his house, playing in the mud, exploring the rocky coast and tide pools and hiding in the deep woods. Those experiences are captured in “The Secret Magicks of Maine,” which is published by Xlibris Publications.

Watier’s illustrations have won online awards (on DeviantArt.com) and been hung in various gallery shows throughout the East Coast including the “Maine Lobsterman Art Show” at Seasrport’s Penobscot Marine Museum. He works in Web

According to Matt Watier's imaginative new children's book, the Minotaur of Maine is the blacksmith of Oberon and spends each fall in the deep woods near Moosehead Lake.

illustration and design in the Washington, D.C., metro region.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase. For directions to Vose Library, call the library at 785-4733. For more information about the signing at Lucky Dog Gallery, 373 Main St., call 590-0120; refreshments will be served.

To see art work and other information about the new book, visit sercretmagicksofmaine.com.

The Herald Gazette Art/Entertainment Editor Dagney C. Ernest can be reached at 207-594-4401 or by e-mail at dernest@villagesoup.com.

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The Sun Beams Inspire and Teach Us

Written to inspire you and to pique your children’s interest, these stories share the wonderful magic of sunlight and its effects on our spirits and our daily lives. The author, Karen Mack, wrote these episodes of The Magical Adventures of Sun Beams back in 1990 — and these are given life through the vibrant characters and vividly colored illustrations of Russel Wayne. Although Karen passed away in 2005, she has definitely left a beautiful legacy behind for her nephew and four nieces, parents, educators, and concerned citizens of the world.

Let the glowing and stunning colors of Sun Beams bring smiles to your face as you follow them in their adventures. The family of light beams — Father Beam, Mother Beam, Sky Blue, and Bubblegum Pink — will take you traveling, learning, and discovering from their planet, Mirros, to the far away planet, Earth. These radiant characters have captivated the magic, the mystery, the whimsical fun, and the resounding love for our Sun. Life would have been so dull without the colors painted in the sky and the Sun Beams will prove it to us once again through these brilliantly woven chapters. Featuring amazing illustrations and colorful images, The Magical Adventures of Sun Beams will surely renew and revive your interest in loving, respecting, and preserving our planet, Earth.

Follow the Sun Beams as they show you where they come from, where they live, how they emit colors, how they travel through light, how they value the Sun, how they plan to help Earth, and more. Even we, humans, have our own colors — our light bodies — and it’s time we take care of it and our planet. Listen to the Sun Beams as they impart valuable lessons on life, the environment, death, people, and more. Be surrounded with bright light beams whatever the season or time of day when you immerse yourself with The Magical Adventures of Sun Beams. For more information on this book, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Karen Mack was born in Indiana in 1954. With her, she brought memories of other worlds in our vast universe. At the age of eighteen, she experienced a near-death experience. Even though she has passed and crossed over in December of 2005, the love she and her sister share lives on eternally. Her heartfelt expression was to bring humanity to the understanding that we are all one — one world, one planet, one people.

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7-year-old author to give reading

By Greg Mellen (Press-Telegram) – July 31, 2009

LONG BEACH – Kailyn Kestenbaum isn’t a woman of letters yet. Heck, she’s only 7 years old. But the first-grader is

Seven-year-old Kailyn Kestenbaum will be conducting her first public reading Saturday at El Dorado Libary from her book My Big Book of Stuff." (Jeff Gritchen / Staff Photographer)

certainly on her way.

Today, Kailyn will present the first public reading of her book “My Big Book of Stuff,” at the El Dorado Library, 2900 Studebaker Avenue, at 2 p.m.

Kailyn’s father, Robert Kestenbaum, said the self-published book, under her nom de plume of Kailyn Reanna, was published in December 2008, is registered with the Library of Congress and is available on several Web sites, including Amazon.com.

Robert says his daughter missed by four months being listed as the world’s youngest published author. Some sources say the record belongs to a Swiss boy, Christopher Beale, who held the record at 6 years, 118 days, while others claim the mark dates back to the 1960s and 4-year-old Dorothy Straight.

Kailyn’s book, a compilation of stories and drawings, arose out of her kindergarten class at Emerson Parkside Academy, where students were encouraged to write and illustrate stories. Kailyn took to the project immediately and by the time she was finished, the youngster had 20 stories with illustrations spanning 116 pages. Or at least that’s what’s in her book.

“She started writing and requested to write more and more,” Robert says. “When I looked at it I thought something could be done with it instead of just putting it in boxes.”

Robert began searching for publishers online. After a number of setbacks, Robert connected with Xlibris, which for about $1,800 edited the book to its final format of 20 stories, registered it with the Library of Congress, printed 20 copies for the family and got it listed with online booksellers.

Robert said the publishers said they hope to capitalize on the “cute factor” of the work and its author.

The book is pricey, at $59.99, but Robert said that was set by the publisher.

The family has donated two copies of the book, one signed, to the El Dorado branch.

Meanwhile, Kailyn isn’t resting on her authorial letters. The 7-year-old is busy dancing, acting, staging impromptu plays at her home and playing her pink guitar.

greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291

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Tip for writing – motivate reluctant writers by writing in context

by Ginny Kochis (eXaminer.com)

One of the best ways to encourage a child to write is to place composition in a meaningful, purposeful context.  Writing isn’t just for school, and the following suggestions in today’s Tuesday Tip will help your child recognize its valuable role in life.

Sound Off:  Children have strong opinions, and it is important for them to know that their ideas are valued.  Choose a favorite book, movie or game together and read through a few critical reviews (sites like Amazon and Rotten Tomatoes are good places to start).  Talk to your child about her own opinions on the work, then encourage her to write an original review.  These can be submitted to the aforementioned venues or other sites which publish kid and teen reader opinions.  Some print journals also accept review submissions – just be sure to read the guidelines carefully. 

Editorialize:  In addition to reviewing media, young writers can submit letters to the editor and other opinion pieces to newspapers and magazines.  Spend some time talking and reading about a current issue that is important to your child.  Ask him to form an opinion about the topic and defend it in the form of a letter.  Once the piece is written, submit it to a local paper or favorite magazine.  Community publications like neighborhood newsletters and church bulletins are other publishing options.

Find an Audience:  Submitting work for publication can be daunting, but the feelings of pride and accomplishment that accompany that first acceptance are well worth the effort. There are a multitude of online and print publications that feature writing from children and teens – just be prepared to encourage your child if the initial attempts are unsuccessful.  If you want to bypass the waiting game, consider self-publishing with a company that specializes in personalized picture books.

Bring Writing Home:  If the family that plays together stays together, then the family that writes together will form strong bonds as well.  Write letters, keep a family notebook or create your own writing gallery. The more you write inside the home, the more comfortable your children will be with composition elsewhere. 

Writing is more than just an exercise performed at school, and teachers are certainly not a child’s only audience.  Help your young writer break free of that mindset and watch her ability grow.

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Writer’s love of moose and kids inspires book

by MATT MCALLISTER (WatertownDailyTimes.com)

OGDENSBURG — Of all her worldly interests, Cris Rishe says she really loves just two things: kids and moose.

The kid part of her story is simple, it’s the moose part that takes a little time to figure out.

Born and raised in Ogdensburg and having married into an already large family, there always have been lots of children around for Mrs. Rishe to dote upon.

When her daughters (Jadie and Jessica) were growing up, many of their friends called Mrs. Rishe “Mom” and many still do. Her grandchildren’s (Adreannah and Luca) friends now call her “Grandma Crissy” and that’s all right with her also.

It was Mrs. Rishe’s love of moose, however, coupled with her love of children, that led her to self-publish her first book, “There’s a Moose on the Loose!!“

The children’s book will soon be available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Xlibris. For more information, contact Xlibris at 1 (888) 795-4274 or on the Web at Xlibris.com.

For Mrs. Rishe, what started as “a whim”, has turned into the adventures of Horace T. Moose, “a seven-foot, three-inch moose that lives alone way up the mountains.” Horace is an overly curious and friendly animal and throughout the story, has adventures and learns valuable lessons along the way.

“I’ve been writing for a long time — years,” Mrs. Rishe says, adding, “Mostly for my kids, and then my grandkids.”

An article in the newspaper, along with some loving persistence by her husband, Steve, eventually resulted in the book.

“There was this thing in the paper about a moose being loose somewhere around Heuvelton,” Mrs. Rishe explained. “And the whole moose is loose thing really stuck with me. I sat down later that day, after reading about it, and wrote the entire story. Two or three months later, I did all the illustrations for it.”

Mrs. Rishe still didn’t plan on doing anything with the manuscript, but gave copies of it to her friends and family members. “That’s how it started out,” she said. She read her book to a granddaughter’s Head Start class at Kennedy Elementary School and later at Madill Elementary.

Some time later, after a bit of prodding by her husband, who kept telling her she could go somewhere with her idea, Mrs. Rishe read a how-to book, “How to Get Your Book Published”, and the bigger project of publishing her work began.

“It’s an amazing experience for anybody who wants to do something like this,”Mrs. Rishe said of the self-publishing experience. “The first thing that book tells you is not to just send your manuscript to the company,” Mrs. Rishe says, “It’s complicated. It’s not like it used to be.”

Mrs. Rishe said she sent letters of interest to five companies, most of which eventually asked for a manuscript. Tate Publishing, a Christian book self-publisher, offered Rishe a contract, which she said she turned down because she didn’t want to relinquish any of her rights.

Eventually, and again at her husband’s suggestion, she chose to publish through Xlibris, a self-publishing and print-on-demand company that allowed her to retain copyrights. “Everything remains in my name and nobody can do anything with it without my consent,” she said.

Rishe was presented with a finished copy of “There’s A Moose on the Loose!!” on July 1. “I had given them my original manuscript and drawings and they continuously sent me proofs as they developed them,” she said. “It happened in stages, all the way down to how they will market it.”

Mrs. Rishe hopes to donate copies of her book to each of the elementary school libraries in the city, as well as to the Ogdensburg Free Library, when they become available. “I’ve always loved Ogdensburg,” she says. “It’s a good place to raise children.”

But what about her infatuation with the moose?

“I don’t know what to tell you,” she said. “My home is filled with them and my life’s dream has always been to someday see one up close in the wild. If you look closely, there’s a big white wooden one in the trees by the driveway. It gets worse in the fall and around Christmas.”

“I’ve always asked for one. There’s room in my back yard and I could fence him in,” she said. “But my husband probably will never go for it.”

Another moose story is in the works, as the sequel, “Horace meets David T. Eagle”, has already been written.

“My Dad had polio as a child and really loved eagles,” Mrs. Rishe said, providing a preview to the next book. “He (her father) is the eagle with a weak wing that ends up meeting Horace and riding him around.”

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Follow the Exciting Adventures of a Red Fox and a Huge Pig as They Discover Fun and Friendship

Have a fun-filled escapade with your kids as author Nancy D. Kramer brings to you Sly Fox And Hambone, a delightful picture book that will instill valuable lessons for the little ones to follow.

What happens when a bored fox meets a lazy pig? A huge, exciting adventure will surely take place! Sly, a red fox becomes bored while reading his newspaper in his den. So he ventures out of his house to see what he can find. He walks to the nearby farmyard and sees a huge pig playing in the mud. He invites the pig, Hambone, to his underground house. But after a long walk, they both get hungry. Thus, off they go into a secret tunnel that Sly created to get to the hen house where they could get some food. As they venture into the hen house, they come against a few problems. Leaving the hen house with the food is much of a challenge for them, especially with the farmer around. Worst, the tunnel they are walking in is crumbling down on them! Will they ever get back home alive?

Teach your child the values of selflessness and teamwork as Sly and Hambone brave a big adventure while keeping each other safe. With colorful and amusing illustrations, Sly Fox And Hambone is a tale that your kids will no doubt enjoy!

For more information, please visit Xlibris.com or call (888) 795-4274 today, or see the website Slyfoxandhambone.com.

About the Author

Author Nancy D. Kramer was born and raised on an apple farm in Elkridge, Maryland. Nancy is the oldest of four children who grew up on the farm. She wrote short stories in high school. Later, she took a college writing course “Writing Stories for Children and Teenagers”. The first non-fiction human-interest story she wrote was published in the September 2001 issue of “Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred”, a national magazine. She worked as an administrative secretary at a local county public school system in Howard County for thirty years. After retiring, she enjoys horseback riding, giving riding lessons to children and adults, and writing stories for children. She also has another book entitled, Bret and Pale Face Saved the Day. See details on website, www.bretandpaleface.com.

Illustrator Brittany M. Byers is a college student that lives in Nancy’s neighborhood in Westminster, Maryland.

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Dannenbring publishes first children’s book

by Elisa Sand (MADISONet.com)

McKinsey Dannenbring always wanted to write a book.

That desire became a reality this spring with the release of her first children’s book, “A Lemon Without the Sour.”

It’s a story inspired by her three-year-old daughter, Quinn. The story is a parent’s response to a child’s question about what a parent’s life would be like without their child.

The parent then gives several examples.

“I think it does a good job of telling a child how you feel as a parent,” Dannenbring said.

The story is a quick read that’s not only fun, she said, but light-hearted as well.

Dannenbring will be one of three authors showcasing their work Thursday at a book signing at Books & More from 4-7 p.m. Also signing published works will be Donald Parker and Shirley Harrington-Moore.

A high school English teacher at Tri-Valley School, Dannenbring said that her book is the result of more than a year of edits and changes with the publisher, AuthorHouse.

The book was illustrated by one of her former students, Lindsey Hammer.

The process of writing the book took much longer than she thought, she said, but the end result was worth it.

“Many times I thought this was way bigger than me,” Dannenbring said. “It’s so great to see the finished product.”

Her advice to others wishing for the same opportunity is simply to stick with it.

Dannenbring said that she is now working on a book she can dedicate to her seven-week-old son, Asher.

Thursday’s book signing is one of about a half-dozen that have been scheduled for Dannenbring, who said she has two more coming up this summer.

Dannenbring teaches high school English. Her husband Brett is a local contractor.

Parker has self-published six titles including “The Bulldog Compact.”

Harrington-Moore has released her fifth self-published book, “Picking up Strangers.” Other books by Moore include “The Blessing,” “The Taylor Men,” “The Taylor Women” and “The Comfort Quilt.”

“Picking up Strangers” is about a young lady, Emily Richards, who is returning from a business trip when she encounters a young Marine heading in the same direction. His vehicle has just been vandalized and he needs a ride, so he offers to help with gas and with the driving.

Little does Emily know, however, that this chance encounter will lead to the reconnection of two old flames.

Harrington-Moore will be Author of the Day at the South Dakota State Fair. Her newest book is available at Books & More.

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Writing children’s picture books

Source: eSSORTMENT

So you’d like to write a children’s picture book, but you don’t know where to start? Picture books are wonderful, visually engaging exercises for children. Read the following article to learn how to write original picture books.

In general, picture books are 30-34 pages long. Publishers often state that they must be 32 pages, so this is a good estimation. Not all of this space needs text. The entire picture book can be pictures, or pictures can be mixed with text throughout. An ideal book is one with pictures on both pages of an open book, and writing on at least one page. When writing a picture book, it is wise to avoid poetry, and instead attempt to write lyrical language. This is because publishers rarely accept poetry from other than a select group of writers. When submitting a picture book, it is not advised to also submit illustrations. Publishers often provide an illustrator after revising a book.

Picture books exist in three categories: 2-6 years, 6-10 years, and 10 and up. When writing, it’s wise to set your ideas down carefully first on paper in an outline to determine which audience you are writing for. Several gradations exist of this genre. A “classic” picture book contains only picture. “Contemporary” picture books contain text and writing that complement each other. There are occasional variations from this format, in special cases.

Themes for picture books can vary. In general, it is nice to avoid themes that are frequently used, because publishers are on the lookout to discard these. Young children often enjoy stories of animals, humorous happenings and family. Themes that center around school are good ideas for any age category. Older children require more original stories, ranging from problem to maturity to dating issues. If you are at a loss for subject, try using on of these three categories: Concept books, Informational books and Specialty books. Concept books teach a concept, perhaps science or math. Informational books provide an engaging review of non-fictional elements. Specialty books deal with creation of manufacturers and branding, like pop-up books and coloring books.

Because these books are so small, one usually needs a stellar writing style to get them published. Writers like Shel Silverstein and Doctor Seuss have an intensely developed personal style. Their writing could be identified anywhere. Try and establish this same kind of indispensable style, and publishers will review your work more carefully. A great place to get ideas is a bookstore, where you can review other writers, and their ideas. Another great place for ideas is everyday life. The strangest stories can sometimes be generated by someone in your neighborhood, or a story that you heard growing up.

A good way to approach the picture book, therefore, is to look at it as if it were a novel. Don’t be fooled by its small size. Taking a story that could be given the complexity of a novel and making it a picture book ensures that your plot will be sophisticated and engaging. Also, avoid talking down, or using overly simplistic language. Children are very smart, and publishers are always looking for reading that provides a challenge. Remember that parents are also readers of your material. Strive for work that is entertainment for both.

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Getting Your Book Published: Approaching Book Publishers

Writers who have written a book for the first time will be prepared to start making the rounds of publishers. If you are in this position, once you are done with writing, editing and proofreading, you will start sending your book to as many publishers as possible to increase the likelihood of getting your book published.

Although this is true, there is one drawback to sending your manuscript out to loads of publishers. You are likely to get confused and make mistakes if you do this, so it’s a good idea to have a system in place to keep track of whom you have sent your book to, whether they responded and other such details. This will help you go about getting your book published in a systematic way.

If you are not on top of things when you are getting your book published, all kinds of unpleasant things can happen. For one thing, you could make the embarrassing error of sending your work twice to the same publisher, which could spoil further chances with that publisher if you haven’t altered the book in any way when you send it the second time.

So you see the necessity for an effective system when you are getting your book published. Now how exactly should you get one set up? You have several choices. First, you should know what data you need to incorporate into your system. List the publishers you are targeting, based on the likelihood of their accepting your book and mark off the ones you have already sent your manuscript to. Leave space for their responses, suggestions and so on. When you get a note from a publisher, enter its details into the record of your system. Keep track of dates, too, you will find them useful when you want to refer back to something in particular.

How you lay out your data is something that you can decide based on how you can clearly see all the information at a glance. Make a spreadsheet, using all the data we have talked about – the date, the publisher’s name and contact details, his or her response if any are all important areas you should keep a record of. With a spreadsheet updating and entering new information is easy and quick.

While technological advancements have made using a computer a routine affair, many still prefer to use pen and paper. You can do this here, making a chart containing all the information you need. You can enter updated information whenever required. Make sure you don’t misplace your chart!

The usefulness of a system to keep track of publishers you are sending your book to when you are getting your book published is undeniable. It’s simple, too!

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Indulge in a Little Wishful Thinking…– An Imaginative Tale About Wishes and the Endless Possibilities

Imagine for a moment that any wish you make can be granted — what would you wish for? Join sixteen multicultural characters as they take you into their colorful imagination to explore their various wishes in Wishful Thinking, a wonderful story authored by Max McNamara.

If you could wish for anything, would you wish that you could fly? Or endless summer sunny days to play in the backyard pool? Would you wish for gills, scales, or fins to swim just like a fish? Do you wish for a perfect play world made for kids where only kids ruled? Revisit the innocence of adolescence through Wishful Thinking. Browse through its vibrantly illustrated pages and enjoy its fun rhymes as you explore different cultures and wishes. Entertaining from beginning to end, this engaging tale reminds us that sometimes it is the simplest wish that leaves the greatest impact.

For more information on this delightful book, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Max McNamara is a first time author from Atlanta, GA. As a child, she grew up on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago before migrating to the U.S. in 1994. She graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta before enlisting in the United States Army and currently serves as a Staff Sergeant in the War on Iraqi Freedom.

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A Picture Book for Sick Children

Do you know a child who needs cheering up, perhaps sick and stuck in the confines of a room at home or in the hospital? Give them the gift of healing as they find themselves in the company of appealing and helpful animals in this wonderful and personalized picture book, A Healing Child’s Friend.

A Healing Child’s Friend features beautiful photographs of colorful birds and furry animals that a child will love to look at. It is a photo journal of animals who hear that (child’s name) is sick. They pass the word to the other creatures in the wilderness and they make an effort to provide help, wishing the child to get well soon. The storyline flows from the animals’ finding out that (child’s name) is not feeling well to the final page where he/she can go out and play. It thus allows children the opportunity to hear and see themselves heal. In the words of one grateful mother, “The book you sent to Olivia was really the most special gift she received. We read your book over and over again while we were in that NY (hospital). It is still her favorite. I do believe that it helped her through the trauma.”

Giving this entertaining picture book to a child who needs cheering up may be just what the doctor ordered. Get a copy now.

This book will be featured in the Frankfurt Book Fair (International) in Frankfurt, Germany, on October 10-14, 2009. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Authors

Vic Hanson is a retired architect who specialized in medical facility design. He participated in pediatric department and clinic design where he observed many sick children. He and his wife Barb have seven children and thirteen grandchildren. Jan Fegley is a retired secondary English teacher, writer, and artist.

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Image source: Allaboutbirds.org , Sakuratears.wordpress.com

Author shares ‘the joy of writing’ with children

by Adam Van Hart (The Rolla Daily News)

Rolla, Mo. -The girl walked up to the front of the Rolla Library basement where David Harrison was sitting Thursday.

“Did you write all of those books?” she asked him, pointing to the table where 25 children’s books placed upright.

“Yes I did,” Harrison said.

The girl looked at him with uncertainty, but accepted the answer and sat back down.
In his decades-long career as an author, Harrison published many more books than were displayed, more than 70 books.

His works run the gamut from children’s books, poetry and environmental subjects, oftentimes mixing up different genres — in 2007 he released a book of poetry that focused on bugs.
Harrison came to the Rolla Library to speak with children — not about the importance of reading but on the importance of writing.

“I want to take the ‘concern’ out of writing,” Harrison said before his presentation, adding kids can often feel peer pressure at a young age that can inhibit them from exploring writing.

“Kids need to understand that writing can be just as satisfying as reading,” Harrison said.
For kids interested in writing, he suggested they approach it like reading, something fun to “see what you can create,” and the technical aspects should be secondary.

Harrison said he was rejected numerous times early on in his career when he submitted books to publishers, but continued on because of his own enjoyment.

The session was more like a writer’s workshop, with Harrison describing how he gets ideas and develops them for books.

“I just think of people, characters, personalities,” Harrison said.

He picked up one of his books, “Vacation: We’re going to the Ocean,” and explained about the collaboration between him and the book’s illustrator, Rob Shepperson.

In the beginning, Harrison started with an idea for a character and sent it to Shepperson, who would garner a drawing in return, which would then prompt Harrison to move the story forward.
Harrison also tried to allay concerns by assuring the children’s mistakes and revisions were nothing to worry about.

“Part of being a writer is revising,” Harrison said.

The event wasn’t all talk about writing — Harrison gave a book reading, with some audience participation.

Some of the stories Harrison read required audience participation, turning the kids from audience members into participants, who added noises to the stories such as car horns and bug sounds.

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Ideas for teaching kids the meaning of July 4th

by Megan K. Scott (The Seattle Times)

America traditionally celebrates its birthday with flags, fireworks, parades and barbecues, so how are children going to get the real meaning behind Independence Day?

Lots of ways. Try some of these:

Start a conversation

For younger children, describe July Fourth as the nation’s birthday, said Mary Eames Ucci, education director of the Wellesley College Child Study Center. Tell them the parade, fireworks and hot dogs are for the celebration.

“As children get older, they can begin to understand what independence means,” she said. “When you become independent, you get a lot of freedom but you also get a lot of responsibility.”

Make it an annual ritual for kids spend a few minutes thinking about and then discussing the contributions they want to make to their country — and to the world, said Debra Condren, a psychologist and mom.

“Help them come up with age-appropriate ideas for short-term, intermediate and long-term ways they can give back to and carry on the cause championed by those courageous leaders who originally fought for our independence,” she said.

Visit a historical site

Brandon Marie Miller, author of “George Washington for Kids,” she suggests exploring Revolutionary War battlefields and other historical places online. Try the virtual tour at the Web site of Valley Forge National Historical Park (www.nps.gov/vafo) in Pennsylvania. It’s where the Continental Army set up camp. The site has podcasts for kids ages 8 to 12 covering the significance of 10 locations in the park, along with lessons and activities spanning other aspects of the American Revolution.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens (www.mountvernon.org) has a virtual tour of the first president’s home, memory games to learn about the archaeology of the estate and jigsaw puzzles that include a portrait of Washington.

Read all about it

There are many wonderful children’s books about the Fourth of July, said Amy McClure, professor of children’s literature at Ohio Wesleyan University.

She recommends “The Story of America’s Birthday” by Patricia A. Pringy for babies to preschoolers, and “O, Say Can You See? America’s Symbols, Landmarks, And Important Words” by Sheila Keenan for kids ages 4 to 8.

“Any opportunity parents can have to engage children in reading over the summer can only benefit children,” McClure said. “You can make reading relevant and connect it to an exciting event in their lives.”

Turn kids into patriots

Tell kids they can have a party, said Jen Singer of MommaSaid.net, an online community for moms. Let them plan the day’s events, allowing them to get excited about the party.

But then impose rules, such as they can only eat carrots — no ice cream — and they can only play inside. When they get upset about the rules, explain that’s how the patriots felt when England made rules and imposed taxes on Americans.

Use books and videos to explain the Revolution and Independence Day. Then let them have their party and ice cream.

Do an activity together

Make a quill pen by shaping a point at the end of a clean feather and dipping it into a bottle of ink, Miller said. It will give kids an idea of what the Declaration of Independence was written with — and kids like the scratching noise, she said.

They can also make hasty pudding, which was a staple in the 18th century and mentioned in the song “Yankee Doodle.” Other activities include designing a recruiting poster for Washington’s army, learning to dance a minuet, an 18th-century dance; and creating banners or flags with stars and stripes.

Let your child send e-cards to family members passing along a fact about July Fourth. Have them start a journal of what they do for the holiday each year, said James Heintze, a librarian emeritus at American University.

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Baby Bee is Growing Up — A Young Bee’s Excitement At Becoming a Grown-Up

Bees are cool characters of children’s stories. Their yellow and black bodies look cute and attractive in storybooks, and they are a good example of hard work. Know what it takes to become a strong and responsible Big Bee with Virginia Marie Capps‘ Baby Bee, an engaging children’s tale.

Baby Bee is a young bee who’s excited to become an adult bee. As he eagerly waits for that day, he begins to ask questions about his “bee-ness” and takes advice from his Aunt and Uncle Bee. With their help, he is able to explore the splendor of the bee world as he flutters around the beautiful and fragrant flowers in the garden. The Queen Bee, his mother, opens his eyes to the busy world of bees and prepares him for more obligations as he approaches the next stage of his life.

What does life have in store for Baby Bee? Will he fulfill his responsibilities to his kind?

With Capps’ light and upbeat style, your kids will learn about colors, insects, flowers, and basic reading. Get a copy of this delightful storybook now! For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

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Writing Tips – The 4 Traits of Successful Children’s Book Writers

by Laura Backes (Article Alley)

My son’s been taking karate for 4 years, and every time he tests for the next rank (he’s up to his brown now), fewer kids who started with him as white belts test alongside him. It’s not that Matt’s necessarily a better athlete than they are, but karate is more important to him. He likes learning the forms, and he enjoys surviving a two hour, physically grueling test knowing that most of his friends would have been flattened in the first 20 minutes. When aspiring writers start identifying themselves as authors, just as Matt sees himself as a martial artist, they’ve taken that first big step toward success.

But there’s a difference between wanting to see your name on a book, and wanting a career as a children’s book author. Anyone with a few bucks can publish their own story, and many books are perfectly suited to be self-published titles given to family and friends. The career mentality, however, is more complex. Check out some common characteristics below and see how you measure up:

Humility: When I get emails from people saying, “I’m going to be the next Dr. Seuss,” I cringe. Confidence is fine, but don’t compare yourself to someone like Dr. Seuss right out of the gate. In fact, don’t compare yourself to anyone. Work on finding your own style and voice. And know that you don’t have to become a literary institution to be a success. Learning to write well is a lifelong process, and the writers who get published understand that each manuscript, whether it sells or not, teaches them something. They’re not afraid to be critiqued or edited. They’ve put their heart into a book or article, and then removed their ego. They understand that if their critique group or editor says a plot is too predictable, it’s far better to chuck the storyline and start over than to fight to preserve a mediocre manuscript. And they’re grateful for the input that saved them from dozens of rejection letters.

Will Work for Resumé: Successful authors know that their query letters are more impressive if they can list some publishing credits. They’re willing to write for little or no money at first, because the experience of meeting a deadline and working with an editor is invaluable. They may decide to sell one story to a magazine that buys all rights so their next story can be sold to a bigger publication that purchases first rights only. They’ll submit to local magazines, regional publishers and small presses as they perfect their manuscripts intended for larger, national publishers. Well-published authors don’t overlook any market that might be right for a particular work. And when you’re just starting out, seeing your byline in a local parenting publication is just as satisfying as appearing in Highlights for Children.

“Tensity”: Matt’s karate teacher urges him to be intense about his practice, and Matt’s dubbed this mindset “‘tensity.” The prolific writers I know think the same way. Though most have families and jobs, they live, eat and breathe writing. Any spare moment is devoted to working on a manuscript. Free weekends are spent at conferences and workshops. When they’re not writing, they’re reading children’s books. As soon as they get one manuscript in the mail, they start the next one. In fact, super successful authors work on several manuscripts at once. If they’re uninspired to revise a scene from their novel, they’ll write a query for an article idea or do research for a picture book biography.

You don’t have to maintain this level of activity to become published. Most writers don’t. But if you want to make a living as a children’s book author, if you want your web site to list 50 or more books in print, then it’s practically required.

Plays the Field: Well-published authors don’t limit themselves to one genre. They’ll write picture books, novels, short stories for magazines, poetry, nonfiction, and material for adult markets such as parenting magazines or writing newsletters. After one book comes out they don’t wait for their editor to ask for another manuscript; they create what inspires them and if it’s not right for their current editor, they market it someplace else. In fact, it’s more difficult to get widely-published if you only write one type of book. A publisher carries a limited number of titles per season, and the editor of your middle grade novel might not appreciate your having another novel for the same age group come out with a different publisher simultaneously. But a magazine article or nonfiction picture book won’t compete with a book for older kids, and still gets your name in front of reviewers and book buyers.

Successful authors don’t dabble in writing now and then, they embrace it and do whatever it takes to get published because it’s what they want more than anything else. So dive in, work with ‘tensity, and send us a quote for our web site when you hit the jackpot.

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Appealing Alliterative Alphabetical Book

Announcing A Book of Creature Ditties, an artistic use of alliteration in absorbing the alphabet for “Fun-to-Mental” learning. Written and illustrated by Lori Lee Ericson.

Alive with alliteration, rhythm, rhyme and song, along with colorful, whimsical illustrations, this little creative book of alphabetical ditties serves as an entertaining educational tool. Written for preschool and elementary ages, parents and teachers alike will find this imaginative book a wonderful resource for teaching letter-sound association, reading and language development.

Educational magic occurs when children recite or sing these imaginative twenty-six ditties to the alphabet tune. They can be used for learning fun, classroom performances, while traveling or at bedtime. Other learning activities include having one person choose a letter and the other recite the ditty or have children discover which ditties have the most alliterative words. There are many fascinating ways to use this book creatively!

Since research supports the use of alliteration, rhythm, rhyme and song to enhance learning and maximize memory, A Book of Creature Ditties is a smart choice! To learn more and view excerpts from the book, log on to Abookofcreatureditties.com or Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Lori Lee Ericson, (Anne Rasmussen-Salajekeh) grew up in Greenville, Michigan, a small Danish community, in a family of five. As young as age nine her enthusiasm for motivating children to learn began to emerge. She and a friend organized a little neighborhood “preschool” in her garage, which ran for several months. Even then, she created little books and dreamed of becoming an author. She loved babysitting and always adored inspiring little children.

Anne received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts and Sciences, with a major in Sociology and minor in Psychology from Central Michigan University. She and her professor husband, Robert, raised three children and over time, her natural gifts and true passions blossomed. She became involved in teaching preschool in a variety of settings and wrote over fifty colorful and stimulating books (yet to be published) in the “fun-to-mentals” of learning. These books have highly motivated her young students as well as children in afterschool reading programs.

Presently she is pursuing publishing of these “works of the heart” which she has dedicated almost fifteen years so far. If you have comments for her please email her at Datesandgrapes@aol.com.

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Teaching Children About Recycling — New Picture Book is About Taking Care of the Environment

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. How do we teach these important values to our children? One of the most effective ways, of course, is through an enjoyable story. An Alice in Wonderland for the environmental movement, Johnny Green and the Little Green Man is a delightful fairy tale that should be must reading for children.

One day, on his way home from school, this very ordinary boy Johnny Green runs into a little problem that soon becomes a very big problem. He thinks he can solve it, but can he when he is just a boy? Join Johnny in this eye-poppin’, unbelievable chain of events as he tries to figure out what to do next.

With charming illustrations and a catchy storyline, Johnny Green and the Little Green Man not only entertains, but also imparts important lessons on how we can do our part to help save our green earth. Children should be introduced to these values at an early age so that doing it will become a lifelong habit.

Johnny Green and the Little Green Man will let your children know more about how they can make a difference in their environment. After all, if we all do a little, together we can do a lot. Get a copy of this book now. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Suzan and her husband live in Southwest Virginia surrounded by mountains and a beautiful lake. Her husband manages trash and recycling for the City of Roanoke, VA and they actively recycle at home. Suzan believes that children eat up the unbelievable and will remember a good story all their lives. Her hope is that this story will encourage both children and adults to make a conscious decision of what can be recycled in their homes, schools and places of business to help save our green earth. Suzan, along with her illustrator, Julia M. Floyd, have given life to Johnny Green and the Little Green Man.

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Enter The Wonderful World Of Mannaland

Welcome to Mannaland and enjoy a fun place where children can learn and grow. Let them learn important life lessons as they join in the Adventures in Mannaland, a delightful picture book co-authored by Tony Durkin and Jo’Ann Zimmermann.

Mannaland is a wonderful place where humans and animals all live together in peace and harmony. It is where children have fun as they learn good morals and grow a little closer to God. Man does not live on bread alone. Thus, they feed on the fruits of the earth and God’s word. Just as God sent manna from heaven to feed His people, these stories will inspire and allow children as well as adults to feed on God’s word and nourish their souls as they learn more about Jesus and His love.

Enjoy these spiritually uplifting tales and build a closer relationship with God. Join the Adventures in Mannaland and be blessed. For more information about these escapades, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Authors

Tony Durkin is a Sunday School teacher in the Charlotte, NC area who met Jo’Ann at church. His passion is for God’s Word and the Lord’s creation. He loves his sweet wife, Terri, praise music and kids everywhere.

Jo’Ann Zimmermann, more affectionately known as “Mama Jo’Ann” is a grandma, retired from twenty-six years in the Florida court system, now living with her family in Charlotte, NC. More importantly, at age sixty, she became a new child in Christ. “The Lord has shown me, with the help of these two other believers, how to share His word to children, no matter what your age,” says Zimmerman.

About the Artist

Katie Wekall is an elementary education student at UNC-Wilmington. This is her third illustrated book. God has blessed her with a passion for art and children’s stories.

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Image source: Engagingplaces.org.uk

How to Start Writing Preschool Children’s Picture Books

Article source: Freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com

If you are interested in writing a picture book, the first thing you need to do is to take a good look at the existing market. If you want to change from a consumer of children’s picture books to someone who produces them, you need to conduct some market research first.

Check Out the Existing Market

Visit your local library or a book store to get an idea of the kinds of children’s books that are currently on the market. Get information about which ones are current bestsellers and study them carefully to get an idea of why they are popular.

• What themes are used?
• How does the author structure the story? Does he or she use rhymes or certain phrases to tell the story?
• What is memorable about the characters in the book?

Find a Niche

The children’s book market is already highly competitive, and it seems like just about every topic that children could be interested in has already been addressed. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but you do need to find a different angle for your story that hasn’t been written about several times already.

Another strategy that can help you figure out what kind of story you want to write is to spend time with some preschoolers. See what kinds of things they are interested in. Ask them what kinds of books they like to look at and have read to them. You may also want to think about your own childhood and the kinds of books that you enjoyed at that point in your life.

Start Writing

You don’t need to write your children’s story all at once. If you want to become a writer, you just need to start writing. Buy a notebook to write down your thoughts. At this point, you don’t need to be writing full stories, but you do need to get into the habit of writing often.

Develop Your Story and Characters

When you get an idea for a story, start working to develop it. You will want to make the characters in your story memorable in some way. When you are considering how to start writing preschool children’s picture books, keep in mind that you are not limited to including only human characters in your story.

Have some fun with the characters you are creating. Are they humans who are living in this time? Are they from the past or the future? Is the character a type of animal? Is it an object of some kind that has the power to tell a story? If you are the author, you can decide exactly which characters are going to be in your story and what kinds of situations they will be in.

Spend Time Polishing Your Story

More than likely, you will need to spend some time with your story before you can even think about submitting it to a publisher. This is a normal part of the process. You may even need to put your story away for a time and come back to it later on to get a fresh perspective.

It may be helpful for you to have someone else read your story and give you some feedback. Reading your story to a preschooler is a way to test-market your ideas. You will be able to gauge from the youngster’s reaction whether this age group will find your story interesting or if it needs some more work before you can submit it to a publisher for consideration.

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Learning About the Bible is Given a Fun New Twist!

Teaching kids about the Bible can be quite a challenge. However, author Mary Phillips overcomes this hurdle as she presents Children’s Sermons with Humor: By The Hilarious Miss Polly. Children and adults will laugh along with the hilarious Miss Polly as she presents her comical sermons.

Miss Polly is an uneducated, hillbilly lady who loves the Lord. She makes people realize that it can be fun to learn about God and engage in laughter as they learn Biblical principles. Children’s Sermons with Humor is sure to be a hit among kids and their parents. Each lesson in this book contains a scripture as well as a biblical message interwoven with humor. Join in the laughter as you take part in a fun yet insightful session with Miss Polly!

Children’s Sermons with Humor will be featured in this year’s New York Library Association Book Exhibit at Niagara Falls, New York on October 15-16, 2009. For more information on this delightful book, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Mary Phillips is a recently retired registered nurse. She and her husband of forty-two years, Clyde, Jr., live in Grafton, West Virginia. Phillips has delivered the Children’s Sermons in her church for over twenty years and taught Sunday School for over forty years. A few years ago, the Lord gave her the idea of creating Miss Polly and her humorous messages, which have been very well received by both the children and adults.

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Image source: Hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org

Exciting Story of Two Sisters Who Find New Adventures in a New City

Share with the little ones a delightful story on coping with changes as Carol Hamill brings to you the charming tale of Mandy and Muffy’s Plant. Moving to another home has never been this much fun!

Mandy and Muffy are newcomers in the big city. The two young sisters and their little dog Rovy are uprooted from their spacious country setting when their parents find jobs in New York City. The tall buildings that almost touch the clouds and the noisy streets filled with different kinds of vehicles are far different from what the little girls used to enjoy in their small country village. In the country they could play in a big, tree-filled garden with lots of space to run and pick wild flowers, they could enjoy sailing a boat on a pond near their home. Living in a high-rise building, city life seems a terrible idea to Mandy, Muffy, and Rovy. How could anyone sail a boat on a terrace, or pick flowers in the city?

While pondering on how to enjoy their new home, the girls come across an abandoned plant in one of the empty apartments. Since it is dying and nobody wants it, the girls decide to bring the plant home. With a mission to save the dying plant and with something to tend to, will Mandy and Muffy and Rovy realize that living in the city is not that bad after all?

Enjoy a fun reading experience with your kids in this amusing tale filled with vibrant illustrations done by the author herself. Mandy and Muffy’s Plant will surely put a smile on your children’s faces! For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Carol Hamill has lived in New York City for most of her life. She attended the National Academy School of Fine Arts in Manhattan, and is a graduate of both Pratt Institute and Syracuse University Graduate School of Fine Arts. In addition, Ms. Hamill has studied art in Europe, where she often returns, drawn by her love of European Art.

For the past eighteen years, she has been teaching in an elementary school in New York. For as long as she can remember, she has had a passion for art and writing. It was her students who inspired her to become an author/illustrator of children’s books, and she hopes to continue the trend by inspiring her students.

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Image source: Bellewood-gardens.com

Discover The Legend of the Knot Gnomes — A Charming Tale About the Little Creatures That Play While Everyone Else is Asleep

Bond with your kids in an exciting world of make-believe as author Anne Stone brings a delightful tale in her new vibrantly illustrated book. Released by Xlibris, The Legend of the Knot Gnomes tells a charming story of the little creatures that play with you while you are sleeping.

Did you know that in the dark of the night when all are asleep, Knot Gnomes come creeping to play with your hair? The Legend of the Knot Gnomes follows a little girl’s dilemma as these gnomes happily knot and tie her delicate tresses. Every morning the girl is appalled to see that her hair is messed up again. Luckily, she has her mother to comb and fix her crown, and make her see that the little gnomes are not harmless at all.

Bursting with colorful illustrations and amusing characters, The Legend of the Knot Gnomes is perfect for parents and their children to enjoy a charming tale that speaks of having fun even during bothersome moments.

For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

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Image source: Moxiemamakc.blogspot.com

Autistic artist draws dinosaurs for book

by Deb Cleworth (wausaudailyherald.com)

Chris Wooldridge heard for years how his son Thomas would never be a contributing member to society.

Now 18, Thomas’ illustrations are the core of the book, “Dinosaurs Through My Eyes.” It’s the sub-title that might raise an eyebrow: “Pre-historic illustrations from an austistic mind.”

What Thomas lacks in verbal communication, he relates in his drawings — especially dinosaurs.

“It’s amazing what he can draw,” said Chris of Wisconsin Rapids. A divorced dad, Chris has been raising Thomas and his brother, Ben, 12, since the boys moved to Wisconsin Raids in 2007. He has two other children, Peter, 22, and Elizabeth, 20.

Thomas isn’t comfortable around many people, and social situations can be challenging.

Those challenges were leading Thomas on a downward spiral — until he came to live with his dad. Chris credits the staff at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids for Thomas’ successes.

“Lincoln saved his life,” Chris said. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to the staff there.”

Thomas’ artistic abilities caught the eye of one of his teachers at Lincoln, Jerald Kline.

Kline got the idea to incorporate the drawings into a book.

“The main purpose of creating this book is to enlighten families who may have a child with autism, that they all have a special gift,” Kline said.

Kline worked with Thomas, who also is very computer-literate. Thomas researched the dinosaurs on the Internet — and knows how to spell and pronounce every dinosaur featured in the book. Once the illustrations were submitted, the publishing company, Xlibris, added color and background to the line drawings.

“I took little bits and pieces of what he wrote,” Kline said.

Kline said the easy-to-read, colorful book would be appropriate for elementary-age students.

While social interaction is a challenge for Thomas, his dad thinks Thomas is proud of his accomplishments.

“I think he was very happy when he saw his pictures in color,” Wooldridge said.

Ben often looks out for Thomas, and his beaming smile shows the pride he has in his brother’s accomplishment.

“He took that book to school and showed it to everybody,” Ben said. “I think it’s phenomenal. Everyone’s like, ‘I can’t believe an autistic kid (contributed to) a book.’”

Both Kline and Chris Wooldridge plan to donate a portion of the profits to autism research.

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Boy Sees Santa On His Rounds

The Night I Saw Santa was featured at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. It was widely received by attendants of the event.

It’s the night before Christmas and four-year-old Ricky has his mind set on one thing: catch Santa on his rounds. A new children’s book captures the innocence and wonder of a little boy who secretly wants to see Santa Claus. Glen Rayson’s new book for children, The Night I Saw Santa, with its rhythmic prose and wonderful illustrations, is an enjoyable read to its target audience and to every adult who remembers the magical feeling Santa Claus brought to their childhood.

When Ricky and his sisters are huddled near the fire for storytelling, four-year-old Ricky can’t wait to get to bed. Ricky is determined to see Santa Claus, so he counts the hours until midnight. On the eve of Christmas when his parents and his two elder sisters are asleep, Ricky tries to stay up but fails. Late at night, he awakens to the sound of tiny bells, and when he peeks outside his window, he sees his heart’s desire. “It was he!” exclaims the little boy upon seeing the “ruddy, jolly” fellow. Santa leaves Ricky a special gift, and the following morning, everyone in his family wonders who gave it to the little boy. When his aunts and uncles and cousins arrive, Ricky tells them that the special gift came from Santa Claus himself, but no one believes him. Christmas was a special day spent playing in the snow with his sisters, cousins, and friends. That night, Ricky goes to bed with a smile on his face.

The Night I Saw Santa is a special gift for every kid, whether reader or non-reader, this Christmas. Kids will delight in hearing new words and sounds, especially the rhymes, and will love the colorful illustrations. Even adults will take pleasure in this new children’s book that reminds us of the jolly old fellow that fulfilled our fantasies and dreams during Christmas. For more information, please visit Xlibris.com or call (888) 795-4274 today.

About the Author

Glen Rayson is a physician and writer who has traveled widely in various countries as an observer and consultant. He was a four-time volunteer to country hospitals and clinics during the Vietnam War. He is now retired and writes stories, poems, and songs. Rayson is author of two recent picture books — The Night I Saw Santa and The Little Leaguer.

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Image source: Caccioppoli.com

A Colorful Lesson-Filled Picture Book Spiced Up With Numerous Literary Figures

A simple, yet poetically tended story line extracted from a previous tale starts out on a grand ranch, an animal farm. A Sheep Tale Unveiled In Color by author K. P. Palla will take us to the lesson-filled adventures and lives of Big Black Sheep and Gnarly Little Lamb.

A Sheep Tale Unveiled In Color is a fascinating condensed book that will bring us to the animal farm where the two main characters, Big Black Sheep and Gnarly Little Lamb, met and became friends. This short story tells about BB trying to teach Gnarly many lessons. As they started their adventure, they went searching for the vineyard, but they were a little lost, though they were not bothered about it. They made a good plan on how to get into the vineyard, which was surrounded by the crystal, blue river. When they made it, they enjoyed every fruit they could taste until they were so full that it became difficult to move. On the other hand, the shepherd was looking for the two lost sheep out in the farm just to bring them back for the yearly shear. After a stirring search for the two, they were found and brought back to the farm. Then, there was the dramatic twist of fate and plot that happened concerning the reward after the stressful yearly shear, which they didn’t care about. What is the yearly shear all about? How many lessons did Gnarly Little Lamb learn from Big Black Sheep? How will their story end?

This colorful book does not only contain beautiful illustrations, this is also spiced up with various literary figures, Bible quotes, and meaningful quotations that enrich the storyline and fill the story with distinctive arty elements that truly make it a very exciting read. The picture-illustrations present the story in a much more striking, attractive, and enlightening way. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

K.P. Palla is a writer, author, researcher, poet, and illustrator. For many years, worked on a farm, tending and caring for animals of all types. This experience has sparked ideas and helped her write and illustrate this book. If you have any comments, criticisms, or suggestions about this book or if you like the colorful illustration that make up this book and would like similar type illustrations such as these in your project, please contact the following email to receive information and fiduciary details. Email: kpp7kpp@yahoo.com

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Image source: Anwo.com

New book tells story of Molly Tango and friend

by Kate Czpalinski (TheRidgefieldPress.com)

It’s taken about seven years and a lot of ups and downs, but Terrie Martin published a children’s book based on an incredible friendship she watched form in a Branchville School preschool class in 1996.

My Friend Molly Comes to Preschool is the true story of two students, Molly Ann Tango and Lisa Fox, forming a bond in the classroom.

Ms. Martin worked with Molly as a paraprofessional with the school’s Special Needs Preschool program. Molly had limited mobility and was nonverbal. She was three when she came to the school. Lisa Fox was a part of the classroom’s general population and chosen to be a speech and behavior “role model” for Molly.

“I remember the moment the two girls connected,” Ms. Martin said.  “We were standing on line waiting to go home one afternoon.  Lisa stood next to Molly’s wheelchair and reached to hold Molly’s hand.  I will never forget watching their eyes meet and the smiles that were exchanged.  You could almost hear the silent words they spoke to each other.”

Ms. Martin worked with Molly for three years.

Molly died in 2003 but her life  inspired her parents and friends to start the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation — providing financial assistance and guidance to dozens of special needs children.

Molly’s life also inspired Ms. Martin to write her story — a promise she made silently at Molly’s memorial service in December 2003. She imagined the book honoring Molly by promoting acceptance among children and advocating for classrooms to “share the fun” with all students.

“Preschool is a unique time for students — they have one agenda and that’s to play,” Ms. Martin said. “They don’t have peer pressure or prejudices. It’s the perfect time for kids to connect regardless of differences.”

After she wrote the short story, Ms. Martin received enthusiastic permission from Todd and Cathy Tango and she promised that proceeds from the book would go to Molly’s foundation.

She began navigating the tricky world of self-publishing. Her family, friends and continuing education classes with Peggy Bruno were a big help in completing the hardcover book.

“I really felt like Molly was holding my hand,” Ms. Martin said, “she was saying ‘come on, let’s do this.’ She worked her magic again and again.”

Ms. Martin’s biggest challenge was finding the right kind of artist to create colorful artwork that would appeal to children.

Unexpectedly, Ms. Martin met Roxanne Lasky, owner of the Quilter’s Alley at 422 Main Street.

The two became friends as Ms. Martin started taking quilting lessons and gradually began talking about the book.

“I’ve been a watercolorist for years,” Ms. Lasky said. “I always wanted to do a children’s book and it appealed to me even more because I’ve taught classes with handicapped and special needs children.”

Ms. Lasky studied photos, took pictures of the Branchville classroom and worked tirelessly to create the more than ten illustrations in the book. She included an illustration of Ms. Martin and Molly’s other teacher, Bridget Schumacher.

Molly’s mother, Cathy Tango, couldn’t believe how well Ms. Lasky illustrated Molly in the book.

“The book is unbelievable,” Ms. Tango said. “It captures Molly perfectly.”

Ms. Lasky also made a story quilt to accompany the book, complete with beautiful colors and patches of pictures from the book.

The quilt will be auctioned off at the Molly Tango Foundation annual Mother’s Day luncheon May 8. Kits to create a replica of the story quilt are also on sale at The Quilter’s Alley.

“Without Roxanne, this book just wouldn’t come alive — it’s just words,” Ms. Martin said.

While Molly made an everlasting impression on Ms. Martin, Cathy and Todd Tango believe that Ms. Martin and teacher Bridget Schumacher played a big part in making preschool one of the happiest times in Molly’s life.

“I always thought Terrie and Molly were perfectly matched,” Ms. Tango said. “It was scary to send this helpless child who can’t talk to school — I was scared — but I believe Terrie was sent to us.”

Molly Tango Foundation director Debbie  Haughney agreed that the book is a valuable educational tool.

“It’s a very simple message and it’s about friendship,” Ms. Haughney said.

The foundation has helped about 40 families so far.

The foundation has two fundraisers each year and Ms. Haughney said the book will play a large part in helping to raise more funds that go directly to children.

My Friend Molly will be on sale during the Mother Day Luncheon and at the Orange Elephant for $20. It can also be purchased at www.APreschoolStory.com.

All proceeds will go to keeping the foundation accessible to families in need.

“We don’t require a lot of paperwork, if we have funds to meet that need we grant it,” Ms. Haughney said. “Todd and Cathy’s vision was not to have an organization without all the red tape.”

The group has provided a number of gifts from wheelchairs, ramps, bath chairs to special summer camps and visits to medical clinics.

“We’ve been able to help every family that has needed it,” Mr. Tango said. “The costs of raising a special needs child are astronomical. We help them out where we can and let them spend time loving their kids instead of worrying about bills.”

The other goal of the foundation is raising awareness and the book will help do that.

“We want to increase awareness of special needs and bring it to the forefront” Mr. Tango said. “These kids deserve the same treatment and they love the same as anyone else does. It’s about normalizing (special needs) it.”

It’s a thrill for Mr. Tango every time he sees Molly’s name out there, he said.

“It’s my way of keeping her alive and keeping her busy,” Mr. Tango said.

The Mothers Day Luncheon Friday, May 8 will be held at the Salem Golf Club at 11:30. A $50 ticket includes food, a silent auction a number of inspiring stories from those the foundation has helped.

Ms. Lasky and Ms. Martin will sign copies of the book during the event. To purchase tickets or donate to the foundation call Jean Cobelli at 894-8626.

To learn more about the foundation visit MollyTango.org or call 431-4180.

“It is my hope that whoever reads Molly’s story will have their hearts and minds opened,” Ms. Martin said.

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Learn to Embrace Each Others’ Differences

Has your child told you about a new kid in their class? Did they try to make the new kid at school feel welcome? Author Daniel Noman relives the ‘new kid’ experience as he tells a delightful tale of friendship and embracing each others’ differences in Gorble and the New Kid.

Gorble and his family live in Woeyville, a town in Bubble City, on the planet Woey. Gorble attends school with his two best friends Wibble and Cronk. When a strange looking and sounding new student arrives in Gorble’s class, he finds himself unsure of how to treat the ‘new kid’. With the guidance of his parents and some fascinating personal experiences, Gorble comes to an important realization of how to treat others.

In this engaging tale about friendship, Gorble and the New Kid will teach children that it is wrong to laugh and make fun of other people. It also imparts an essential message about how important it is to accept each others’ differences. Did Gorble finally reach out to the new kid? Read on and find out.

Gorble and the New Kid will be featured in the 2009 Beijing International Book Fair at Beijing, China in September.

About the Author

Daniel Noman is a very happy man. Within these covers, he is combining two of his greatest joys — his family and his writing. Married for twenty years and the father of seven children ages eighteen years to fourteen months (his squad of eight muses), Dan is teacher, author (Shake the World, Victory in the Valley), poet (The Snapdragon’s Dentist — coming soon), and scriptwriter (Doing Time) — writing for children, adults, and those of us in between.

Dan has a Bachelor of the Arts in Counseling Psychology, a Masters in Logistics Management (comes in handy around the house!), and is currently earning his Master of the Arts in Christian Ministry. As a former military officer of fourteen years, he has been a student in the world classroom, with all peoples, in scores of amazing cultures. Through the loving simplicity of Gorble and his friends, and the disarming playfulness of the planet Woey, he seeks to gently underscore character and highlight the sincere joys of respecting our diversity.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your children’s book!

Image source: Urbanacademy.ca

How to Write a Personalized Children’s Book

by S.M. Clark (Associatedcontent.com)

Writing a children’s book sounds like a daunting task. The truth is, writing a children’s book for children that you know, not one to be published, is easy and fun. It also makes a fabulous gift.

Children love to feel special, and they love to feel loved. There isn’t much that is more special than having a book that is all about them. Even better, a personalized children’s book helps kids feel that they are special to you. You loved them enough and thought that they were interesting enough to write a whole book about them.

The first step to writing a personalized children’s book is getting over the mental hurdles. You need to through out whatever “no, I can’t” mentality might be cluttering up your creative process. If you think you can’t, then you won’t be able to do it.

Why You Can?

The children in your life already love you. They care about you and want your acceptance, love and affection. Writing a children’s book just for them strengthens that bond.

There is no judgment and rejection. When you write a children’s book personalized for the children in your life, you are not sending it to an editor or publisher. Children are not likely to notice any small errors. They are not likely to pick apart your plot. You are almost guaranteed a fabulous response, because you have written a children’s book all about them.

How You Can?

The great thing about writing your own children’s book is that you can use your creativity. You can use any tools you like. Your story can be as imaginative as you want – kids love silly. The following tips are meant to get your creativity rolling so you can have fun with your project.

A great place to start your children’s book is your local office supply or craft store. Getting your self all set up with the basics lets you be prepared any time inspiration strikes. You may also find that it gets your creative juices flowing.

A binder cover makes a great book cover. You can get one with a soft, cloth cover like some photo albums, or you can get a regular one. Clear presentation cover sheets are also useful. They can come with tabs to fit into a binder and offer protection for much-read pages.

You will, of course, need a variety of other supplies. Have fun picking out paper, markers and anything else that strikes your fancy. If you’re not overly artistic, you can find stencils and stickers to adorn the book. Children’s books should be full of fun and color.

Once your creativity is stimulated by getting the tools you need, you’re ready to write your children’s book. Try not to pressure yourself with a deadline. If you want a book for a certain date, start well in advance. This will make it easier for you to enjoy writing your children’s book.

If you don’t have a story in mind, starting with the pictures can be very helpful. Even if you plan to do your own illustrations, using a few photographs is a good idea. Children will identify more with the story being about them when they see their own faces.

Your children’s book can be a realistic story or a fantasy tale. If your creativity stalls, use pieces of real life to get you going. Your kids can be telling the story to a friend or relative. This dialogue can be used, complete with pictures, when you need a boost.

Writing your own personalized children’s book can be a fun and rewarding experience. Kids love stories about them. Writing them their own book gives you practice at your writing and can be a great bonding experience.

Xlibris Publishing Guide - Get this free guide now and learn how you can self-publish your personalized children’s book!

Image sources: Sunnyvale.ca.gov and Craftsartsandcrafts.com

Join a Lovable Cat as She Searches for Her Favorite Toy!

From the moment Sunshine saw Mousey, she never let go. She and Mousey had many memorable moments together. But what if Mousey got lost? Will Sunshine ever find her favorite toy? Find out in Where Is Your Mousey?, a delightful picture book written by Audrey E. Simonson.

The first in a series of six books, Where Is Your Mousey? tells a fun story about a cat who lost her favorite toy. The author takes you on a rhyming photographic journey as the cat searches the house. Meant to be read aloud, both adults and children will identify with the loss of an object because they just can’t remember where they left it. Those who think they don’t like cats will be able to identify with the search; those who LOVE cats will chuckle as they see her doing what cats do best — acting like a cat.

Based on a true story witnessed by the author, Where Is Your Mousey? is an engaging tale that is both entertaining and educational. Through Sunshine, the feelings and unique personalities of pets are revealed. Parents and their kids will enjoy reading this charming story together, as will cat and pet lovers.

Where Is Your Mousey? will be featured in the 2009 Beijing International Book Fair at Beijing, China in September 2009. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.

About the Author

Audrey E. Simonson is a lover of animals, having grown up on a farm in Minnesota. Today she lives on a farm in Iowa with her husband Roger, her cat, dog and three miniature horses. With three grown children, she now has time to observe and photograph the cat, dog and other farm animals. The stories evolve out of the funny things pets do when they are just being themselves. She likes writing stories that adults will enjoy reading aloud to children.

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Image source: Sophie.weborglodge.com

Best Summer Tip for the Love of Children and Reading

by Rhonda Cratty (eXaminer.com)

There are few things you could give your children this summer that would have a greater value than the love of reading.

I would like to share a literacy practice that will enable your children to not only acquire a fun reading strategy, but also writing strategy, to help them achieve success with their “thinking” about their reading.

I am suggesting a reading journal, or diary, in which you share with your child a book you are reading together. The journal can be something you purchase together with the idea you are both are going to write about what you are reading, or a gift left on your child’s pillow the first time with a note that you have written, a note about the book you read that night.

Children benefit from writing about the world in which they live, and that includes what their parents are reading, and doing in daily life. There is a strong connection between writing and reading. When children write about what they read they make connections to the meaning of the text and what they are writing, they are thinking deeper about what they are reading, thus improving comprehension of what they read, see, hear, understand and write.

One night after you read pick up a pencil and journal and write a note to your child about the book you are reading, “I remember when my teacher read this book to the class. Everyone wanted to read it when the teacher finished sharing the story. Does that happen in your class, too?” The trick to this is your child can’t “tell” you he/she must write back. Make a special spot for the journal and pencil to live that is easily accessible to both of you. It might be as simple as when you have written back to your child, you place the journal on their pillow, when they have written to you they put it on your pillow. You can talk about an article or comic from the newspaper or an interesting magazine that you place with the journal. Ask questions about what you read. Talk about new words. For new readers play word games such as “I Spy.” When reading a book about colors write “I spy a word on page 3 that names a color. Can you find it?” Keep it simple; A few sentences. You are not writing a book report, you are sharing ideas about what you read. Your child can not be wrong about their opinions about what they are reading. Maybe they truly do not want to read any more books that dogs die at the end. Allow them the flexibility to communicate to you their true feelings about what they are reading, even if you don’t agree. Try to keep this very positive, this would not be the place to remind your child to clean their room. This would be a great place to encourage their efforts in both reading and writing.

If you, as their parents, value reading and writing, your children will come to value reading and writing. The efforts you make as a parent, to instill a love for reading in your children will result in lifelong enrichment. Open a book; sharpen a pencil and write your child a love note about a book you are enjoying together. I promise your words will last longer in your child’s mind, then all your long summer days.

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