Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 36
September 21, 2017
The Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest
Recently I’ve been seeing pop up in my various social media feeds lots about something called the Compassion Games. Exceptionally moving was a video I saw that talked about a prison playing the Compassion Games with over 4000 acts of kindness. The prisoners would gain points for being kind. In the same video it talked about gang violence in a particular LA school and how playing the Compassion Game brought that violence to an end.
Though these are extreme cases, it got me wondering about my own community and how kindness and compassion would impact our place and each other. After watching this video I decided I had to see for myself what the Compassion Games is all about.
From the Compassion Games Website:
“Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest is a community engagement experience that invites people around the world to challenge one another to reveal and promote acts of compassion that better our lives, our communities, and all life on Earth.
Through the spirit of playful and cooperative competition (“coopetition”), players strive together to:
Unify: Unify our intentions within a global community.
Amplify: Amplify what’s already working in our local communities.
Catalyze:Catalyze increased engagement around initiatives to address local and global challenges.
Quanitfy:Share reports that reflect on experiences and measure impact through an online Compassion Report Map.
Actualize:Bring a growing movement of unprecedented, unified action to life!
There are two official times of years the Compassion Games take place, September are the Unity Games from Sept 9-24 and April is Water is Life: Protect the Sacred held during Earth Week from April 22nd-30th.
There are many ways to play. First you can play as an individual or as a team. Secondly and this is the important part, they encourage us to play all year round.
The Compassion Games and Reading Compassionately: Survival of the Kindest
Compassion and Empathy is something we strongly believe in here at Jump into a Book and at Multicultural Children’s Book Day. Thoughtful intention with compassionate action is a teacher which instills lessons for a lifetime. Just as separatism and violent action can be modeled and taught, I believe our greatest hope lies in teaching and instilling kindness, compassion and empathy in our future and current generations.
The Compassion Games: Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2018 has created a free Empathy Classroom Kit
Now more than ever, a message of hope, compassion, empathy and understanding is needed.
Now more than ever, children need to see themselves reflected in the pages of the books they read. Readers of all ages need to be able to “read their world” to both see themselves, and those are who different, whether by culture, religion, sexual orientation, special needs or ethnicity.
Now more than ever, we need to come together as a nation of beautifully diverse people.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day is proud to offer an initiative and holiday that encourages discovery, hope, acceptance and exploration through the pages of diverse children’s literature. As our fifth Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday approaches on January 27, 2018, we are thrilled to have you as part of our amazing community of supporters! With enthusiasm, optimism and hope, we are preparing for MCBD 2017 and hope you will, again, join our celebration of diversity through children’s books.
In 2017 year MCBD offered parents, teachers and librarians a FREE downloadable Classroom Kindness Kit. That kit is still available (view it here) and we have just completed the 2018 Classroom Empathy Kit with 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. The new kit is also free to parents, educators and librarians and can be found HERE.
Thank you for cultivating understanding, kindness, inclusion and exploration of this beautiful world in your classroom.
The Compassion Games: Cultivating Compassion Through Book Choices
We can also bring compassion into our reading. Here are a few of my favorite lists to get you started:
Want to teach your kids how to be kind? A Kindness Booklist for Kids
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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.
What an extraordinary debut novel with new and intriguing twists on vampires—a strong female protagonist as one. I already can’t wait for book two.-Jill Murphy Long, author of The Conduit
This book is by the far the BEST YA/Adult fiction that I’ve read in a very long while. So exciting!-Rebecca F
The wait is over-Ascension is here! Thrilling and entertaining, like the experience on a crazy roller coaster. Hannah has grown into the most amazing writer. Watching her journey has been as much fun as holding the book in my hands. A “must read” for YA and thriller fans!-Valarie B
Get sucked in….
Grab your copy of Ascension HERE and visit Hannah on Facebook, Twitter and on her website.
The post The Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest appeared first on .
September 19, 2017
Little Lek Longtail Learns to Sleep | A Diverse Kidlit Book From Wisdom Tales
I have been a fan of Wisdom Tales Press book for as long as I can remember. I’ve done numerous book reviews for them and these multicultural books for kids never disappoint.
For the past couple of years I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing some incredibly well thought out and beautifully produced books. Multicultural in nature with a window to the world of global wisdom, Wisdom Tales Press sends an invitation to us all to explore and discover our world.
From Day One, Wisdom Tales Press has embraced and supported Multicultural Children’s Book Day celebration by not only being our first platinum sponsor, but continuing to support and celebrate with us the beauty and diversity on this planet by being a platinum sponsor every single year.
Today we celebrate yet another amazing Wisdom Tales Press books and this one, like the others, offers readers all the beauty and wisdom that a typical Wisdom Tales Press brings to us through their engaging stories, beautifully designed books and awe-inspiring illustrations.
This week I’ve been lucky enough to get my hands on another wonderful book from this publishing house; Little Lek Longtail Learns to Sleep by Bette Killion and illustrated by Beatriz Vidal.
“I can’t sleep, mommy, I’m scared.” Human moms and dads have heard it many times before, and so too, it turns out, has Little Lek’s mother. Her little Argus pheasant was so gentle, kind, and handsome with his exceptionally long and brightly colored tail. But he had just one, very big, problem: he couldn’t get to sleep. Just like many little girls and boys, Little Lek’s nighttime fears kept him awake.
Little Lek Longtail Learns to Sleep captures elements of the traditional folk tale and an Aesop’s fables.Then one day something changed, and Little Lek discovered a strength that lay hidden within, something that gave him the peace of mind to sleep soundly through the night. Find out the secret of how Little Lek learned to trust in himself! Readers will delight in Beatriz Vidal’s vivid and expressive art. An appendix of fascinating facts about the Argus pheasant makes this book an educational experience as well.
Another amazing book from Wisdom Tales Press!I am also very impressed (and not surprised) at this stellar review from Kirkus (which I know from personal experience is not easy to get).
“Combining elements of the traditional folk tale and an Aesop’s fable, Killion offers a moral tale about how the now-threatened argus pheasant learned to sleep through the night. In a jungle in Thailand, an argus pheasant is born with an unusually long and brightly colored tail and is named Little Lek Longtail by his ‘proud mother.’ As he grows, his tail also grows: ‘longer, brighter, and more beautiful.’ Despite his beauty, Lek is kind and thoughtful, a friend to all the other birds in the forest. However, he is afraid of nighttime predators—so afraid he cannot fall asleep. Even his mother cannot comfort him. One day, Lek sees a man and his son outsmart a bask of crocodiles to safely cross a river. In amazement he concludes, ‘There is always a way if one just thinks of it.’ Lek begins to observe other creatures using their attributes and talents to help themselves and realizes he can use his long, extravagant tale as an alarm … Vidal’s vivid and vibrant art shines. She deliberately omits white space, packing a profusion of color, details, and textures across the pages to re-create the dense, diverse jungles of Southeast Asia. The appendix provides interesting argus pheasant facts … Killion’s efforts to highlight a little-known creature and teach a moral lesson are commendable.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Something To Do
This vibrant and colorful book also includes an appendix of fascinating facts about the Argus pheasant. Did you know that the Argus pheasant is among the world’s most unusual and distinctive birds?
Did you know that Agrus pheasant mates for life and is known to have an elaborate mating dance! Can you shake your tail feathers like an Argus?
Lek’s mommy knew how to sing a lullaby to get him to sleep. Do you think she sang this one to him? What lullabies are favorites in your family?
Happy reading!
The post Little Lek Longtail Learns to Sleep | A Diverse Kidlit Book From Wisdom Tales appeared first on Jump Into a book.
September 17, 2017
Weekend Links: Are you making your mark? International Dot Day #Makeyourmark
International Dot Day is something I recently stumbled up and I must say, I was intrigued immediately. International Dot Day (September 15th-ish) was the brainchild of illustrator Peter H. Reynolds who has a mission is to help ALL learners reach their full potential in more creative ways. He has dedicated his life to using the power of storytelling to connect with, support & inspire kindred spirits who understand that creativity is key for learning – not an expendable “extra.”
Read my full blog post on this inspiring International Dot Day here.
Classrooms Celebrating International Dot Day
I’ve had so much fun following the examples of how parents, teachers and librarians have celebrated this fun event. Here are a few of my favorites.
Mrs. Full’s class obviously had a ton of fun celebrating #dotday A Full Classroom: International Dot Day
FableVision Learning even has a delightful song in honor of #DotDay
A Plethora of International Dot Day Tweets!
“What can you create with a dot?” Celebrating our creativity with The Dot #MakeYourMark #InternationalDotDay pic.twitter.com/bEeMbExvuO
— Christina Gordon (@MissGordon16) September 15, 2017
Enjoy the #DotDay livestream? Be sure to leave a comment on KidLit TV! @peterhreynolds @FablePaul @FableVision @DotClubConnect https://t.co/dF5oeBB1jv
— KidLit TV (@KidLitTV_NYC) September 16, 2017
The Man behind International Dot Day
Author Peter Reynolds is the founder/genius behind this event that was inspired by his book The Dot. Available in English and many other languages, the book shares the story of a girl who begins a journey of self-discovery after a caring teacher challenges her to “make her mark.” Peter has been sharing many wonderful posts and tweets from educators and parents celebrating the day.
Wow. What a day! Still in progress! If you are celebrating &haven’t registered -let us know u did at https://t.co/DDwpFy6ziH #officialroster pic.twitter.com/XEkjU7ivZX
— Peter H. Reynolds (@peterhreynolds) September 15, 2017
I’m @BlueBunnyBooks having LOADS of FUN
September 13, 2017
Make Your Mark | Getting involved in International Dot Day
International Dot Day is something I recently stumbled up and I must say, I was intrigued immediately. International Dot Day (September 15th-ish) was the brainchild of illustrator Peter H. Reynolds who has a mission is to help ALL learners reach their full potential in more creative ways. He has dedicated his life to using the power of storytelling to connect with, support & inspire kindred spirits who understand that creativity is key for learning – not an expendable “extra.”
International Dot Day is named after Peter’s classic storybook The Dot. Available in English and many other languages, the book shares the story of a girl who begins a journey of self-discovery after a caring teacher challenges her to “make her mark.”
The Dot tells the story of a caring teacher who reaches a reluctant student in a remarkably creative way. In Peter’s book, the teacher dares a very resistant Vashti to “make her mark.” Vashti’s breakthrough begins with a simple dot on a piece of paper. Encouraged by her teacher she sets off on a journey of self-discovery, letting her creativity bloom and, ultimately, inspire others.
Started in in 2009 by a group of educators, this unique holiday encourages teachers, librarians and parents explore the story’s powerful themes of bravery, creativity and self-expression.
“The Dot more than anything celebrates the power of creative teaching,” Peter explains. “Despite the testcentric world we live in, creative teachers know how to find those aha moments — much the same way that my 7th grade math teacher Mr. Matson ‘connected the dots’ between math and art, which changed my life.” To honor that moment, Peter dedicated The Dot to Mr. Matson.
Why International Dot Day Matters:
This event is also a chance to set aside time for young learners and explore making their mark via art projects, classroom activities, challenges, games and much more. If you’d like some wonderful celebration ideas, you can download their free Educator’s Handbook for International Dot Day.
Making your “dot” is as much about celebrating creativity as it is about connecting and collaborating with fellow creativity champions around the world. If you are interested to connect, start by adding your name and interests here.
So write it, draw it, paint it, craft it, speak it, or explore it…just do your part to make your mark in the world!
International Dot Day Partners
The Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning
and Creativity
The Blue Bunny Book and Toy Store
Candlewick Press
Discovery Education
FableVision Studios & FableVision Learning
Skype in the Classroom
QuiverVision
Epic!
KidLitTV
Weston Woods
Follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/DotClubConnect) !
Visit the Dot Day Facebook page (facebook.com/InternationalDotDay) to see what others are doing and to share what you are doing on International Dot Day and every day.
Use the hashtags #DotDay , #Makeyourmark .
Something To Do “Vashti’s breakthrough begins with a simple dot on a piece of paper.”
Door Dots: Have your students or children trace dots using the lid of a coffee can and then sign their names. Tape the dots all over the house or classroom and “make your mark.”
Recycle old CDs: Don’t CDs look like giant dots? Turn old CDs into mini chalkboards with chalk paint and encourage young artists to decorate with words of hope.
had another great idea. Bedazzle up Cds and make beautiful garden spinners!
Edible Dots: Throw a dot-themed party with polka-doted place and drinkware and serve baked goods with “dots” like M&M’s, chocolate chips, etc. (Please be sure to follow your school’s policies regarding food allergies.)
Read books about Art and Creativity:
Art Curator for Kids has a wonderful 5 book list I think you will enjoy
Beautiful Oops Book and Drawing Activity
Sky Color A Children’s Picture Book about Creativity
Ish by Peter Reynolds
Best Kids Picture Books to Inspire Children’s Art
Art Books for Toddlers :: The Mini Masters Board Books
51 Things to Make (out of egg carton, cardboard tubes and more!)
Knit, Hook, and Spin by Laurie Carlson
Enjoy making your mark!
The post Make Your Mark | Getting involved in International Dot Day appeared first on Jump Into a book.
September 10, 2017
Weekend Links: Storytime Multicultural Booklist for Kids
Welcome to weekend links! I love this day because I get to share the best-of-the-best of what I have found on the Internet this past week. This week I have noticed too many wonderful diverse book recommends for young readers to NOT share. I always admire the dedication and passion for these bloggers when it comes to sharing quality book titles that families of all ages will appreciate. Enjoy!
10 Diverse Children’s Books for Your Library Storytime
Svenja from Colours of Us always have amazing booklists. Here are two worth checking out:
50+ Multicultural STEAM Books for Children
20 Multicultural Children’s Books about school
Puerto Rican Children’s Literature for #SocialJustice: A Bibliography for Educators
MCBD co-founder Mia Wenjen also never disappoints with her robust booklists. Here are two great examples:
10 Books for Kids with Supportive Families and win 1 of 10 signed copies of BOBS AND TWEETS!
Multicultural Adoption Books for Kids
In honor of the fact that September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, wanted to add my own booklist to this list. Here are 33 Latino Middle Grade Chapter Books You Should Know About.
No Time for Flashcards has some wonderful Books About Dads here.
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.
What an extraordinary debut novel with new and intriguing twists on vampires—a strong female protagonist as one. I already can’t wait for book two.-Jill Murphy Long, author of The Conduit
This book is by the far the BEST YA/Adult fiction that I’ve read in a very long while. So exciting!-Rebecca F
The wait is over-Ascension is here! Thrilling and entertaining, like the experience on a crazy roller coaster. Hannah has grown into the most amazing writer. Watching her journey has been as much fun as holding the book in my hands. A “must read” for YA and thriller fans!-Valarie B
Get sucked in….
Grab your copy of Ascension HERE and visit Hannah onFacebook, Twitter and on her website.
The post Weekend Links: Storytime Multicultural Booklist for Kids appeared first on Jump Into a book.
September 5, 2017
Book Pilgrimage | Discovering Harry Potter’s Scotland
On September 2nd it was back to Hogwarts Day
It’s a special day when all of the wizarding students take that very famous train back to their beloved school.
Just like those very famous Hogwarts students, I find myself here in Edinburgh Scotland where one of my favorite book friends began. J. K. Rowling use to live in this area and would write in the local eateries and coffee shops. Not only that but she took a lot of inspiration from her surroundings and they found their way into Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. In Scotland and the rest of the UK it’s known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.
Just like Harry Potter, I find myself completely enamored with the area. It draws me in and says, “come explore further.” I simply can’t resist. Each time I come to Edinburgh I find myself having a “Harry Potter Day.” In each place I’ve discovered my own little corners to daydream and create in. I find a quiet inside and allow myself to become charmed.
I’ve created this little guide incase you too should find yourself in Edinburgh and just happen to like Harry Potter as much as I do.
The first stop is where the first draft of Harry Potter was written.
Spoon Cafe and Restaurant
It’s a great little place to curl up with a book, and some wonderful eats. When JK Rowling was writing Harry it use to be called Nicholson’s. There is another more famous eatery which also has the Harry Potter claim to fame. You have to be a true fan and in the know to know about the Spoon Cafe. It is one of my favorite places in Edinburgh and I go here every time I’m in the city.
6A Nicolson St, Edinburgh EH8 9DH, UK
Here’s the other famous Harry Potter cafe I told you about…… Elephant House.
This is the second place JKR use to write Harry Potter. All of the edits were done here. You have to wait in line to get in which gives one a good time to view the menu. It’s a full menu complete with great meals and wonderful sweets. Just before 2 o’clock or around 3 are good times to go here. The lines aren’t long. Anytime before or after that the lines are horrendous. The painted sign in the window claims they are the “Birth Place of Harry Potter” and indeed they are.
A little cafe law never hurt anyone !!
There is a 3 hour cafe law in Edinburgh. You have to purchase something, such as coffee, tea, food etc, from the time you’re served the clock starts ticking. After 3 hours any cafe or restaurant can kick you out no matter how many things you’ve purchased. Edinburgh is a UNESCO heritage protected site as the world’s most literary city. It probably works hand in hand with writers sitting everywhere taking up tables writing.
Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt Anyone?
Greyfriars Cemetery
If you make a right hand turn coming out of the Elephant House and walk down one block, Greyfriars Pub is on the right hand side of the street and behind that is the cemetery.
JK Rowling would often times walk in this cemetery either going to or coming from the White Elephant.
The names on the tombstones inspired some of her more known characters. Time for a little scavenger hunt. See if you can find the following names:
Thomas Riddell (There’s actually loads of notes, flowers etc here. You shouldn’t have a problem finding it)
William McGonagall ( Professor McGonagall)
Elizabeth Moodie (Mad-eye Moodie)
Anne Potter
Grizel Arbuthnut
Daniel Scrymceour
I have to share that I have been in many a cemetery but Greyfriar is one of those very imaginative places that could make one truly believe in haunted places and spaces. It is both exquisitely beautiful and creepy all at the same time. It is also one of the cemeteries that has the greatest sense of humor. There use to be a little dog referred to Greyfriars Bobby who sat on his owner’s grave for 14 years. The caretakers of the cemetery also took care of the dog. Both caretakers are buried in the cemetery as well. On one of the tombstones there is this very long epitaph saying how well he took care of this little dog. In smaller print at the bottom of the tombstone it reads, “buried somewhere near here. ” 
September 3, 2017
Lost: A Story in String | Kidlit Book Review plus Activities
Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices was the first Paul Fleischman book we ever read. Since then we have been avid fans. Mr. Fleischman isn’t an author who merely wants us to sit reading his well crafted stories and poems. There always seems to be an invitation to participate, to jump right into the pages of his books.
Lost: A Story in String brings back the ancient way of storytelling through string. This story within a story uses ink on clapboard illustrations as well as string figures.
When a lightning storm cuts off all of the electricity a nine year old girl wonders what to do with herself. She complains that she’ll “simply die” without the use of her computer, TV and VCR. Her grandmother tells her a story about a girl whose life was really in danger.
“About all she had in this world to play with was an old piece of string.”
Here is where the story really begins with the young girl going out to search for her dog only to get lost in the forest during a snowstorm. As the grandmother continues to narrate the story she uses a piece of string wrapped between her fingers and hands. Throughout the story the shapes of a house, jaybird, dog’s head, and many others recounts this snowy tale.
The shape of the North star finally leads the lost girl home. The young girl managed to stay in the forest two days through her own resourcefulness as well as finding her dog. The moral of the story is to do much with little.
The ink drawings match perfectly with the string formations creating a lovely balance. With simple movements the string figures move from one to the other. In the back of the book is a great resource on how to make these string figures. After reading this wonderful tale we spent many days after re-telling it using our string figures.
I’d like to say congratulations to Paul Fleischman for being nominated for the Hans Christensen Award. It is the premier international award for children’s books. Best of Luck to You !
Story in String: Something To Do:
More Story in String Fun!
Once we started making these fun string figures, as well as playing quite a few games of cats cradle, we wanted to expand our string figure repertoire. We found these books helpful:
Finger Strings by Michael Taylor
Pull the Other One by Michael Taylor
Now you See It …. String Games and Stories Bk 2 by Michael Taylor
String Games by Richard Darsie
Fascinating String Figures by Master String Figures
Here’s wishing you many happy moments of string and story creations.
****Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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Valarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the books, Dragon Are Real! A Year in the Secret Garden, The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and when she isn’t jumping into a book and creating wildly inventive adventures, she is “mom” to three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, proud owner of one adored cat, and the Fox Whisperer to lots and lots of Foxes (that come and go as they please). You can also find Valarie on Facebook or on Twitter at @JumpIntoaBook1.
The post Lost: A Story in String | Kidlit Book Review plus Activities appeared first on Jump Into a book.
August 29, 2017
My book Dragons Are Real turns ONE!
Through all the crazy, hectic fun of summer it suddenly dawned on that I missed a huge milestone; that my award-winning book Dragons are Real celebrated it’s one year publishing anniversary!
Dragon’s Are Real was published in early summer of 2016 and OH, how time has FLOWN! In that time this enchanting picture book has won the hearts of readers while also winning awards. Dragons is one of my many book “children” and I am so proud of how a collaboration with a talented children’s book illustrator overseas could have resulted in such a special book.
Dragons Are Real: How It All Began
Dragons are Real started as a chapter book for kids called Elsa’s Dragon. But I “wrote myself into a corner” and couldn’t find the magic that stories need to come to life. So I let our graphic designer Roscoe Welply read it as his father was doing the illustrations for it. Roscoe asked for me to meet him on Skype the next day and said that the first chapter needs to be its own book and that his own sons loved this story. He pieced it out for me on how this first chapter of Elsa’s Dragon could be a picture book. So Roscoe sent me off to work and came on as the editor and artistic director of the project. We had never worked as this sort of team before. So I went to the drawing board and wrote our Dragons are Real in about an hour.
After Roscoe edited the text, we sent it to his father Michael Welply. Michael and Roscoe got to work together creatively for the very first time. They enjoyed themselves immensely. I’d ear little murmurings from across the pond but as is the tradition at Audrey Press, I only got to see Michael’s cover art and the full page spreads and a few sketches of the other art. Everyone wanted to have a “surprise” reveal. I love those. It’s like Christmas morning on those days.
What makes Dragons Are Real so 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.
Did You Know That…
That Dragons only breathe fire “sometimes” or that they have a fondness for poetry?
Did you know that Dragons love to read and like to hoard books for those rainy dreary days?
Did you know that Dragons are experienced Cha-Cha-Cha dancers and are happiest when they are getting down with the beat in a group of friends?
See? There is much you don’t know about Dragons and this is only the beginning!
There’s a dragon out there somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. Need some help? There are great dragon finding tips inside the pages of this colorfully illustrated book that will help young readers discover the magic within their own imaginations and just exactly how Dragons Are Real.
Dragons Are Real Product details
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Audrey Press (May 5, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193642620X
ISBN-13: 978-1936426201
Package Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 8 inches
Read more about Dragon Are Real’s incredibly talented illustrator, Michael Welply here.
Grab your copy of Dragons Are Real HERE.
****Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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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 below:
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August 26, 2017
The Anniversary of the Hans Christian Andersen Museum
This year (in November) will mark the 109th anniversary of the inception of the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, making it one of Europe’s oldest literary museums. In this period the museum has changed its physical appearance and permanent exhibitions four times, and each of the manifestations of these exhibitions has their own individual background and history. This article aims at giving an account of the basic views presented by the museum during those 100 years.
Getting to know Hans Christian Andersen
Many of us know Hans Christian Andersen’s adapted work through the modern-day films like The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Little Mermaid. But this author, artist and musician was a genius in many ways.
Here’s a few more details about his life and craft:
The Storyteller Series: Many of our favorite authors not only bring to life stories which hold our attention, they were and are actual people who hold a variety of talent passions and interests. These have become part of the woven cloth of the storytellers themselves. This series sheds a light on the writers and their passions giving us a glimpse and experience into their daily lives.
Once, not so very long ago, a man of middle age could be seen walking down the streets of Copenhagen Denmark with a bag strewn over his shoulder. Where was he going? Well to visit the King of course. He had been invited like many times before, to entertain and delight the King and his guests with his wonderful stories of words and paper.
Who could this man be?
It could be none other than Hans Christian Andersen, creator of fairy tales extraordinaire.
Hans Christian Andersen’s Beginnings
Just like some of the characters from his fairy tales, the storyteller was born to very poor parents in Odense, Denmark. His father worked as a shoemaker and his mother a washerwoman. His father would entertain him with old Danish legends before his untimely death when Hans was 11.
The people of his small town didn’t know what to make of this tall, awkward boy. He would recite long passages from plays, do clumsy dances and sing ridiculous songs all to make the townsfolk laugh.
Hans Christian Andersen birth house Odense, Denmark
His mother wanted him to become a tailor but Hans would have none of it. “I’m going to be famous,” he would say.
Though he was famous to the people of his small town, to become really famous he would need to leave Odense and go to Copenhagen. And that’s precisely what he did.
At the age of 14 he moved to the capital city of Copenhagen hoping beyond all reason to be an actor in the Royal Theater. Many wealthy people tried to help him succeed but to no avail. His dancing master gave up, as well as his singing coach. Directors of the royal Theater did their best to support his script writing efforts but nothing worked. Finally it was decided that he should go to school.
Hans Christian Andersen’s apartment bldg on the right
He was much older than the other students and he was made fun of by his school teacher. He was so depressed that when the people paying for his education found out, they brought him back to Copenhagen to study with a private tutor.
After his schooling, Andersen spent many years traveling and writing poems, books, and plays. It was not until he was thirty that he wrote any fairy tales. His first small book of tales became an instant success and from then on his fame grew as well, all over Europe and eventually the world.
Hans Christen Anderson put many pieces of his own life into his fairy tales. His own mother was forced to go begging as a small girl. This led him to write “The Little Match Girl,” a story spinning compassion for the unfortunate ones of our world.
Little Match Girl
His very own personal experiences were shared in his tale of “The Ugly Duckling”, which points out that the qualities that make one feel different and lonely are also the very same qualities that make us shine when used properly.
Another Lesser Known Hans Christian Andersen Fact
Do you know what the man liked as much as his fairy tales?
Paper! He was an addict to paper. He wrote on it, he drew on it and he use to cut in it. Just like a sculptor carves the figure out of stone, Hans Christian Andersen use to cut his stories out of paper. In fact he was a very popular paper-cutter. (images courtesy of the Odense Museum)
In order to amuse his friends and their children, Hans made his very famous paper cuts. Wherever he would go he would carry his bag filled with paper and these very large monstrous scissors which he used to cut out the most elegant figures.
There isn’t a direct connection between his paper cuts and his fairy tales but he use to accompany his paper cutting with a fantastic tale, and end the tale by unfolding the paper to amazed listeners.
Not only were the paper cuts beautiful but they held the secret to the story meant to challenge the mind. Often there was a hidden meaning in the paper cuttings, just as there was a secret meaning held in his fairy tales. On the outside it was amusing and impressive and deep inside the meaning could amaze.
Hans Christian Andersen went on to become a most beloved and cherished national and world treasure. After traveling in Europe over several years, he returned back to Copenhagen to be heralded as a national hero. The people of Copenhagen crowded the square to get a glimpse of the famous storyteller from the balcony. To welcome him home every house in Copenhagen lit candles in the windows to celebrate the legacy of their beloved story-teller.
It is tradition to read Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales by candlelight, thereby giving them the name Candlelight Stories.
Some Fun Hans Christian Andersen Facts:
Hans Christian Andersen was born in April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark.
He is the author of The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, the snow Queen, The Fir Tree, the Little Match Girl, The Emperor’s New Clothes and Thumbelina. You can find a very special treasury of his books here.
He wrote around 169 fairy tales in all.
He died August 4th 1875 in Copenhagen, Denmark
**some of these links are affiliate links which means, if you click on the image or link of a book, and purchase that book, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I use this money for buying new books to review, supplies for activities and postage.
This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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Enjoy 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. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
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August 25, 2017
Award-winning YA Teen Vampire Romance, Ascension, turns ONE
Little do people know that, even though the award winning book from Hannah Rials, Ascension, was released exactly one year ago, the book has been a young author’s journey for over 8 years. Published by my publishing house, Aletha Press, I could not be more proud of the success that this wonderful YA book has achieved.
Author Hannah Rials
Young Miss Hannah came to me as a sweet 12 year-old who was eager to write a book. Over the years, she was inspired by a dream THAT involved the secret life of a community of vampires. It was around the time when the whole Twilight series was hot and binge reading the series was a “thing.”
As Hannah matured, so did her book. The title of the book has evolved and changed with the book over the years and the process of picking the final title of a book is a very painstaking one. Her and I both liked the idea of one word for the title and when I came up with the term :Ascension,” we knew it was a winner. What followed was month of editing, hard-editing and rewriting. The result was something simply spectacular from a young woman was still a teen.
YA Teen Vampire Romance, Ascension
Life is supposed to be perfect after Cheyenne Lane’s Ascension ceremony, but it turns out awakening her vampire half only complicates things more. Burdened with a patronizing family and constant surveillance by the Vampire Council, Cheyenne welcomes a summer vacation to the magical city of New Orleans. But Cheyenne quickly realizes that she can’t escape her problems, no matter where she goes.
After seventeen years of fearing exposing her secret to humans, Cheyenne’s world is rocked when she starts to fall for a witch named Eli. When he shows Cheyenne how complex the world really is, she must accept that everything she thought she knew about being a Deuxsang is a lie.
As if all this isn’t problem enough, Cheyenne finds herself the pawn of a conspiracy hatched by those who should be protecting her. Her whole life Cheyenne is told what to believe and who to trust. Now, she’s forced to choose for herself who and what is right. No matter which choice she makes, it will cost her everything.
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.- Ascension
This book is not just for young adults either. Adults readers will love the twists and turns, the mystery and the suspense as Cheyenne Lane’s confusing life as a Deuxsang teen begins to unfold. Not only is this award winning book turning ONE, Hannah is in the midst of writing Book Two of the Cheyenne Lane story; a book titled Clandestine.
Award-winning YA Teen Vampire Romance, Ascension GIVEAWAY!
To celebrate this exciting milestone we are offering up Ascension at a very special price of $9.95 until August 31, 2017! Go to Amazon to grab your copy!
You can also enter to win a copy of this wonderful YA Teen Vampire Romance!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
ONE winner will receive a copy of ASCENSION by Hannah Rials. Giveaway begins 8/25/17
Prizing & samples courtesy of Aletha Press.
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/Aletha Press are not eligible.
Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on September 1, 2017
To be able to watch, help and support a young author’s dream is priceless and I can’t wait to see where Hannah’s career goes next.
The post Award-winning YA Teen Vampire Romance, Ascension, turns ONE appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
