Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 33

Happy Birthday to Author Jan Brett!

I may be a few days late, but I certainly didn’t want to miss the opportunity to wish one of my favorite authors, Jan Brett, and Happy Birthday (even if it is belated!).

Though I am a huge fan of all of Jan’s books, this particular one has a special place in my heart; The Mitten

This is a classic favorite in this house. During the holiday season and also during snowy days, this family favorite comes off the shelf and is read over and over again.

The story begins with a Ukrainian boy named Nicki wanting his grandmother Baba to knit snow-white mittens for him. She warns her grandson that a white mitten will be hard to find if he loses it in the snow, but of course he promptly does just that! What happens next is the surprising part, as a mole takes refuge in the lost mitten, then a rabbit, then a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, and a fox.

If you think the mitten might be a wee bit stretched out at this point, just wait.

“Then a big bear sniffed at the mitten. The animals were packed in tight, but the bear didn’t care. He crawled in anyway.” When a tiny mouse squeezes in, her whiskers tickle the bear’s nose. He sneezes, and “Aaaaa-aaaaa-ca-chew!” all the animals fly out of their crocheted cave. As the mitten sails through the air, Nicki spots it, reclaims it, and takes it home to show his smiling Baba.

And so goes the story of Nicki and his snow white mitten.

Something to Do:

Today I’m getting a little help from illustrator and Mitten author herself Jan Brett. She has one of the most incredible websites I’ve ever seen with lots of activities to extend and support her books. Here’s the link for today’s activity.

I downloaded the animals page onto heavy card stock. We colored the animals and then cut them out for later use. In the past I’ve also colored the animals and then scanned them into my print and printed them out onto fabric iron transfers. I would transfer these onto muslin fabric cut them out in doubles and then stuff them. This time though we are just using the heavy card stock.

The fun part of this activity is making the stocking. Just like Nicki’s ours is white. We used the mitten pattern from the Jan Brett site as well. Be sure to cut out 2 felt mitten pieces. I cut it out just a little bit larger so all the animals can fit in.

To help Nicki find his mitten better we stitched it with red thread and put a big red heart in the center.

But just like in the book, the animals seemed to find their way to the mitten. Who couldn’t find their mitten when there’s 8 animals inside?

This makes for a wonderful play and also helps promote reading skills. As I read the book the children put the animals inside the mitten one by one. All of my children learned how to read the specific animal names while playing with this book. It also teaches them sequence. Once all of the animals are in the mitten, we quickly go backwards through the book taking the animals out one by one until there is only the mitten left.

Enjoy today’s book adventure into the world of The Mitten. Would you like to find an animal in your mitten? If so what would you like to find?

One More Thing-It’s time for the 2nd Annual Audrey Press’ Holiday Book Love Sale!

As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!

If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 27th to December 15th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special “extended” Black Friday prices!

Go HERE to get the scoop on all of the Beautiful Books for Kids that can be purchased at Special Holiday Prices! Read on!

The Holiday Book Love Sale | Audrey Press’ Gift to YOU

Dragon Activity Guide

Inspired by my award-winning book, Dragons Area Real, I have a free gift for my fellow Dragon-lovers. Grab my FREE Downloadable Dragons Are Real Activity Guide HERE:

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NOTE: If you were planning on purchasing my books for gifts this year, please consider purchasing from our local indie bookshop. Shop Small this holiday season!

(Sale prices available on Amazon only)

 

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Diverse Books for Kids | Cost=ZERO

Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) is a non-profit that I co-founded along with fellow mom, Mia Wenjen, that has a mission of helping kids “see themselves” on the pages of the books they read. This event has evolved into something so incredibly wonderful and positive: far more than all of us could have ever imagined.

As we approach our fifth MCBD, I am excited to report that we have so many amazing things planned for our 2018 online event (1/27/18). , This holiday is usually just a one day event, but because since the day of this children’s book-related holiday lands on a Saturday, we decided to get creative on how we can make this one-day event a week-long party!

A huge part of what we do is work with authors and publishers to not only review and give publicity to their multicultural books, but to also spend hundreds of “women-hours” and thousands of dollars to get those books into the hands of young readers. Typically, the majority of our celebration exists online, but after seeing all of the amazing offline festivities that MCBD2017 inspired, we knew we wanted to do something extra special for our next event on 1/27/18.

To help our teachers and librarians bring this once-a-year celebration to life, and to continue our mission of raising awareness, we have unique and fun ways for teachers and librarians to be gifted as many as FIVE brand new diverse books for their readers:

Free Diverse Books for Kids

#1. Be part of the Offline Classroom Event Project (summary) and potentially get THREE free books for your class! http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/category/offline-classroomlibrary-event-project/

#2. Be a reviewer for MCBD (summary and link to sign up page) and get a free book to review on social media in honor of the event. Details here: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/our-programs/reviewer-tools-works/

#3. Participate in our Free Books for Classrooms to get a free book (describe this offering, note that supplies are limited and that books are not mailed until after the 1/27/18 event: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/our-programs/mccbd-2016-classroom-reading-challenge/

One more thing: Did you know you can get a special poster from award-winning author Juana Medina. This kit’s emphasis is on understanding and empathizing with immigrants and refugees and includes a robust booklist along with some excellent activity ideas. Get the kit HERE.

Looking forward to helping your school or library celebrate this special event in honor of diversity in children’s literature.

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MulticulturalChildrensBookDay

Twitter https://twitter.com/MCChildsBookDay

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/readyourworldmcbd/

Reminder: The hashtag for this event is #ReadYourWorld

 

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Beautiful Books for Young Readers | Audrey Press’ Holiday Book Love Sale

As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!

If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 27th to December 15th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special “extended” Black Friday prices!

Discover the joys of delving into this timeless children’s literature classic and see the Secret Garden through new eyes and a modern twist! Kids and nature go hand-and-hand and enjoying the bounty that the great outdoors brings is not just a “summer thing.” A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Love Sale price of $16.95 Click to purchase from Amazon HERE!

My book Dragons Are Real (illustrated by Michael Welply) has been named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2016!

What makes this book special is the idea that the fiercest beasts in known history or imaginations everywhere could actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Readers will also learn things about dragons that might not be common knowledge such as they are master of disguises and how they love sugar and sweets (at unacceptable levels) and will do anything for treats.



So if you haven’t started looking for a dragon to be your best friend, you’d better get going! Having a dragon as a friend is not what you think and I can assure you that everything you thought you knew about Dragons is a total myth.  This vibrant picture book is on sale for on Amazon for $8.95 until 12.15.17

Do your young readers love nature and all of nature’s critters? The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden offers an enthusiastically educational opportunity to observe this fox family grow and learn together. From digging and hunting to playing and resting, this diary shares a rare glimpse into the private lives of Momma Rennie and her babies. Grab your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Love Sale price of $14.87  HERE.

The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool will makes a great gift so grab your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Love Sale price of $16.95

The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Enhanced Digital eBook is an entertaining and educational children’s book enhanced with animations, games, recipes, videos, and more providing hours of fun for kids and parents alike. Based on the beloved story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this interactive children’s e-book is filled with action and adventure. With over 20 crafts and activities (including creating Gobstopper Gum and Chocolate Rivers, golden tickets, handmade Willy Wonka hats, etc.), this beautifully illustrated e-book re-lives the wonder and amazement through Willy Wonka’s world of magic. Download your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Love Sale price of $3.99

The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory

Don’t have an Apple device, but still want to experience the thrill, activities and magic of The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? This entertaining and educational children’s book based on the beloved story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is available in PDF form!  With over 20 crafts and activities (including creating Gobstopper Gum and Chocolate Rivers, golden tickets, handmade Willy Wonka hats, etc.), this beautifully illustrated PDF re-lives the wonder and amazement through Willy Wonka’s world of magic. Download your PDF copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Sale price of $5.00!

YA Readers! We didn’t forget about you! Recipient of the 2017 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards-Children’s/YA-New Voices GOLD Award! Ascension by Hannah Rials

Enter this world of vampires, set in the south, and realize you are being pulled in more—and deeper—with each page.

 

Steeped in the mystery, intrigue and rich history of New Orleans and the secretive world of the Deuxsang, teen vampire, Cheyenne, and her forbidden love, Eli, embark on a very different, and vastly more dangerous, journey as the net of betrayal tightens around them. This intense and fresh novel is enchanting, engrossing and impossible to put down right up to the cliffhanger ending. Remember, the end is not the end.

Get sucked in….

Grab your copy of Ascension on Amazon for the Holiday Book Love Sale price of $8.95  HERE and visit Hannah on Facebook, Twitter and on her website.

The Holiday Book Love Sale | Audrey Press’ Gift to YOU

Dragon Activity Guide

Inspired by my award-winning book, Dragons Area Real, I have a free gift for my fellow Dragon-lovers. Grab my FREE Downloadable Dragons Are Real Activity Guide HERE:

Subscribe to our mailing list
* indicates required
Email Address *




First Name


Last Name

Email Format

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NOTE: If you were planning on purchasing my books for gifts this year, please consider purchasing from our local indie bookshop. Shop Small this holiday season!

(Sale prices available on Amazon only)

 

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Board Books for Babies Review and #Giveaway

Picture Book Month is in full swing and I am loving all of the booklists and reviews of beautiful kids’ books that are being shared on social media. I love Picture Book Month because, well…I adore picture books! You can look through any of my many Booklists for Kids and see a plethora of delightful book recommends.

But today I’d like to shine the spotlight on a certain kind of books rarely reviewed here on Jump Into a Book; Board Books for Babies.

Board books are intended for infants, babies, and toddlers so it is designed built for heavy duty use. The books themselves often consist of thick cardboard pages with rounded corners so Littles can’t get cut. It’s also durably bound and the pages are often coated so it can be cleaned. I think it’s safe to say one of the most popular Board Books for Babies of all time is Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.

There are some truly gorgeous board books available these days and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to get my hands a bunch of them from children’s book publisher, ChronicleKids.com. The quality is amazing and the topics are going to be a hit with littles!

Board Books for Babies| Chronicle Kids

My Little Cities: San Francisco by Jennifer Adams

In this delightful series written by BabyLit author Jennifer Adams and illustrated by kidlit darling Greg Pizzoli, each book showcases a different city with sweet baby-appropriate text, ridiculously charming illustrations, and a light introduction to rhyme and opposites. High-chair travelers can explore the City by the Bay: cruise along the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, play with the sea lions at Pier 39, ride cable cars up steep hills, and have a picnic in lovely San Francisco.

Motor Mix-Emergency by Emily Snape

Motor-Mix a lifeboat, highway patrol car, and snowplow to create an emergency vehicle unlike any other. Young readers will delight in mixing and matching their favorite vehicles and then reading the funny sounds and sentences that result, making for a playful, interactive bonding experience.

Motor Mix-Flight by Emily Snape

Motor-Mix a gyrocopter, lunar probe, jumbo jet, and more to invent a flying machine all your own! Young readers will delight in mixing and matching their favorite vehicles and then reading the funny sounds and sentences that result, making for a playful, interactive bonding experience.

My Little Cities-Paris by Jennifer Adams

In this delightful series written by BabyLit author Jennifer Adams and illustrated by kidlit darling Greg Pizzoli, each book showcases a different city with sweet baby-appropriate text, ridiculously charming illustrations, and a light introduction to rhyme and opposites. High-chair travelers can take a whirlwind tour of the city of light and love! Listen to the choir at Notre Dame Cathedral, explore the catacombs, ride up to the tip-top of the Eiffel Tower and, of course, say good night to the sparkling city of Paris.

Tiny Farm by Suzy Ultman

This adorable board book for babies is exactly that: TINY! This adorable barn-shaped book is the perfect size for little hands. Littles can even peek through the cut outs on each page to see what animal they will get to meet next!

Tiny Town by Suzy Ultman

Just like Tiny Farm, toddlers and babies will be able to embark on a tour through a teeny world with every turn of the page. Die-cuts on each page lead to the next adventure, finally ending in the comforts of home.

So what so you think? Adorable, right? Well the good news is that one lucky winner will be able to win all six of these wonderful Chronicle Books Board Books for Babies!

Board Books for Babies Giveaway

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

ONE winner will receive a copy of all six board books reviewed above. Giveaway begins November 22, 2017 and ends November 30, 2017.

Prizing & samples  courtesy of Chronicle Books
Giveaway open to US addresses only
ONE lucky winner will win one copy of each of the above books.
Residents of USA only please.
Must be 18 years or older to enter
One entry per household.
Staff and family members of Audrey Press are not eligible.
Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on December 1, 2017.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Pop-Out Tale of Peter Rabbit | eReader Fun for Kids

Right or wrong, many of today’s kids do most of their reading on electronic devices so this week I thought I would focus on a fun and unique eBooks from Loud Crow, The Pop-Out Tale of Peter Rabbit , that helps families relive a children’s classic tale in a very modern way.  ENJOY!

Pop Out The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Pop-Out The Tale of Peter Rabbit is an experience unto itself. How many times have I read The Tale of Peter Rabbit? That cute little green book held by my children’s little hands. I cannot think of their childhood without including Beatrix Potter.

So what would my opinion be of an ipad/iphone/itouch app that takes this childhood classic and brings it into the 21st century?

Absolutely incredible!

Loud Crow, the makers of this app have pulled together an incredible team of talented people to delight us with the world of Peter Rabbit.

First, there is a wonderful balance between the classic story, artwork and touch technology. The story is read to us by the gentle voice of a British woman while lovely classical piano music plays in the background.

As each page comes into view there are tabs to be pulled, and wheels to be spun, just like in a “real” pop-out book. While we touched each little character, vegetable, leaf etc, sound effects of birds, bees,a breeze, and even a bonfire are playing in the background.

[image error]The big highlight for us were the pages that had the “pop-out” elements. Autumn leaves come trickling down. When you touch them they become these beautiful enlarged leaves floating down to the bottom of the page.

Another favorite page are the blackberries. As they sit on the page you can touch them and they squish and splat. We just love that.

One can choose to read the book silently or listen. For young readers they have a read along choice which highlights the words as the narrator reads aloud. There is also a touch word feature. As a child reads silently along, if they don’t know how a word is pronounced they can touch the word and it is spoken for them.

The extreme care that was placed in creating this book is visible. Still there is the charming art work of Beatrix Potter, everything else adds to an immersive experience into the world of Peter Rabbit. There is room on the collective bookshelf for both versions of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. So often we want to make things black and white, good and bad, worthy or unworthy. One does not replace the other, each is a unique experience.

After spending an evening with the Pop Out version of Peter Rabbit I can say we were completely enchanted.  We didn’t feel it was gimicky or invasive but an authentic experience which left the feeling that we had taken a gentle journey in Mr. McGreggor’s garden and met a little rabbit named Peter. We were completely captivated. The kids and I highly recommend this book and wish you many enjoyable moments.

For the record, I purchased this app myself and shared it with my family. All of today’s photos come from the Loud Crow website.

PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit

developed by Loud Crow Interactive

eBook app for the iPhone and iPad

$3.99

ages 3 -7

The Pop Out Tale of Peter Rabbit | Something To Do

Group games for kids are awesome for inspiring teamwork and creativity, all while promoting important developmental skills like balance, coordination, and motor control!  Check out Rabbit Hole – one of our most popular group games at The Inspired Treehouse!

The Rabbit Hole Game

Peter and his friends loved to eat and squish blackberries…so let’s make some blackberry cobbler! Yum!

Blackberry Cobbler Recipe
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If your family loves cooking and crafting inspired by a classic children’s book then you will love A Year in the Secret Garden!

Here are some past posts that were inspired by this book during something called Secret Garden Wednesdays (too much fun NOT to read!):

Secret Garden Wednesday: Building a Bee Watering Hole
Secret Garden Wednesday: Robin Cake
Secret Garden Wednesday: Studying the Class of Hunger
Secret Garden Wednesday: Planting Time
Secret Garden Wednesday: Book-Inspired FUN
Secret Garden Wednesday: Perfectly Good Porridge
Secret Garden Wednesday: Garden in a Jar
Secret Garden Wednesday: Rosapalooza
Secret Garden Wednesday: Sticky Toffee Pudding

 

Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.

Whimsical author/illustrator Marilyn Scott-Waters and I created this book to not only encourage families to read and participate in some “unplugged” activities, but to also delve into the beauty and the wonder of this classic children’s tale. Get the full scoop on this vibrant book HERE and “meet me in the garden!”

 

 

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Weekend Links | Globetrotting #kidlit books and activities

Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is so this week I decided to focus some attention on kidlit books and activities that encourage young readers to explore the globe. Enjoy!

Becky from Kid World Citizen has great ideas on Using the Web to Take Kids on Virtual Field Trips

Julie Yeros is an elementary educator and the creator of Globe Trottin’ Kids – a global learning resource for students, parents, and educators.

Through her own travel experiences and a multicultural family scattered across three continents, she shares the importance of children learning how they are connected globally and how they are more similar than different. Julie’s goal is to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to understand the world in which we live and about our own place in it.

Globe Trottin’ Kids

Around the World in 30 Books — A Trip Across the Globe – Inspire Creativity, Reduce Chaos & Encourage Learning with Kids

Global Learning for Kids – via @MulticulturKids is also an amazing resource for parents and kids alike.

Author Carole P. Roman fondly remembers the day she and her grandson were spending time together on a family trip to Las Vegas. As a curious four-year old, Carole’s grandson spotted a replica of the Eiffel Tower and asked what it was. After explaining what the iconic Paris, France landmark was, she realized that kids needed a colorful and easy way to learn about the world around them. In that moment the idea for what is now a 50+ book collection was born.

If You Were Me and Lived in… is an award-winning collection of twenty-two books that share national identities and cultural experiences with the middle reader crowd. This series has been given multiple awards and is extremely popular in the homeschool community. It’s spin-off of the same name, addresses historical time periods and is fast being recognized as a great introduction to history by homeschooling moms.

Carole’s massive catalog of published works is broken up into several types and ten of her titles make up the “historical series.” These books include 22 notable titles like If You Were Me and Lived in….(Peru, Egypt, North Korea, Italy etc).

Her ten If You Were Me and Lived in- Historical series books includes a look at life in Ancient Rome, Mars, Colonial Times and many more.

 

What world will you be traveling to via the pages of a book this weekend?

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Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.

Whimsical author/illustrator Marilyn Scott-Waters and I created this book to not only encourage families to read and participate in some “unplugged” activities, but to also delve into the beauty and the wonder of this classic children’s tale. Get the full scoop on this vibrant book HERE and “meet me in the garden!”

 

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The Legends of the Juniper Sawfeather Novels | A Journey of Discovery

**guest post from Author D. G. Driver

The Legends of the Juniper Sawfeather Novels

It’s Native American Heritage Month (or American Indian Heritage Month, as preferred by some). I’ve written a blog post for the Multicultural Children’s Book Day blog before about why I wrote the Juniper Sawfeather series with a teen girl who is half American Indian as the protagonist. This contemporary series centers on this headstrong girl who wants to stand apart from her well-known environmental activist parents, but it is also fantasy series about mythical creatures hidden in our natural world.

When I wrote book 1, Cry of the Sea, it was not with the intention of writing a trilogy, nor was it with the purpose of tying the book to American Indian mythology. The concept was born out of commemorative news coverage of a massive oil spill. I wondered “what if a mermaid washed up on the beach during an oil spill? What would happen?” Based on that premise, I wrote the novel, and it was finally published in 2014, winning awards for its environmental theme.

So, the series did not begin as one infused with mythology. There is a myth in it. In chapter 7 Juniper’s full-blooded American Indian father, who loves to regale her with old legends, tell a story about “The Singing Boat” in which whale hunters are being attacked by a killer whale. The boat sings and calms the whale until the whalers are safe. He surmises that maybe a mermaid was under the boat singing to the animals. Having written this book so long ago, I’ve lost track of the original source material for this myth, but I know it came in part from a real myth where the god Glooskap sings to an orca to pacify it. I fictionalized it to fit my novel. Peter Sawfeather also tells his daughter that the spirits of fallen warriors become killer whales, and that is a very popular myth amongst Northwest Pacific tribes. This second myth becomes extremely important again later in the series.

After Cry of the Sea was released, reviewers, readers and my publisher all began asking me if there would be a sequel. I hadn’t planned on that, and it took some effort to figure out where I wanted the story to go. I decided each book should focus on an environmental crisis and feature a new mythological creature. Cry of the Sea hints at the end that they are headed to a logging protest, so I set Whisper of the Woods in the forest. But what fantastical creature should I use? Elves? Fairies? Tree sprites?

In between publishing Cry of the Sea and writing Whisper of the Woods the We Need Diverse Books and #ownvoices movement became a really big deal. People were crying out for more books with diverse characters, and it was becoming clear that if a white author were going to write about a person of a different racial background, she better get it right. I put a lot more effort into my research for books 2 and 3 to make them more authentic. This included the mythology. I didn’t want to create my own mythology to fit the book; I wanted to fit the book to real mythology.

I found a wonderful website that has the mission of collecting the myths and legends of American Indians and sorting them by tribal nation, region, and subject matter. I was able to look up myths about forests, trees, sprites, dryads, and so on. I wound up finding two amazing myths about an ancient tree with a spirit inside it. Both are featured in Whisper of the Woods. One of them explains the tree spirit that traps Juniper 170 feet up in its branches. That same myth, “The Warriors and the Sun”, also wound up being the key to tying the whole trilogy together. This myth has 5 warriors going on a mission to convince the sun to grant them wishes. I adapted it to only three warriors. In this myth – I kid you not – one man is turned into a merman, one is turned into a tree, and the third is turned into a stone. When I first found this myth I ran around my house like a maniac, so overjoyed to find exactly what I needed.

Now I had to figure out the plot of the final book of this trilogy, Echo of the Cliffs. The remaining brother, the one who had been turned to stone, needed to be found. But there were a lot of other plot points in the story that needed to be explained as well. I wanted to find the perfect location for the story and researched giant stones and rocks in the region. I came across the Fuca de Pillar near Cape Flattery, which is the farthest west point of the continuous United States and just so happens to be on the Makah Reservation. Yes! I read mythology from the region, learning about the Wah-tee-tahs that are small people that live in the rocks and the Basket Woman who kidnaps small children. There is also the Thunderbird and Killer Whale whose epic fight caused a great flood. I created a Makah married couple that love to tell stories to relate these tales to Juniper and her parents. The myth that really got me, however, was one I discovered about a girl who was so distraught at the death of her lover that she ran and jumped off a cliff, turning into a waterfall on the way down.

That myth was the clincher! The one that pulled the ending of my story together. You’ll have to read it all to know why. There was one more thing I needed right toward the end. I never wanted to have a stereotypical shaman in this series that just happened to know magic, and yet I had a scene where something like that happened. Even in the final drafts it was still bothering me. I went searching again, and I found one more gem – a myth about the sun and the moon, twin gods who have the power to transform things and people. I truly felt the spirits of the American Indian mythological world were blessing me.

The entire series is complete and available now, but I still had more writing to do about Juniper and her mythical world. Early this year my publisher asked me to write a prequel to the series for a short story collection called Kick Ass Girls of Fire and Ice YA Books. (The ebook is intended to be a sampler of the authors with this publisher and is free.) Writing this story seemed an impossible task at first. Juniper discovers magical creatures (mermaids) for the first time in Cry of the Sea. What could this earlier story be about? I went back to researching, needing an environmental cause and a mythical creature.

Gophers.

Yep, a gopher wound up being the key. I wanted it to be a groundhog because we have them near my home along the sides of the roads, and they are really cute. According to American Indian mythology, however, gophers were the correct animal to use. They symbolize a warning, an omen that something bad is happening. In my novelette “Beneath the Wildflowers” Juniper sees a gopher every morning in the fenced off field beside her high school and feels like it is trying to tell her something. She soon finds out that field is going to be torn up and turned into a new basketball stadium. Would you believe it that gophers in Washington are endangered as are a few types of butterflies? And would you also believe there is a myth from that region about wicked Little People that live underground? There is.

The Legends of the Juniper Sawfeather Novels | The Next Chapter

This summer I was asked to write another short story about Juniper for inclusion in a children’s Christmas anthology called Winter Wonder. Based on the timeline for the book series, I had to place this story between Cry of the Sea and Whisper of the Woods. I did not introduce any new mythology to this story. Instead, I chose to focus on the unique life she leads by giving her one busy Christmas Eve day where she goes from visiting her grandfather on the reservation, to her mother’s parents in an upscale suburban neighborhood, and then back to the logging protest site for the evening. This novelette focuses more on who Juniper is, her family, and her background – with just a hint toward the magic that readers will find if they go on to read the next novel.

I think I’m done writing Juniper Sawfeather stories at this point, but I do love her and her magical world. I hope you will too. My fascination with American Indian mythology remains intense, and I don’t think I will stop learning about it anytime soon.

You can learn more about The Juniper Sawfeather Novels, read excerpts and reviews at www.dgdriver.com

Find all of D. G. Driver’s books at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.-G.-Driver/e/B00J70QN64

Wonderful resource for American Indian culture, language, and mythology: http://www.native-languages.org/

Author D.G. Driver

G. Driver is a multi-award winning author of middle grade and young adult novels. She originally hails from Southern California but now lives near Nashville and is a PAL member of SCBWI Midsouth. She loves writing about diverse characters dealing with social or environmental issues. Along with The Juniper Sawfeather Novels, she has written the award-winning novel about autism and bullying, No One Needed to Know, a sweet novella about the importance of hand-written letters called Passing Notes, and has stories published in several anthologies. In addition to writing, Driver is a teacher in an inclusive early childhood development program and enjoys performing in local theater productions with one or more members of her talented family. Driver is available for school presentations or to speak at special events.

Follow her at www.facebook.com/donnagdriver or www.twitter.com/DGDriverAuthor

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Maya Lin: Thinking with Her Hands

**Thanks to Chronicle for a review copy of this fine book.**

Discovering the book Maya Lin: Thinking with Her Hands

I cannot believe that it has been 35 years since the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated.

Maya Lin: Thinking with Her Hands by Susan Goldman Rubin is simply a book filled with artistic soul and authenticity. Another word that comes to mind is “organic.” Using elements to tell Maya Lin’s story, this very accessible and contemplative biography, like the artist herself, leaves us wanting to see the world and landscape through a new lens.

We learn that Maya Lin design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a student. It was an assignment but she decided to enter her idea and she won. She was more surprised than anyone. After graduating college we learn what a struggle it was her vision of the memorial to be created. But after 3 years of controversy and delays, her vision of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was finally brought to life.

Four million people annually visit this Memorial.

Since then she has gone on to create a large body of work. This biography focus’ on her large installations and creations and how she incorporates the history of a place, the knowledge of a place into the design. All of her designs leave us with an experience and something to think about.

Susan Goldman Rubin’s biography does the very same thing. This very carefully researched texts intertwines American history, civic activism, art history, and cultural diversity. Beautiful photographs and an artistic layout make this book a full package deal. It will remain on my bookshelves where I can enjoy it always.

Through Maya Lin’s architecture and design we celebrate our American History. We ask ourselves important questions of How do I belong to this history and how do I contribute?

Her final project she imagines will take the rest of her life. It’s the “What is Missing?” project.

I want to wake people up to species loss and habitat loss. And suggest things we can all do to help. How can we protect and restore nature? Art can get people to pay closer attention.

In 2009, President Barack Obama presented Maya with the 2009 National Medal of Arts during a ceremony February 25, 2010 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC.  In 2016, the White House also selected Maya as one of the 21 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, along with Ellen DeGeneres, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Eduardo Padrón.

I have to share that though this book is a biography, it reads like a piece of art. It has to grace your bookshelves or coffee table. It is an true inspiration.

Maya Lin: Thinking with Her Hands | Something To Do

Visit Maya Lin’s Studio

This interactive website will give you an inside look into Maya Lin’s work and what she currently has going. Be sure to scroll over the time line for some fun sounds and photos.

Watch this Short Video on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Create A Sculpture

Create a miniature model of an expressive sculpture to symbolize your vision of a world event.

Here are some ideas.

Makers Videos

Makers have made wonderful videos about Maya Lin, many of which have Maya Lin speaking on them about her process and what inspires her. Just love these videos.

“In your generation, you should do whatever you feel like doing…” (wise words from Maya’s mother!)

What do YOU feel like doing to make this world a better place?

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Weekend Links: #Kidlit eBooks that Entertain Young Readers

Welcome to Weekend Links! I truly enjoy sharing all of the amazing finds, books and links that I’ve discovered during my weekly Internet travels. Right or wrong, many of today’s kids do most of their reading on electronic devices so this week I thought I would focus on fun and unique eBooks that Entertain Young Readers. Enjoy!

eBooks that Entertain Young Readers

Fun eBooks and Pop-Out Tales from Loud Cow

Pop Out The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Pop-Out The Tale of Peter Rabbit is an experience unto itself. How many times have I read The Tale of Peter Rabbit? That cute little green book held by my children’s little hands. I cannot think of their childhood without including Beatrix Potter.

Loud Crow, the makers of this app have pulled together an incredible team of talented people to delight us with the world of Peter Rabbit.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

“Where’s the turkey, Chuck?”

This holiday season, join Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang around the table for a (very!) unique Thanksgiving dinner. From pilgrims to popcorn, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving comes to life in this beautifully re-mastered 40th anniversary edition. Magically marrying a book-like feel with clever interactive elements, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will leave your senses hungry for a second helping!

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ebook
eBooks that Entertain Young Readers | Books from Julie Dweck

During the last presidential election there was a lot of discussion about political parties. How are they different ? How are they the same? Who, exactly would make the better leader of our country?

Cat or Dog for President ebook

Here is an entertaining book which helps answer these questions. Using the cat and dog in a brilliant analogy of what really happens during the political process, author Julia Dweck brings voting and campaigning to life through her creative rhymes and entertaining conclusions.

The illustrations are bright and colorful bringing a comic air to this smart book.

Usually a topic such as elections can be a difficult task to explain to children in an interesting manner. Not anymore with this winner of a book. We give  Cat or Dog for President two thumbs up and 5 stars. We loved it and highly recommend it to everyone !!

eBooks that Entertain Young Readers | Little Pickle Press

“Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is more than just an ebook for children, parents and educators…The app goes above and beyond the concept of a children’s book in digital format. Embedded lesson plans offer activities designed to build an understanding of neuroanatomy, the brain’s primary functions, and how to stretch and shape the brain to its full potential. I have a sneaking suspicion we could all use a refresher course in brain function, so parents and teachers might find this feature interesting as well… Go forth, young parents, and download.” ~ Leslie Rasimas, Appy Awards

Based on the award-winning title by Dr. JoAnn Deak and illustrated by Sarah Ackerley, and full of exciting brain workouts, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is sure to become a favorite among children, parents, and educators.

This innovative and timely interactive edutainment app teaches children that they have the ability to stretch and grow their own brains. It also delivers the crucial message that mistakes are an essential part of learning and introduces children to the anatomy and various functions of the brain in a fun and engaging way.

“Elasticize” your brain and grab your copy of Your Fantastic Elastic Brain at iTunes or Little Pickle Press

eBooks that Entertain Young Readers | Other Fun Titles
Ladybug at Orchard Avenue
by Kathleen W. Zoehfeld

Illustrated by Thomas Buchs

Ladybug at Orchard Avenue gives a bug’s eye view of the exciting world just outside a child’s window. Follow this enchanting journey through a ladybug’s miniature world and learn about the predators she faces, the aphids she hunts and what secret place she will call her home for the winter.

Reviewed by the Smithsonian Institution for accuracy, Smithsonian’s Backyard series features entertaining stories that answer many questions children have about the habits and habitats of the animals in our own backyards.

New features only available in this interactive omBook include professional narration, background audio and enlarged artwork for each scene. To promote reading in young children, individual words are highlighted as the story is read and words zoom up when pictures are touched. By combining the original text and artwork with features that educate, entertain and promote reading, this omBook appeals to readers of all ages.

Cozmo’s Day Off:

Cozmo is an alien who’s having one of “those” days. He’s trying to get to work but nothing is going right. Full of fun an color, this app goes wild with such inventions as an adorable robot chef (who doubles as a popcorn machine), zooming personal spaceships and bulbous cityscapes.

Here’s a quote from a review at Kirkus Reviews: The art style is reminiscent of 1950s imaginings of the space-bound future; metal antennae and gas pumps exist alongside space travelers and aliens. The story, told in (pedestrian) rhyme, is narrated by an ecstatic-sounding announcer. In an inspired bit of programming, that narration, or reader narration recorded by the app, can be pitch-adjusted with a simple slider. It’s an unnecessary but very fun feature older parents who may once have played their LPs at 45 RPM will appreciate. The app’s comprehensive list of options may be daunting, but the developer has thought of everything: It includes a help document for parents that reveals every hidden nugget in the app’s 10 pages. It turns out there are more than 100. Few story apps are as ambitious, as eye-catching or as playful as Cozmo’s. (iPad storybook app. 4-12)

Cozmo’s Day Off is available on iTunes HERE.

If you are in the mood for another and interactive story, check out the enhanced digital eBook for kids, The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory!

The Ultimate Guide To Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is a step by step roadmap to this magical world. Just some of the fun includes:

A story filled with beautiful graphic illustrations including tantalizing Treasure Maps and vibrant tutorials.


Over 20 Crafts and activities that not only entertain, but educate.
You get to jump inside the book and enjoy creating the adventures yourself (Templates, maps, and more are included.)
Ever wonder where chocolate comes from? Or how gum is made? Wonder no more. Now you get to make your own.


Conduct activities in the areas of crafting, cooking, and game-playing as well as exploring many facets of candy production.
The option to take Charlie’s journey over the course of several days or take shorter journeys if you wish.
The creation of a new ritual of reading time with your family and the opportunity to experience the reading of this imaginative tale as a group activity, not a solitary event.

Go HERE to learn more and grab your copy from iBooks!

What great books apps have you enjoyed lately?

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Now Available on Amazon and GumRoad!



My newest book, Dragons are Real is available and the excitement is almost blowing the roof off at Jump Into a Book/Audrey Press headquarters!

SO…what if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG. What if I told you that Dragons are indeed Real and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined?

This fairly true story is based on the author’s childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon; a very special Dragon that she and her brother spent two magical summers with.

As readers turn the pages and learn the truth about Dragons, they will see that the fiercest beasts in known history can actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Dragons are Real is a magical book filled with stunning illustrations and hints that dragon are indeed all around us

Get to Know Bernardo de Galvez | An Uncelebrated American Revolution General

**A huge thank you today  loqueleo publishing an imprint of the SantillanaUSA group for a review copy of this book.**

Get to Know Bernardo de Galvez

A promise is  promise! Even if that promise was made by Congress in 1783. What promise is that you ask ? Well the one where a portrait of Bernardo de Galvez was to hang in our nations Capitol building. On October 12th 2014, President Obama fulfilled the promise that was made all of those years ago and made Bernado de Galvez an honorary citizen of the United States.

Get to Know Bernardo de Galvez is written by Spanish journalist, radio personality, and author Guillermo Fesser. It is a delightful and fact filled read that left me captivated. Though I have lived and visited many American Revolutionary sites throughout the years and even read a plethora of history books and novels on the topic, I never knew about Bernardo de Galvez.

Get to Know Bernardo de Galvez | His Role in the American Revolution

Bernardo de Galvez was a Spanish general who played a key role in the American Revolution. Without him, the patriots would not have won the war. Bernardo de Galvez, was the Hispanic governor of Louisiana at the time. He prevented the British from attacking Americans from the South and sent medicine, weapons, uniforms, and other goods to the Continental Army on the Mississippi River.

He also recruited an army of Native Americans, free African-Americans, French Creoles, and men form a variety of places such as Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Santo Domingo, and Venezuela. With this fine contingent of men Galvez defeated the British at Baton Rouge, Natchez, and Mobile. He launched a very brave and courageous fight through the channel at Pensacola ,Florida. His army was afraid to go because they would be a huge target. Galvez went along and dodged all 27 cannon balls fired at him. When his fleet saw this, they followed him. The British ended up surrendering and Galvez was anointed with the name Yo Solo which means I alone in Spanish.

Though all of these things would have been enough, Galvez launched a huge fund-raising campaign on behalf of the American revolutionaries. He contacted his home town of Malaga Spain asking them to send money to George Washington. The people of Malaga responded to the call and sent all of the money they had raised for the construction of the cathedral. As a result of this, the cathedral in Malaga only has one tower. The other tower financed the battle of Yorktown which ended up winning the revolutionary war for the Americans.

I was beyond thrilled to learn of this story and the incredible contributions that Bernardo de Galvez made to the United States.

It is the author Guillermo Fesser’s wish to share the great significance Hispanics have made in contributing to the formation of the United States. He says, ” I want children form all cultures to go to school and hold their heads high.”

All people and nations of the world make up the America of today. All of us are the continuing story of the US and all are worthy of respect.

This great read has adorable and vibrant illustrations by Alejandro Villen and is intended for children ages 7-10. Every classroom and library should have a copy of this book. Not only that, it looks nice in the home library too.

To learn more about Loqueleo Publishing, visit them on the web on Instagram.

Loqueleo Publishing
Somethings To Do

Here is another great overview of his life. Included are some great discussion questions, Q&A as well as a crossword puzzle.

Learn more about the Revolutionary War. The MrNussbaum.com American Revolution section is one of the most comprehensive on the entire internet for kids. Learn about causes and effects, battles, people of the Revolution, Loyalists and Patriots, or, access any of my hundreds of online or printable activities and games related to the Revolution!

Revolutionary War facts for Kids

To understand this important event in our history, readers should also know the Timeline of the American Revolutionary War.

What facts would you like to know about the war and about General Bernardo de Galvez?

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