Perfect Picture Book Friday – GONE WILD

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Joanna

Today is Endangered Species Day 2012 and my book selection pays homage to this. You can find out much more about events/reading/films and other resources fot this day at www.stop.extinction.org, for example they have a list of ten easy things you can do at home to protect endangered species.

Gone Wild – An Endangered Animal Alphabet

By David McLimans

Published by Walker Books, 2006

Ages: 3 up

Themes: Endangered Animals, the alphabet, pictograph

Award: Caldecott Honor Book

Opening/Synopsis:

“Chinese Alligator; Class: Reptilia; Habititat: Swamps, rivers, lakes, ponds; Range: China; Threats: Habitat loss from farming; Status: Critically endangered.”

There is an introduction where children can read that more than 5000 animals face extinction in the 21st century. McLimans defines the three categories: critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable. The actual alphabet letters are a return to the origins of picture writing or pictograms, and symbolic, simple, bold and in black. The capital and small letter are in red as is a small box of facts for each animal. Each animals then has a paragraph and illustration at the back of the book also in red and black.

Why I like this Book:

It is a book that will appeal to very young children and to adults. It is a mix of simple, A is for alligator, but then you can read the latin name too, as well as what animal family the creature falls into. Although there are more mammals represented proportionally, all the animal families are included. Children will recognize some (zebra, black rhinoceros..) and will be intrigued by others (spotted tail-quoll, swan goose). The illustrations are graphic, symbolic and fun. I think this is a striking way to bring this important issue to even our youngest children in a playful way.

Resources/Activities:

American Museum of Natural History: www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/Endangered/

Wildaid: www.wildaid.org

Endangered Species Coalition: www.stopextinction.org

Earthtrust: www.earthtrust.org

Defenders of Wildlife: www.kidsplanet.org (great educational resources here)

I would get younger children to reproduce a letter each from the book and older ones I would get to research their own animal and design an animal-letter with fact box. If this is with a class, you could make a class book!

To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books. Or click on the Perfect Picture Book Fridays badge in the right sidebar.

This is also part of Gathering Books’ Award Winning Books 2012 Challenge.

Illustrator Interview- Julie Rowan-Zoch

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Joanna

Today’s illustrator, Julie Rowan-Zoch, and I share a linguistic passion, not simply the pleasure of speaking foreign languages but a passion for etymology, cultural expressions, semantics. I see this love of words in her written style, below, which I love.

Illustrator or author/illustrator? Author/Illustrator

[JRZ] What’s your nationality and where have you lived? American (with a German brain (learned), Irish heart (inherited) and Italian stomach (choice)); born and raised on Long Island, NY; studied/lived in NYC, studied/lived in Northern Germany, now in Fort Collins, CO.

Has any event/person/situation strongly influenced your art process?

[JRZ] Great art teachers: Fuller, Gabler and Newman, then my profs at FIT, esp. Eli Kince for Typography – 100-sketch homework assignments were common. I wish I could remember the name of my Life Drawing prof, but she was a feisty, petite and fearless molder of young minds! First day in class she said, “I bet you were the best art students at your schools. Guess what? High school is over, you’re starting out at the bottom here.” She yanked me out of my teenage ego and TAUGHT!

Tell us a little of your beginnings as an artist.

[JRZ] Crayons and coloring books, gazillions of them. I remember a very young ‘aha’ moment when Mom helped me draw a gift card. My mom didn’t draw, but she tried and she had some ‘tricks’. That impressed on me that we are all artists – you only get better if you really want to.

What is your favorite medium for your artwork?

[JRZ] Pencils first, I like the freedom that comes with an eraser! And after years of advertising and graphic design I learned to love the glide of a marker on smooth paper, and later the precision of digital work, though that is self-taught. I went to school with the dinosaurs, drawing type by hand. Having just started with watercolors I feel a new wave of creativity coming on. It is very frustrating to not have the tight control I am used to, but exactly that problem frees my mind in other ways, flowing into other areas – magical!

When you create, what comes first pictures or text?

[JRZ] May sound weird, but both. After having read much by and about Temple Grandin, I now understand more about visual thinking. Everything I think of happens in pictures, so while I am writing I am seeing, then I transfer those images to paper. And, often enough, words and ideas form as I draw.

Do you have some special almost unattainable ambitions as an illustrator?

[JRZ] I appreciate this question as I revel in discussions (German brain!). It is not possible to have any ambition while considering it unattainable – not for me, surely, but that probably applies to everyone. Dreams are rarely a question of I.Q. and always answered with ‘I will’.

What books and/or illustrators influenced your childhood?

[JRZ] Books: Everything read to me, especially from our wonderfully inspiring elementary school librarian (Next to becoming Julius Irving, librarian was the first profession I aspired to). Later I suffered from what teacher’s dread, a lull in reading pleasure from 10 to18yrs. Artists: Chagall, Picasso, DaVinci (prints on the wall at home), Garth Williams, Joan Walsh Anglund, Charles Schultz, Roger Duvoisin, Maurice Sendalk – remembered from books on the shelf.

What does your workspace look like?

[JRZ] With 972 sq. ft. of living space this is my shared desk for writing and digital work. Artwork sometimes gets done in bed (!), but mostly at the living room coffee table.

Can you share a piece or two with us, and the process of producing them?

[JRZ] Just something simple: the illo for Rena Traxel’s poetry month for the word ‘empathy’. Drew in my sketchbook, scanned it, placed that file into Adobe Illustrator app, and sort of trace with new lines (with anchors to adjust curves) created by dragging the mouse. (I want a Wacom tablet real bad!). I join some lines, creating objects, which can be filled with color. Surely this process is archaic, as is the app version I have, but I never did take a class. I like to think my digi-work remains unique because of it! Silly old bag!

Here is a watercolor ‘lesson’: I look at picture books (read approx 75-100/wk – no joke), choose an watercolor illustration to emulate (in this case from Valeri Gorbachev), then draw freehanded with a pencil onto a postcard size block of watercolor paper, use my kids’ set of Prang colors and fine line markers, and give it a go!.

What has 12×12 brought to your illustration and writing?

Incredible joy! From the unexpected support and education, I am soaked with energy and motivation. Daily FB contact acts like an electric outlet, just plug-in for more! The otherwise depressing and frustrating task of self-discipline seems effortless now. Not just from knowing others are ‘out there’ at their desks, but from knowing them. And because I like to talk about the process, it is refreshing, like water in the desert, to have others who like to do that too.

Five Fun Ones to Finish?

What word best sums you up?

[JRZ] Chameleon

If you could live anywhere for a season, where would you go?

[JRZ] Mallorca (not the tourist areas!)

What do you do for non-art related relaxation?

[JRZ] Gardening, reading NF, talking with friends over a beer, watching films (penchant for British classics)

Cats or dogs?

[JRZ] I love both so much I couldn’t bear their eyes (esp. dogs) on leaving the house – so no pets of our own, but we do sit for and spoil others!

If you could spend a day with one children’s book character, with whom would that be?

[JRZ] Hands down – Pippi Longstocking!

You can find out more about Julie’s work on her website and follow her on on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ArtistJulieRowanZoch

I have to confess I have never read Pippi! I absolutely love your “I will” attitude, Julie, and it’s going to carry you far. If I ever get to have you over for dinner, I will be sure to knock up some lasagne or gnocchi for you! Do you play scrabble in German? Love your bunnies with the kids’ watercolors! Thank you so much for sharing with us today and to you success!

PS I am very honored to be interviewed about SNOW GAMES on Darshana’s blog today, Flowering Minds.

Around the World in 50 weeks – Wolves

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Joanna

Grey wolves once populated large portions of North America, Europe, and Asia, but were hunted to near extinction. Their numbers have rebounded due to conservation and reintroduction efforts.

Endangered species day is fast approaching, so I thought I would take us on a trip across the continents over the next few Mondays to look at some of the animals whose lives are in danger or whose hopes of survival have been improving. Ever since those three little pigs and that gal in her red outfit came on the literary scene, wolves have been getting a bad press. Wolves are the largest members of the dog family, and our family pets have evolved from prehistoric wolves. Gray wolves are the most common and were once found all over the Northern Hemisphere. You only have to look at the fairy tales to know that men and wolves have long been adversaries, though they almost never attack humans. Why this villainous judgement? They do attack domestic animals, and countless wolves have been shot, trapped, and poisoned because of this tendency. Wolves have been reintroduced in the mountains above Nice, since I have been living here, and sadly there are regular clashes with local shepherds for obvious reasons, despite the wolves being under legal protection.

Did You Know? Wolves can range in color, from pure white in Arctic populations, to brown, gray, cinnamon, black and red.

Red Wolf Pups

The grey wolf has been removed from the endangered species list over the last 12 months, due to some wonderful conservation work, in North America in particular. Red wolves live in the southeastern United States, where they are endangered. These animals actually became extinct in the wild in 1980. A breeding program with a small number of captive red wolves was established and the red wolf has been reintroduced to North Carolina. Today, perhaps 100 red wolves survive in the wild.

Red Wolf Recovery Program

Red Wolf Coalition

Let me leave you with some alternative children’s stories about wolves:

Listen to Roald Dahl’s version of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf

The Story of the Kind Wolf by Peter Nickl.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Scieska and Lane Smith

Beware of Storybook Wolves by Lauren Child

Perfect Picture Book Friday – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Joanna

I can’t hide my respect for this author/poet. In 2007 Michael Rosen was elected the 5th UK Children’s Poet Laureate. You will remember, I recently posted his Sad Book, for PPPF. He has visited hundreds of schools promoting especially poetry and a love of language, and has probably done more than anyone for children’s poetry in the UK.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

Written by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

First Published by Walker Books (UK), by Margaret K McElderry Books (USA), 1989

Ages: 2-6

Themes: Bears, hunting, family, rhythm, adventure

Opening Lines/Synopsis:

“We’re going on a bear hunt. We’re going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day. We’re not scared.”

This text is repeated on each black and white page as the family encounters another obstacle, which cannot be gone over nor under, but

“Oh, no. We’ve got to go through it.”

Through water, mud, forest, snow; a Dad, his toddler, young son and two older daughters march on with their bold bear-hunting plan. Every black and white spread is alternated by a watercolor landscape inviting play. The song/adventure is going to plan until they hit the beach, and the CAVE, and, well you’ll have to read to discover how successful this bear-hunt was.

Why I like this book: I challenge you to read this book quietly to yourself! It begs, nay, demands to be read out loud, actually, pretty loudly It begs to be chanted, performed, reenacted, sang… it requires complete involvement of reader and listener… This is a book that calls to action. Though written in prose, it has an elegant, chanting, alliterative lilt and rhythm to it that will not resist calls for “again, again”. There is adventure, repetition, surprise and beautiful text to enthrall kids. I like the fact that it is a Dad and his four kids out for a day of fun together. This also has just the right amount of fear in it for very small kids, who will inevitable quell and giggle.

Activities/Resources:

Chant it together. After only a couple of readings, kids will have the hang of this repetitive text.

Act it out! Here’s a fabulous theatre activity pack.

Teacher’s Guide Song Lyrics, Activities, Lesson Plans, Worksheets

I don’t know how this book hasn’t received a reward. It is such a classic to me!

Picture Book Published – SNOW GAMES

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Joanna

Click on image to be taken to WINTER GAMES on uTales – Where you can read an 8 page preview

“The woodland winter games are underway. But, faced with Bear’s strength, Squirrel’s speed and Owl’s self-confidence, what is a wee mouse to do?”

I can hardly think of a more fun way to celebrate Children’s Book Week than by publishing one’s first picture book! I know we already had a spontaneous virtual party on Facebook on Monday to celebrate the release of SNOW GAMES on the eBook platform, uTales, but I wanted to be sure none of my blog followers missed out on the celebration. I am still riding the waves of support. Wow! Old friends, colleagues, new kid lit friends – your enthusiasm and belief in me blew my woolen winter socks right off my feet! I think I would happily write just for you, though, like most authors, I do hope for kids worldwide to get a ton of reading and visual pleasure from this story. I am doing a mini-blog hop to promote SNOW GAMES, so I won’t say too much more here, but want to say thanks to Maja for breathing vibrant illustrative life into the five characters (isn’t she just the perfect artist for this story?) and becoming a good friend in the process. Also, a huge thanks to all who gave me critical feedback in the revision process, and to the uTales team, especially Nils von Heijne, the founder, and Emma D. Dryden, who heads up the editorial quality control panel.

I do want to point you to a blog post I wrote about uTales last year shortly after their launch. Also, if you missed it, I know you will enjoy this interview with illustrator, Maja Sereda.

I have some school visits planned and I am honored to be doing interviews and guest posts on the following blogs, on my mini blog-hop, where I will be sharing more about the story, the process and uTales. I hope you will visit them and discover more about my author’s journey.

Wednesday, May 16th – Darshana Kiani’s blog, Flowering Minds. – Interview

Wednesday, May 23rd – Krista Rausin’s blog, Parenting with a Dash of Inspiration - Multiple Characters in Picture Books

Tuesday, May 29th – Sharon Stanley’s blog, Sharon Stanley Writes. - Interview

Monday, June 4th - Clarike Bo Jahn, Clarbojahn’s Blog - The Story Behind the Story

Wednesday, June 6th – Diane Tulloch’s blog, The Patient Dreamer. Book Review and mini Interview

Julie Hedlund’s Blog, Anthropomorphism in picture books

Monday, June 18th – Susanna Leonard Hill’s, Blog - The Process of Submitting a Story to uTales

– Clarike Bo Jahn, Clarbojahn’s Blog - The Story Behind the Story

And now, onto the next stories!

Fostering Animals

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Joanna

Click on picture to be taken to Dog Days of Charlotte

This is a follow up post to last Friday’s Perfect Picture Book about “Animals as Carers”. Many of us intimated that we would love to consider hosting a guide puppy for the deaf or the blind. Well, I want to suggest another way we could care for animals who care and give so much to us, and that is to become foster families. Maybe the 1-2 years seems too much of a commitment for a guide dog, well what about fostering a dog or kittens from a refuge for just a few months? – enough time for the animal to readjust to home life, hopefully shortening its time in a refuge and freeing up limited space for another needy animal. Many refuges cover food and veterinary costs for their foster animals. You as a family (and maybe your pets too) can have the joy of giving love and attention to an animal who has sorely missed out on this, and it can be a great step for a family to see whether they are ready for their own animal. I will give you a few addresses of organizations which do this, but the best would probably be to check out your local refuge. This can be a very rewarding voluntary project for your family.

My Foster Dog
by Unknown Author

My foster dog stinks to high heaven.
I don’t know for sure what breed he is.
His eyes are blank and hard.
He won’t let me pet him and growls when I reach for him.

He has ragged scars and crusty sores on his skin.
His nails are long and his teeth, which he showed me, are stained. I sigh.
I drove two hours for this.

I carefully maneuver him so that I can stuff him in the crate. Then I heft
the crate and put it in the car. I am going home with my new foster dog.

At home I leave him in the crate till all the other dogs are in the yard. I
get him out of the crate and ask him if he wants “outside.” As I lead him to
the door he hikes his leg on the wall and shows me his stained teeth again.

When we come in, he goes to the crate because that’s the only safe place he
sees. I offer him food but he won’t eat it if I look at him, so I turn my
back. When I come back, the food is gone.

I ask again about “outside.” When we come back, I pat him before I let
him in the crate; he jerks away and runs into the crate to show me his
teeth.

The next day I decide I can’t stand the stink any longer.
I lead him into the bath with cheese in my hands. His fear of me is not
quite overcome by his longing for the cheese.
And well he should fear me, for I will give him a bath.

After an attempt or two to bail out he is defeated and stands there. I
have bathed four legged bath squirters for more years than he has been
alive. His only defense was a show of his stained teeth, that did not hold
up to a face full of water.

As I wash him, it is almost as if I wash not only the stink and dirt away
but also some of the hardness. His eyes look full of sadness now. And he
looks completely pitiful as only a soap covered dog can.

I tell him that he will! feel better when he is cleaned. After the soap,
the towels are not too bad, so he lets me rub him dry.

I take him outside. He runs for joy . . . the joy of not being in the tub
and the joy of being clean.

I, the bath giver, am allowed to share the joy. He comes to me and lets me
pet him.

One week later I have a vet bill. His skin is healing. He likes for me to
pet him ( I think). I know what color he will be when his hair grows in.

I have found out he is terrified of other dogs, so I carefully introduce
him to my mildest four legged brat. It doesn’t go well.

Two weeks later a new vet bill for an infection, that was missed on the
first visit. He plays with the other dogs.

Three weeks later his coat shines, he has gained weight.
He shows his clean teeth when his tongue lolls out
after he plays chase in the yard with the gang.

His eyes are soft and filled with life. He loves hugs and likes to show
off his tricks, if you have the cheese.

Someone called today and asked about him. They saw the picture I took the
first week. They asked about his personality, his history, his breed. They
asked if he was pretty. I asked them lots of questions.

I checked up on them.
I prayed.
I said yes.

When they saw him the first time they said he was the most beautiful dog
they had ever seen.

Six months later, I got a call from his new family.
He is wonderful, smart, well behaved, and very loving.

How could someone not want him?
I told them I didn’t know.
He is beautiful.
They all are in agreement!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Animals as Carers

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Joanna

Animals as Carers

By Clare Oliver

Published by Franklin Watts, 1999

Themes: Animals that help us, dogs for blind, dogs for deaf, epilepsy, CP, horse therapy, dolphins, monkeys.

Age: 5 and up

Opening/Synopsis: “Have you ever wondered why there is often a fish tank in the dentist’s waiting room?”

An inspirational nonfiction book that looks at the many different ways animals can assist children and adults with specific needs in their daily lives. It looks at which animals are better for different tasks. While we all know labradors and retrievers are often the best dogs to help the blind, usually mongrels, often from rescue homes, are chosen to be dogs for the deaf. Did you know the first dogs trained to help the blind were in Germany after WW1, to help soldiers blinded by gas during the war? Most monkey helpers are bred in centers where they are trained for the job, but they still spend their first five years living as part of a volunteer family. Regular anecdotes are given, such as Dan, a young boy with cerebral palsy, who loves to ride: “I love it when I am on a horse. When I sit in the saddle and the horse starts to move, I feel free!” Nikki, born with brain damage, did not speak for the first 8 years of his life, until he started swimming with the dolphins in the Human Dolphin Therapy Centre in Miami. Here he spoke his first word, “in” – because he wanted to be allowed back into the water to swim with his friends, the dolphins.

Why I like this book: We rely on animals in so many ways, and are often unaware it. Many children recognize animals make great pets, but know little about their work in the police force, in therapy, and other caring activities. It looks at the familiar and less familiar animal activities. Children will enjoy discovering that rabbits make great old peoples’ homes visitors, or that fish help people relax. They will love the beautiful photos of the lab pups being trained to work with the blind, or the therapeutic dolphins in Florida. The personal anecdotes are warming. Max, a hearing dog for the deaf, was given an award for hearing next door’s fire alarm go off and alerting his owner, who contacted the fire brigade! This is a great addition to any teaching unit on animals and their historical symbiotic relationship with humans.

Activities: I suggest trying to find locally a training centre for one of these animals and going on a visit. Children could take a different animal cited and write a story. Families could consider fostering a puppy for the deaf/blind?

Kids Corner has some activities about caring for animals.

Paws to learn has a great teacher’s guide about dog care for preschoolers.

Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs for the Deaf, PATH International (Therapeutic Riding) are charities that could be contacted for more information or perhaps to offer your voluntary services.

While not relevant for kids, I just this morning read of a great new initiative of pairing refuge cats with prison inmates. I think this could prove a wonderful project myself.

Illustrator Interview – Sytiva Sheehan

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Joanna

I confess that my first FB encounter with Sytiva remains cocooned in a memory somewhere, but I do know that her magical and mystical illustrations, with a spiritual lining, had me enchanted from the word go. I find her work spellbinding and its uniqueness comes from a sensitive soul and a perception and gratitude for life that I have grown to greatly appreciate. I hope to be able to collaborate on a book together one day.

Illustrator or author/illustrator?

[SS] Illustrator.

Where do you live?

[SS] Live in California the San Francisco Bay Area

Tell us a little of your beginnings as an artist.

[SS] As a child at four and five years old, I used to color on light bulbs with crayons and then turn the light on so we can see it as a stain glass. Really do not suggest this experiment as you know crayons melt. Then it switched to color pencils and paper where from then I drew all the time. In junior high I changed to pen and ink. In high school oils and acrylics.

As a kid the beginnings involved observing, just loved the 3 Oclock shadows from trees, could stare at them all day, actually still do. I’ve always been attracted to shadows, light, candlelight and reflections of objects within other objects. I see them first before anything else. Maybe in my last life I was a mosquito. Love light through water and glass and shadows off sculptures and peoples faces.

Has any event/person/situation strongly influenced your art process?

[SS] As far as who or what event has influenced my art process, that would be understanding sound through Krys Bobrowski a music engineering instructor who also makes instruments. Learning sound is filled with visuals, which has opened doors in understanding distance, color, sound, texture, perception, density, resonance, and peripherals. It has expanded my horizon and has had a major affect on my art.

What is your favorite medium for your artwork?

[SS] There are two favorite mediums which I love, one is pen and ink for its detail and saturation and the other is acrylic for larger paintings and its flexibility.

Can you share what you are working on right now?

[SS] In the process of working on a project for Utales with Author Talia Haven. We are in the beginning stages of developing a world where mythological creatures live. She is a wonderful story teller if you haven’t heard of her already.

What comes first pictures or text? When you work with a writer do you prefer to be left completely alone to do your illustrations or do you enjoy and element of collaboration?

[SS] As a rule text comes first but recently Talia and I have decided to do both. She is a fun creative heart, I’ve been enjoying expressing ideas back and forth.

What books and/or illustrators influenced your childhood?

[SS] Mercer Mayer was my very favorite author and illustrator growing up. Loved the critters and porcupines. I could go through the same book every day and it would be brand new to me.

The cartoon “The Fox in the Hound.” was a ten year favorite for me. Was just in love with the art and storyline.

Facinated by Tom and Jerry the ability to say little as possible and use the collaboration of art mixed with classical/Jazz music as a medium of expression still impresses me.

Loved Charles Schulz.

So many more influences, but that combination has influenced my childhood.

What does your workspace look like?

This is what my work space looks like. It is a tiny room. It is barely ever clean. In the day I cover my bed with a board so I can paint on top of it.

Can you share a piece with us, and the process of producing it?

This is the process of inking a character. This is one of the mythological creatures for Talia Haven’s story.

Fun Ones to Finish?

What word best sums you up?

[SS] I’m a child at heart.

If you could live anywhere for a season, where would you go?

[SS] Always wanted to spend a season in Bali to experience beauty and morning art. Heard the community is filled with local artists who live and are supported by the earnings from the arts and crafts.

What do you do for non-art related relaxation?/Cats or dogs?/with which character would you like to spend a day?SS

[SS] My time off from regular life and chores are spent in the kitchen cooking with friends and my outdoor cat. I’m pretty much a homebody for the most part. This would be the reason for wanting to choose Remy in Ratatouille as a character to be with all day. Yes I know he is a rat, but he washed his hands before cooking.

More of Sytiva’s work can be seen on her website: www.sytivapainting.com

I suspect you are all a little captivated too after this interview? How exciting that your project with Talia is so much of an exchange of ideas. Somehow this doesn’t surprise me because of your openness. Cooking for friends and snuggling my cats are also two of my favorite means of enjoying life. Sytiva, thank you so much for sharing with us today and to your success!

Around the World in 50 Weeks – Edible Wild Plants in the Alpes Maritimes

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Joanna

I posted some photos/comments on FB this weekend of my hiking/camping trip with my grade 9′s. One of the things I have fun doing in the region is sharing with the kids the many wild plants that are edible. The comments on FB set off some great ideas for a MG novel and it reminded me how important it is to be using all the senses in our writing. Hiking and camping in the mountains is a sensation-bombardment, if you are: observing, listening, smelling, tasting, touching……… the fragrances of lavender, thyme and rosemary almost make the nostrils tingle with their intensity, along the hiking trails above Nice. There are also many wild fruit trees in our region, and depending on the season, I have introduced students to wild: cherries, figs, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc Late autumn hikes among the oak trees give way to foraging for the much prized Cèpes mushrooms.

Here are just a few of the local plants I have enjoyed gathering, cooking and eating:

Wild Asparagus

Cèpes Mushrooms

Wild Roquettes Salad Greens

Now, tell me what wild goodness could I expect to eat in your region? And, if you feel like it, a line or two from one of your WIP’s that have a sensorial component. Happy gathering!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Many Moons

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Joanna

I have selected a golden oldie to celebrate Princess Week.

Many Moons

By James Thurber, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin

Published by Voyager Books, 1943

Awards: Recipient of the Caldecott Medal in 1944

Ages: 7-11

Themes: Moon, princesses, wisdom, foolishness, fairy tale

Opening/Synopsis:

“Once upon a time in a kingdom by the sea, there lived a little Princess named Lenore. She was ten years old, going on eleven. One day Leonore fell ill of a surfeit of raspberry tarts and took to her bed.”

Princess Lenore is sick from tart overdosing, and the only thing that will cure her ailment, she says, is to own the moon. So the King calls on his top wizards and councilmen to try to figure out how to grant the little girl’s wish. The Lord High Chamberlain, the Royal Wizard and the Royal Mathematician, each has a different, scientific, logical and useless solution for the problem. Enter, of course, the Court Jester, whose simple resolution you will need to read the book to discover.

Why I like this book: The hilarious 1944 Caldecott-winning book, written by well known humorist, James Thurber, makes a fantastic read-aloud to older children. Adults will especially like the humor, while children will love the ludicrous nature of the “wise” men’s suggestions, and the wisdom of the court fool, as well as and the build up to the story’s climax and satisfying solution. This is, as typical from its date, a LONG picture book and, with some complex language (surfeit anyone?), so will need to be kept for older elementary children. It is a masterly crafted fairy tale with some tongue in cheek wit, mockery of the at times boxed world view of adults, and with some beautiful language choices. I love saying and seeing “blue poodles”, don’t you? The drawings remind me enormously of those in Madeline, which shouldn’t surprise me as it is from the same era! I love this look at child/adult perception and appreciate the whimsy and word choice. I think you will fall afresh in love with the crescent moon after reading this sweet story! The final light shines on the jester and the little princess, whose combined sense reveals a good lesson that children and the humble ones often have the resources to work things out.

Actitivities:

Watch and chart a waxing and waning moon for a month with the kids.

This story has some great roles and totally gives itself to reenacting!