The word of the day is JOYFUL...
I dare you to journal daily as to what you are joyful for and watch the negativity in your life wash away.
To add to it even though I’m sure you have heard of this idea before, but here goes anyway… take a jar and create a colorful label with “What I’m Joyful For” and for one year on a daily basis write one joyful statement on a piece of paper, fold it up and place it in the jar. Come New Year’s Eve shake out the joyful statement and enjoy reading about your year of abundance.
To begin, what I’m joyful for. My husband, my husband’s brilliant doctors, my daughters, our health, our home, our extended family, our friends, our jobs, our finances to pay the bills, etc.
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE <![endif]-->
Looking forward to hearing about what you are joyful for! Thanks for visiting!
Be sure to visit fellow
A-Z Challenge 2016 participants!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDineMulti Award-winning Children's Author
Ignite curiosity in your child through reading!Connect with
Donna McDine on Google+Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters ~ December 2015 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2016 Story Monster Approved
A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2014 Purple Dragonfly 1st Place Picture Books 6+, Story Monster Approved, Beach Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
Powder Monkey ~ May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Historical Fiction 1st Place, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Honorable Mention Picture Books 6+, New England Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist
Yak and Gnu
Written by Juliette MacIver
Illustrated by Cat Chapman
Candlewick Press 6/09/2015
978-0-7636-7561-5
32 pages Age 4—8
“Yak and Gnu are friends dear and true. Yak has a kayak, Gnu a canoe. Down the river they go, singing:
“No one else
But you and me
Can float a boat
Or sail the sea.”
But wait! What’s that? A goat in a boat, a calf on a raft, and a whole flotilla of gorillas! Now their song is all wrong. With so many other friends afloat, can Yak and Gnu still sing their sea song for two?” [inside jacket]
Review
Best friends Yak and Gnu love to sail the seas. Yak rows a black kayak, while Gnu rows a blue canoe. Together, they row and sing their favorite song. But then, much to Yak and Gnu’s surprise, a goat in a boat yells hello. Yak and Gnu are no longer the only two who sail the seas. The happy-go-lucky pair of friends—best of friends—recover nicely, rationalizing that with the goat in a boat, Yak in his kayak, and Gnu in her canoe, there are only three who can sail the seas. They adjust their song:
“Yippee-ai, Yak!
Who-hoo, Gnu!
There’s nobody else
Like me and you.
(Well, only goat.)”
But then, there on a raft is a laughing calf and in that sail boat is a snail. What is going on? Yak and Gnu find more and more animals who can sail the seas, be it in a sailboat, a raft, an outrigger, cruiser, kayak, or canoe. Each new discovery causes Yak and Gnu to reevaluate and adjust their song. Finally, with the seas afloat with dozens and dozens of sea-worthy animals and their vessels, Yak and Gnu must come to terms with the fact that they are not the only ones who can sail the seas. But what about their wonderful song? What happens to that? You must read Yak and Gnu to find out.
Yak and Gnu is hilarious. Young children will love all the animals and the way each sails the seas. Along with Yak and Gnu, children can count the number of animals, helping Yak and Gnu adjust their song. The repetitive song will also help young children as they begin to read and phonetically sound out words. Soon, kids will be singing the song, without the book. More likely, kids will be asking for Yak and Gnu at bedtime, story-time, and most every-time it is time to read. The illustrations are beautifully rendered in watercolor and ink. The rhyming text has that sing-song quality that makes reading a picture book a joy. Yak and Gnu was authored by Juliette MacIver who loves to make young children laugh. Her previous book is entitled, The Frog Who Lost His Underpants (also illustrated by Cat Chapman). That title makes me want to read the book. Yak and Gnu is no different. This hilarious tale celebrates the simple friendships of childhood and the joy of laughter.
.
YAK AND GNU. Text copyright © 2015 by Juliette MacIver. Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Cat Chapman. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, Australia.
Purchase Yak and Gnu at Amazon—Book Depository—Walker Books—Candlewick Press.
Learn more about Yak and Gnu HERE.
Classroom Ideas can be found HERE.
Meet the author, Juliette MacIver, at her website: http://www.juliettemaciverauthor.com/
Meet the illustrator, Cat Chapman, at her website: http://catchapman.tumblr.com/
Find more picture books at the Candlewick Press website: http://www.candlewick.com/
Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved
Full Disclosure: Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, by Juliette MacIver & Cat Chapman, and received from Candlewick Press and Walker Books, Australia, is in exchange NOT for a positive review, but for an HONEST review. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Filed under:
5stars,
Children's Books,
Favorites,
Library Donated Books,
Picture Book Tagged:
animals,
Candlewick Press,
Cat Chapman,
counting,
friendships,
hilarious,
joyful,
Juliette MacIver,
rhyming story,
singing,
Walker Books-Australia,
Yak and Gnu 
THANK YOU!
Thank you!
Thankyouthankyouthankyou to everyone for the kind wishes and congratulations sent about yesterday's big, honking, life-altering news. I am still breaking out in random giggles. I have also watched the video of the nomination announcements about a dozen times to make sure this is all real. Not only is it real, but he said my name right. How cool is that?
And congratulations to my fellow finalists: Kathi Appelt, Judy Blundell, E. Lockhart, and Tim Tharp!
Now I have four days to pack for the tour, make sure all my bills and stuff are taken care of, take Mom to the doctor's, unpack the suitcase because I am sure I have not packed properly, repack the suitcase, order the books of my fellow nominees (such a luxury to HAVE to read books!), figure out how to tote my projector across the country, pause every now and then to breathe into a brown paper bag, and oh yes -
- the hardest thing -
I have to find a dress.
This does not sound like a big deal, right? People, well, mostly women, buy dresses all the time. Some women, like Sarah Dessen, actually enjoy shopping for dresses. The OfficeMouse views shopping as a relaxation technique.
You have no earthly idea. The mall gives me hives. I would rather have root canal than step foot in a dressing room.
It's not that I am opposed to the theory of a dress, not at all. Back in 1999, I actually found a dress that I liked (and if worse comes to worse, I will be wearing it again!) albeit after many shopping trips and after being locked in the dressing room by a friend who refused to let me leave the mall until we found something.
The dress makers of the world don't think of me when they design their offerings. I'm tall, for one thing. My shoulders are broad enough to make me a passable middle linebacker (most of my shirts are men's mediums), I have ungodly long arms, and despite my mother's best efforts, I am not ladylike.
I need a dress that won't rip a seam if I hug someone, won't malfunction if I jump up and down, (here's the tricky part) actually fits me, and is comfortable.
And since I'm dreaming, I want it to have pockets, too. And if it could be made of sweatshirt material, that would be just peachy.
I have four days.
