Natasha Wing's Blog, page 19

Something About Me

Author interview with children’s writer Natasha Wing.

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School Visit Grant Available

 

 

If you’re a school with little to no budget for bringing in an author, don’t forget about grants! 

There’s one offered through the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators that will pay for an author to come in plus provide extra money for books. It’s the Amber Brown Grant set up in honor of Paula Danzinger whose famous character was Amber Brown.

The deadline is April 1st for this year. You can also submit again in the fall from November 1-April 1. It’s an easy application to fill out. Here’s the link: GRANT

Filed under: Natasha Wing Tagged: Amber Brown, author visit grants, Natasha Wing, School visit grants

Skyping for Read Aloud Days

Dr. Seuss’s birthday is this Friday and schools are celebrating it with a national Read Across America Day. Also next week on March 6th is Read Aloud Day. So I have been getting many requests for Skype visits from all over the country – and one in Canada – to beam into classrooms and share a story.

I love that this technology exists since it connects students with an author even when there is no budget to bring an author in for a live presentation. I also love the casualness of our visit, and that kids are more comfortable asking questions in a small classroom setting.

So thank you, teachers, librarians and media specialists, for thinking of me and inviting me into your schools. By the responses, it sounds like the kids are enjoying it to! 

Here’s an email from a Library Media Paraprofessional from Crown Point, Indiana:

Mrs. Wing,

I cannot tell you how much our students enjoyed visiting with you this afternoon (they have not stopped talking about it!). I can only imagine the stories they will tell their parents tonight! It was a real pleasure for me to meet you too! Thank you not only for your time, but creating such a wonderful and lasting memory. I hope we can do it again next year!

With thanks and gratitude.

If you are interested in a Skype visit, please contact me through the comment area below. I do free 20-minute Skypes to classrooms and for in-depth visits lasting 30-45 minutes I charge a nominal fee of $25 through the remainder of this school year. I can also arrange for signed books delivered to your school.

I’m looking forward to sharing my writing life with your students!

 

 

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Persuasive Letter Writing

Great for classroom discussion of persuasive letter writing skills

I was Skyping with second graders today and they asked if I had written any chapter books. I showed them Pearl vs. the Tooth Fairy and said it was about a girl who loses her first tooth and she doesn’t want to give it up to the Tooth Fairy so she writes a letter to her. Well, the Tooth Fairy needs Pearl’s tooth so writes a letter back and hence begins a battle of the letters as each is trying to convince the other to give up the tooth.

The second grade teacher said that Pearl vs. the Tooth Fairy would be a great book  to illustrate a lesson the kids were learning about persuasive letter writing. 

If there any teachers who would like a copy of my book to use in their classroom, please contact me through the comment section below. Pearl vs. the Tooth Fairy may not be reprinted so I have a bunch stockpiled and you can purchase a copy direct from me for $6.50 which includes postage. And I’ll happily sign it!

Filed under: Natasha Wing Tagged: classroom activities, letter writing, Pearl vs. the Tooth Fairy, Tooth Fairy

Send me your Valentine Crafts

A page from The Night Before Valentine’s Day

The inside pages of The Night Before Valentine’s Day is chockfull of heart-shaped cards and crafts, thanks to the wonderful illustrator Heidi Petach. So moms and teachers looking for ideas for Valentine crafts, check out my book. Then send me a jpg photo of the craft and I will post it here.

Note: Target is now carrying it in their stores.

Filed under: Natasha Wing Tagged: Heidi Petach, valentine crafts, valentine's day

Free Christmas Story

Free Christmas Story

In the spirit of giving, I’m offering my Kindle book, The Legend of Christmas Island, to download for free from Dec. 21 to Christmas Day.

Enjoy the story of how Christmas Island was named, and how with the help of a little mermaid, Santa Claus delivered toys to the merchildren.

Pass this post onto your friends as a gift from you!

Filed under: Natasha Wing Tagged: Christmas Island, free books, free eBook, Holiday, legends, little mermaid

Free Gift for Teachers

FREE READER’S THEATER SCRIPT

Here’s a way to extend the literary experience in your classroom – Reader’s Theater! When you purchase Go to Bed, Monster! I will send along a free Reader’s Theater script. And if you order by Dec. 31, 2012, I will ship the package for free. Your total cost is $15.00. Book, script and shipping. My gift to you for all your support. And if you’d like to Skype me into your classroom, I’d love to see your students perform the skit.

Book and Script Package

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Christmas Tree Topper

Not sure what to put on top of your tree? Here’s how one family started a new tradition in my story, “The Christmas Tree Topper.”

The Christmas Tree Topper

by Natasha Wing

At Christmastime we have a family tradition. Papa strings the lights on the tree, then Mama and I hang the ornaments. When we’re done, Papa adds the final touch to the top of the tree – an angel.

Papa climbs the ladder. “Hand her up,” he says.

Mama carefully opens the angel’s box. “Oh, no!” she cries.

“What’s wrong?” asks Papa.

“The angel’s face is broken,” says Mama.

Papa climbs down the ladder and inspects the angel. “It must have gotten crushed in the box.”

Mama brushes a tear from her eye. “I picked her out at my favorite department store when I was a little girl,” she says.

I look at the top of the tree. It seems so empty.

Papa asks Mama, “How old were you when you picked out the angel?”

“Eight, same as Anton.”

I see a twinkle in Papa’s eye.

“Maybe it’s time to start a new tradition.”

Mama smiles at me. “Anton, would you like to pick out a tree topper?”

I nod excitedly.

“We’ll go shopping tomorrow,” says Mama.

When I go to bed I lie awake and wonder. What should I get? An angel like Mama’s? A star? A snowflake? Or maybe a Santa Claus.

The next afternoon we go to a crafts fair.

There are lots of angel decorations at the fair. There are angels with golden hair. Angels with silvery wings. Angels with harps. Angels with lighted halos.

“Do you see any you like?” asks Mama.

“Lots of them are pretty,” I say, “but I think I want a Santa Claus.”

Mama is quiet.

“Are you mad I’m not getting another angel?” I ask.

“No,” says Mama. “My angel was my symbol of Christmas. You have a different idea of what Christmas means. Get something that’s special to you.”

She checks her watch. “Let’s go to the mall.”

At the mall there are Santa Clauses everywhere! Santas on wrapping paper. Wooden Santas from different countries. Dancing Santa toys. Kids having their picture taken with Santa. My head is swimming with Santas!

After seeing so many of them, Santa doesn’t seem so special anymore.

We go home without a tree topper. Our Christmas tree still waits to be crowned.

That night at dinner, Papa says, “Are you ready for me to put up your topper?”

“No,” I mumble.

“We don’t have one yet,” says Mama.

“Anton! What are you waiting for, Christmas?” teases Papa.

“I was thinking maybe a snowflake,” says Anton. “All my Christmas books show houses covered in snow.“

“Snowflakes are pretty,” says Mama.

I frown. “But it never snows here so that seems silly to have a snowflake.”

Mama starts to clear the table. “Do you want to see the Christmas lights? Maybe that will give you an idea.”

We walk through the neighborhood looking at everyone’s decorations. We circle the block then stop in front of our house. Our Christmas tree is lit up in the window. But the top is still empty.

“Did you get any ideas?” asks Papa.

“What about a big candy cane,” says Mama. “You love candy canes.”

Candy is delicious. But it isn’t what Christmas is all about.

“How about some hot chocolate while you think it over,” says Mama. She snuggles with Papa, with me in the middle like a hug sandwich. I look up at their smiling faces against a sky full of twinkling stars. I feel so warm and happy inside.

“I know what I’m going to put on our tree!”

“What?” asks Papa.

“You’ll see.”

We go inside. I cut out a cardboard star and decorate it with glitter. Then I glue my favorite photo of Mama, Papa and me on it.

“What’s this?” asks Mama as I hand her my star.

“It’s what’s most special about Christmas,” I say. “Family!”

Papa puts the topper in place. My heart swells with joy.

Mama sighs. “This is the most beautiful tree we’ve ever had.”

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Battle of the Christmas Bulbs

Each Christmas season, I dig up old stories I’ve written about Christmas and work on them a bit more, while I’m in the Christmas frame of mind. Here is one I wrote about the competition between neighbors to have the best Christmas lights. (excuse the formatting below)

The Great Battle of the Bulbs

by Natasha Wing

Christmas season was in full swing. What should have been a time of peace and joy, turned into a Battle of the Bulbs.

It all started when Mayor Julie Annie announced that she was awarding a trophy for the outdoor display that best captured the spirit of Christmas.

My neighbors shifted their decorating into high gear.

First thing Saturday morning, I was jolted awake by dueling BEEP BEEP BEEPs and RAT-A-TAT-TATs.

Freddy Bob was backing a crane up to his house to string lights.

Travis was stringing his with a high-powered staple gun.

All day long those two stapled and pounded and cursed until their houses were covered with Christmas lights. There were so many lights, I needed sunglasses…inside my house!

In the meantime, I filled the bottoms of paper bags with sand. Then I placed a candle in each bag and set out my luminaries.

On Sunday, those two were at it again.

Freddy Bob was franticly setting up a winter wonderland complete with twirling ice skaters and sliding penguins.

Freddy Bob shouted, “Hey, Travis! Try to beat this Christmas spirit!”

“I can top that,” yelled Travis.

He recreated Santa’s village with real elves who were up all night hammering BANG, BANG, BANG! Oh, the noise!

On Monday, Freddy Bob brought in a full orchestra and a choir which played the Twelve Days of Christmas. He even had live turtle doves, French hens, milking maids and a partridge in a pear tree.

At first it was quite something to hear. But then the same song playing over and over again drove me nuttier than a fruit cake!

If that wasn’t enough, Travis staged a live performance of The Nutcracker. He imported dancers from New York City. They were spinning and twirling and leaping and quite frankly, were making me dizzy just watching them.

The performances went on until after midnight. And so did the line of cars.

What ever happened to peace on Earth?

At last, judging day arrived.

Freddy Bob and Travis worked up until the last-minute, adding spotlights and putting in speakers to broadcast Christmas music.

Silent Night this was not.

Me? I lit my luminaries. Then I sat on my porch sipping spiced cider and watched a steady stream of cars cruise through the neighborhood, looky-loos pointing and oo-ing and ah-ing at the Christmas spectacles.

Travis and Freddy Bob put on the final touches just as the mayor’s limo turned the corner.

Mayor Julie Annie stepped out of the limo. Her hair was piled high in the shape of a Christmas tree. Her bulb necklace blinked.

Mayor Julie Annie announced to the crowd that had gathered, “I am please to see that everyone in this fine city got into the spirit of Christmas. I would love to give each and every one of you a trophy. But I only have one.”

A couple of beefy men carried the trophy from the limo and set it on the sidewalk in front of Travis’s house.

“And the trophy goes to –”

Suddenly, a giant sleigh lifted off the ground and hovered above Freddy Bob’s house. Santa Claus waved to the crowd below.

Everyone cheered. Except Travis. He threw his hat to the ground and stomped on it. Freddy Bob has outdone him.

The men picked up the trophy and carried it to Freddy Bob’s house where Freddy Bob stood, his chest puffed up bigger than Santa Claus’s. The mayor proclaimed, “I proudly present the Spirit of Christmas award to -”

Just then, the sleigh flew out of control. It knocked over Santa’s workshop.

It took out the ice skaters.

The sugarplums fled for cover.

People ran screaming.

The sleigh swooshed and smacked into a pole. Not the North Pole – a street light pole!

Just like that, the lights went out.

There was total darkness. Except for my luminaries.

A hush fell over the crowd. From the silence, one voice sang, “Silent night.”

Then one voice became two, two became four, and soon, everyone was singing.

That’s when our town found the true spirit of Christmas.

And I discovered that a trophy makes a real good candle holder.

Filed under: Natasha Wing

Free on Kindle Prime

Ho! Ho! Ho! In the spirit of giving, I just signed my e-book up on Kindle’s KDP lending library so if you have Kindle Prime, you can borrow it for free!

Here’s the link. Pass it along.

Filed under: Natasha Wing Tagged: Christmas, free books, Kindle