Two Winners For Copies of Nancy Churnin’s New PB’S.

Last month I featured the two most recent PB released by author NANCY CHURNIN. Today I am thrilled to announce the winners of signed copies of those books.

Danielle Dufayet wins a copy of BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BROWN: THE ART OF LAURA WHEELER WARING.

Jane Healy is the winner of a copy of FOR SPACIOUS SKIES.

Congratulations! to Danielle and Jane and thanks to all who commented. Please send me your address so I can let Nancy know where to send the books.

Author/Illustrator Timothy Young Presents: MAC AND THE MILLSTONE OF TIME + A Chance to Win a Copy

As a fan and writer of historical fiction for kids I was intrigued by author Timothy Young’s newest book MAC AND THE MILLSTONE OF TIME (Schiffer Kids).

Here is my review for this book based on historical fact:

MAC AND THE MILLSTONE OF TIME is an illustrated chapter book. An engaging and kid-friendly tale of Mac – a brave mouse who lives at Wye Mill on the eastern shore of Maryland. After falling into a millstone hole, Mac begins a time travel adventure through the history of the mill and the eastern shore area. He experiences all the changes that have occurred since the mill was built in 1682, while trying to find his way back home.

Each chapter includes a sidebar that sums up the history of Maryland’s eastern shore region as well as information on what took place there in history. A clever and entertaining way to tell a true story of the Wye grist mill that is still in operation today. Perfect for early elementary school readers.

I asked Tim how the story came about:

1. Where did the idea for MAC AND THE MILLSTONE OF TIME originate from?

A couple of years ago a local friend emailed me about how the Friends of the Wye Mill were looking for an author to write a children’s book about the Wye Mill, the oldest operating grist mill in America. I agreed to meet with them and talk about their needs. They were looking for someone to expand on an idea that someone who worked at the Mill. I explained that I wasn’t really the kind of author who wrote about local history but I would think about it and get back to them. I gave them some advice about the publishing industry and different ways to go about making their book.

2. How did you decide to tell the history of Wye Mill from the POV of a mouse named Mac?

The story idea that they wanted to expand on was about a mouse named Mac who lived at the Mill. I was a very basic outline for a picture book. It was cute but not the kind of story I would write. I had a tour of the Mill after the meeting. Outside of the mill are two old millstones on display. A thought occurred to me that one of these could be the original millstone from when the mill was built in 1682. The millstone has a hole in the middle of it and I thought, what if Mac went through that hole and was transported back in time? What would he see and how would he get home? The story started falling out of my brain. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

3. A chapter book is a departure from your usual picture books. What was it like to write a longer story? Tell us your process for this book.

I soon realized this was not a picture book. The idea of Mac going in and out of the hole and landing in different periods of time would definitely need to be a chapter book. I proposed this to the board and they liked my idea and I started to work on the book.

One thing I really enjoyed in writing about time travel was setting up little hints in the beginning of the book that become much more important as the story unfolds. I hope the readers enjoy getting to those later chapters and making the connections.

Happily, my publisher Schiffer Kids liked the outline I sent them and they agreed to publish the book. I am splitting the royalties with the Friends of the Wye Mill to support their educational programs.

4. What would you like young readers to know about the story? What is the message from the book?

When I set out to write Mac’s story I did not want it to be a book about a local place for a local audience. I wanted to write an exciting adventure that any reader anywhere would enjoy. When the reader realizes the Wye Mill is a real place in Maryland on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, that’s a bonus. Readers will learn some history about the mill and events in Maryland and the United States while they are enjoying the story but it’s mostly about Mac trying to find his way back to his time and his family.

5. Anything else you’d like us to know?

I’m excited to have my first chapter book published. Over the years of working on writing and illustrating picture books I’ve worked on a few chapter book ideas but never felt that I was to author to finish them. I’m currently taking another look at them and, who knows, I might actually finish them now.

I have a signed copy of MAC AND THE MILLSTONE  that I will give to one lucky reader who leaves a comment at the end of this post. One winner will be drawn at random from all who enter. USA only, please.

Timothy Young
https://creaturesandcharacters.com

facebook.com/timothy.young.author
instagram.com/timothyyoungauthor

This Earth Day: Celebrate the Longevity and Endurance of Ancient Trees.

I am currently reading a fascinating book that describes the longest living trees found in the USA. These natural wonders are amazing to read about and even more amazing to encounter in the wild.

IN SEARCH OF THE OLD ONES by Anthony D. Fredericks talks about the redwoods, the sequoias, bald cypress, and the quaking aspen trees that have been here since indigenous people roamed the continent. Trees that have survived earthquakes, floods, fires, tornadoes, and other disasters both natural and man-made.

The quaking aspen in Fish Lake, Utah is a single tree – PANDO – that spans 106 acres – the equivalent of 60 pro soccer fields – and has been alive for 8-12,000 years!! It was around before the invention of the wheel. Before clay pots were developed. Before the birth of Christ. It is the largest living organism on earth.

What may look like a forest of aspen trees to anyone who observes them, is really a forest of vertical roots from the main tree. One tree…rooted in the ground atop a mountain nearly two miles above sea level. Talk about survival!  

Here is a link to a short video that explains the Pando Clone Aspen:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/fishlake/home/?cid=STELPRDB5393641

The second largest living organism on earth also happens to be a tree. In Sequoia National Park in California, the General Sherman weighs in at 1,385 tons – the equivalent weight of 213 African Elephants.  At a height of 274.9 feet, it towers over the other trees surrounding it, all giants of their own. It sprouted about the same time Julius Caesar was born and is estimated to be between 2,100 and 2,200 years old. 

For more about this amazing specimen of longevity and survival visit:

https://www.bing.com/search?form=MOZLBR&pc=MOZI&q=the+general+sherman+sequoia+tree

   Why am I sharing these facts about ancient trees? First of all because they are amazing!! For organisms to live that long despite all the things that have come and gone in the centuries of their existence, they have stayed rooted. Not only standing still, but spreading their roots far and wide. Reaching up. Reaching out. What amazing stories they hold beneath their trunks! Stories of persistence. Stories of perseverance. Stories of triumph over adversity. 

 

Being rooted in one place does not mean being stagnant. It does not mean we no longer grow or change. It means we have a solid foundation to tap into. To spread out from. To taste and touch the world around us in search of what lies within our surroundings and beyond. We can learn a lot from these ancient ones.

 

Without trees our planet would not be the same. We need trees – especially the ancient ones – now more than ever. Trees provide the oxygen we need to breathe. They purify the air and reduce contaminants. They absorb carbon. They provide shade and shelter.They are habitats for a variety of creatures.

 

The list goes on. The next time you’re out in a forested area, take a moment to appreciate the beauty, endurance, and wonder of a tree.  Maybe even give one a hug. They are pretty amazing!

 

 HAPPY EARTH DAY!

And the Book Giveaway Winners Are..

I’ve featured some amazing books so far in April and we are only half way through the month!  Here are the lucky winners for three of the books featured.

A copy of LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu goes to Angie Quantrell

Laura Roettiger is the winner of AND THEN, BOOM by Lisa Fipps

A signed copy of WHO’S WRITING THIS STORY by Robin Newman (illustrated by Deborah Zemke) goes to Ellen Leventhal.

Please send me your addresses so I can get your books to you. Thanks to all who commented about these amazing books. Please show your author appreciation by leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads. It’s the best way to say thanks and to spread the word about great books for kids.

Author Karen Greenwald Presents: THE MUD ANGELS + A Chance to Win an AMA Zoom Visit

Today I am thrilled to have a chance to share a wonderful non fiction picture historical book from author Karen Greenwald (illustrated by Olga Lee).

I had a chance to ask Karen about this story centered on the 1966 flood that engulfed the city of Florence and nearly destroyed it’s museum and library treasures.

How did you discover this amazing story?

I wanted a topic featuring a STEAM theme mixed with cultural issues and international
cooperation. I mentioned this to my cp/college roommate. She asked if I had ever heard about the
Arno flood of 1966. Surprisingly, I had not—but after reading a brief amount, it felt like this
story was almost waiting for me.

What was the research process like for a story set in the 1960’s in another country?

Well, unlike in my first book (A VOTE FOR SUSANNA, THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR), I had the opportunity to interview a wide range of people in both the United States and Italy who had experienced it first-hand. This was my personal favorite part of my research process for this book. I formed beautiful friendships with many of the people I reached out to (another aspect I love about doing non-fiction research). Thanks to conversations and content from librarians, conservators, and people who experienced the flood as children, and my extensive interviews and interactions with true Mud Angels—the research almost felt multi-sensory…though, I’m so glad that I did not smell the mud! Everyone said it was unforgettably bad!

The illustrations are wonderful! Did you have any input into how the pictures were going to tell part of the MUD ANGELS story?

Olga Lee is so talented! I am incredibly grateful she was chosen to illustrate this book! I did  have some input concerning image content and details. I also submitted 15 “contact sheets” of pictures taken in Florence both during and after the flood. I know illustrators do their own research, but I had additional images not locatable elsewhere.

What surprised you most during the writing?

I chose to write this story lyrically because it just felt thematically correct. It is my favorite way to write and the way in which I formulate content. I don’t know that there was a surprise in the process—more like a comfort. I just felt engaged in “the moment” for the entire duration of writing the manuscript. The editing process felt almost like trimming a topiary!

What do you want readers to know and remember from this remarkable story of kindness and cooperation?

First, thank you so much for your support of it and for the phrasing of your question! I want
children and the adults who read with them to think about the power and promise of youth—how young people can change the world for the better. In the darkness of the basement, on the staircase leading out of the mud pit, in the streets filled with rubble, and in the homes and public spaces that had no running water, heat, or electricity, people found ways to work together peacefully. Again, young people showed heroism, kindness, selflessness, and the ability to unite and work together for a common good.

Any other thoughts or comments?

I think this book also points out something important but scary. We are living in an era where the number of floods is greatly increasing each year. I hope people will learn more about ways to protect our environment.

Karen is giving away a  20 min AMA Zoom visit to one lucky reader of this post. Just leave a comment below and one person’s name will be drawn at random and announced later this month.

www.karengreenwald.com  

PB: A VOTE FOR SUSANNA, THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR (Albert Whitman)Library of Congress: Great Reads from Great Places 2022Library of Congress: National Book Festival 20222022 Kansas Notable BookA Mighty Girl: 2021 BOOKS OF THE YEARWe Have Kids: The 20 Best Children’s Narrative Nonfiction Books About Women (2023)PB: THE MUD ANGELS: HOW STUDENTS SAVED THE CITY OF FLORENCE (2024)Winner, Gold international SCA Award Winner, Platinum international MEA Award 2023YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@karenmgreenwald

Another Poem For National Poetry Month

What would you do if you caught a fish that actually granted wishes? Would you wish for wealth? Fame? Power?

Or, would your wish be something more urgent? Something that might change life in unseen ways?

Jack, the hero of WISHES DARES, AND HOW TO STAND UP TO A BULLY (Creston) wants to make a wish to bring his POW dad home from war. But, after making a practice wish with his friend Jill – a wish that went terribly wrong – he’s afraid of what might happen if the wish is not worded exactly right. Here are his thoughts:      

FLAG
After supper Pops watches the
evening news with Walter Cronkite.
Mostly I tune it out. Who wants to
listen to bad things happening
everywhere?

Tonight he tells about some soldiers
who have come home from
the war. I look up at the TV,
hoping to see Dad
or maybe other kids’ dads,
hugging their families.

What I see instead are
coffins,
each one draped in a
flag, the US flag.
Just like when President Kennedy
died. His coffin was
in a parade
up and down the
streets of Washington, wrapped in a flag.

People saluting
staring
crying.

Dead soldiers coming home
is the worst thing you can see
on TV when your own Dad
might
could
maybe come home in a box wearing a flag.

The worst outcome for a wish to
bring him home.
I wish — far away from a listening fish —
I wish I knew
what to do.

WHO’S WRITING THIS STORY?! by Robin Newman

When my twin sister and I were in grade school, my twin was always (and I mean ALWAYS) cast in the better roles. One year she played Snow White. I was the wicked queen. The next year, she played Cinderella. Wanna guess who I played? Yup! The wicked step-mother. I suppose some might see a theme emerging from all of this. One might even get a complex. Or, one might see opportunity. Opportunity to be the best wicked queen and step-mother there is. Playing the antagonist gave me the opportunity to reflect on a character’s range. After all, no character is all good or bad.

So dear readers, you won’t be surprised to learn that I’ve always had a soft spot for meta stories and fractured fairy tales. I love turning stories inside and out. And in my latest book, WHO’S WRITING THIS STORY?!, illustrated by the incredible Deborah Zemke (Creston Books), the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf are unhappy with a writer’s retelling of their story. After all, who knows the story best? The characters or the writer? And of course, if the characters are going to tell the writer where the story is going, they’re naturally going to share their thoughts on everything—from the setting and plot, to the conflict and story’s resolution. Would you expect anything less?

WHO’S WRITING THIS STORY?! hits bookshelves on May 7^th and is currently available for pre-order from Books of Wonder. If you order from Books of Wonder, you will receive a lovely personalized copy and some super cool swag.

https://booksofwonder.com/products/9781954354296

Robin is giving away a signed copy of this fun fractured tale to one lucky reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment. One name will be drawn at random and announced later this month. USA only please.

About Robin:

Raised in New York and Paris, Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, bears, and peacocks. Author of the award-winning Wilcox & Griswold Mystery Series, she’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, National Writing Project’s Writers Council, Bank Street Writers Lab, and PEN America, CYAB. Robin lives in New York, with her husband, son, and two spoiled spaniels. To learn more, please visit www.robinnewmanbooks.com.

You can also find Robin on:

X: @robinnewmanbook
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RobinNewmanBooks/339179099505049

Instagram: @robinnewmanbooks

https://youtu.be/2kXww-tGQSo

In Celebration of National Poetry Month: A Poem From My Verse Novel

April is National Poetry Month. So in honor of that, I am featuring some poems throughout the month from my middle grade novel in verse WISHES, DARES, AND HOW TO STAND UP TO A BULLY. (Creston)

Today, the main character JACK ponders what it means to be bullied, and pushed to your limit.

PUSH
Things you push:
buttons
doorbells
snowballs
swings
a wagon, which you can also pull.

Most of the things you push
move, give way a little,
loosen up with the pushing.

When one kid tries
to push another with
hands or words,
a kid can
move
give in
or stand tall
and refuse to take a push as the
final answer.

When Cody tries to push,
I figure the best thing for me to do
is take root, stay put
because sometimes
it takes more than a
push
to make something or someone,
to make me,
move.

Foundational Reading Routines By Kendra Bell

I-Do, We-Do, You-Do

Foundational Reading Routines

 

Get ready for a KEY reading strategy you already do every day without realizing it. You’ve done this while teaching your child how to talk, walk, and play. But often teaching reading can feel less than natural. So let’s bring this strategy into a new light as you open a book together.

Drumroll… it’s the Gradual Release Method, or in other words “I-Do, We-Do, You-Do.”

You can apply this strategy to any aspect of reading, whether your child is learning the ABCs for the first time or grappling with their first big novel. Below are pictures of our process in learning the letter B. (Click on the pictures for the slide show.)

 

Becoming aware of this process can make you more confident in teaching your child to read. It’s important to do the steps in order.

 

*If your child gets stuck and isn’t becoming more independent, it means you jumped to the next step too soon. Return to the previous step until they are showing progress, and then move forward. This is a gradual process that may be quick for some things, like learning a new letter, and slower for others, like reading a paragraph with expression or fluency.

If you’re still curious how to apply this to your reading situation, comment below! I’d love to brainstorm some ideas with you.

Cheers to smarter readers and more confident parents!   

-Kendra

 

MG Book Reviews and Giveaways: LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu + AND THEN BOOM by Lisa Fipps

I read a lot of middle grade because I also write in that genre. There are always some wonderful books each year that rise above the rest that deserve to be recognized. Here are two that I’ve recently read that are both written in verse. Both feature boy main characters, both have a grandmother role model and support person, and both deal with hunger, in very different ways.

LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu

This is a story that will break your heart then mend it and fill it with hope as 13-year-old Jake struggles to regain health and self-esteem from an eating disorder. The spare and honest verse cuts right to the raw emotion that will leave you gasping, panting, weeping, and raw. You will cheer Jake on as he fights to regain health and healing from the inside out, finding the voice of his heart that is louder than hunger. Three cheers for Jake, John Schu and all the lives that will be changed and saved by this remarkable and powerful story of courage and belief in oneself. This book should be in every classroom and library.

AND THEN, BOOM! By Lisa Fipps       

There’s more than one kind of hunger in this unflinching and brutally honest story of despair, heartbreak, determination, and hope. Told in a free verse format, you feel Joe’s pain and fear. It places the reader right in the middle of his struggles to live his life and feel safe, loved, and cared for. You will cry. You will laugh. You will get angry. Joe’s story will change you, like all the best stories do.  Another 5 star winner from Lisa Fipps.

I am giving away one copy of each of these remarkable books. To enter, leave a comment and I will draw two names at random giving one book to one winner and the other to a second winner. USA only please.

Fooling Around With Pranks and Tricks on April Fool’s Day by Marilyn Ostermiller

You can get into the spirit of April Fool’s Day next week by trying a few of these tricks, jokes, and pranks, presented by Marilyn Ostermiller. There are some books with ideas for the day as well. Here’s Marilyn:

April Fool’s Day has been celebrated internationally on April 1, since the Middle Ages. That’s when France switched to the Gregorian calendar, which reset New Year’s  Day to January 1.

Some folks kept the tradition of celebrating the new year on April 1. They became the butt of jokes and were called April Fools, according to History.com.

The custom of April Fool’s Day spread to Scotland and England, with sending people on imaginary errands and pranks such as posting a “kick me” sign on someone’s derrière.

The tradition continues. 

It’s such fun to tickle a child’s funny bone, and be rewarded by their laughter. The following video introduces some family friendly pranks.

50 Hilarious April Fools Pranks For Kids (2024)

Comedy is subjective, especially when children are the intended audience. Knock knock jokes are particularly popular with younger kids because they are presented in a formula that’s easy to remember. For example:

Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
You.
You who?
Yoo-hoo! Anybody home?

Childcare provider KinderCare suggests this trick to start the day off with a giggle. The night before, set a bowl with your child’s favorite cereal and milk in the freezer. Before they sit down to breakfast, add enough milk to cover the top of the cereal and milk mixture. Then wait for their reaction when their spoon bounces off the cereal mixture.

Older children can empty the sugar bowl, fill it with salt; then wait expectantly to see their parents take that first sip of coffee or tea at the breakfast table.

Another food-related trick requires sandwich cookies. Twist the top and bottom apart, scrap off the filling, and add your own. White toothpaste or mayonnaise are simple substitutes. Then pass around a plate of the “adjusted” cookies, sit back and watch the reactions. You might even want to have a camera handy.

Or, remove the batteries from the television remote control. Then sit back to watch what happens when someone tries to watch their favorite show!

Among the children’s book that explore April Fool’s Day activities:

Meet April, written and illustrated by April Martin, introduces children to the stories behind April Fools Day pranks. It also acquaints them with other traditions and activities throughout the month, including Earth day. 

APRIL FOOL! WATCH OUT AT SCHOOL by Diane DeGroot, tells youngsters what tricks they may encounter in their classrooms. Video versions are available online as well.

APRIL FOOLISHNESS written by Theresa Bateman and illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott is a picture book for ages 4 to 8 focused on family and fun.  

And if you’re looking for some great jokes to share with your friends or to make up some of your own, take a look at this book by author TERESA JULIAN.

  Marilyn Ostermiller is a professional journalist who also writes for children.