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Metinseven.com wishes you Happy Holidays and a pleasant 2015!

Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora

On her way to her Abuela Rose’s house, Carmelita greets her neighbors and learns how they say hello in their different languages.  Carmelita’s dog Manny is happy to greet everyone with a friendly “Woof” that translates easily into every language.  The book is set in a diverse urban neighborhood filled with friendly faces in a variety of skin tones.  How do you say hello in your family or neighborhood?

Isadora has again created a book for very young readers that is inviting and fresh.  The urban setting is depicted as colorful and friendly, something that young readers may not see in many picture books.  Isadora includes just enough text to keep the story moving with most of the book focusing on the various greetings in each language.  Her illustrations are done in cut-paper collage.  They have an interesting mix of painted papers and printed ones that come together in a dynamic way.  Signature Isadora style!

Recommended for toddler story times, this book will work well with young children who will be eager to repeat the unfamiliar greetings and to share those from their homes as well.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Putnam.

In the first lesson we covered how to say “Hello, how are you?” and “What is your name?” in German. In this lesson we will look at possible answers to general questions. Phrases in brackets are the pronunciation of the adjacent word. NOTE: In German you may come across an awkward character (ß) it may look like the letter B but actually represents a double s. But this character is now only used in special circumstances. For the sake of this lesson we will use ss instead of ß so you don’t get confused.

The most simple of answers are “Yes” and “No”. Which in German are “Ja” (Ya) and “Nein” (nine).

Out loud or in your head say “Yes” and then “Ja”. Repeat this three times. Do the same with “No” and “Nein”.

If your not sure how to answer something I suggest three phrases. “Maybe” - “Vielleicht” (vee-liked), “I don’t know.” - “Ich weiss nicht.” (Ick vise nickt) or “I don’t understand.” - “Ich vestehe nicht.” (Ick ver-shter-hir nickt). Now these are slightly harder phrases to learn if you are not yet familiar with German. Start by revising “Maybe” and “Vielleicht” over in your head.

It should become clear by looking at the other two phrases that “Ich” means “I”. Also you might have been able to tell that “nicht” is “not”. We have “I do not know.” and “I do not understand”. In German, however, they literally say “I know not.” or “I understand not.”. Once you know “Ich” and “nicht” these phrases should become easier to learn.

All you have to learn now is “weiss” and “vestehe”. “Weiss” meaning “know” and “vestehe” meaning “understand”. Write these words down if this is hard to memorise and use this to revise at various points during the day.

Remember to try and practice these phrases with a partner for more practical learning. Thank-you for reading my article and hopefully you can catch the next lesson.

This was wrapped around a packet of chocolate dipped peanut brittle pieces (very yummy yes) ... It wasn't until I'd started the drawing that I realized it was in the shape of a heart :) I liked the idea that it was twisted, tangled and knotted into that shape. Love, after all, embraces all imperfections, right?

Didn't have enough time to put in as much detail as I normally would, but I'm content enough with the result as it is. At least the plumber and electrician have stopped the continuous bashing at my walls and I can think once again. And enjoy the glorious sun-filled, almost warm days that we are having after a stretch of constant cold, gray rainy ones.

Twisted Twine Heart Card at Zazzle

I love gift boxes and lovely wrappings. When I was younger I was the designated family gift-wrapper. I suspect that it was more because the rest were far too lazy to do it than any particularly excellent skills on my part, but I loved the whole wrapping process ... Apparently I also drove the family nuts as I would also takes AGES to unwrap my own gifts. Didn't want to spoil the gorgeous papers so I'd take the sticky tape (sellotape to some of you out there) off slooooowly and precisely. heh.

I'm still flooded by too many things to do at the moment! What with getting everything ready for the new home (a never-ending process it seems) and an exciting new project which I'm working on with strict deadlines ... I've been ignoring my daily drawings, online stores and visits to the artists on the net :( So I decided to take some time off today and post a quick drawing I did yesterday, AND pop over to some of your sites for inspiration. See you there!!

Christmas Gift card at Zazzle

Help save the Bornean Sun Bear! All proceeds from any sales of products with this design on them will be donated to the setting up and funding of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) at Sepilok, East Malaysia, where sun bears rescued from captivity will be housed and cared for in natural enclosures before being released, wherever possible, back into the wild. For more information please go to http://sunbears.wildlifedirect.org.

This drawing took me far longer than any one preceding it. Probably because it is to go up for auction, which made me extremely nervous ... the original photograph by Siew Te Wong is up at http://sunbears.wildlifedirect.org/page/2/.

I'm exhausted. It's been a long and chaotic couple of months and I now have to get down to organising myself and getting back to normal. Whatever 'normal' may be :)

Sun Bear Cub Card and products up at Zazzle.

Temptation is difficult to resist, especially when I'm tempted by such attractive morsels like the macaroons above, so brightly coloured and scrumptious looking. Fortunately I find them far too sweet for my taste and am happy to admire the way they look, draw them and leave them for others to enjoy.

I'm finally moved into my new quarters and hope that in a few months this will become my permanent home. Fingers crossed. In the meantime I am so loving being here and the settling down process is being helped along by the presence of a good friend, good food and beautiful surroundings. It's taken time away from blogging, commenting, getting inspired visiting other sites and, most important, drawing! But I refuse to get stressed over it as I know that soon enough it will be winter and I will have tons of time to concentrate on art and work.

Macaroons Card at zazzle

Ahh, the first Poetry Friday of National Poetry Month is here (and Kelly has collected the links here!). I hope you're joining in the poetic fray. As for me, I offer up A Single Wish for you all.


A SINGLE WISH
by
Gregory K.

If you could have a single wish
And you knew that your wish would come true...
Would you use it for riches,
Or wish for more wishes,
Or cures for diseases you knew?

Well, I was given a single wish,
And I knew what I wanted, oh, please!
Now either I mumbled...
Or the wish-granter stumbled...
But anyone want some whirled peas?



(I'm posting an original poem-a-day through April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and there are lots of others, because poetry is NOT just for April) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".)