My book bags have been overflowing! Here are two more great choices.
I'll start with my favorite topic - you guessed it - baseball!
Abrahams, Peter. 2011.
Quacky Baseball. Ill. by Frank Morrison. New York: Harper.
It's Thumby Duckling's first start for the Webbies, and they're playing rival duck team, the Quackers. Put on your best play-by-play voice for this one,
Been a long day at the ball field. Top of the ninth. Two on, two out for the Quackers. The Webbies need an out! Here comes the pitch, and ... it's a long drive to right! Can Thumby duckling get there? Thumby makes the catch! Out number three. How about that!
Line score boxes help the baseball fan follow the action. Insets offer batting tips,
Watch the ball like a hawk- even though hawks don't play baseball.
Colorful, rough-edged artwork by Frank Morrison adds a wonderful ruggedness to the game. I will definitely be sharing this one in my baseball storytime!
Look inside Quacky Baseball.Now we go from the baseball diamond to the square.
Hall, Michael. 2011.
Perfect Square. New York: Greenwillow.
What happened when a perfectly happy perfect square was
cut into pieces and poked full of holes (?)
It made itself into a fountain that babbled and giggled and clapped.
Each day of the week, the perfect square is crumpled, ripped, shredded and snipped; and each day it transforms itself into something wonderful. Bursting with color, this is a perfect book to teach colors or days of the week. It's also a wonderful jumping off point for an imaginative craft. What can
you make with a square?
Look inside Perfect Square
Author and educator Kathy Stemke writes fun, educational books for children. Her titles include Moving Through All Seven Days, Trouble on Earth Day, and Sh, Sh, Sh, Will the Baby Sleep? She's also the author of the Wonderful Water Explorers series. In addition, she's a regular contributor to Helium and Associated Content. For more information about her work and her books, visit her website.
Thanks for the interview, Kathy. Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes, I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I write poetry for self-expression. I’m working on a book of poems about life from a dancer’s point of view. Here’s an example:
An Empty Stage
Coiled torso frozen on an empty stage,
a living sculpture trapped in place
with no gown of tulle to hide her age
only weeping knees below her waist.
Framed in light, her insides groan
with pent up passion poised for release,
she now waits long and alone
for rhythm to carry her to peace.
But I remember her unencumbered
prance, so light for one held down
by unfulfilled dreams remembered,
floating above her tattered gown.
Tell us about your children's books.
My first book, Moving Through All Seven Days, was an outgrowth of a blog post. This book inspires movement as children learn about the days of the week. The lyrical rhymes also teach them how to spell each day! The activities at the end of the book are designed to reinforce the concepts as well as give impetus to movement exploration.
I plan to write a series of picture books with environmental themes. Trouble on Earth Day is almost ready to be released. This is a fun and educational story about a Squirrel who helps a new friend while learning to recycle. This book is full of great recycling ideas, craft projects, and worksheet pages.
I recently completed the second book in this series titled, Wonderful Water Explorers. This book opens up conversation about water preservation with a story of a thirsty bluebird named Charlie, who has lost his ability to sing due to a lack of water. When he meets up with his squirrel friend, Shelby, they set out on an adventure to find fresh drinking water and to bring back singing to the forest.
Guardian Angel Publishers will publish my book titled Sh, Sh, Sh, Will the Baby Sleep? In this action packed story a boy named Zachary must keep his new baby sister asleep. In the process he finds out that he loves her very much. This book and the activities included in the back focus on teaching children about consonant blends. Teachers will love it.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on my third book of the environmental series, which is about air pollution, as well as a picture book about dancing wood fairies.
I’ve also started my first YA fantasy novel. Although I’m still fleshing out my characters and plot, I’m very excited about this story.
What type of book promotion works for you? Any special strategies you’d like to share?
Because my books have teacher activities in them, I belong to several teacher groups online. This is a great way to keep in touch with what teachers are looking for in t
Thanks for the wonderful interview Mayra.