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Found another doodle from an evening at WOMAD. I think they are howling along to something or other.

I'm working on my novel, fixing up bad sentences, knitting some bits of psychology into early scenes that should help with later ones. Clearing up character motivations, checking reasons and reactions, tidying up weird metaphors. It's slow but satisfying work.

We went to ALDI today, a small island of familiarity on this side of the world, and bought things to cook. It's expensive to eat out here, but I am really enjoying our evening outings after the sun has gone down. There is live music and loads of great places to sit and eat and drink and plan and talk.

I keep thinking of things I want to do when I get back to London - sit in the British Library and write, buy some treats from Borough Market, make a big salad in my own kitchen. Then again I feel like I don't want to go back, but move somewhere more pleasant. Somewhere the houses aren't surprised when it gets cold every winter. Somewhere with more space to go around... pretty much every time I travel to a different city the higher ceilings give me slight vertigo, and I start to calculate how many bedsits each house could be broken up into, and who could afford to live there.

But London is where I live. I'll travel back to London in a few days, and see my friends, make some books, eat some salad, complain about the rent and the weather and public transport, and it will be good to be home.

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We are coming soon. We really are.  We were supposed to be here for Valentines Day but that would have been a bit obvious, a bit predictable, you know, with us being lovebirds and all. AJ is just doing a little more tweaking and then we'll be ready to be introduced to you - properly. Catch you later.

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Every day I go out my back door, down the walkway to my studio.

It is still winter around these parts, even though severe cold appears to be behind us.  In Colorado we KNOW that we could still get 3 feet of snow! .. all the way into April.

Still, in my mind I have been planting flowers now. This flower bed that looks so bare, will be full of plants in around 12 weeks!  The grass will be green even before that!  I am so excited!  I love Spring!  I love when the birds get back from their vacation down south!  The woodpecker is already pounding on our chimney and I just smile!  Its all signs of Spring!   Soon I will be working in my studio with my door and windows open.  I am READY!!!

Filed under: The Great Outdoors!

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Not too long ago I was sitting in the audience listening to a distinguished writer talk about her craft when she segued into “What Not to Do!”  Then I saw her pick up one of my books.

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5 Stars

Song for Papa Crow

Marit Menzin

Schiffer Publishing

No. Pages: 32      Ages: 4 to 8
………………

From  inside jacket:  Little Crow loves to sing, and Papa Crow loves his song. But when Little Crow shares his crow songs with the other birds at the big old tree, they laugh and scatter. Maybe the Amazing Mockingbird can teach him to sing songs with the finches, flycatchers, and cardinals—and help him make some friends. But Little Crow should be careful what he wishes for . . .

Using Mockingbird’s tip, Little Crow becomes the most popular bird on the block. But, in a moment of danger, he learns that singing someone else’s song can have terrible consequences and that his own voice—and his father’s love—is of the greatest value.

Little Crow so desperately wants a friend he will do most anything to get one, even if that means fitting in to the point of losing his own identity. When he begins to sing like the other birds, he is welcomed, becomes part of the group. What Little Crow does not realize is the cost one incurs when making a major change to fit in with the crowd.

For Little Crow, singing the other bird’s songs to fit in and have friends could cost him his life when a hawk appears overhead. Little Crow is in danger and sings out, Papa Crow does not understand it is his son singing out—he no longer recognizes Little Crow’s singing.

Little Crow said, “Per-CHIC-o-ree!”—Heelllllp!

“Poor Finch,” said Papa Crow.

Little Crow sings out, “Fee-beeee!”—Help me!

“Poor Phoebe Flycatcher!” said Papa Crow.

Like Little Crow, kids do not like being different, they want to fit in with the crowd and be accepted. Those that do not dress as the others dress, speak as the others speak, or act as the other act are often shunned and ridiculed by those that do meld into one. But the group looks, speech, and actions often do not have room for individuality, originality, or creativity. That can be hard for a kid to understand when all they want to do is fit in, have friends, and not be teased.

Little Crow had lost his identity.  His Papa no longer connected Little Crow’s singing to Little Crow. In a time of need, Papa Crow could not reach out. As a social worker, I love these types of books. Kids need to know it is okay to be themselves; to act, speak, dress like themselves and not anyone else. Fitting in with the crowd is not always the best idea. I have seen smart kids trade their intelligence to fit in and lose much more than they ever gained. Kids who are different for any reason will lose what may be the best part of themselves simply to fit in.

I like Song for Papa Crow because it can open up a dialogue between parent and kids. The story can help kids understand that fitting in may not always be the best thing to do.

The illustrations, also created by the author, are beautiful collages. There are many birds, depicted in their wonderfully layered shades of color, on every page. On Papa Crow’s head, the feathers are short and look soft. The feathers making up his tail are long and smooth. You can see the strength in the hawk and the sudden fear in Little Crow.

In addition to a good story about preserving one’s identity, there is a short primer on North American birds. I really like this book.  Song for Papa Crow is a beautiful book, with thick pages for the younger kids, interesting bird facts, and a good story that can teach kids to stay true to themselves.

Teachers, school social workers, and others who regularly work with kids will find this book immensely helpful. Parents can use the story to open a dialogue about fitting in and being true to one’s self. Kids will like the illustrations of the birds and can use the book as a guide to the birds in their neighborhood.

Song for Papa Crow is a good story for any time or reason. For collectors, the illustrations are beautiful and this is the first complete book by now author and illustrator Marit Menzin.

Song for Papa Crow

Author/Illustrator: Marit Menzin    website   
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing    website
Release Date: July 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4131-1
Number of Pages: 32
Ages: 4 to 8
Grades: Pre-K to 2
..........................

Filed under: 5stars, Children's Books, Debut Author, Favorites, Library Donated Books Tagged: being yourswelf, birds, child psychology, children's books, cliques, crows, danger, hawks, identitiy, in-crowd, little crow, North American birds, papa crow, relationships, school, singing

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At last.

Pink Bird’s power involves exploding into a gust of floating bubbles. As pink things do.

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Interview: Joanna Marple on uTales.

Darshana Shah Khiani‘s interview on her Children’s Book Review site, “Flowering Minds”, with new children’s picture book author, Joanna Marple, is revealing on lots lof levels.

Joanna and Darshana met on children’s writer and illustrator FaceBook site, 12 x 12 , a very lively, supportive, share and learn community set up by Julie Hedlund. When Joanna released her very first picture book, a collaboration with the very talented Maja Sereda, Darshana jumped in with the interview offer.

“Snow Games” is a fun tumble and rumpus in winter’s wonderland aimed at 3 to 7 year olds. Maja’s wonderfully endearing little animal characterisations beautifully complement the story.

Joanna  shares what it was like to collaborate with Maja to create “Snow Games”. Close collaboration between author  and illustrator is a circumstance largely [and sadly] foreign to most traditional print publishing. For Joanna and Maja it was a fun and very rewarding experince. But the interview goes beyond the creation of  ”Snow Games”. It also details Joanna’s experience of the uTales website and her thoughts on traditional and digital publishing.

Joanna mentions my collaboration with noted animal and wildlife illustrator, Muza Ulasowski, a story about surviving change, “The Sea Cat Dreams”. Muza was one of many wonderful illustrators I met on the uTales Facebook group and have since worked with to create a varied range of children’s books.

I have found the opportunity to collaborate with illustrators something eminently rewarding, an experience that  enriches both participants and results in a more vibrant and much richer work. My first picture book, “Mending Lucille” was also a result of a collaboration. Working with the amazing Sarah Davis was inspirational! I have gone on to collaborate closely with illustrators all over the world to create numbers of other picture books, some digitally published**, some in process with p

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*Picture book for preschoolers through 2nd graders
*Sweet, little chickadees as main characters
*Rating: Chickadees At Night is a super cute picture book, where author Bill O. Smith wonders what those little, secretive chickadees are doing. I love the creativity and illustrations, too!

Short, short summary:

Bill O. Smith asks “Where do chickadees go at night?” He goes on with a beautiful and cute poem that answers this question–wondering: “Do they climb to the clouds? Do they scrub in the showers?” He wonders if they play, such as using a spider web as a chickadee trampoline, or maybe they play hide and seek? (BY the way, there is a full two-page illustration with no words, where children can search for the chickadees playing hide and seek! So cute!) The book goes on asking questions about what chickadees do–some of them are personification if you are looking for good examples of this literary technique. Smith wonders what they do in different seasons, too. At the end of the book, he includes “Chickadee Nuggets,” which are several true facts about chickadees that answer many of the questions raised during the rest of the book. Kids will LOVE this book–my daughter LOVES birds and ADORES books, so this is a perfect combination for her.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Why not do a KWL chart with this book? What do children know about chickadees before you begin reading this book? What do they wonder? What did they learn when you finished?

2. Assign one fact to each child in your class (or at home, let children choose which facts they want to do). Students should copy the fact and illustrate it. Bind these into your own class book or hang them on the wall for a display. For further research or older kids, let them research a different species of birds, such as cardinals, and compare/contrast cardinals and chickadees.

3. Let children answer the question: “What do chickadees do at night?” themselves–either before or after reading Bill O. Smith’s ideas. Encourage them to be as creative as possible!

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“Refresh” is the word prompt for Illustration Friday this week. I drew a quick one. It’s a good time of year to watch birds doing a little sun bathing, yes? Playing/sitting/standing in/sitting next to/etc. water is always refreshing to me.

 

Illustration Friday got a face lift this week! (It looks great, Penelope!) Check it out–along with all the other creative entries. And don’t forget to enter an illustration yourself. It’s fun!

 

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I was thinking of Tiepolo when I painted this. I love the freshness of his brushwork.

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Enslow Publishers, Inc. has a new series titled, All About Nature.  There are 6 titles in the series, and they're available in paperback and hardcover.

• Can You Find These Bugs?
• Can You Find These Butterflies?
• Can You Find These Flowers?
• Can You Find These Rocks?
• Can You Find These Seashells?
• Can You Find These Trees?

Living near the beach, I was immediately taken by Can You Find These Seashells?, and planned to review it, but I couldn't justify taking it home for the weekend.  I knew that if I put it on display, it would make its way home with a local child.  It did, as did Can You Find These Flowers?  So, I'm left with my 2nd favorite of the bunch, Can You Find These Birds?

Bredeson, Carmen and Lindsey Cousins. 2012. Can You Find These Birds? Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow.

Table of Contents

Regardless of where one lives in the country, it's probable that at least several of these beautifully photographed birds will look familiar - House Sparrow, Robin, Cardinal and Crow are just a few of the nine featured birds.  A photograph of each bird is on the left side, with a simple, one page "chapter," on the facing page,

Barn Swallow
These birds zip through the air.
They catch bugs while they fly.
Barn swallows have long tails.
Their tails look like the letter V.

Downy Woodpecker 2 page spread

That's it!  Short and simple - all that a young one needs to know. 

Each concludes with "Read More," "Web Sites," "Index," as well as the book's Guided Reading Level and word count.

I don't think these are the perfect books for sharing with a large group, but I would definitely have wanted them at home when my children were small. At approximately 7"x 6", these simple nonfiction books are perfect for little hands and invite backyard and neighborhood discovery.

This series should inspire budding naturalists (and their parents!) to get outside and discover.
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Yes, I know it’s not Easter, but I have two lovely egg themed books that deserve to be read NOW, not only in 9 months time so please go and scrabble in the back of your kitchen cupboards to find that secret stash of chocolate I won’t tell anyone about, break off a piece and enjoy whilst I tell about these two egg-tastic picture books.

Croc and Bird by Alexis Deacon explores how very different two friends can be (so different they come from quite separate species), and yet, how they can still be the best of friends if they listen to their own hearts, and are not forced into conformity by others. If you like, it’s a reworking of the themes explored in Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, but this time with a crocodile instead of a bat.

It asks questions about who your family is. Can long lasting ties only be based on shared customs and cultures, or can friendship and love transcend such differences?

Deacon’s illustrations have a magical and somewhat mysterious air about them; indeed they reminded me of William Blake‘s paintings. Unlike Deacon’s earlier Beegu, the characters in this book are not so cute. The young bird is as ugly as they come – and this too says something about friendship and brotherly love.

Croc and Bird is not a sugary, all sweetness-and-light picture book. I think its themes and images are somewhat more challenging and thought provoking than you’ll find in many books on the kids’ bestseller list, but its is not without humour and it’s certainly full of hope.

The Fishing Trip by Béatrice Rodriguez (sold in the US under a different title – Fox and Hen Together) is also about cross-species friendship, this time between a chicken and a fox.

In this wordless story Chicken entrusts the care of her Egg to Fox (it is clear they have set up home together), whilst Chicken goes off to bring food home for them all. The fishing trip referred to in the title turns out to be a rather hair-raising, risky experience, but

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During a walk by the water yesterday, I stopped to watch the various birds search for their evening grub. A tall, slim heron, was idling along in the shallow waters on his own, while nearby were ducks and gulls in pairs or groups. And the ducks and gulls were often intermingled with each other. So I imagined what the plight of this heron would be if he were to join in.  He would certainly have some struggles to interact, as he towered at least a foot above the other birds. And so I figured it might be a lonely experience, to be in the midst of a group where you towered over everyone else.

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