Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Someone once said that we must never forget the lessons and events of our past or we are doomed to repeat them.  Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. I’ve recently read some powerful and disturbing books about this horrific time in human history.  Share these stories with your children and discuss the tough things that are represented in them.  We must NEVER forget what happens when the warped ideals and beliefs of ONE PERSON go unchecked, unquestioned, and become the law of the lawless land.

NIGHT by Elie Wiesel

ROSE UNDER FIRE by Elizabeth Wein

DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank

MY MOTHER’S SECRET by J L Witterick

Tell the world.

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How to See More Rainbows by Marilyn Ostermiller

Would you like to see more rainbows? You must be in the right place at the right time.

It’s not just a matter of luck when we look into the sky on a rainy day and spot a glorious arc. The sun has to be shining behind you and rain or mist or spray must be in front of you. That’s when you are in the perfect spot to enjoy one.

Rainbows occur when sunlight and rain combine in a very specific way. When a beam of sunlight travels toward Earth, the light is white. But, if the light beam happens to hit raindrops at a certain angle on the way down, the different colors that make up the beam separate so that we can see them as a rainbow.

The angle for each color of a rainbow is different, because the colors slow down at different speeds when they enter the raindrop. The light exits the raindrop in one color, depending on the angle it came in, so we see only one color coming from each raindrop. Light at different angles coming through many raindrops form the rainbow that we see.

The spectrum of colors is always in the same order with red at the top, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. (ROY G BIV is an easy way to remember the order)

April, with its famous showers, is a good time to be on the alert for rainbows. But if Mother Nature doesn’t provide one when you are in the mood, you can create a miniature one for yourself with a garden hose. Meteorologist Joe Rao suggests you simply stand with your back to the sun and adjust the hose to a fine spray. Rainbows can also be seen against the spray of a waterfall.

There are even ways to use water, mirrors and windows to form rainbows in the house. For instructions, visit www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rainbow

Rainbows are the subject of several children’s picture books including nonfiction books that explain the science behind the beauty and fictional story books. 

Among them:

— Ready-to-Read Level One Rainbow. Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer teaches beginning readers about rainbows in this one. It is illustrated by John Wallace.

— A Rainbow of My Own, by Don Freeman. A small boy imagines what it would be like to have his own rainbow to play with.

Marilyn Ostermiller is a long-time business journalist who now writes for children. You can follow her on Twitter @Marilyn_Suzanne.

 

 

 

Shiela Fuller Takes you on: A NIGHT HIKE FOR THE ELUSIVE SPOTTED SALAMANDER

If you live in the eastern part of the United States and have access to vernal ponds, you might want to go on a night hunt in search of the spotted salamander.

Get out your flashlight and put on your wading boots because the area around vernal ponds can sometimes be muddy. The absolute best time to find the spotted salamander is after a rainfall just as winter is becoming spring, mid-March through mid-April. This is a very small window of opportunity to find one, as these hibernating amphibians will wake up and march in great numbers in search of the closest vernal pond. It is here that a new generation of salamander eggs are laid.

As larvae, the spotted salamander is dull green in color. It will lie low in the vernal pond under debris.   They will live in the vernal pool breathing with the use of gills for up to 4 months. If the vernal pond should go dry before the salamanders reach the juvenile stage, they will not survive.   If they reach adulthood, the spotted salamander dons a black body with irregular yellowish-orange spots and black vertical costal lines arising from a grey underbelly.  It has a wide snout, perfect for tunneling and burrowing, and gives it the name “mole salamander”.

These salamanders prefer the privacy of the vernal pond to a body of steady open water, like a pond or stream, because there would be a higher number of predators to eat the eggs and larvae. After a few months of living and growing in the pond, the spotted salamander will leave the pond, spending the bulk of its life in a burrow in a deciduous forest. Then the salamanders will emerge once a year and relocate to the vernal pond where it will lay its eggs and begin the cycle over again.

After the salamanders become adults, they prowl for food at night making them nocturnal hunters.   Using their sticky tongue, they eat anything small enough to swallow like worms, crickets, spiders, and slugs.

A an adult, the spotted salamander hides in its burrow below the leaf litter, can separate itself from its tail, and excrete a poisonous substance from glands around its neck, all in an effort to protect itself from predators.  Akin to other salamanders they also have the ability to regenerate or grow new body parts if it becomes injured.

The spotted salamander is not a threatened species but they are susceptible to environmental threats such as the destruction of wetlands or acid rain and the actions of humans.

If you haven’t found a spotted salamander in its natural setting on your own, perhaps a trip to the Sally Rally will increase your knowledge and appreciation of amphibians. The Promised Land State Park in Pennsylvania has organized walks to admire the spotted salamander.  The time to go is now.

Spotted Salamander taken by Kristen Fuller

http://events.dcnr.pa.gov/promised_land_state_park#.WO5NZYWcHIU

http://www.paherps.com/herps/salamanders/

http://srelherp.uga.edu/salamanders/ambmac.htm

http://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/VernalPool_Salamanders.aspx

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/spotted-salamander/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_salamander

https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Amphibians-Reptiles-and-Fish/Spotted-Salamander.aspx

 

Johanna Staton, Me, Shiela Fuller at one of the NJSCBWI events.

Shiela Fuller has been a Cornell University Project Feeder Watch participant for many years and an avid birder since 1988. Currently, she enjoys writing picture books, yoga, chicken raising, wildlife photography, and is the legacy keeper for her family.

 

Linda Kelley Gets Crafty.

I came across crafter LINDA KELLEY’s site and found lots of projects perfect for family fun.  Here is a sample of some spring time crafts you and your kids can do at home, thanks to Linda’s great instructions.

Where Creativity and Imagination Creates Wonderful Ideas for Your Home!

Hi! My name is Linda Kelley..Welcome to my site!!!    

I started this site because I love to DIY, and I love sharing my ideas with others.

I love creating new ideas. And now that I am happily retired, I have lots more time to create them! Whether its crafts for decorating my home, or up cycling items I find at garage sales, thrift stores, and even on the curb, and turning them into something wonderful.

Most of my projects are of my own creation…if I should find a project that I want to try, I usually try to tweak it, either in design or cost. I always look for a way to decrease cost!

 

https://kelleysdiy.com/2017/02/26/bunny-pot/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2017/03/02/springtime-bottle/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2016/09/28/rock-turtle/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2016/10/04/fairy-light-jar-4/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2017/01/06/slime/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2016/09/28/baby-shower-mobile/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2016/10/03/mariahs-butterfly-mobile/

https://kelleysdiy.com/2017/01/06/squishies/

 

Connie Colon Presents: School Rules!

Connie T. Colón is a Children’s Author in the Apollo Beach, Florida area. On April 3, 2017, Connie will release Principal Kidd through Foundations Books, LLC, a traditional publishing company. School Rules! is Connie’s first children’s book and Book 1 in the Principal Kidd series for children ages 7-11.

Connie T. Colón is a graduate of Syracuse University and former advertising executive, Connie has a degree in art but now also paints with her words.

“When I read about Michael Sessions, who had become mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan at 18, while still in high  school — I thought that concept would be fun for a kids story. (And yes, I used to be a fan of the show Doogie Howser MD!) This concept began as a proposal for a kids animated TV series, complete with a pilot episode written — but I was advised to start with a book series.”

Connie had the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with award winning author, Jerry Spinelli at the Highlights Workshop in Chautauqua. An active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Connie had served as a Committee Member for the NJ Chapter. She has sold over 60 articles and over 100 photos to publications including Highlights, Fun For Kidz, AppleSeeds, and Faces. Her ongoing feature “Dear Tommy” had run in Faces magazine for over seven years. Connie occasionally teaches magazine writing workshops at SCBWI events and loves to visit schools. She is working on several manuscripts for humorous chapter book series based on her television animation concepts.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014953950396

https://twitter.com/ConnieTColon

https://www.instagram.com/connietcolon/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/connie-travisano-colon-17120a47

http://www.conniecolon.com

http://www.FoundationsBooks.net

SCHOOL RULES! (Book #1)  A children’s book for ages 7-11

Eleven-year-old whiz, Oliver Kidd, had no trouble using his genius IQ to skip grades and zoom through the accelerated college program. But after landing a job as the world’s first kid principal back at his old elementary school, Oliver faces sabotage from the jealous vice principal, Mr. Dagger, along with challenges of a kid in charge of the teachers, parents, and students. Good thing his trusty sidekick and school mascot, Chelsea the chicken, is on his side. Principal Kidd scores points with the students with his new rules, until the town health inspector shows up and threatens to shut the doors on Eggshell Elementary. Join in on the giggles and mayhem as Oliver Kidd and his friends since kindergarten try to save Eggshell Elementary. (Just watch your step, you may encounter chicken poop!)

Here is the link for the book trailer :

https://youtu.be/DJnpnJ6DtPU

 

RAINY DAY FUN

Source: RAINY DAY FUN

RAINY DAY FUN

To get the kids away from TV and video games when you’re stuck indoors due to bad weather, try some old fashioned fun. BUILD A FORT: Throw a sheet over the table and you have an instant hide-out. A backpack or shopping bag can hold all the survival items such as a flashlight, paper and crayons, books, snacks, bottled water, camera. Eat camping food like hotdogs and beans, and help your child toast marshmallows on the flame of the gas stove. Bring in a sleeping bag or blanket and pillow and it becomes a sleepover they’ll talk about for days afterwards.

Try some different table activities to while away the time. Color, draw, and make silly “creatures” out of paper, Popsicle sticks and whatever scraps are available. Put On A Show, using these creations as puppets.  Or, let the stuffed toys become puppets in a show. Sing, dance and tell silly jokes, just like they did in the days of Vaudeville.

Make Your Own Play Dough: Here are two variations – one of which is edible!

PLAY DOUGH – Let your child help measure and mix: 1 C flour, 1 C water, 1 T. veg. oil, ½ C salt, 1 tsp. Cream of Tartar, food coloring.

– Cook over med. Heat until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and looks like dough.

– Knead until cool. Store in airtight container.

Or try this recipe for Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough

-1 18-oz. jar creamy peanut butter, 6 table spoons of honey, 3/4 cup non-fat dry milk.

– Mix all the ingredients together, using varying amounts of dry milk for desired consistency. Kids also like to add other foods like M&M’s, raisins, or peanuts for facial features, etc.

You can get more ideas for rainy day edibles from this awesome website: http://www.makeplaydough.com

ENJOY AND HAPPY RAINY DAY!  What are YOUR favorite activities for a rainy day?

Book Giveaway: Matylda, Bright & Tender by Holly McGhee

Holly’s writing journey is such am amazing one I had to share it with you.

Writing and Illustrating

Congratulations to author Holly McGhee on her new book MATYLDA,BRIGHT & TENDER, published by Candlewick Press. They have agreed to participate in our book giveaways. All you have to do to get in the running is to leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know the other things you did to share the good news, so I can put in the right amount of tickets in my basket for you. Check back to discover the winner.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In a courageous debut novel, Holly M. McGhee explores the loss that shakes one girl’s world — and the unexpected consequences of the things we do for love.

Sussy and Guy are best friends, fourth-graders who share their silliest thoughts and deepest hopes. One afternoon, the two of them decide they must have something of…

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KidLit Authors Club Visits Marlton, NJ.

On Saturday, April 1, 2017, I had the pleasure of sharing the afternoon with fellow KidLit Authors Club Authors, Charlotte Bennardo, Colleen Kosinski, Nancy Viau, and Laurie Wallmark at the Teacher Appreciation Event held at the Barnes & Noble in Marlton, NJ.  We held a Truths and Lies Panel, challenging the audience to guess if statements about writing and  publishing were true or false.  We spent time afterwards signing books and visiting with students and teachers who stopped by.

It is always a pleasure to spend time with KidLit Authors.