Friday, December 31, 2021

Happy New Year 2022

 What am I celebrating at the close of 2021? So many things!

 Yes, 2021 was a challenge, but it was also a great opportunity for exploring new ways of connecting with the broad range of clients that I serve and finding innovative ways to meet their needs.  Zoom enabled me to provide seminars sponsored by the publishing house for which I consult and respond to teacher requests to visit with young scholars in their classrooms to share the tools and ideas that are fundamental for creating magic with words. I also received some lovely pictures and stories from teachers around the country to show me how they utilize my books in lessons. Such fun!

My blog and Facebook Page were indispensable in allowing me to celebrate some of my favorite authors with my many readers. And…I was treated to some wonderful books that came across my desk for me to review, which is always a delight.

So, here’s to the talented, hardworking authors I mentor, the publishers who send me their marvelous books, and the teachers, parents, and students for whom I write. I’m looking forward to spending more great times with all of you in 2022! Thanks to all of you for your tremendous support!!




Monday, December 27, 2021

MORE GINGERBREAD COWBOY FUN.

THE GINGERBREAD COWBOY excitement just keeps on coming!

A couple of days before the Christmas holiday, April Robert from Little Leaders Academy, St. Louis shared some adorable photos of Gingerbread Cowboy activities the students enjoyed. There was a CVC (consonant/vowel/consonant word-building) game and storytelling with story dice.

                                                                                                          
         
                                                                              

     
                                                                  




I always enjoy seeing all the places my books travel and the creative approaches of educators as they incorporate my books in their lessons. 

Thank you, April


You can learn more about April and  LITTLE LEADERS ACADEMY by following these links.

FACEBOOK  | WEBSITE  |  INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Friday, December 17, 2021

THE GINGERBREAD COWBOY RIDES AGAIN!

 

December has been an exciting month for my favorite cookie!  

Two weeks ago, he was the star of an elementary school Zoom presentation that I provided for a local elementary school. The third-grade teachers reached out to say they were working on a project about finding the magic in stories. They hoped I could speak to their scholars about the tools I use and how I find ideas to help enable their students to create their own stories. Of course, I agreed and was honored by their request. I was delighted to receive this follow-up message:

 Hi Janet, 

 “I can not thank you enough for the experience you gave all of our kiddos this morning. What a special and impactful time for our 3rd graders. Thank you for sharing your expertise and insight with all of us. 

They spoke of you later that day when we dove into their writing! 

 Thank you so much for all you did and bringing the magic of stories into our classrooms! “ – Grace


 This week, he inspired a class in another school district to create stick puppets to act out the tale!

 I absolutely love all the imaginative ways teachers utilize my stories in their classrooms!



Tuesday, December 7, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOWCASE OF BOOKS FOR GIVING

         SEARCHING  FOR  GIFT  IDEAS  FOR  YOUNG  FRIENDS  AND  FAMILY?

Books are always a happy surprise!

Here are some entertaining children’s books by some of my favorite authors

(and a few by yours truly) for you to consider.

There are board books, picture books, and a marvelous anthology of Yiddish stories to explore.

Click on the titles to go to Amazon to learn more about your selections.

 

BOARD BOOKS

HORNS TO TOES AND IN BETWEEN Sandra Boynton

Adorable monsters teach the names of body parts in this silly dance that is fun and very readable throughout. (Ages 1-5)  


   

THE GOING TO BED BOOK   by Boynton is a delightful way to end a busy day. Join her adorable animal friends as they parade through their bedtime routine. (Ages 2-5)



DINOSNORES  also by Boynton

is just pure fun as a colorful collection of dinosaurs prepare for sleep and then… Oh no! The dino-sized snoring begins! Boynton at her entertaining best! (Ages 0-4)



A PET JUST FOR MEPaula D. Golden 

This playful journey anticipates the excitement of a first pet. Will it be a furry companion, a chirping bird or crawling critter?  Share the fun of guessing what pet is coming home. Available in English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Armenian (Ages 2-7)


THE BEAR SNORES ON – Karma Wilson

This rhyming story is an excellent read-aloud experience. Wonderfully executed, smart, imaginative, and with a delightful twist at the end! A story parents will enjoy reading again and again. (Ages 1-4)



PICTURE BOOKS


LOVE IS EVERYTHING Charles Ghigna       

From a starry sky, to a mountain forest, Ghigna invites readers to believe in the beauty of nature. His joyful refrain “I believe,” applies not just to the observable world.  He suggests it is felt inside each of us in wanting to do what’s right. The characters' buoyant enthusiasm for life encourages us to remember – Love surrounds us, if only we have the eyes to see and the heart to believe in each other and ourselves. 

(Ages 5-8)


A POEM IS A FIREFLY Charles Ghigna

What a charming way to introduce young readers to the world of poetry.  “A poem is a whisper. Whooooooo.  A poem is a shout. Hoooowllllllll. A Poem is a thought.” and so much more! Follow along as a bear, owl, wolf and other woodland animals explore the question of what is poetry only to discover it can be different things to different creatures… But always a marvelous source of enchantment. (Ages 5-8)


THE GINGERBREAD COWBOY Janet Squires

The Gingerbread Cowboy can run from the rancher's wife, he can dash past the javalinas and he can giddy-up right by the cattle grazing on the mesa.  But what happens when he meets a coyote sleeping in the sun? A lively Western version of the classic read-aloud tale. (Ages 4-8)



JUST LIKE GULLIVER Janet Squires

The adventure of a young groundhog who is frightened of his shadow until a fun-filled journey through the woods and farms surrounding his burrow allows him to discover his courage on Groundhog Day. An author's note provides factual information about Groundhogs. 

(Ages 4-8)


GRACIE JANE Janet Squires

Gracie Jane has a heart as big as the Western sky, and she's always ready to lend a helping hand. So, she doesn't think twice about rescuing Fifi La Rue and taking the lost pup home. After all, how much trouble could one little dog be on a great big ranch? It's nonstop fun and excitement when one good deed turns this cowgirl's life upside down! (Ages 4-8)


TEN CUDDLY PANDAS  – Paula D. Golden

This is a delightful countdown quest built around subtraction. Ten pandas go on a playful journey through the mountains of China where curiosity lures each into an adventure until only one remains. Written in rhyme, this story introduces young readers to simple subtraction word problems with matching numerical equations. (Ages 3-5)


THERE’S ONLY ONE YOU – Kathryn Heling

The charming rhyming text speaks directly to the reader as it explores the many ways in which YOU are unique and assures the audience that being you is wonderful! The text acknowledges the obvious, but gives equal consideration to other more subtle qualities: interests, abilities, manner of speaking, even the various ways in which learning takes place.  A joyful and uplifting story. (Ages 3-7)




FOR READERS OF ALL AGES


HONEY ON THE PAGE: A Treasury of Yiddish Children’s Literature Miriam Udel

 Udel  offer readers the pleasure of storytelling paired with a glimpse into Jewish history and culture. The stories and poems are charming and engaging. The tone is delightfully conversational. The text is complimented by imaginative illustrations. Young readers will enjoy read-aloud stories. Independent readers will find an immediate connection to some stories and grow into appreciation for others.  Adults looking to widen their cultural experience or seeking to deepen their understanding of the rich tradition of Yiddish literature will find a well-researched resource here.


The Gingerbread Cowboy Book Trailer