Yesterday was Read Across America Day and the day schools celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday… and I had such a fabulous day! I had the opportunity to visit Mineral Springs Elementary School and share Being Frank with Pre-K through 2nd grade students! Big thanks to Jerry Ethridge for the pics below! Filed under: writing for children […]
Hi folks! I am giving away a copy of Being Frank on June 14th! Here are the rules for the giveaway: 1. In the comments section below, share a time when you were too honest for your own good OR when someone was too honest with you (keep it family friendly!) 2. Share this post …
By: flashlightblog,
on 12/30/2012
A Goodreads review of Being Frank by Suzan Rodgers:
“As a 31 year veteran teaching grades 1-5, I find this book to be a “top-notch” teaching tool full of teachable moments whether used in the classroom or with your own children. To begin with a “picture walk” for interactive read-aloud, the vivid illustrations are quickly engaging making the reader eager to begin the book. There is a rich vocabulary and many literary elements of story that make this book an excellent teaching tool for “mini-lessons” for Readers Workshop such as character analysis, plot (was there a problem/solution),making predictions using context clues, along with making inferences and connections to what they already know. Young readers will then be able to use their meta-cognitive strategies to focus on one of the most difficult literary elements for young readers – author’s purpose. The author used Frank to “teach a lesson”. Upon analyzing what the lesson was, young readers are able to “read between the lines” and add this to their background knowledge. Drawing upon my personal experience as a teacher, young readers would be so eager “to act out” this book for Reader’s Theatre. The author of this book is to be commended for the use of the many literary elements used to teach and enhance literacy for young readers !!! This is a “must-have”!!!”
By: Tara Lazar,
on 10/25/2012
IT is almost here! *SQUEE!*
And since you are reading this post… you probably already know what IT is!
IT just happens to be the most fabulicious, wondermous, funkaperfect challenge this side of Gallifrey!
IT is…
Picture Book Idea Month! (aka PiBoIdMo)
Thirty ideas in thirty days wrapped in unlimited potential!
And did I mention there are prizes, too?
So why, oh why, am I stuffing myself full of gluten and chocolate?
BECAUSE….
Right now, all I have is:
I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place!
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my action plan for PiBoIdMo. And though some of my thinking has been helpful… much of it has been less than positive. Here’s a preview of my sordid thoughts:
How in the world will I come up with 30 different picture book ideas in 30 days and still manage to maintain any reasonable semblance of sanity? AAAHHHH!
How will I get all my homeschool stuffs done?
And what about my endless mound of dirty clothes?
Then there’s that whole clothing and feeding the munchkins gig.
And I definitely, positively have to diffuse the Dustbunny uprising happening in my living room.
But the question I should be asking is this:
How am I going to get rid of this stinky thinkin’ and get back to creative thinkin’??
Well…
Pooh Bear had his Thinking Spot.
Henry David Thoreau had Walden Pond.
Doctor Who has the TARDIS.
And I…
I have the shower.
That’s right folks. The shower is where I often go for:
It’s the one place no one follows me—especially if I’ve missed a shower the day before. (Don’t judge me. I have three kids… it happens.)
Matter of fact, the shower is where the idea for BEING FRANK was born! (Seriously. It was!)
So instead of staring at an empty page with twitching eyes and a blank expression throughout the month of November, I’m gonna do this:
Some of the ideas might be the definition of brilliant…
and some might make me yell, “Why in the world did I think that would work?”
But I WILL STILL HAVE 30 NEW IDEAS!!
Yeah, baby! I like this plan!
Visiting my “thinking spot” for 30 days in a row will afford me the chance to do more thinkin’… and less stinkin’. I want my thinkin’ to smell more like a mountainside full of flowers and less like fertilizer.
So is your stinky thinkin’ clouding your vision for PiBoIdMo? What’s your plan for getting rid of it? Whatever it is, get busy! You have 30 ideas waiting to bloom and break down those walls!
“The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks.” ~Tennessee Williams
When Donna isn’t homeschooling or battling the laundry, she’s writing children’s stories, poetry, songs, an mysteries. You might find her fishing the Pee Dee River, hiking in the mountains with her family, or visiting her hometown of Cordova, NC. She lives in Concord, NC, and BEING FRANK is her first picture book. You can find BEING FRANK in B&N, on Amazon, Books-a-million and in most independent bookstores. For more information and reviews, check out Flashlight Press’s website.
HI folks! I have some news concerning Being Frank! 1. Want a free copy of BEING FRANK? Head over to Carol Baldwin’s blog, read the interview and follow her instructions to be entered in the giveaway! http://carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/being-frank-and-giveaway-1.html 2. My first booksigning is THIS Saturday, September 22 at Park Road Books in Charlotte (starting at 11:30am). We’ll [...]
I try.
Great post by the way.
Donna,
Barefoot and surrounded by kids. It doesn’t get much better than this. Congratulations on a great Dr. Seuss Day. Thanks for sharing.
yeah, I liked that barefoot picture too! I know those kids had at least as much fun as you did!
Whoo-hoo! I can tell you had a blast. I’m so happy for Frank’s success and yours.
Jean