tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28270461953884277172024-03-08T03:16:37.975-06:00Read, Learn, and be HappyJane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-82973876606261651042022-11-10T12:30:00.000-06:002022-11-10T12:30:05.255-06:00Celebrate November with Traci Sorell's Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/t/62fd4c440a8be16d9cb5a470/1660767301875/Traci+Sorell+Author+Photo+-+Credit+Cody+Hammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/t/62fd4c440a8be16d9cb5a470/1660767301875/Traci+Sorell+Author+Photo+-+Credit+Cody+Hammer.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(photo by <span style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kelly Downs Photography)</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Native American Heritage Month, National Children's Book Week, AND Veteran's Day all occur right now--and Thanksgiving is coming up. I am happy to know and introduce you to <a href="https://www.tracisorell.com/about" target="_blank">Traci Sorell</a>, an author whose books cover all of those celebrations!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I was so taken with Traci's first published and multi-award-winning picture book, <i><a href="https://www.tracisorell.com/we-are-grateful-otsaliheliga" target="_blank">We Are Grateful</a>, </i>illustrated by <span style="background-color: white; color: #2e1a12; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><a href="https://franelessac.com/" target="_blank">Frané Lessac</a>, </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">that I blogged about it <a href="http://readlearnandbehappy.blogspot.com/2018/11/we-are-grateful.html" target="_blank">here</a> when it came out in 2018. It's now available as an audiobook, too. Somehow we began corresponding and hoped to meet someday. It finally happened this year at the <a href="https://prairieplay.org/" target="_blank">Children's Museum</a> in Brookings! We had time for a quick selfie between her sessions of presenting to school kids lucky enough to attend.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53fC9Mfn07TKEQe5redCjipfuwO50GOIsEhenXOYrJxvqX7bDkQSaUKucUSYIJAQpFONeeQNWNL0WvHeKZlXgTkFjUDBNUKR0CGcqWGp9912QBfNPCZFVeXAw9udo6XTQwkEnEIB4qBRqYcUzCN--ttNqtKKPBVUezwr28Trv-a3jxy1ILjjWoZsu/s1280/book%20fest%20misc%20002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53fC9Mfn07TKEQe5redCjipfuwO50GOIsEhenXOYrJxvqX7bDkQSaUKucUSYIJAQpFONeeQNWNL0WvHeKZlXgTkFjUDBNUKR0CGcqWGp9912QBfNPCZFVeXAw9udo6XTQwkEnEIB4qBRqYcUzCN--ttNqtKKPBVUezwr28Trv-a3jxy1ILjjWoZsu/w150-h200/book%20fest%20misc%20002.JPG" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkatzKE-vWg0SsB51WOYICEDVKkySdDHzlSXQf3wUeZfxQ0sdm9QhwU0tLrQjQAzEYuc3yAF3tAw6umgH2QJqDG9aT24LKc_lyufIM5C_aQV5o8x1-KyyrnXnghUSMTVHYEAwIXb76Lo_1V87sNF6O1zqcyWoyuFMi87ro6jmbabeAN-11CV0w4iK/s1006/book%20fest%20misc%20008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="886" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkatzKE-vWg0SsB51WOYICEDVKkySdDHzlSXQf3wUeZfxQ0sdm9QhwU0tLrQjQAzEYuc3yAF3tAw6umgH2QJqDG9aT24LKc_lyufIM5C_aQV5o8x1-KyyrnXnghUSMTVHYEAwIXb76Lo_1V87sNF6O1zqcyWoyuFMi87ro6jmbabeAN-11CV0w4iK/w176-h200/book%20fest%20misc%20008.JPG" width="176" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The kids and I got to hear about her latest books, including <i><a href="https://www.tracisorell.com/powwow-day" target="_blank">Powwow Day</a>, </i>illustrated by <a href="https://www.madelyngoodnight.com/" target="_blank">Madelyn Goodnight</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1628619655010-W8XT0G6JC4DYWLBHUNC1/Powwow+Day+by+Traci+Sorell.jpeg?format=750w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1628619655010-W8XT0G6JC4DYWLBHUNC1/Powwow+Day+by+Traci+Sorell.jpeg?format=750w" width="399" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As River and her family travel to the powwow, she is not well enough to dance this year. Seeing her sister and her friend dance while she sits on the sidelines makes River sad. Will she dance again? The book takes readers through the powwow experience from the Grand Entry drums and singing to the prayers to the various dances. Goodheart's soft palette and accurate illustrations bring the scenes to life and give motion to the dancers. Back matter gives more detail about different aspects of powwows, including the fact that everyone is welcome. Sources are included for further learning.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1645650360033-N919FGXK8M357CGGWJIY/We+Are+Still+Here.jpg?format=500w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="500" height="592" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1645650360033-N919FGXK8M357CGGWJIY/We+Are+Still+Here.jpg?format=500w" width="500" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The subtitle of <i><a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1645650360033-N919FGXK8M357CGGWJIY/We+Are+Still+Here.jpg?format=500w" target="_blank">We Are Still Here!</a></i> explains the book in a nutshell: <i>Native American Truths Everyone Should Know. </i>This non-fiction picture book, illustrated by the same artist as <i>We Are Grateful</i>, has won Honor awards for the Siebert Informational Book Award and the American Indian Youth Literature Award. The audiobook was selected as an ALA Notable Children's Recording. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In this book fictional students present facts to their classmates and families for their Indigenous People's Day Project. While the students and project are fictional, each spread gives brief bulleted facts about a topic concerning Native Americans in the United States, followed by the refrain, "We are still here!" For example, one timely topic is the Indian Child Welfare & Education Act, now before the U.S. Supreme Court. Other topics include relocation, allotment, religious freedom, and language revival. A timeline at the back helps readers understand the sequence of events. Back matter also includes a glossary, sources, and an author's note. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The "More Information" section summarizes each topic and gives context to the illustrations. Illustrator Lessac based her illustrations on actual people, places, and events to help readers visualize the content. She brings the topics together in a joyful final spread that shows the students at their topic tables on Presentation Night. Diverse families mill about, learning what the students have discovered. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This book is easy to read and comprehend about things often not taught or covered by media. This book belongs in every public and school library.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1645650187706-IKLUGYUCHT2KSGFUKIG5/at+the+mountain's+base.jpg?format=500w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59f23df09f8dce7578c71128/1645650187706-IKLUGYUCHT2KSGFUKIG5/at+the+mountain's+base.jpg?format=500w" width="338" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Traci and illustrator <a href="https://www.weshoyot.com/" target="_blank">Weshoyot Alvitre</a> honor veterans and their families with <i><a href="https://www.tracisorell.com/at-the-mountains-base" target="_blank">At the Mountain's Base.</a> </i>This multi-award winning book begins with a Native grandmother in her cabin at the base of a mountain. She weaves, and with her family, she worries, sings, and prays, awaiting her military pilot granddaughter's safe return home. Military families from all cultures will understand the concern, and those of us not from military families will gain new understanding. The poetic text and drawings full of warmth and longing show us the many threads of Native family life and family life in general. A special note about a special Oglala Lakota veteran, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ola_Mildred_Rexroat" target="_blank">Ola Mildred "Millie" Rexroat</a>, the only Native to serve in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP): Her service photo was the reference for Alvitre's drawing of the pilot granddaughter. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Traci has many other books available now and coming soon! Visit her website for more information:<a href=" https://www.tracisorell.com/" target="_blank"> https://www.tracisorell.com/</a>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><br /></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-43380330522775486942022-10-21T10:53:00.000-05:002022-10-21T10:53:52.224-05:00Time for Costumes: Dressing Up the Stars<p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fe470c_42b8aed552cf4cf48f205212326ba7be~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_239,h_190,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Dressing-Up-The-Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="239" height="318" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fe470c_42b8aed552cf4cf48f205212326ba7be~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_239,h_190,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Dressing-Up-The-Stars.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>This time of year, you & your family may be thinking about what your costumes will be for Halloween festivities. Some of you have changed your minds several times already! It's a fun time of year, yet there are people whose profession it is to create costumes year 'round for cinema and theater.</p><p>I was elated to win <i>Dressing Up the Stars, </i>written by <a href="https://www.jeanneharvey.com/" target="_blank">Jeanne Walker Harvey </a>and illustrated by <a href="https://www.diana-toledano.com/" target="_blank">Diana Toledano</a> in an online raffle. This new picture book tells how Edith Head, winner of 8 Oscars for Best Costume, got started. </p><p>We find out that Edith's life began far from Hollywood's glamour. She grew up in mining camps in the deserts of Nevada and Mexico. As an isolated only child, her imagination led her to dress up her pets for pretend tea parties--her first designs! </p><p>Edith never sought the stage spotlight herself, but her designs added to actors' star power in many movies, developing their characters. She finally did end up in the spotlight when she accepted her Academy Awards.</p><p><i>Dressing Up the Stars</i> will inspire young readers to pursue their dreams, employ their imaginations, persist, and practice, practice, practice--Edith's keys to success. The Author's Note gives a summary of Edith's life, and Selected Sources leads readers to more information about this Hollywood icon. Harvey has created an Activity Kit available for free download to extend the fun and learning of this book: <a href="https://www.jeanneharvey.com/projects">https://www.jeanneharvey.com/projects</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK8ctMNUvB9Cndrg0VuYDLo97Vcl7BYEQ_xX1SHwT_qKHYKeNopGeR449TvpGRglZIebKEWRHUQ-risEkHDPj52vVNIRtLn5FZWntzBqHRfEXtMK3tW1RSCP7xjjkeiO8OAr7v_RJZDP0sco3DqbWXUN_MztPcWJHPNqPgYKdYOpnpzcAj2nQI-_h/s640/edith%20head%20illustration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK8ctMNUvB9Cndrg0VuYDLo97Vcl7BYEQ_xX1SHwT_qKHYKeNopGeR449TvpGRglZIebKEWRHUQ-risEkHDPj52vVNIRtLn5FZWntzBqHRfEXtMK3tW1RSCP7xjjkeiO8OAr7v_RJZDP0sco3DqbWXUN_MztPcWJHPNqPgYKdYOpnpzcAj2nQI-_h/w400-h180/edith%20head%20illustration.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The illustrations are perfect from the cover to the end papers to the spreads in-between. Toledano's mixed media drawings show the pattern, texture, and color that make up the design world, while giving them a child-like simplicity.</span></p><p>I enjoyed learning how Edith Head came to costume fame and remember rooting for her when watching the Academy Awards. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Edith_Head%2C_1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="386" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Edith_Head%2C_1976.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Marianna Diamos, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons</span></div><br /><p></p><p>I wonder what kind of Halloween costume Edith Head would design for us. Hmmm....</p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-38968516479978370342022-07-08T11:03:00.002-05:002022-07-08T11:03:35.351-05:00How Can We Be Kind? <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtp3PdeAsnfPpqHZ7hI-Gj95w1viQzaJkZv1679A8RT1U40FLLVKrDwZOLiRSyj7KVdBEdgYAQfWgu9JKRw6B9fFVXTGy3XUInsZ1hmt5erv5NaRgvOdHUPGLItCgW85BqCRvKCV8GXJ6QKmouAt3C4gQ_UEVpkXcWsEQrzu9BjXfp43iigaKBXdC/s2799/kind%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2787" data-original-width="2799" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtp3PdeAsnfPpqHZ7hI-Gj95w1viQzaJkZv1679A8RT1U40FLLVKrDwZOLiRSyj7KVdBEdgYAQfWgu9JKRw6B9fFVXTGy3XUInsZ1hmt5erv5NaRgvOdHUPGLItCgW85BqCRvKCV8GXJ6QKmouAt3C4gQ_UEVpkXcWsEQrzu9BjXfp43iigaKBXdC/w400-h399/kind%20cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We tell children to be kind, but do they know what that means? <a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/howcanwebekind" target="_blank">Janet Halfmann</a>'s new picture book for ages 3-7 and released by <span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><a href="https://www.quarto.com/books/9780711268777/how-can-we-be-kind." target="_blank">Frances Lincoln Children’s Books/Quarto</a> </span>this week, shows the way! A hint is in the subtitle "Wisdom from the Animal Kingdom." As she has in other <a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/" target="_blank">books</a>, Janet turns to nature to find the answer to her title question. She says, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;">I was inspired to write this story to add positive ways to look at the world. Since nature can be so calming and restoring, I spotlighted the positive ways animals react to one another as examples for all of us to follow."</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The book features caring European badgers, welcoming capybaras, sharing jackdaws, teamworking ants and bees, patient African elephants, selfless prairie dogs, laughing orangutans, encouraging blue manakins, and other animals and their traits. interspersed with the refrain, "How can we be kind?". Through the words and friendly, accurate animal drawings by <a href="https://darlaokada.com" target="_blank">Darla Okada,</a> children will see the many ways they, too, can be kind. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh489svgL0Y-adJqAi0t1Tr4EL8ucKvE1arFCyVngwhqs28LCWewHd8El3eg6HNEcaCR7dienSk6aQA7hWrsSUZoU6kUDymDXyxzAPNRqa7BzWyAwlS6I2S7W281J4MJ3A6QibrYkUX0BVTVv3hmcg_cojIaMYHZZ8TSUBgERA1xdhhbvD9ha5bLN3f/w400-h200/kind%20inside.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Readers of all ages can learn more about the animals in this book, some of which are not usually found in books for the very young. Okada bookends the text with spot drawings of diverse humans showing kindness. Backmatter uses text and animal photographs to give more information.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Janet's approach is fun and effective. I can imagine sharing it with children and referring to it with them later, reminding them to be like a zebra and stick up for their friends, for instance. Thank you, Janet, for showing us that being like an animal can be a good thing!</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-64423647353544131502022-05-30T11:30:00.004-05:002022-05-30T20:23:09.270-05:00American Ace: Joe Foss: Military Appreciation Month<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLu-D5Lv7FI2_kqL_gdSVKq2FYm94El9qKVseoAz4IS7seDJCv6QgdM25D2_3hUk88B7xRFK4Rmz9HtxD3iDQhxsbbx0UJ33KoaGEfoXoMR7XLZydfM4VCMNERSpOYV_W1JhrzxwNa5oncDhEpQo0qJUJVrRO7-f6d3YtxgDaoxbKNyxn-EybpKtS/s2048/Hector%20and%20us-American%20Ace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="2048" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLu-D5Lv7FI2_kqL_gdSVKq2FYm94El9qKVseoAz4IS7seDJCv6QgdM25D2_3hUk88B7xRFK4Rmz9HtxD3iDQhxsbbx0UJ33KoaGEfoXoMR7XLZydfM4VCMNERSpOYV_W1JhrzxwNa5oncDhEpQo0qJUJVrRO7-f6d3YtxgDaoxbKNyxn-EybpKtS/w400-h268/Hector%20and%20us-American%20Ace.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(photo by Mike Huber)</div><br /><p>To wrap up Military Appreciation Month, I want to feature the new book <i><a href="https://www.sdhspress.com/books/american-ace" target="_blank">American Ace: Joe Foss</a></i> written and illustrated by <a href="https://hectorcurriel-artwork.com/" target="_blank">Hector Curriel</a>, published by the <a href="https://www.sdhspress.com/" target="_blank">South Dakota State Historical Society Press</a>. </p><p>South Dakotans should know who <a href="https://www.sdpb.org/learn/localheros/joefoss/" target="_blank">Joe Foss</a> is, but many people pass his statue at the Sioux Falls airport without recognizing him. The statue made Hector curious, so he researched to find out more. He discovered a story so compelling that he itched to tell it, and he set out to do so. </p><p>He went to the library, spending time in the special collections room where books by and about Foss were held. He scoured the internet and watched videos of his new hero. To Hector, Foss' story was so inspiring that he wanted to tell it in a way that would engage and inspire young people. </p><p>That was the beginning of his graphic biography for middle graders and up, which shows Foss' boyhood desire to fly become reality and tells how he became a World War II flying ace through hard work and determination. The story focuses on Foss’ time on Guadalcanal and its air battle. The impeccably detailed drawings work perfectly with the text to tell this hero’s story. Hector shows Foss' setbacks and mistakes and their consequences, which included learning from his mistakes. Hector presents the difficult facts of war, including dangerous conditions and the loss of Foss’ friends and fellow pilots. The graphic approach makes this biography exciting for young readers, who will immediately see the emotion and suspense of Foss’ life in and out of a plane cockpit. The story ends with Foss receiving his Congressional Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt. An epilogue gives an overview and summarizes the rest of Foss’ life. A bibliography gives the many sources Hector used to research. The url is given for the ones available online, including videos of Foss himself, which will aid readers in their own quest to know more about this famous South Dakotan, who went on to be Governor and the first Commissioner of the American Football League.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpywrj1DhaZYCW-J3B5dhjhlKV6LCkmuPbcWNUScRVUQ82IYysSnUvJaJXoQEJVofISZMZyLyWMKHGFq8I5-SG6gO3Mf-fFvvWB4Hyfixi0saae15LKUlqwcaauS047xYdO70jdUcBViw3pkDZ37xj7m17KIE4joD-eRwU3j3eXlVD2Bey_FAMR6B/s4032/spring%20030.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpywrj1DhaZYCW-J3B5dhjhlKV6LCkmuPbcWNUScRVUQ82IYysSnUvJaJXoQEJVofISZMZyLyWMKHGFq8I5-SG6gO3Mf-fFvvWB4Hyfixi0saae15LKUlqwcaauS047xYdO70jdUcBViw3pkDZ37xj7m17KIE4joD-eRwU3j3eXlVD2Bey_FAMR6B/w300-h400/spring%20030.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />Hector's labor of love is a tribute to Foss and to South Dakota, his adopted home after emigrating from Peru. His training as an architect shows in his book's precise drawings. Hector is also known as a <a href="https://hectorcurriel-artwork.com/project-type/fine-art/" target="_blank">watercolor artist</a>, a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hector+curriel&i=stripbooks&crid=2R47X5E4GSXWK&sprefix=hector+curriel%2Cstripbooks%2C809&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_14_ts-doa-p" target="_blank">children's book illustrator</a>, and art teacher to young people in a variety of settings.<p></p><div>Enjoy this SD Public Broadcasting interview by <a href="https://listen.sdpb.org/people/lori-walsh" target="_blank">Lori Walsh</a>: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4MmyxjAy2_w" width="320" youtube-src-id="4MmyxjAy2_w"></iframe></div><br /></div>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-25973832603531948202022-04-28T16:56:00.000-05:002022-04-28T16:56:03.749-05:00Chasing Words with Joy Harjo and Eric Ode: National Poetry Month<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGmP8_ngaH-wuPRSfbDHPRBWWICU9TMxGZQr1UIR4jnEr8fPupR2DmK4UpOyNYISGy4_8TE8QZSWquV8wAlDaHY9WtFcN6k1VhAahkn-yGOxp-bho255f-QBz1nQ0dhue3fh8IKqOTono5eopcoQbWBKcJjqRTnf06b71Ckw-HLxdugVWxi0OlCnQ/s960/1words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGmP8_ngaH-wuPRSfbDHPRBWWICU9TMxGZQr1UIR4jnEr8fPupR2DmK4UpOyNYISGy4_8TE8QZSWquV8wAlDaHY9WtFcN6k1VhAahkn-yGOxp-bho255f-QBz1nQ0dhue3fh8IKqOTono5eopcoQbWBKcJjqRTnf06b71Ckw-HLxdugVWxi0OlCnQ/w400-h300/1words.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What is writing but chasing words, after all? And poets may do this more than other writers, for as Mark Twain said, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—'tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning." Choosing the right word matters for meaning, understanding, and relating to readers.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">Who are these word-chasers? <a href="https://www.joyharjo.com/" target="_blank">Joy Harjo</a>, <a href="https://www.loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/poet-laureate/" target="_blank">Poet Laureate of the United States</a>, has written two memoirs in which she expresses the importance of words in her life. In <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13409655-crazy-brave" target="_blank">Crazy Brave</a></i>, she talks about enjoying words, rolling them around in her mouth to feel the shape of them, and reading to escape and to learn. The book begins with her birth and goes through her early adulthood, a difficult and confusing time. She could have gone in many different directions, some of them destructive, but she ends the book with, "I followed poetry."</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56769519-poet-warrior" target="_blank">Poet Warrior</a></i> is more non-linear and mystical, remembering her ancestors' stories and dreaming those stories to grow with her in poetry from Girl Warrior to Poet Warrior. About the first poem she learned (<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43670/the-lamb-56d222765a3e1" target="_blank">"The Lamb"</a> by William Blake), she says, "It was more than the words. It was how the words locked into a pleasing rhythm and we would move to them, and how like a lamb frolicking in spring, the words danced across the tongue" (p. 26). Her love of words stayed with her, and in her school years she "kept a dictionary to look up words. One summer, I spent learning words in the dictionary and practicing them" (p. 39). As in her first memoir, she claims the path of poetry: "I would never have become a poet if I hadn't listened to that small, inner voice that told me that poetry was the path, even when I had different plans" (p. 44). </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.ericode.com/" target="_blank">Eric Ode </a>is another word-chaser--a poet, author, song writer, and performer for children. His latest picture book, <i><a href="https://www.ericode.com/books-music" target="_blank">Stop That Poem!</a></i>, is literally about chasing words! And in an unusual twist, the idea came from an image in his mind, not from words. He told me, "It started with that first scene of someone stacking words, one on top of the other, and someone else coming along wondering what in the world they are doing." The words take flight and hike and float, with a diverse group of children chasing them, until the poem is finally set free to find a home with readers. He quickly sketched it out and then worked on the words. Here's what he started with: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LcoK55jLZQpirtm1V46OXm0mqDXgEb6nrzMmLlYrZWriXSRLqrOW4IhggdMUxTrcPeIRKI8ygzUnjr9-Sn7WYvms9J-7snU0pZwztqrOLHFXQvVAzY0AWJIIKRobYE8SVxNQxOMcpqNZ820ozuTHGatlb4SUE5iYZ4d8h3zUBPdfMu1sZGV5CvMc/s2048/1eric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LcoK55jLZQpirtm1V46OXm0mqDXgEb6nrzMmLlYrZWriXSRLqrOW4IhggdMUxTrcPeIRKI8ygzUnjr9-Sn7WYvms9J-7snU0pZwztqrOLHFXQvVAzY0AWJIIKRobYE8SVxNQxOMcpqNZ820ozuTHGatlb4SUE5iYZ4d8h3zUBPdfMu1sZGV5CvMc/w400-h300/1eric.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can tell from the cover at the top of this blog, the book looks very little like this. Even though Eric is an artist, the publisher, <a href="http://www.kanemiller.com/" target="_blank">Kane Miller</a>, hired artist <a href="https://thebrightagency.com/uk/childrens-illustration/artists/jieting-chen" target="_blank">Jieting Chen</a> to illustrate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watch her tell about how meaningful this book is to her and see what the book looks like inside:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JfaaIrQ6KFY" width="320" youtube-src-id="JfaaIrQ6KFY"></iframe></div>"There are beautiful things happening in the world," Chen says. Here's to the illustrators and word-chasers among us who help us see it.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></span></span></div><p></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-61917760782782069522022-04-21T17:27:00.000-05:002022-04-21T17:27:00.211-05:00If This Bird Had Pockets, and Other National Poetry Month Fun<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9wVg-guzghEbvMwixQfn-Z0zFXw0khN9G_EgQBH1HMnyELKIpdE7DfGdkDXGMtNcJNIBc_5-CnN_xfLrzbH4n-LHtYMSj1wL-h-CM3l2zQPx06uYb5kLqSb7vUPAhoE3PP59n0JB5fanYFSf2dMahT97m1KyHQL9hIkm_om7sV-uATZQb53cNS_D/s500/if%20this%20bird.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="406" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9wVg-guzghEbvMwixQfn-Z0zFXw0khN9G_EgQBH1HMnyELKIpdE7DfGdkDXGMtNcJNIBc_5-CnN_xfLrzbH4n-LHtYMSj1wL-h-CM3l2zQPx06uYb5kLqSb7vUPAhoE3PP59n0JB5fanYFSf2dMahT97m1KyHQL9hIkm_om7sV-uATZQb53cNS_D/w325-h400/if%20this%20bird.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">It's <a href="https://poets.org/national-poetry-month" target="_blank">National Poetry Month</a>! And <a href="https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/" target="_blank">Earth Day</a>! AND--April 28 is <a href="https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/poem-your-pocket-day" target="_blank">Poem in Your Pocket Day</a>!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">So--here to help you enjoy all three is a brand new book by <a href="https://www.amyludwigvanderwater.com/" target="_blank">Amy Ludwig VanDerwater</a>, illustrated by <a href="https://www.emmavirjan.com/" target="_blank">Emma J. Virjan</a>, which I was fortunate to win in an online drawing! (Thank you, Amy.)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In this cheery book, poet Amy Ludwig VanDerwater teams up with illustrator Emma J. Virjan to imagine the poems that a variety of animals would write. The book begins with a poem by "me," a child who wonders about nature "If this bird had pockets...," which sets in motion a series of mask poems written in several forms "by" an ant, dolphin, alligator, butterfly, and other animals. It closes with a final poem by "me," in which the child acknowledges her animal self and ponders "Each creature/lives a poem/without ever/writing a line." This book is fresh as spring, full of relatable animal facts, fun, and wonder.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Listen to poet Amy's musical voice, as she introduces her book and reads the opening poem:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R6zSkIpmuO0" width="320" youtube-src-id="R6zSkIpmuO0"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I encourage you to wear clothes with pockets on April 28 and stuff the pockets with poems to give away to all you meet. Sounds weird? I have been surprised at the smiles and excitement I've received when I have given someone a poem. Try it! If you need help finding the right poem, go to the Poem in Your Pocket Day page: </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/poem-your-pocket-day" target="_blank">https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/poem-your-pocket-day </a> or look around the Academy of American Poets site: <a href="https://poets.org/">https://poets.org/</a> I haven't decided what poem(s) I will be gifting people this year. Maybe "Tail of Red, Tip of White" by "Red Fox" from <i>If This Bird Had Pockets.</i></span></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><p></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-48902587214771813672022-02-26T12:19:00.000-06:002022-02-26T12:19:12.572-06:00Alzheimer's, Dementia, and A DOLL FOR GRANDMA<p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhik_aomTolfIDp0UCMY8mK8rjF6yT2sdK18OqpDtJqIVNVQzQEQ0lhfJjg-V_GwYuFpg4pitSeVssvN8EtB7DzABB_KWZ7F7WYpwL77GqyZoB9-V-thBYx9Ks3nd3LZf7CqyX0e21krKM6LQ2BY2KmdZ9rhta59IrxUWGZs9LpOdDh-UqeBt5-WL6U=s640" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhik_aomTolfIDp0UCMY8mK8rjF6yT2sdK18OqpDtJqIVNVQzQEQ0lhfJjg-V_GwYuFpg4pitSeVssvN8EtB7DzABB_KWZ7F7WYpwL77GqyZoB9-V-thBYx9Ks3nd3LZf7CqyX0e21krKM6LQ2BY2KmdZ9rhta59IrxUWGZs9LpOdDh-UqeBt5-WL6U=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div></blockquote><p>With more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer's or dementia (<i><a href="https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures" target="_blank">2021 Alzheimer's Facts and Figures</a></i>), you may know someone affected. The enormous changes in family dynamics are hard to handle and hard to explain to children. That's why I really like the book I won from author <a href="https://paulettesharkey.com/" target="_blank">Paulette Boching Sharkey</a>, illustrated by <a href="https://www.samanthawoo.com/about" target="_blank">Samatha Woo</a>, and published by <a href="https://www.beamingbooks.com/" target="_blank">Beaming Books</a>. </p><p><a href="https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506457383/A-Doll-for-Grandma" target="_blank"><i>A Doll for Grandma: A Story about Alzheimer's Disease</i></a> shows a close, fun relationship between young Kiera and her Grandma. Kiera notices changes in Grandma that she doesn't understand. Mom explains that there's something wrong with Grandma's brain. When Grandma is moved to a memory care home, Kiera tries to think of ways to reconnect with the Grandma she knew. With her mom's help, Kiera's idea of getting Grandma a doll did the trick. They were able to enjoy their dolls together and establish a different, but still special relationship. The book includes a page for grownups by <a href="https://thedawnmethod.com/creator-judy-cornish/" target="_blank">Judy Cornish</a>, "Helping Children Understand Alzheimer's Disease." While real life may differ, this book gives adults a way to help children understand, with encouraging ideas of how to connect and engage the person with dementia.</p><p>Sometimes the process of living with Alzheimer's or dementia is called "the long goodbye." This is well described by my friend Carmen Graber, who graciously allowed me to post her poem here. </p><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>A LETTER TO MY FATHER</b></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Papa</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know, I know</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I never called you papa</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I was growing up.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was always “dad”</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I called out</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I needed help</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I needed advice</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or when I just needed to know I was loved.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">You were always there</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes even before I called.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">You taught me how to love,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to serve,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to talk to anyone and everyone,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to have faith in God and myself.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">You guided me into the person I am today</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">You were my hero, my dad.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then came a disease called Alzheimer’s.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">It began to take pieces of you</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And hide them from view:</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slowly at first</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then faster and faster </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until all of my dad was hidden,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blocked from view.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is when you became papa.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">You no longer responded to dad,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you no longer responded to me as your daughter.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">My heart was broken</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I was devastated.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">But a new relationship was needed</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because you needed my help, my guidance and my love.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was now a new person to you</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you were a new person to me</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that is how you became papa.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Together we journeyed this uncharted territory</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through your anger and fear,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through your stories of the past</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both real and created in your clouded mind.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I grieved for the man I had lost</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">While you struggled to find your way back.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes, when I took your hand</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And looked deep into your eyes,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I could catch a glimpse of my dad,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">But just as quickly, he was gone</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you became papa again.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">This went on for years</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until your mind betrayed your body</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it too began to fail.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only then did dad began to return.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">But dad was too weak to speak</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Too weak to open his eyes</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Too weak to hold my hand.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then one cold night </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">You slipped away</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joining dad and papa </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Making you whole once again</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you returned to your heavenly home.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now after all these years, </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am telling our story.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am saying my farewell to you</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">My father, my dad and my papa.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will love you forever</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">And miss you for always</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Till I see you again.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~Carmen Graber, Copyright 2020, All Rights Reserved</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">Research continues, and we hope for the day when we will have solid answers for prevention and treatment. Find help and support at the <a href="https://www.alz.org/help-support" target="_blank">Alzheimer's Association</a>.</div><p></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-12287542966382026762022-02-07T12:01:00.000-06:002022-02-07T12:01:40.112-06:00Read the Storm! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvw1sZSREpzhhozJ8X9XcyCcpqbc9rTduL7jrxMz82_jYOkQ5q8njw9edz3-GWjfgYozAPiQdt8e__CPQjh65Y1kfftJmN9hMpJjoJ_BuASCvwLItYTqSw1E4s_-LD3lbEXQqpKzTl-edPzHO6hwTO-qV4zGwojyKjDXk7wmvLqtJLpIoNZGia_J58=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvw1sZSREpzhhozJ8X9XcyCcpqbc9rTduL7jrxMz82_jYOkQ5q8njw9edz3-GWjfgYozAPiQdt8e__CPQjh65Y1kfftJmN9hMpJjoJ_BuASCvwLItYTqSw1E4s_-LD3lbEXQqpKzTl-edPzHO6hwTO-qV4zGwojyKjDXk7wmvLqtJLpIoNZGia_J58=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Storms of all sorts are part of life, but the books I'm featuring in this post are about those caused by extreme weather. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.benchmarkeducation.com/reycraftbooks/nl5709-storm-warning-trade-book-hardcover.html" target="_blank"><i><b>Storm Warning,</b></i></a> a middle grade novel based on real events by <a href="https://www.elizabethraumbooks.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Raum</a>. Raum lived the setting of this book--1997 Red River Valley flooding in North Dakota. Her main character, 12-year-old North, is put to the test when he and his 6-year-old sister, Wild Rose (dad didn't like ordinary names) are left alone at home as flood waters rise and freeze. They rely on everything they've ever learned and their own creativity to rescue their great-grandmother and keep everyone safe. Subplots involve family dynamics, especially North's desire to earn his dad's approval and his relationship with his sister. An exciting read for young people! This book is published by <a href="https://www.benchmarkeducation.com/reycraftbooks/" target="_blank">Reycraft Books</a> and available in hardback or paperback. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/636228/i-am-the-storm-by-jane-yolen-and-heidi-e-y-stemple-illustrated-by-kristen-and-kevin-howdeshell/" target="_blank">I Am the Storm,</a></i></b> a picture book written by <a href="https://www.janeyolen.com/" target="_blank">Jane Yolen</a> and <a href="https://www.heidieystemple.com/" target="_blank">Heidi Stemple</a> and illustrated by <a href="https://www.thebraveunion.com/about" target="_blank">Kristen Howdeshell</a>, is the perfect book about storms for young people. It doesn't flinch from describing the storm, but offers comfort and empowerment to endure and overcome fear. Tornadoes, blizzards, wildfires, and hurricanes put people in danger, but after the description of each,we read that storms always end ("When the forests cooled, as wildfires always do") and what to do after. Illustrations show diverse families dealing with the various storms during and after, and back matter gives information about each of these storms written for a child's understanding.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Here's hoping these books give you and the kids in your life encouragement for facing storms. For now, I hope you enjoy a "bright, bright sunshiny day."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MrHxhQPOO2c" width="320" youtube-src-id="MrHxhQPOO2c"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-40800939885152962252021-11-21T21:55:00.000-06:002021-11-21T21:55:05.937-06:00Janet Halfmann's New Picture Books Share Nature Stories and Facts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-11hfumHk4wE/YZsDVWgiw-I/AAAAAAAADas/HY82SNzC_SYJYj7sem5CElcMAUfn6OegACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/janet%2Bhalfmann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-11hfumHk4wE/YZsDVWgiw-I/AAAAAAAADas/HY82SNzC_SYJYj7sem5CElcMAUfn6OegACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/janet%2Bhalfmann.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Janet Halfmann knows how to write a good children's story and add in some fun facts, too. She's had a big year promoting three new picture books! If you have young people in your life, you will want to consider these.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/717yHdoI2kL._AC_UY218_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="218" height="400" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/717yHdoI2kL._AC_UY218_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><i><a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/who-is-singing" target="_blank">Who Is Singing?</a></i></b> written by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/author/chrissy-chabot/5163050" target="_blank">Chrissy Chabot</a> was released in July by <a href="https://penitpublications.com/" target="_blank">Pen It! Publications</a>. When I open the door in the morning, I love to hear the birds sing. I can identify some of their songs, but not all. Janet has "translated" the bird songs into words or syllables, asking with each one, "Who is singing?" The answers begin with, "Take a bow" and identify the bird. Robins, cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, and other common birds are featured. Readers and their young audiences will have fun imitating the various bird sounds, and maybe making up their own bird calls. Kids' nature walks will have more meaning when they can recognize the sounds they hear. Chabot's simple, colorful illustrations also help with bird recognition. The last page of the book includes fun facts and a suggested activity. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A18AjFh9a2S._AC_UY218_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="185" height="400" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A18AjFh9a2S._AC_UY218_.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><i><a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/yayforbigbrothers" target="_blank">Yay for Big Brothers!</a> </i></b>by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by <a href="https://www.shennen.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Shennen Bersani</a> was published by <a href="https://www.arbordalepublishing.com/" target="_blank">Arbordale Publishing</a> in November. This book is perfect for a family that includes a big brother, but also works for big sisters and animal lovers, too. Big brothers are often heroes to their younger siblings, and Janet and Shennen show that the same is true in the animal kingdom. Readers will see how animal big brothers near and far--African wild dogs, beavers, chimpanzees, crows, dolphins, hoary<div>marmots, kangaroos, meerkats, naked mole rats, tamarins, and wolves--help their families. For example, Big Brother Crow helps feed his younger siblings. Big Brother Tamarin carries his younger siblings through the trees. Shennen's expertise in science illustration for young people gives accurate illustrations of each animal family. Each spread asks a question relating readers to the topic. For example, for the tamarinds, the question is "How does your little one get around?" "For Creative Minds" at the end of the book includes a glossary and interesting facts, and more facts and activities are found on the publisher's website. This book gives readers and their young audiences a chance to learn and marvel at nature together! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/811T-FQy88L._AC_UY218_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="269" height="324" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/811T-FQy88L._AC_UY218_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/caterpillars-surprise" target="_blank">Caterpillar's Surprise </a></i></b>by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by <a href="http://www.emilykruegerillustration.com/" target="_blank">Emily Krueger</a> will be released by <a href="https://www.blackrosewriting.com/childrensmg/caterpillarssurprise?rq=halfmann" target="_blank">Black Rose Writing</a> in early December. Gentle humor, embedded poems, characters to root for, and a compelling story centered around an animal masquerade ball make this tale a winner. Emily's detailed illustrations set the scene and show creatures' emotions and transformations. What a fun way to see the different stages of animal development and the value of friendship!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I received a free digital copy of each of these books in exchange for an honest review.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-83239642843568134382021-10-25T14:58:00.000-05:002021-10-25T14:58:24.809-05:00Charles is right--Love really IS everything!<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51yC1wvdyUL._SX399_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="401" height="640" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51yC1wvdyUL._SX399_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">When you look around, what do you see? Sometimes I see
chores that must be done, a yard that must be tended, a bill to be paid. But I
have learned from poet and picture book author <a href="https://www.charlesghigna.com/" target="_blank">Charles Ghigna</a> (aka Father
Goose)’s latest book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Everything-Charles-Ghigna/dp/0764362232/ref=sr_1_1" target="_blank">LOVE is Everything</a></i> (published by <a href="https://www.schifferbooks.com/love-is-everything-7286" target="_blank">Schiffer Kids</a>) that “Music, silence, mountains, summer, LOVE is everywhere!” </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This beautiful book shows an older bear showing a younger
bear the wonders of the world, looking through the lens of love. <a href="https://www.jacquelineeast.com/" target="_blank">Jacqueline East’</a>s soft illustrations give a
warm, cozy feel as Ghigna’s rhyming text takes us through the seasons, the
arts, and the interactions with each other that make life so wonderful. “I believe in daydreams/and wishes that come
true. I believe in everything./I believe in you” is the perfect ending to this
affirming picture book.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This is a great cuddle-at-bedtime book and just the right
tonic to help someone feel better after a bad day. It’s a confidence builder
when someone has failed or is afraid, and a mindfulness giver when someone
feels frantic or overwhelmed. This book is a great book for all
ages, to be read with someone they love.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Thanks to Charles Ghigna for the digital copy! This book, like so many other books and supplies, has been on hold through this unusual time, and is now expected to be released in November.</p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-82779576073340873532021-08-22T16:22:00.003-05:002021-08-22T16:22:34.297-05:00The Weather Detectives on the Case!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LC2yzV3mj24/YSK0bHNzd8I/AAAAAAAADY8/vceBfyZdhqU_0KwJmvPRxwDaCIlu1sBlACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/TheWeatherDetectives_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1441" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LC2yzV3mj24/YSK0bHNzd8I/AAAAAAAADY8/vceBfyZdhqU_0KwJmvPRxwDaCIlu1sBlACLcBGAsYHQ/w281-h400/TheWeatherDetectives_cover.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> "Maybe those <i>sounds</i> were to blame.<br /></div><span> "Maybe that's why Henry felt like throwing up."</span><p></p><p><span><span>Well, what kid wouldn't want to keep reading? The title alone intrigued me, and as I type this, thunder rumbles and rain falls, while hurricanes and tropical storms hit the coasts. </span></span></p><p>Who or what are Weather Detectives? Henry Alabaster is the 13-year-old nephew of Kelvin McCloud, who specializes in solving cases involving weather. He's even written a book about it, chapters of which are interspersed in the text of this book. Henry proves an able assistant, as the two meet friends--and strangers--aboard a clipper cruise ship that has suffered from enough strange sights and sounds to hurt business. Hired by a crew member and friend of the captain, Kelvin and Henry set out to see what's behind the eerie phenomena. Kelvin, Henry and his friend, Rachel, keep their eyes and ears open, develop their suspect list, and ask questions. Many unexplainable occurrences put everyone aboard on edge. As more evidence comes forward and the ship steers into a hurricane, Henry suggests a plan based on his knowledge of thunder and lightning. Leaving Henry behind for safety reasons, Kelvin closes in on the guilty. <br /></p><p>Kelvin is also Henry's guardian following the deaths of Henry's parents, and in the course of the story, Henry grows closer to Kelvin--and Rachel--and realizes he has a family and a future, after all.</p><p>The lively writing and robust vocabulary will appeal to young readers, and they will learn a bit about weather in the process.</p><p><i><a href="https://tumblehomebooks.org/book/the-weather-detectives/" target="_blank">The Weather Detectives</a></i> by <a href="https://directory.nau.edu/?person=mpe32" target="_blank">Michael Erb</a>, published this July by <a href="https://tumblehomebooks.org/book/the-weather-detectives/" target="_blank">Tumblehome Books</a>, is written for kids aged 9-12. I enjoyed this book as an Advanced Reader Copy pdf provided by the author. This is Erb's second book featuring Kelvin, and I hope there are more! I could imagine this being made into a TV show because the characters and situations are so singular.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4sQEfZso8g/YSK-KdKaa-I/AAAAAAAADZE/SSXQjiRpwYQAakt0D0DKbpZhBBrSioG3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/MichaelErb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4sQEfZso8g/YSK-KdKaa-I/AAAAAAAADZE/SSXQjiRpwYQAakt0D0DKbpZhBBrSioG3QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h265/MichaelErb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Erb is himself holds a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from Rutgers, so he knows his weather! From his author bio: "Currently, he is an Assistant Research Professor at Northern Arizona University, where he helps uncover clues about Earth's past climate. As a scientist and author, he confronts mysteries both in his research and in fascinating books." </div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><br /></span></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-72684591159172187862021-05-16T11:54:00.002-05:002021-05-16T12:08:36.309-05:00Happy National Love a Tree Day!<p> </p><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://litajudge.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/TheWisdomofTrees_1500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="658" height="400" src="https://litajudge.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/TheWisdomofTrees_1500.jpg" width="328" /></a></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2827046195388427717/7268459115917218786" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">National
Love a Tree Day</span></a>! Who knew? I love trees every day, and even more so
since I read <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2827046195388427717/7268459115917218786" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Wisdom
of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom</span></a></i> written
and illustrated by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2827046195388427717/7268459115917218786" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Lita Judge</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each beautiful spread,
with carefully detailed illustrations, contains a poem about trees on the left side,
and information about tree communities' ability to communicate, warn, and
protect each other on the right. An author's note tells how this
fascination for trees took root, and back matter fills in more details
about tree communities. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scientists have
learned a lot about tree behavior recently, and it is amazing! For example,
in "Neighbor, Can You Hear Me?" the poem is a tree calling out to
its neighbors. The factual information tells us that when insects attack a
tree, the tree sends electrical signals through the fungi living among the
tree's roots. When other trees receive the warning, they "pump a bitter-tasting
chemical called tannin into their leaves to ward off the insects" (p.
11). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Enjoy <a href="https://youtu.be/_fGK_YD4HaA" target="_blank">this short video</a>
about how the book was made and see its beauty for yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Through the seasons and
around the world, Judge shows and tells us how trees take care of each other.
We could learn a lot from trees!</span></p></div></blockquote><p> See more about Lita Judge's award-winning books <a href="https://litajudge.me/books/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_EvKTCaCDLM/YKFRZdD2z_I/AAAAAAAADQk/KnaMYIXt1zoJQR2T2VnIEmu3zBKgXAMBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/LitaJudgePhotos_7sq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_EvKTCaCDLM/YKFRZdD2z_I/AAAAAAAADQk/KnaMYIXt1zoJQR2T2VnIEmu3zBKgXAMBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/LitaJudgePhotos_7sq.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /></div></blockquote><p></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-4492397015374056622021-02-15T11:10:00.000-06:002021-02-15T11:10:35.035-06:00The Clothesline Code: Celebrating Valentine's Day and Black History Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nuNKDdhkY9o/YCqlOs_aOOI/AAAAAAAADOc/XvU073KasGIEyIc8Y01AuXfcQpq-FoeHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ClotheslineCodeCVR1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nuNKDdhkY9o/YCqlOs_aOOI/AAAAAAAADOc/XvU073KasGIEyIc8Y01AuXfcQpq-FoeHQCLcBGAsYHQ/w280-h400/ClotheslineCodeCVR1600.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;">I can't think of a better way to celebrate Valentine's Day (well, let's make it a week, shall we?) and Black History Month (let's make that year 'round, shall we?) than to introduce you to award-winning author, Janet Halfmann's, newest book, </span><i style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.brandylanepublishers.com/product/clotheslinecode/" target="_blank">The Clothesline Code</a>, </i><span style="text-align: left;">released February 1</span><span style="text-align: left;">.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">From the back cover: "<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.25px;">Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker didn’t have to risk their lives to spy for the Union army. The couple had already risked everything to escape slavery themselves."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is a true story of a loving black couple, Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker, who found a unique and daring way to help the Union during the Civil War. Dabney was assigned to an intelligence unit in the Union Army. Lucy Ann was a camp laundress. As formerly enslaved people, neither had been allowed to learn to read or write. How could they sneak behind enemy lines and set up a system for communicating what the Confederates were up to? The clothesline code was born. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Lucy Ann was the one who would go into enemy territory, learn Confederate secrets, and send them to Dabney, who would look at the clothesline and decode the message. Should they be found out, both of their lives were in danger. Suspense builds as the Walkers send messages back and forth. Readers feel Dabney's distress on days when messages don't come. Was Lucy Ann ok? Would their plan succeed?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Walkers' determination to help defeat slavery demonstrates the power we all have in using everyday items, courage, and caring to change the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Halfmann's vivid writing and Trisha Mason's emotive illustrations bring these little-known heroes to life, engaging youth and adults. Halfmann says that she <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">strives to make her books come alive for young
readers and listeners," and this book proves that she does. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Find out more about Halfmann and her books <a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Find out more about Mason and her art <a href="https://www.trishamasonart.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">I like Halfmann's writing so much that I have written about her work before <a href="https://readlearnandbehappy.blogspot.com/2020/06/juneteenth-meet-real-civil-war-hero.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://readlearnandbehappy.blogspot.com/2020/02/brave-women-youve-never-heard-of-black.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Halfmann proudly displays <i>The Clothesline Code.</i></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9psd47RRe88/YCqnjzZrHQI/AAAAAAAADOo/YXwLVeI47sAH07HlHbdL_HaB0plmufYkACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/halfmann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1662" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9psd47RRe88/YCqnjzZrHQI/AAAAAAAADOo/YXwLVeI47sAH07HlHbdL_HaB0plmufYkACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/halfmann.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><br /></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-33267520134386274152021-01-01T21:43:00.004-06:002021-01-01T21:45:26.815-06:00Happy New Year! and Some Un-resolutions for Joyful Living<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwxBk20AAmQ/X-_eU-IB6WI/AAAAAAAADNE/4ZbOvuBlc606LiHYFrGLtg5ljeCrrI8wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/snow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwxBk20AAmQ/X-_eU-IB6WI/AAAAAAAADNE/4ZbOvuBlc606LiHYFrGLtg5ljeCrrI8wwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/snow.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Happy New Year! For those unfamiliar with northern winter climates, I'll tell you that the image above is snow. This snow is not new, yet has no tracks or marks on it, and it serves as an analogy for the new year. This snow fell last year and remains, just as parts of 2020 remain with us into 2021. But what remains has not marked this snow. Here it is, crisp and untouched. What can we make of it? It's ours to decide. What can we make of our new year? At the end of 2021, will we be glad of the tracks we've made? </p><p>A new year presents challenges and responsibilities. A turn of a calendar page is not magic. I'm sure I'm not alone in making and breaking resolutions year after year. This year, I realized that the things I usually resolved to do felt more like punishment. So I'm going to make some un-resolutions that I can actually keep that will increase my joy. My list is in progress and subject to change, but here are a few items:</p><p>Eat a bite of chocolate every day.</p><p>Listen more to music.</p><p>Read more, generally, and read more poetry, specifically.</p><p>Look at--really look at--works of art.</p><p>No, these are not SMART goals. These are just life-enriching things that often get pushed aside in daily busyness. How will you add more joy this year? What tracks will you leave in 2021?</p><div style="text-align: left;">"...Lift up your hearts.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Each new hour holds new chances</div><div style="text-align: left;">For new beginnings...." is from the incredible poem by Maya Angelou,"On The Pulse of Morning," written for and delivered at President Clinton's inauguration in 1993. Here is the entire poem: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t7RhbQOlkpA" width="320" youtube-src-id="t7RhbQOlkpA"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-35753960506696937822020-12-12T11:42:00.004-06:002020-12-12T11:42:57.899-06:00A World Full of Poems: Something for Everyone<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OEMkvDCoPbA/X9T0tBEcTKI/AAAAAAAADMI/uyVIlp-vKNsbmF9oG4MKQBjv-F4rSq8sQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/a%2Bworld%2Bfull%2Bof%2Bpoems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1613" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OEMkvDCoPbA/X9T0tBEcTKI/AAAAAAAADMI/uyVIlp-vKNsbmF9oG4MKQBjv-F4rSq8sQCLcBGAsYHQ/w315-h400/a%2Bworld%2Bfull%2Bof%2Bpoems.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>It's not too late to order this as a holiday gift for everyone. Yes, I know that it says "for children," but aren't we all children at heart? It also says "Inspiring," and who couldn't use some of that?<p></p><p>Seriously, this volume is destined to become a classic, containing poems by some of the most well-known poets in the world: <a href="https://www.janeyolen.com/" target="_blank">Jane Yolen</a>, <a href="https://poets.org/poet/jack-prelutsky" target="_blank">Jack Prelutsky</a>, <a href="https://poets.org/poet/emily-dickinson" target="_blank">Emily Dickinson</a>, <a href="https://www.charlesghigna.com/" target="_blank">Charles Ghigna</a>, <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/naomi-shihab-nye" target="_blank">Naomi Shihab Nye</a>, <a href="http://margaritaengle.com/" target="_blank">Margarita Engle</a>, <a href="https://www.davidlharrison.com/" target="_blank">David L. Harrison</a>, <a href="https://www.janetwong.com/" target="_blank">Janet Wong</a>, and so many more (110 in all--see the whole list <a href="https://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-world-full-of-poems-nonsense.html" target="_blank">here</a>). My friend, <a href="https://www.ericode.com/" target="_blank">Eric Ode</a>, and two Minnesota poets (I think of them as neighbors, but we've never met), <a href="http://www.joycesidman.com/" target="_blank">Joyce Sidman</a> and <a href="https://laurasalas.com/" target="_blank">Laura Purdie Salas</a> are there, too. It also contains poems by lesser-knowns, like me!</p><p>Published by DK, edited by the amazing <a href="https://sylviavardell.com/" target="_blank">Sylvia Vardell</a>, the book contains poems under these section headings: Family and Friends; Feelings; Animals and Nature; Cities, Towns, and Travel; Fun and Games; Science and Art; Body and Health; A World of Learning. You can see that it has something for everyone and does, indeed, contain the whole world. The book's child-friendly illustrations by <a href="http://www.sonnyross.com/" target="_blank">Sonny Ross</a> add to the classic feel.</p><p>The book's back matter contains poetry activities from reading, acting, hunting, discussing, and writing poems to poetic styles and terms. </p><p>You'll find me on page 25:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vZMPQJhMh5E/X9T5y4wfk-I/AAAAAAAADMU/f2jsczSKI_8wGcJPC0GbFgJ5Y4H5Jm-VgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/How%2Bto%2Bmake%2Ba%2Bfriend%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vZMPQJhMh5E/X9T5y4wfk-I/AAAAAAAADMU/f2jsczSKI_8wGcJPC0GbFgJ5Y4H5Jm-VgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/How%2Bto%2Bmake%2Ba%2Bfriend%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>(Yes, this is a reprint that first was published in <a href="https://pomelobooks.com/" target="_blank">Pomelo Books</a>' <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937057410/ref=as_li_tl" target="_blank">Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations </a></i>in 2015.)</p><p>This book is a treasure to enjoy every day for years to come. </p><p>PS See Sylvia Vardell's celebratory posts <a href="https://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-world-full-of-poems-nonsense.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-world-full-of-poems-sneak-peek.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-61993775591227413492020-10-26T08:04:00.002-05:002020-10-26T08:04:58.095-05:00Hop To It: Poems to Get You Moving!<p style="text-align: left;">The official National Poetry Month is April, but for me this year, Poetry Month came in October, with the release of 3 new poetry titles that contain my poems! I'll start by introducing you to this one, edited by <a href="https://sylviavardell.com/" target="_blank">Sylvia Vardell </a>and <a href="https://www.janetwong.com/" target="_blank">Janet Wong</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.qepbooks.com/Images/hoptoit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="192" height="400" src="https://www.qepbooks.com/Images/hoptoit.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>Hop To It</i> began pre-pandemic with a focus on physical movement. The editors decided to delay publishing and added poems about social movements and safety movements, making this a well-rounded book of 100 poems to get young people moving in all kinds of ways!<div><br /></div><div>In addition to the poems by some of the top children's poets today, as well as lesser-knowns like myself, the editors included sidebars with extended activities, extra information about the topic or about poetry, and prose books that complement the poem with similar themes or topics. This book is easy for teachers and parents to use to enrich a class session in a subject area or in language arts. It's aimed at grades K-5, but younger and older kids will enjoy the poems and action, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>For example, my poem, "Heartbeat" could be used in a science class talking about the circulatory system. In the sidebar, the editors included a fun fact about the number of human heartbeats per minute vs. the number of hamster heartbeats. But don't let me tell you; let these kids show you. Click the image for sound and action:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/Nhjucdpc5pY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="686" height="229" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GYjwXuUU81c/X5bIZlxUckI/AAAAAAAADK4/MecmVflwJ70R2TXx5zrcKf1HZjSaLoWlwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h229/image.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Get your own copy <a href="https://www.qepbooks.com/Products/HOP-TO-IT-Poems-to-Get-You-Moving__Pom7299.aspx#:~:text=Hop%20to%20It%3A%20Poems%20to%20Get%20You%20Moving%20is%20an,to%20help%20maximize%20student%20learning." target="_blank">here</a> or from your favorite online book seller. See other great Vardell & Wong poetry books for teachers and kids at <a href="https://pomelobooks.com/" target="_blank">Pomelo Books</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></blockquote><p></p></div>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-5994867977657666442020-08-09T20:30:00.003-05:002020-08-09T20:36:14.558-05:00International Book Lovers Day: Travel with ResQ!<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwSn32cQh-s/XzCWritpZsI/AAAAAAAADIw/_pFKP0qJZ6Ir5HnQyzTUF2p5oQ8dDxhdQCLcBGAsYHQ/s499/ResQ.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="353" height="624" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwSn32cQh-s/XzCWritpZsI/AAAAAAAADIw/_pFKP0qJZ6Ir5HnQyzTUF2p5oQ8dDxhdQCLcBGAsYHQ/w441-h624/ResQ.jpg" width="441" /></a></div></blockquote><p>You may be one of many disappointed people who had to cancel travel plans this year, but we can still travel via books. And what better book to celebrate International Book Lovers Day than with <a href="https://www.evapell.com/">Eva J. Pell</a>'s middle grade novel, <i><a href="https://tumblehomebooks.org/book/resq-takes-on-the-takhi/" target="_blank">ResQ Takes on the Takhi</a>, </i>released this June by <a href="https://tumblehomebooks.org/" target="_blank">Tumblehome Books</a>, which specializes in STEM books for kids? Pell's extensive science background, including her position as Under Secretary for Science at the Smithsonian Insitute, informs her writing. </p><p>Where are we going with the ResQ crew? Mongolia! ResQ is formally comprised of eleven-year-old inventor, Wheaton and his cousin, twelve-year-old naturalist, Stowe. They are accompanied on this adventure by their photographer grandmother, Ariella, who has contacts in Mongolia.</p><p>Batar from Mongolia calls to ask ResQ to help round up a stray band of takhi, Mongolian wild horses, and bring them back into the national park where they belong. Wheaton's inventions, Stowe's knowledge of nature, Ariella's wisdom and familiarity with the culture, and the help of their Mongolian hosts give readers an imaginative adventure. </p><p>In joining ResQ's search for the takhi, readers learn Mongolian culture, language, climate, and geography. But Pell isn't writing a textbook. She vividly describes each scene, so that readers feel that they are part of the adventure. Wheaton and Stowe apply critical thinking, Wheaton's inventions, and what's at hand to conduct their mission. Pell amps up the suspense by making this mission time-sensitive. With a blizzard swirling around them, Wheaton and Stowe get separated from their Mongolian guide. How will they survive? Will they get reunited? Will they bring the takhi back to the park? Drawings by Alexa Lindauer enhance the text and show, among other things, what a Mongolian blizzard might be like.</p><p>I won't give any spoilers, but I will tell you this--I'd love to have a Dynochute, one of Wheaton's inventions, and I thank Eva J. Pell for an advanced reader copy of this book.</p><p>If Mongolia and the takhi don't interest you, maybe you'd like to try ResQ's first adventure--<i><a href="https://tumblehomebooks.org/book/resq-and-the-baby-orangutan/" target="_blank">ResQ and the Baby Orangutan</a></i>, which will take you to Borneo. </p><p>With books, you can go anywhere!</p><p><br /></p>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-70220086452024195762020-07-03T13:10:00.000-05:002020-07-03T13:10:00.983-05:00Happy Birthday, America; You're Beautiful!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"As an economic depression spread dark wings across the country, people filled the streets, feeling scared and angry and alone." Sound familiar? These were conditions in the United States in the 1890's, as described by <a href="https://www.nancychurnin.com/" target="_blank">Nancy Churnin</a> in her biographical picture book about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Lee_Bates" target="_blank">Katherine Lee Bates</a>, <i><a href="https://www.nancychurnin.com/forspaciousskies" target="_blank">For Spacious Skies</a></i>.</div>
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Katherine Lee Bates, most famous for her poem that became a well-loved song, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_the_Beautiful" target="_blank">"America the Beautiful,"</a> strove for reforms to improve conditions for women and workers.</div>
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<i>For Spacious Skies </i>emphasizes Bates' desire for education and opportunity. Bates felt the power of words at an early age and was able to channel that power in her speaking, writing, and teaching.</div>
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In 1893, she stood at the top of 14,115-foot <a href="https://www.pikes-peak.com/" target="_blank">Pikes Peak</a>, awed by the scenery that unfolded below her, inspired to write her famous poem. It was nationally published and loved, but she never took payment for it. It was a gift to her country.</div>
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Author Churnin helps readers understand the person behind the poem--a gracious, determined woman who used her education and words to unite a country. The Author's Note, Timeline, and Selected Sources fill in the story. Illustrator <a href="https://olgabaumert.com/" target="_blank">Olga Baumert</a> enhances the theme by showing the beauty of "amber waves of grain," Pikes Peak, and Bates herself. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/bwellen-3645834/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3614118" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">B Wellensiek</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3614118" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span></div>
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While much divides us these days in the U.S., I think we can agree that "from sea to shining sea," the U.S. offers much natural beauty. May Bates' spirit of service inspire us all to use our talents to make the U.S. the best it can be.What beautiful places are your favorites? Let me know in the comments.</div>
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Many thanks to Nancy Churnin and Darlene Beck-Jacobsen for gifting me a copy of <i>For Spacious Skies</i> through commenting on <a href="https://darlenebeckjacobson.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Darlene's blog</a>. </div>
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Happy birthday, USA! Enjoy this version of Katherine Lee Bates' poem sung by Ray Charles:</div>
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Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-88108449144803700902020-06-19T07:06:00.001-05:002020-06-19T07:06:21.527-05:00Juneteenth: Meet a Real Civil War Hero, Robert Smalls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, <a href="https://www.juneteenth.com/" target="_blank">Juneteenth</a>, is the perfect day to introduce you to Robert Smalls. You may already know about his heroism in stealing a Confederate ship, saving enslaved families, and delivering them, the ship, and the four cannons on board to the Union! You may know that he went on to serve in the South Carolina state legislature and United State Congress, fighting and advocating for African American rights throughout his life. I knew none of this until I read<a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/" target="_blank"> Janet Halfmann</a>'s book for children, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Story-Civil-Hero-Robert-Smalls/dp/1643790161/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=janet+halfmann&qid=1591905950&sr=8-5" target="_blank">The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls</a></i>, illustrated by <a href="http://dsmithillustrationportfolio.blogspot.com/p/bio.html" target="_blank">Duane Smith</a> and published by <a href="https://www.leeandlow.com/" target="_blank">Lee and Low</a> in February.<br />
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Halfmann first wrote about Smalls in her 2008 picture book biography, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Miles-Freedom-Robert-Smalls/dp/1600609864/ref=pd_sbs_14_3/132-8001133-3512835?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1600609864&pd_rd_r=ee899824-eac9-4e19-9eab-1bcadb1fb4b8&pd_rd_w=uRdQr&pd_rd_wg=63uKx&pf_rd_p=d28ef93e-22cf-4527-b60a-90c984b5663d&pf_rd_r=002G5606HSFH06A50566&psc=1&refRID=002G5606HSFH06A50566" target="_blank">Seven Miles to Freedom</a>. </i>She expanded and updated the information for grades 3-7 in <i>The Story of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls</i>. Keeping her young audience in mind, she begins both books with Robert Smalls' childhood as an enslaved boy, who at age six began service in the master's house. She writes with empathy, precision, and suspense so that readers of all ages can understand what being enslaved means and feel the danger involved in Smalls' daring escape.<br />
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The book contains a sidebar that details the <i>Planter</i>, the ship that Smalls steered to freedom. It also has a sidebar about slavery and one about a woman's daring escape. Back matter includes references and other reading guidance for more information.<br />
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This book is a great read for all ages. I thank the author for the e-advance copy she sent.<br />
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In a time when Confederate symbols and statues are coming down, the statue of Robert Smalls at the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/reer/index.htm" target="_blank">Reconstruction Era Monument</a> in Smalls' hometown of <a href="http://www.beaufortsc.org/" target="_blank">Beaufort, SC</a>, deserves to stand tall.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them in this country proves them to be the equal of any people. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life." </span></div>
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-Robert Smalls, from the 1895 constitutional convention</div>
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Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-60823159634652088632020-05-24T21:45:00.000-05:002020-05-24T21:45:05.936-05:00Remember<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3bqFezC5S0/Xssr3l4fI9I/AAAAAAAADE8/3jkciT3jOkwgiPb4avANDEpxx4Sd8Ui_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/grass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3bqFezC5S0/Xssr3l4fI9I/AAAAAAAADE8/3jkciT3jOkwgiPb4avANDEpxx4Sd8Ui_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/grass.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">During this time of COVID-19, my library is closed, and I am one of several staff who have been reassigned to Parks (more on that another time), which must be why I think about grass more than usual--mowing, trimming, weeding, and admiring grass.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Carl Sandburg wrote his poem "Grass" and recites it here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3GNXsiI3aBg" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which brings me to <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history" target="_blank">Memorial Day</a>, a day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. My family has a story that harks back to WWI and the 1918 Spanish Influenza pandemic. My great-uncle, the co-owner of a general store in our hometown, was very popular and highly regarded there. He was drafted into the Army in WWI and sent overseas. As you might expect, the folks back home worried about him and prayed for his safe return. And return he did! Growing up, I heard the story's ending as "and then he caught the Spanish Flu and died." Years later, a relative said that it was actually scarlet fever. Regardless, the result was the same. My great-uncle, who had fought in WWI half a world away returned safely only to die soon after from a disease in 1920. We remember.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9.9144px; text-align: left;">https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003662322/</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 1905, <a href="https://www.iep.utm.edu/santayan/" target="_blank">George Santayana</a>'s famous words, "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" were published in <i><a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Life_of_Reason/ddvWAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0" target="_blank">The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense</a></i>. While we vow to remember, time and generations pass, and the grass does its work. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We have work to do, too, to tell the stories so that we can learn from the past and make the world a better place. </span><br />
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<br />Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-52547869409083352212020-04-01T22:18:00.000-05:002020-04-01T22:18:40.317-05:00Happy National Poetry Month! Celebrating Nests<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IR5emD-pjWk/XoP_EpQYVyI/AAAAAAAACcQ/gu2SpCLMRe4onQ3QZlOneCuwFQpvsoHxACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Nest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IR5emD-pjWk/XoP_EpQYVyI/AAAAAAAACcQ/gu2SpCLMRe4onQ3QZlOneCuwFQpvsoHxACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Nest.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Birds are hopping, and flying, and singing, and --nesting! Yes, it's spring. The nest in the picture above is from last year, and I wonder if the same birds will come back to it. Time will tell. In the meantime, here's a poem I wrote for <a href="https://davidlharrison.wordpress.com/adult-word-of-the-month-poem/" target="_blank">David L. Harrison's Word of the Month poetry challenge</a>. (You are welcome to play along. Write a poem containing the word of the month and post it on that page.) </div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> Home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">© 2020 Jane Heitman Healy</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;">A cozy rhyming picture book by <a href="https://www.janeyolen.com/" target="_blank">Jane Yolen</a> and <a href="https://www.heidieystemple.com/" target="_blank">Heidi Stemple</a> reinforces the theme of nest as home in <i><a href="https://www.heidieystemple.com/" target="_blank">You Nest Here With Me</a></i>. The book shows a variety of birds and their amazing nests, with the title as comforting refrain for human chicks, illustrated by <a href="https://www.melissasweet.net/" target="_blank">Melissa Sweet.</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;">A brand new picture book about nests, released this March, by<a href="http://www.randisonenshine.com/home.html" target="_blank"> Randi Sonenshine</a>, illustrated by <a href="https://annehunterstudio.com/" target="_blank">Anne Hunter</a>, is getting good reviews. Written like a rhyming "House that Jack Built," the text and pictures of <i><a href="http://www.randisonenshine.com/books.html" target="_blank">The Nest That Wren Built</a></i> detail the building of a wren's nest and life cycle.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How are you celebrating spring, nests, and poetry?</span></span></div>
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<br />Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-1323967907200155572020-02-22T19:11:00.000-06:002020-02-22T19:11:28.054-06:00After Dark: Poems about Nocturnal Animals Blog Tour Stop #3 AND A GIVEAWAY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
***UPDATE***</div>
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WINNER OF AFTER DARK ANNOUNCED</div>
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SUSAN HUTCHENS!</div>
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CONGRATS, SUEsan! </div>
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I'll be in touch about address.</div>
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I'm so excited to share the news of <a href="https://davidlharrison.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">David L. Harrison</a>'s newest book, <i>After Dark: Poems about Nocturnal Animals</i>, releasing on 2/25! (You can order it <a href="https://www.amazon.com/After-Dark-Poems-Nocturnal-Animals/dp/1629797170/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=after+dark%3A+poems+about+nocturnal+animals&qid=1581902273&sr=8-1" target="_blank">now here</a> or from your favorite book seller.) And excited to be the third stop on the <i>After Dark</i> blog tour! Toot! Toot!<br />
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David is a well-established, award-winning writer and poet for children and educators, so it's no surprise that<i> After Dark</i> is receiving great reviews from the likes of <i><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-l-harrison/after-dark-harrison/" target="_blank">Kirkus</a> </i>and <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-62979-717-5" target="_blank"><i>Publisher's Weekly</i></a>. </div>
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Yes, it's a picture book, but this is truly one for all ages, and one that kids can grow with. Young children will appreciate and learn from <a href="https://thebrightagency.com/uk/childrens/artists/stephanie-laberis?page=2" target="_blank">Stephanie Laberis</a>' vivid illustrations depicting scenes from the poems, each set against the dark of night. A great example is the ominous illustration for "A Night's Work (Deer Mouse)" which emphasizes the mouse's need to beware of predators.</div>
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As children wonder more about the world outside, <i>After Dark </i>will answer their questions about what goes on while they are asleep. The 22 poems draw the readers into a scene with each animal, and fact pages in the back give extra information in easy-to-read bullet points.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Something I love about this book is that its poems feature creatures from a variety of environments, so that readers can learn more about animals that live where they do and learn about animals that are alien to them. My granddaughters readily identified the cougar, noting that we call them mountain lions. The armadillo is something they have only seen in pictures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">David gave his poems tantalizing titles, often using word play, to pique readers' interest. For example, "Don't Let Him Needle You" for the porcupine and "Armored Night Knight" for the armadillo. His poems' vocabulary stretches young readers. <span style="background-color: white;">An example is his use of the word "pilfer" rather than the simpler "rob" in "No Fooling (Raccoon)": "Know how to pilfer, when to climb,/an escape artist, one of a kind." Readers can understand "pilfer" by using context clues from previous lines: "Light-fingered nighttime thief,/dines in style on what you leave" and interpreting the illustration.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I asked David about his sense of word choice, and here's what he said, <i>"</i><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I can’t say I have a set rule or system. Word choice is probably a
combination of experience, sense of fit, concern about my reader’s vocabulary,
goal of keeping my language fresh, and occasionally choosing between the
familiar and a stronger alternative that is more or less defined within the
text. Sometimes I feel confident that even if my word choice isn’t in my
reader’s reading vocabulary it’s probably in his speaking vocabulary, which
should help him decode the word in print."</i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each poem takes the form it needs to tell its story. Some poems rhyme and some are free verse. I enjoy David's poetic language and the observations he makes about each animal. For example, from "Mouth of Doom (Flathead Catfish)": By night--/silent submarine,/solitary stalker...." </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">David began his studies and adult career in biology. You may not think that science and poetry have much in common, but in fact, both require keen observation and the ability to describe what one observes. David said that the kernel for this book started when he was 6 years old camping with his parents, and it has finally come to fruition. In this, David's 97th book (!), he combines his love of nature and his mastery of poetry into a book that all ages can enjoy and learn from. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">David L. Harrison’s books for children and teachers have received dozens of honors, including Society
of Midland Authors award for best children’s nonfiction book, 2016; Missouri
Pioneer in Education Award; and Missouri Library Association’s Literacy Award. His
work has been widely translated and anthologized more than 185 times. His poems
have been set to music and sandblasted into a library sidewalk. He has been
featured at hundreds of conferences, workshops, literature festivals, schools, and
colleges. David holds two science degrees and two honorary doctorates of letters.
He’s Drury University’s poet laureate. David Harrison Elementary School is
named for him. </span></div>
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He also encourages other poets of all ages and sponsors the <a href="https://davidlharrison.wordpress.com/adult-word-of-the-month-poem/" target="_blank">Word Of the Month poem </a>on his website. I've played there for many years, sometimes with greater success than others, but always with interest in seeing how other writers treat the word. (This month's word is AGE if you want to play along.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS--Yes, you want this book! And wouldn't it be fun to WIN it? Thanks to WordSong for making this giveaway possible. To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post by midnight CST on Friday, February 21, and a way to contact you if you win (email, FB, twitter handle). Available to those living in the US only. And spread the good news about this book in your own networks!</div>
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Catch a ride on the <i>After Dark</i> Blog Tour train! Next stop, <a href="https://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Poetry for Children</a>! All aboard!</div>
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Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-36331246637676169982020-02-10T10:53:00.002-06:002020-02-10T10:53:37.023-06:00Brave Women You've Never Heard Of: Black History Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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To commemorate Black History Month, I'd like to introduce you to two brave black women you've never heard of--Lilly Ann Granderson and Sarah E. Goode.<br />
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In <i><a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/midnight-teacher" target="_blank">Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and her Secret School</a>,</i> author <a href="https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com/" target="_blank">Janet Halfmann</a> tells Granderson's story in this picture book biography from the time Lilly was an enslaved child working in the master's house. She played school with the master's children when adults were not watching. She knew that she needed to hide her learning, but her desire to learn was unquenchable. Illustrations by <a href="https://www.londonladd.com/" target="_blank">London Ladd</a> show Lilly teaching reading and writing to other enslaved children. Soon people of all ages attended her lessons. All of them knew the risks they faced if caught, but they continued. Lilly's students went on to teach others, creating a ripple of education. Halfmann makes clear the difficulties and risks Lilly took to create a good life for her family and help others learn. The difference between being enslaved and free before, during, and after the Civil War is stated directly. The Afterword fills in the historical record, and selected references show readers Halfmann's scholarship and places where they can find more information.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://viviankirkfield.com/" target="_blank">Vivian Kirkfield'</a>s picture book biography of Sarah E. Goode, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43129701-sweet-dreams-sarah" target="_blank">Sweet Dreams, Sarah</a></i>, shows a determined young black woman in pursuit of a dream. <span style="background-color: white;">In lyrical language, Kirkfield describes Sarah's childhood as a slave and her dreams for something better: "A husband, A family, A job that she loved." Kirkfield continues to tell how Sarah achieved all three by moving to Chicago after emancipation, marrying Archibald Goode, starting a family, and opening her own furniture store. That might have been enough, but Sarah was skilled with people and with woodworking tools. She found a need--to make room for more beds in small apartments--and set to work. The furniture in her story wouldn't work: "Too boxy! Too bulky! Too big!" But she had an idea that led to Sarah Goode being the first black woman to hold a patent. Kirkfield shows Sarah's failed attempts at creating a cabinet bed (a forerunner of the Murphy bed) and the denial of her first patent application. After those trials, her patent acceptance and sale of her cabinet beds were a sweet dream come true. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">The illustrations by <a href="https://chrisewald.carbonmade.com/" target="_blank">Chris Ewald</a> show Sarah in action and emotion, helping readers to feel the depth of her dreams and understand the difficulties of her challenges.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">The back matter fills in more of the story with an Author's Note, an explanation of what a patent is, and a timeline of Sarah's life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Both books are good for the older picture book reader through adults because of their empowering facts and emphasis on persistence in pursuing one's dreams. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">And stay tuned! Next week, I get to host <a href="https://www.davidlharrison.com/" target="_blank">David L. Harrison</a> and tell you about his forthcoming book as part of his book launch blog tour!</span></span>Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-32247319171359432742019-11-28T18:12:00.001-06:002019-11-28T18:12:27.455-06:00Always Give Thanks: Thanku: Poems of Gratitude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving, but giving thanks is for every day, not just one. </div>
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"....We need to give thanks</div>
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every dawn</div>
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for the gifts of life,</div>
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for each breath drawn...."</div>
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So opens <i><a href="http://mirandapaul.com/thanku-poems-about-gratitude/" target="_blank">Thanku: Poems of Gratitude</a></i>, with "Giving Thanks" by <a href="http://josephbruchac.com/" target="_blank">Joseph Bruchac</a>.</div>
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This book, edited by<a href="http://mirandapaul.com/" target="_blank"> Miranda Paul</a>, includes poems by top children's poets who give thanks for creation, birds, sky, stars, the number zero, friends, puppies, and more. Each poem is written in a different form, defined in the back matter for readers who want to know more or try their own. You have probably heard of quatrains, but how about a fib?</div>
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Contributors are a list of who's who in children's literature including (in addition to Bruchac named above) <a href="http://www.margaritaengle.com/" target="_blank">Margarita Engle</a>, <a href="https://www.poetry4kids.com/" target="_blank">Kenn Nesbitt</a>, <a href="https://www.janeyolen.com/" target="_blank">Jane Yolen</a>, <a href="https://www.dianamurray.com/" target="_blank">Diana Murray</a>, <a href="https://www.reneelatulippe.com/" target="_blank">Renee M. LaTulippe</a>, <a href="https://www.charlesghigna.com/" target="_blank">Charles Ghigna,</a> <a href="https://www.tracisorell.com/" target="_blank">Traci Sorrell</a>, <a href="https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/" target="_blank">Cynthia Leitich Smith</a>, <a href="https://www.charleswaterspoetry.com/" target="_blank">Charles Waters</a>, <a href="http://www.carolelindstrom.com/" target="_blank">Carole Lindstrom</a>, <a href="http://www.enjoyingplanetearth.com/" target="_blank">Sylvia Liu</a>, and current Young People's Poet Laureate, <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/young-peoples-poet-laureate" target="_blank">Naomi Shihab Nye</a>, as well as many others.</div>
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Editor Paul and publisher Millbrook Press sought and got diversity among poets, formats, and topics. The book, released in September is winning awards and being named to "Best of 2019" lists.</div>
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I was especially thrilled to meet illustrator <a href="https://marlenamyl.es/" target="_blank">Marlena Myles</a> at this fall's Northern Plains Indian Art Market! We were able to chat for some time about her part in the book's creation. She said that the publisher let her voice opinions and design spreads the way she wanted them, though this was sometimes challenging because of the disparate topics juxtaposed on either side of the page. She kept her primary audience--kids--in mind as she worked.</div>
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The story of the page on the right below, illustrating "Nothing to Be Grateful For" by <a href="https://padmavenkatraman.com/" target="_blank">Padma Venkatraman</a>, was amazing to me. Myles said she translated the poem, about the number zero, into binary code!</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLgX4gn1FAQ/XeBhh7LLm8I/AAAAAAAACY4/WvNfN-yJ3h4ap6EPlzP7s1uUVgDI39-TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Selenas%2B4%2BHaas%2Bvisit%2BMisc%2B014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLgX4gn1FAQ/XeBhh7LLm8I/AAAAAAAACY4/WvNfN-yJ3h4ap6EPlzP7s1uUVgDI39-TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Selenas%2B4%2BHaas%2Bvisit%2BMisc%2B014.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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This is an extraordinary book about gratitude for ordinary things. The details will keep me coming back to it over and over. </div>
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I am thankful for <i>Thanku!</i></div>
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<br />Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2827046195388427717.post-31838956894273304392019-10-26T13:54:00.000-05:002019-10-26T13:54:25.280-05:00What Really IS Happily Ever After? A Review of STEPSISTER by Jennifer Donnelly<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7H7kY_wuVG0/XbSTqvJvYSI/AAAAAAAACX4/pdAZaTonotA8_s1tkATWS9pXAQq0pGBGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Stepsister_Web_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="825" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7H7kY_wuVG0/XbSTqvJvYSI/AAAAAAAACX4/pdAZaTonotA8_s1tkATWS9pXAQq0pGBGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Stepsister_Web_Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Halloween week seems an appropriate time to review
<a href="https://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/book/stepsister/" target="_blank">Stepsister</a> by <a href="https://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Donnelly</a>. I got this book from the library after it was
recommended by a local high school librarian as the best thing she had read all summer (and she reads a LOT).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think back to the Cinderella story you know.
This ain’t it. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
key is on the front and back covers—“Beauty isn’t always pretty”(front), and “Don’t
just fracture the fairy tale. Shatter it" (back).</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Donnelly
has rewritten the Cinderella story with a focus on the ugly stepsisters. The
story begins with the two stepsisters, Isabelle and Octavia, each cutting off
part of her foot so that it would fit the glass slipper. As in the original
tale, that ploy doesn’t work, and Ella, the good, beautiful, cast-aside
stepsister, gets the prince. She rides off in his carriage and lives happily
ever after—or does she? As we read, we learn more about the motives of each
stepsister and other characters, which furthers our understanding of their
personalities.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
story can be read on different levels. To heighten the fantasy, Donnelly has
Fate, Chance, and Isabelle’s free will duking it out. With help and a challenge
from a shift-shaping godmother, Isabelle learns what her true heart’s desire
is. She grows from having the narrow view of a female’s role imposed by her
mother, making her vain and selfish, to becoming her country’s heroine. Yes, this
is a story of female empowerment, suitable for older preteens and up.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Turning
the traditional tale on its head, readers ponder: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is beauty? What is “a female role” in
society? How do we respond to jealousy—our own and that of others? What is
strength? How can we work together with people we may not like?</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
writing is excellent and full of surprises. One of my favorite passages
demonstrates why you would want to keep reading: </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Isabelle put her weapon down
and her hands up. A sword was no match for a gun. Chest<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>heaving, she
stood, then slowly turned around, certain that another deserter had come<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>up behind her and was pointing the pistol
straight at her head.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Or
maybe a burglar. A brigand. A cold-blooded highwayman.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Never,
for a second, did she expect to see a monkey wearing pearls.” (p. 89)</div>
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When I researched the Cinderella story for my book for teachers and librarians, <a href="https://www.abc-clio.com/ABC-CLIOCorporate/product.aspx?pc=A2477P" target="_blank">Once Upon a Time</a>, I learned that this is considered a universal story. That means that instead of originating in one place and traveling to another, this story has versions that have originated in cultures around the world. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A couple of other good sources for fairy tale information are <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Fairy-Tales-Iona-Opie/dp/0195202198/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=classic+fairy+tales+opie&qid=1572114638&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Classic Fairy Tales</a> by Iona and
Peter Opie and the <a href="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/" target="_blank">Sur la Lune website</a>, as well as the work of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Tatar" target="_blank">Maria Tatar</a> and
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Zipes" target="_blank">Jack Zipes</a>.</div>
<br />Jane Heitman Healyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03584630141388764779noreply@blogger.com0