Chieu Anh Urban's Blog, page 2

Fun Animal Idioms and Storytime Activities!

Introducing animal idioms!Here are some storytime activities for my interactive book,Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms.In this die-cut novelty, children are introduced to funanimal idioms through a playful guessing game.





Are you sly as a fox?  Stubborn as a mule?These stick puppets, coloring and idiom activitieshave been a big hit with the kids at my storytime author events.
Click here to print out the activity pages.







Here I am, happy as a clam -
though I’m dressed as the quiet mouse.
For more storytime ideas, check out these animal
idiom activities from Toddler Approved.

Spring Storytime Read Aloud and Crafts!

As we are adjusting to these challenging times,I am joining the kid lit community in sharing storytime and craftsto entertain and help kids stay enriched and happy at home.


To celebrate the spring season,I am reading Color Wonder: Hooray for Spring!Stay tuned!  At the end of this video, there will be a demonstrationon how I created this novelty format with color-mixing wheels.




Make it a craft day too!  Pair storytime with these stick puppets and coloringactivities featuring the playful bug characters and spring flowers.Click here to print out the activities.






And for some creative hands-on fun, check out thesewonderful color-mixing activities from Toddler Approved. 

Wishing you all a safe and healthy spring season.

Book Festivals of 2019

As I’m preparing for the holiday and 2020, I’m also reminiscing over the excitement I’ve had this year
and how quickly the time has gone by.

The Gaithersburg Book Fair was a fun-packed day of storytime and crafts.It’s not usual that I get to read on a plush, velvet throne.I was going for a friendly look, inspired by the cover of my novelty book,Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms.  

Do you see the resemblance?



The Cecil County Book Fair was super festive.Children met authors and illustrators from novelty/board books,    pictures books, middle grade, to young adult and non-fiction books.  I loved being surrounded by such young energyand appreciated their enthusiasm for reading and books.This time around, I’m representing this sly character.

I skipped the mask.  It probably would have frightened the children.



Over the spring, I made it up to New York to visit my favorite editors,and even got to meet Captain Underpants at Scholastics!I made sure to get this picture for my daughter.



The MD/DE/WV SCBWI Conference was a true creative force.Presenting was a bit nerve-racking, but I enjoyed discussingthe novelty and board book process with so manyaspiring writers and illustrators.  They inspired me, too!


This photo was shared during my slide presentation,and pleasantly sparked a burst of laughter in the room.While I do have a large table to work at,I find it comforting to lay everything out on the floor.Believe it or not, this work space is very organized.
I’m proud of the projects I created this year,and hope I may continue this creative journeyin the children’s book world.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New year friends!  It's the year of the pig.  If you were born during the following years, this is your year!2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, 1923The Travel in China Guide lists the start and end dates.
Visit the Chinese New Year site to learn more aboutthe personalities and characteristics of the pig.
May this year bring you good health, fortune, and prosperity!

Color Wonder: Winter is Here! Storytime and Activity

I’m so excited to share with you my book trailer forColor Wonder: Winter is Here!

Join me in this interactive visual storytime experiencethat allows little ones to mix and match the colors of a winterwonderland right before their eyes.  
This is one of my favorite formats, and I love watching
preschoolers experience the joy and wonder of color mixing.





Pair your storytime with a puppets craft activity.
Click here to download and print the winter characters.
Cut them out and have the children color
and glue them onto craft sticks.  You can also add sparkly
snowflakes and color dot stickers to the puppet crafts.

Have fun and enjoy!

Holiday Shop and Mash-Up Fun!

I'm trying something new this year and adding my favorite holiday artworkto some fun goods.  I love mash-ups; they're silly and make me chuckle.




Got some ocean-lovin' friends?Spread the holiday cheers with these festive sea buddies.
Really, how often do you come across a gingerbread starfish,snowman whale, reindeer pufferfish, and elf crab?




And I'm all about the holiday LOVE!The hot chocolate, reindeer, tree, angel, and gingerbread manare designed with hearts.



From apparel to home decor,visit can my shop at Redbubble and Amazon

Mermaids Galore!

My youngest daughter asked for a mermaid birthday party.
This was her second mermaid themed celebration,
and the third one I’ve hosted all together.I’ll admit, this theme never gets old with me.



I like for my girls to be involved as much as possiblewith making their invitations and party favors. My daughter used watercolors to illustrate the mermaids.She did a fabulous job; I loved how they turned out!I created the seashell template and together we cut, pasted,
and assembled the sparkly invitations.  Click here todownload my seashell template and create cards of your own.



The chocolate mermaid tails were much easier to make
than I thought.  Melt the Wilton candy melts colors separately
and spoon a variety of colors into each silicon mold.
I love how differently each one turned out.



The marbled chocolate seashells made nice party favors.
We melted white and pink candy melts and used a fork
to give them a little stir for the marbling effect.I’ve had this seashell mold for over ten years now,and it’s still one of my favorites.



My daughter and I had a great time making these
party bracelets.  I found the mermaid charms on Esty.
She loved selecting the colorful beads and had some
creative ideas for putting together a nice variety.



Since mermaids were on our minds,
and summer is a perfect time to trying something new...
my daughter and I started needle felting dolls.
This new hobby is still a work-in-progress,but we are having so much fun.

Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms Activities

I love these activities from Toddler Approved.Swing by their blog and check out the fun animal
idiom crafts and story time ideas.

School Library Journal Editors' Picks!

Yay!  I'm thrilled to see Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms
included in School Library Journal's Editors' Picks!I'm with great company, with so many awesome board books.
"Urban explores animal-related idioms through a fun guessing gamethat pairs bouncy rhymes with close-ups of different faces.
A whiskered, sharp-faced creature describes itself as"Quick and cheeky, smart and sneaky.  I'm sly as a ..."A page turn reveals the answer: a fox.  Vibrant images fill each page,accompanied by large text.  Strategically placed die-cut holes and flashy,fun details (a red bandana for the ox, a pair of sunglasses for the bat)
add to the charm."  - Mahnaz, Dar,  SLJ January 2018

Happy New Year!

Happy 2018 my friends!
I'm kicking off the new year with a book birthday!
It's so awesome to finally see
Quiet as a Mouse: And Other Animal Idioms hit the shelves!Indeed, I am happy as a clam.
Cheers to an amazing and creative new year!
"It's a visually dramatic and playful exploration
of animals and language - especially the final scene
featuring a very happy clam with mirrored sunglasses."
- Publishers Weekly, November 2017