What’s His Name?

Posted on 07/05/2012 by Diane Tulloch

Okay, so as far as my writing went, I had a quieter April than most I know.  I decided to take a step back and do only what I felt I could do.  I read and followed what I could from Robert’s “My Name is not Bob” Blog challenge,  I put forward a few Books I had reviewed for the Reading the World Challenge and while I did not take part in them I enjoyed following some of the writer’s in their April Poetry Challenge and the A to Z Challenge.  Both of the later seemed daunting to me but bravo those that took part.  I learned much just by blog hopping and reading and making the odd comment.  I did, however, stage another guest here, continued the 12x12x12 challenge by completing my April draft comfortably. Yay!

After completing my April draft I immediately got down to thinking about my May draft.  Something I had been wanting to tackle since I had returned from an overseas trip in August last year.  A story of travel an idea that had come to me via a woman I met on a plane.  She was a Headmistress of an Australian School and was totally interested in my writing ventures in children’s books. When I have allowed myself to think of how to approach the story I had always visioned a child, in fact in all my stories my main character was human. I don’t know why, but I had never thought of anything else.    When I tackled this particular draft with my protagonist, a little boy, I kept finding I couldn’t get into it, like something was not quite right, I felt very detached.  It wasn’t till I was taking a walk outside the front of our house one day a couple of weekends ago, when it suddenly struck me, right there, on top of my letterbox.  How could I have not realised it before!  I stood looking at it, took photos of it, and in my mind I suddenly saw my story take on a new life.  I raced inside and immediately took down some notes.  My protagonist would be this little black bear in blue overalls. I had aquired him a couple of years ago and I decided he would look great on my letterbox.  He has had a rough time, weathered, and there has even been attemps to pinch him, hence he is now concreted on.  His body language, his thoughts and his actions were perfect, just perfect.

Now I was stuck with just one more thing; his name!  I asked some of you a little while ago to help me on facebook, and I am grateful for the number of names you have given me to choose from.  Alas I am a typical Libran and can often find myself in a quandary wondering which to choose.  I wondered if you could help me again.  From the list below of the ones I loved the most (and believe me I have tried them all on him) which do you think is fitting for him?  Please state your choice in your comment and if possible a reason why. This ditzy blonde would appreciate your help very much.

Oh, and so you know that he does exist, here is a picture of my cute little guy;

Names: 

Zaccy,    Bussi,    Scooter,    Mishka,      Kicko

Posted in 12x12in12, Children's literature, ideas for writing | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

“Perfect Picture Book” –Friday

Posted on 05/05/2012 by Diane Tulloch

With Mother’s Day just over a week away I couldn’t resist in reviewing the Perfect picture book for Mother and Child.  Come share in the joy of wisdom and wonder from the pages of……..

          “Thanks to You” Wisdom from Mother & Child

Authors:  Julie Andrews Edwards & Emma Walton Hamilton

Ages:  All ages

Theme:   gift of love and faith, perspective, wonder, wisdom

First Lines:                                              Thanks to you…..                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I                                            I spread my wings and try to touch the sky

                                                          Thanks to you…                   

                                       I trust the leap of faith it takes to fly

Synopsis:  From the front inside flap…..  “Thanks to you… a cloud becomes a castle for a king  Thanks to you… I notice wonder in the smallest thing. 

Children learn much about the world from their mothers.  But what about the unexpected wisdom mothers gain while parenting?  Julie Andrews Edwards and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton share their mutual discoveries and delight in the growth experiences of childhood and motherhood.  Accompanied by photographs from the authors’ extended family collection, these personal exchanges between mother and child celebrate a special bond while reflecting a universal truth.”

Why I like this:  Oh I don’t like this book; I LOVE THIS book.  From the beautiful up-close photo of mother and daughter cuddling on the front cover, to the small child sitting next to her young Mum on the steps of the lake so prominently featured on of the most famous movies of all time, this book is full of all those special ohhh and awww moments in a child’s life.  The beautiful rhyming text opens up a world we as adults rarely take notice of.  As Emma and Julie explain in the Foreword,… as parents and grandparents we hand down lessons, but what emerged through writing this book was the lessons they have learned from their own children. The power of love as a parent, risk taking, courage and perception we learn from children.  While we look at the bigger picture our children invite us to look at the details.  “Our mothers have shaped us, but our children define us.” 

As I flip through the pages I am reminded of why I bought this book.  It reminds me of my Nana.  Her and I spent many happy hours together when I was younger.  Long walks picking daisys, sitting on the sandy white beach eating dinner, or dancing in her living room to Dinah Lees “Blue Beat”.  (now I am showing my age…lol.) Always we chatted about anything and everything… oh the memories.

It’s a beautiful book to give as a gift from mother to child, or child to mother, or grandmother to grandchild, or grandchild to grandmother.  From the very young to the elderly.  This would be the perfect book for a perfect gift.                                                              

Mothers’ Day

Sunday 13th May

                                                                                                                     

Resources and Findings:   The lovely Julie Andrews Collection website has some tips on how to spend time reading with your child…  http://julieandrewscollection.com/10-tips-for-getting-the-most-out-of-reading-with-your-child/

Scroll down this website for some neat writing crafts to make for Mothers Day…   http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/mothersday/

Here are some very creative ideas for Mothers Day, to make you smile….   http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/mothersday.html

Another beautiful craft making ideas for Mum website…   http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Mothers-Day-Crafts.html

This is from a website of hilarious images children have of parents and life in general.

http://www.nanceestar.com/KidsMomImages.html

For more books with resources please visit the lovely author Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog and find the tab for Perfect Picture Books.    Her blog is full of resources links and activities associated with the books reviewed by many authors.

Posted in 12x12in12, Picture book, Picture Book Review, Reading Aloud | Tagged , | 26 Comments

“Perfect Picture Book” – Friday

Posted on 28/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

With the recent Earth Day celebrated in different parts of the world I thought I would share something of my countries native wildlife.  Hence this book review…

“Kiri the Kereru”

Author:   Janet Martin

Illustrated by:  Ivar Treskon

Published by:  Jampot Productions Ltd, Titirangi, Auckland, New Zealand

Pages:  24

Ages:  5 – 9 years

Theme:  Sharing, Friendship, limitations

Opening Lines:   Kiri the Kereru loves eating all day.  She just will not stop, although why she can’t say.  Her feathered white chest is so lovely and plump, she hops through the trees with a rustle and thump.

Synopsis:  From the back of the book…  “Kiri the Kereru loved feasting on sweet juicy berries.  The only trouble was, she didn’t know when to stop.  Then one day a cat, a boy and a dog made Kiri pause and think about her hungry habit.”

Note from inside the first page:  “Well known and loved native forest bird of New Zealand, also known as the kuku, kukupa and woodpigeon.  Being a large heavy bird the kereru is often heard before it is seen, whoosing overhead then crash landing in the trees.  Once commonly hunted by humans for food and now a protected threatened species, the kereru is at risk from predators such as possums, rats, stoats and cats.  Its favourite food is delicious berries from
New Zealand native trees, and it sometimes eats so much that it cannot fly.

Why I like this:    Janet’s clear bold text in easy delightful rhyme teaches us about sharing and the consequences that can happen if you don’t. Children will delight in the bright colourful illustrations and Kiri’s eyes convey such hilarious expressions.

An excellent picture book for every school, with teachings about the native New Zealand Pigeon, it’s quirky habits, and a great way to enter discussions on sharing, eating habits and bird life.

Resources/Findings:   I came across a beautiful website owned by Janet Martin herself, called the Jampot Productions Ltd.  All Janet’s stories created are inspired by her surroundings in the lush growth in her backyard and the Waitakere Ranges where she lives, which is not very far from me (5 minute drive).  I have mentioned these ranges in a couple of posts earlier on see Aotearoa in my sidebar.  Here is her website  http://www.jampotbooks.com/  where you will enjoy soft birdlike music, videos of bird life, and her many other wildlife books, take a look around and enjoy the beautiful ranges of which I live in the shadow of.  There are many nature walks here.  Maybe the children in your area would enjoy a nature walk and discover the many varieties of bird life.

http://www.nzartcards.com/artists/jampot-productions-ltd/  this is another website showing the beautiful illustrations from Janet’s books by Ivar Treskon.

http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/birdsartscraftsideaskids.html   a great resource in making bird crafts.

http://www.ivartreskon.com/index.cfm?page=1   an interesting insight into this resourceful illustrator, enjoy.

Posted in Children's literature, Picture Book Review, Reading Aloud | Tagged , | 26 Comments

ANZAC DAY

Posted on 26/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

To day  25th April, is a very special day for New Zealanders and Australians as we celebrate ANZAC Day, to commemorate those who died in World War 1 in Gallipoli (Turkey).   ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and 25th of April is the day thousands of Australian and New Zealand men and women, landed on the shores of Gallipoli.  Every year there are traditions and rituals, to mark those that never returned, such as the Dawn parade, and dawn service, during which there is the laying of wreaths, children and families and friends march alongside the older service men and women to local war memorials.  Many of these are followed by a minute’s silence and a reading of the ANZAC dedication.   A lone bugle blower sounds out the Last Post as the sun rises.

Later everyone retires to the RSA, (Return Servicemens Association) for breakfast where veterans and their families enjoy a time of remembrance and relaxation.  A third of New Zealanders alone were killed during the Gallipoli war.

Poppy Day is usually celebrated the Friday before ANZAC Day as a remembrance of ALL people who have died in ALL wars and worn for a few days as a sign of remembrance.

ANZAC Biscuits are a popular biscuit made in New Zealand and sent by families to their loved ones during the 1st and 2nd World Wars.  Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented them.

This website has a beautiful picture showing the Auckland War Museum covered in pictures and film clips of World War 1 and ANZAC Parades of yester-year….     http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/1727/anzac-events

The following is a children’s book on ANZAC Day ….

By Glyn Harper and Illustrated by Bruce Potter,   Published by: Raupo Publishing (NZ) Ltd

Quote from the Christchurch Library…..Story of Roly, the donkey who became New Zealander Richard Henderson’s donkey during the First World War campaign at Gallipoli. Together they collected wounded soldiers from the battlefield and transferred them to Anzac Cove to board hospital ships

Here are a couple of website to enlighten…  http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/the-gallipoli-campaign/introduction

http://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/anzac-day/

They shall not grow old, as we that are left to grow old;  Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.   At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Posted in Aotearoa, Children's literature, Picture book | Tagged | 10 Comments

“Pefect Picture Book” -Friday

Posted on 21/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

In lieu of Princess Week I thought I would post a book I have had lying around my desk at work for some time.  Although it’s more about a certain fairy, there is a princess involved, read on….

 

The Naughty Fairy’s Naughty Surprise

Author/Illustrator:  Nick Ward

Published :  First in 2006 by Meadow side Children’s Books, then in 2010 by Little Bee

Age:  3 – 5 years

Theme:  What will I be question, Consequences, Discovery

Opening Line:  In a quiet corner of the palace gardens, deep in a still green pond, a little tadpole popped out of his egg… POP!  “WOW!” he gasped as he saw all the wonderful creatures swimming around him.  ”What will I be when I grow up?”

Synopsis:  Follow this cute tongue-in-cheek fable of the transformation of a little tadpole from frog to prince and hero and the naughty fairy whose interference won’t fail to raise a smile! A perfect bedtime treat!

Why I like this:  It’s cheeky, cute story will certainly entertain a young reader, will encourage questions and is perfect for that special read aloud at bed time.  I liked how Nick’s text encourages the reader to turn the page each time to find out what our little hero has turned into next.  It is well thought out with bright cheerful illustrations which move the story along, even introducing well known characters such as the Three Little Pigs and Red Riding Hood, not to mention the naughty fairy having put the Princess in the tower.  Hence the timing of posting this particular story.

Nick Ward admits he loves classic books, such as his favourite Treasure Island, and in the many picture books he has written and illustrated often such classic characters have walk on parts.  While he believes one can never really rewrite a great classic, such walk on parts can give his stories a sense of familiarity.

Resources/Findings:  Again it has taken me awhile to find any links for this story.  But I did find Nicks website as well as a blog community he blogs in, which writers and teachers may find interesting fodder for how the stories come about and his thoughts on the writing process.

http://www.davidficklingbooks.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/10/24/finding-a-classic-classic/

http://www.nickward-illustration.co.uk/

Finding fairies….   http://www.fairychildren.com/dingle_dell/dingledell.shtml

An interesting video from the children of the St Jude Hospital for Children with cancer….    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owyKGSidMSc

My own thoughts: Having children draw and write about what they want to be when they grow up.  Have them write what they would most wish for.

A Cool dress up Princess Website….   http://www.dressupprincess.net/

While reading and reviewing this book and looking for resources I found myself doodling and actually tried my hand again at pencil drawing.  I am no artist by any means but here are a couple of pictures I did last night inspired by the Fairy Princess books….

For more books with resources please visit the lovely author Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog and find the tab for Perfect Picture Books.    Her blog is full of resources links and activities associated with the books reviewed by many authors.

 

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Posted in Picture Book Review, Reading Aloud | Tagged , | 22 Comments

1 Million Books for Gambia

Posted on 19/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

As promised Miranda is back to guest post here again.  This time to talk about her venture into her Project called “1 Million Books for Gambia.”

                                         An Unfinished Story

By Miranda Paul

Stepping into a new classroom is a nerve-wracking venture.  When I entered my first classroom as a student teacher in Maryland, I was sweaty.  I’d made piles of three-ringed binders to prepare. My 1200-page Literature textbook was stickered with Post-It Flags.  I scanned the room.  Audio CDs? Check.  Encyclopedias and dictionaries? Check.  Projector cart? Check.  Everything was set, and I couldn’t wait to meet my students.

A few months later, I found myself about to enter a completely different classroom–on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.  I’d missed the first day of school because of a four-day flight delay.  When I finally arrived in The Gambia, Africa’s smallest mainland country, the airport’s electricity was off and it took several hours to get my baggage.

            Racing to the school in an overcrowded bus-taxi, I met my new principal.  She handed me a one-page curriculum (in typewriter font) and a few pieces of chalk.  Everything was set, and my students were already waiting for me.

I greeted class after class of 50+ students–and realized maybe a quarter of them had a “textbook,” which looked more like a mini-collection of stories with review questions.  It didn’t take long to find out that the majority of my tenth graders couldn’t read or write English fluently.  And those who could would probably test at a fourth or fifth grade level.

            What was going on?  After a couple of months, I realized: no one has books.  Even the school’s “library,” which was grossly understocked was “off-limits” to students, for fear that books might go missing.  My host family’s house was filled with children, but devoid of picture books.  Thus, there was no bedtime story tradition.  No libraries in my town, and no bookstores.

            After that teaching stint, I came to learn a statistic that there was only about one book for every 1,000 Gambians.  And then I discovered something just as surprising–only in a good way.  A twenty five year-old girl who lived in Minneapolis was starting a project to send a million books to Gambia to fight the “book famine,” as she called it.

One Million Books for Gambia.

I was in.

I began collecting books and bucks from friends just after Megan Meyer, the young woman who thought up the project, built her first library in The Gambia.  It was a 7,500-book medical library installed in a rural hospital.  Seeing her project so well done inspired me even more.

            Since it only costs about fifty cents per book to get it to Gambia, and the official language is English, collecting books and bucks was easy–people could measure their results.  I booked some school visits and got kids involved in helping African kids by collecting books and bucks.  And what I did was only a teeny-tiny part of the effort–because the effort attracted several corporate sponsors.

            The best part of my efforts thus far came in February and March of 2012.  I got to travel with several of the sponsors and volunteers to Gambia.  44,000 books, 31 libraries, and thousands of smiles later I got back on a plane knowing we’d changed the ratio of books to people.  And, we had about 950,000 books to go.

But perhaps the most important thing I discovered through this phase of 1 Million Books for Gambia was that there are Gambian teachers and parents who are just as dedicated to literacy in their classrooms and households as I am in my own home.  They told stories of rebuilding libraries four times after flooding rains.  Shared dreams of their children being able to read, or maybe even write books one day.  And left behind all their responsibilities to walk for two days from border to border, promoting literacy.

           I realize how rich my life experiences have been–and wonder what kind of person I’d have turned out to be if I hadn’t learned to read at age four, or hadn’t grown up with a mother who took me to my city’s free library every week.

As a result, I think about money in a different way now.  Since discovering 1 Million Books for Gambia, I measure money in books.  And books built literacy.  Which equals opportunity.

         Fifty cents sends one book, one opportunity.

Fifty dollars supplies a classroom, fifty opportunities.

            Five hundred fills a library.

And libraries fill the future with opportunities.

You can read a lot more of my story here.  But my story’s never finished.  I hope you’ll join me and be a part of it.

Miranda Paul

If you’d like more information on how to donate books or bucks to 1 Million Books for Gambia, please visit BooksForAfrica.org and click “Donate To A Project” to locate this project in The Gambia.  You can also lear more about Megan Meyer and her health and literacy organization at www.HandinHealth.org.

Checks can be mailed to:

1 Million Books for Gambia Project

Books For Africa,

253 E. 4th St.

Suite 200

St. Paul, MN 55101

 Thankyou Miranda very much for an insightful look at your Project of 1 Million Books for Gambia…..  mmm interesting friend she made to.

Posted in 12x12in12, Children's literature, Folklore / multicultural | Tagged , | 35 Comments

“Remember to take Notes when on Guided Tour”

Posted on 15/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

A couple of posts on Facebook a while back had me thinking of my time in Prague, back in 2005. My Husband and I had visited there for three very short days after spending much of our time with friends in Austria, and travelling in and out of Germany and Switzerland. We both fell in love with the feel of Prague, its quaint picturesque streets, and buildings old and heavy, that could tell stories to make your hair curl.  Being early December it was cold and early snow now glittered on street corners and roofs of buildings, if you could see that high.  A brisk morning walk from our hotel on cobbled streets, in the heart of the city, on Wenceslas Square (yeah I felt like I was in a Hans Christen Andersen story), with the National Museum at one end, heading towards the Old Town Square in the other direction, we joined the bustle of shoppers buying hot pastry’s and stopped to take photos of the huge blue Christmas tree.  Jewellery in shop windows seemed twice as large and twice as cheap, to me.  Our walking guide, a young uni guy in broken English beckoned us to follow him after explaining the old square, with its Town Hall, Astronomical Clock and Tyn Church, we crossed the Charles Bridge, visited the castle and all the while our young guide kept up a stream of information, while I clicked away, often running to keep up with him.  Back across the bridge and standing outside the old University, he then asked us questions on what he had been showing us, both to ensure we understood him, and also to check if we were taking in what he had been saying.  Red faced at not being able to answer a few of his questions, I then continued with the rest of the guided tour with pen and notebook out and less of the clicking camera…

I am sure he intends to be a professor when he graduates…

 

This is made of books situated in the foyer of the university.  By pearing into the center a mirror situated on the floor gives the impression you are tetering on the edge and peering way down the tower below of books….. scary!

 

 

Posted in Folklore / multicultural, Travel | Tagged | 10 Comments

“Perfect Picture Book” Friday

Posted on 14/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

Well Easter has come and gone, and what a lovely time it was.  Thankfully here downunder the kids are off on two week first term break and I for one am pleased, as it means the roads are not so jammed with traffic in the mornings, and I can arrive home at a reasonable time instead of sitting jammed tail to tail crawling for close on three hours before pulling the car in the garage and after dropping my bag and kicking off my shoes, collapsing on the couch and falling asleep for a couple of hours until hubby wakes me with dinner and a coffee at the ready. Kids on holiday reminded me of a lovely picture book I had tucked away on one of my shelves.

Dumpy’s Happy Holiday

Authors:  Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton

Illustrator:  Tony Walton

Published by:  Harper Collins Publishers

Age:  3 – 7

Themes:  friendship, cooperation, assisting those in need, remaining calm

First Line:   An early December sun touched the frosty holiday lights that had been twinkling all night in apple Harbor.

Synopsis:  From the inside front jacket…  “It’s the holiday season in Apple Harbor, and in the spirit of giving, the Barnes family – Charlie, Pop-Up, and Farmer and Mrs Barnes – launch a charity drive for children in need.  As always, Dumpy is ready to help, and soon his dumper is filled with gifts.  But what starts as a local effort soon becomes an adventure with international impact. This festive addition to the popular Dumpy the Dump Truck series demonstrates that when hearts are in the right place, opportunities and solutions will surely follow..  and that giving brings its own rewards.”

Why I like this:   Yes, well, there are many reasons why I love this cute book. Out of all the Dumpy series this one appeals to me the most, with it’s theme of charity, friendship, caring and assisting those in need.  This wonderfully illustrated book with the bright red dump truck, its huge grin, chugs across the pages introducing young children to the joy of giving.  Mother and daughter authors, Julie and Emma, ensured boys would love the BROOM BROOM and ZOOMing sounds the text provokes and I couldn’t help but smile at the traffic jam looming across the pages.  Oh I wish at times I had a Sergeant Molly Mott escort me to work…lol.  With a tenderly hidden cultural aspect, there is also respect between young Charles and his elderly grandfather and the knowledge that anything is possible with patience and calm.

Julie, whom I have met a couple of times briefly is a world renown actress, singer and author, her daughter Emma, my teacher and mentor through  “Just Write for Kids” and “The Children’s Hub” have penned many books together, ensuring good old-fashion wonder and wisdom building classics to last lifetimes.  Tony Walton, Emma’s Dad, illustrator, famed for his theatrical set designs makes this a loving family involvement.  If you haven’t read this or any of the Dumpy Truck series, you should, “the Julie Andrews Collection encompasses books for young readers of all ages that nurture the imagination and celebrate a sense of wonder”… noted on the back of the book.

Resources/Findings:    On the Julie Andrews Collection website are colouring pages, party hats and accessories and gift tags and book markers…    http://julieandrewscollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Dumpy-Dumptruck-Coloring-Pages.pdf

http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/  A United Nations activity pages for teachers and parents.

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/united-nations/printable/37304.html  Information on United nations for teachers.

http://trucks.about.com/od/toytrucks/tp/childrentrucks.htm   I thought this would be a great website on obtaining more books on trucks from the bath book to older descriptive books for boys.

For more books with resources please visit the lovely author Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog and find the tab for  Perfect Picture Books.    Her blog is full of resources links and activities associated with the books reviewed by many authors.

 

 

Posted in 12x12in12, Picture book, Picture Book Review | Tagged , | 28 Comments

“A walk with me in Aotearoa” part 6

Posted on 10/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

Well hope you all had a wonderful Easter break!  I know I sure did.  After one of our crappiest summers ever, this past Easter weekend was one of a kind.  Beautifully hot, clear blue sky and a very light breeze every day. *sigh*…  Lovely!

After a day and a half in the city we took off down country during the late evening, after hubby finished work and four hours later sat in our Motel looking out at the swimming pool, the hot tubs with the sound of the harbour waves caressing white sand in the moonlight, while I sipped a white chocolate mocha with my feet up…mmm.

Now while I am resting I just want to take a moment to explain to those who haven’t been visiting my blog long, “Walking with me in Aotearoa” is a simple guided tour (if you like),  with me as your guide, through my country.  If you would like to read the previous posts, please go here, or use my sidebar cloud and click on “Aotearoa.”  Since I spent this last weekend travelling south out of the city, I thought it was a good opportunity to pick up from where I left off and continue showing you around.  About two hours out of the city one veers slightly to the left towards the east coast and travels through the Waikato country passing near Matamata or as it is now referred to “Hobbit” country, or “middle Earth.”

We follow the East coast after passing through the Waiuku Gorge and after driving through the lively town of Tauranga made our home for the next two nights in Mount Maunganui, (which is where I am now, or was when I started writing this).

It was Jazz Festival time, so we started the day with breakfast on the main street which is blocked to allow for street performers, cafes to spread out and bouncy castles for the kids and stall sellers from fruit and vege, wine and cheeses, to arts and crafts, there was much to see and experience.  The “Mount” and Tauranga

never fail to impress and give visitors a rousing time you won’t forget.  You could listen to a concert or add your wish to the wish list board or simply watch as children enjoy face painting and explore the wonder of all things, paint, glitter and anything else their little heart’s desire. (Mum will have a job getting it off their

faces and out of their

hair and clothes later).

We found the biggest second-hand book store in New Zealand, run by the Rotary Club and delighted in spending time rummaging through amazing finds of written music of some of the greats, LP’s of the Beatles and thousands of other stars of stage and screen, to books of classics well worn, or

autobiography’s of Audrey Hepburn, and many others…. The price! Anything from $1.00 to $5.00.  That’s about US50c to US $3.00.  Children’s books were plentiful and I enjoyed picking up a few myself.  I smiled to myself as a father nearby helped his small child as she picked a classic, Pooh Bear!

On to Tauranga and a wander round the main streets,  enjoying the festive spirit.  Standing room only in most places, this is a popular place anytime of the year.

 Here a street performer performs for us.  Everyone enjoys the fun.

Time for a coffee served with Easter eggs.

We then travelled to a Historic village a few streets away where there were also jazz bands playing.

A Maori woman is showing children how to make poi poi’s.

Later they performed for us also.

Now here’s an interesting car, I wouldn’t mind owning….lol.

A young boy shows his talent.

It’s nearing the end of another perfect day down on the East Coast.  Out in front of me one can barely see the tip of the ship that broke up late last year spilling oil along this coastline.  As we head back to our motel we get a late call, friends are heading down our way and we arrange to meet them at their uncle’s place an hour away.

After a lovely evening of being wined and dined in a tiny village south of Tauranga, this morning finds us making our way back through the gorge towards Auckland and the big smoke.  Here we stopped to take a couple of pictures

A morning tea stop an hour later.  Paeroa home of the “world famous in New Zealand L&P drink.”  Check here for info about the drink.

Back home with still the afternoon sun tempting me outside I am found back writing, an idea for April’s PB draft for 12x12x12 which had been developing in my mind on the way home finally unleashed on the screen in front of me.

A perfect long weekend!

Posted in Aotearoa, Blogs, Folklore / multicultural, What moves me | Tagged | 23 Comments

“Perfect Picture Book” – Friday

Posted on 07/04/2012 by Diane Tulloch

“Middle School is worse than meatloaf”

Author: Jennifer L Holm

Pictures by: Elicia Castaldi

Published by: Simon and Schuster   KIDS.Simonand Schuster.com

A NAPPA Gold Award Winner

Ages: 8 – 12 years

Theme:   Humour, Life experiences, the ups and downs of school life, creativity.

Opening Lines:     Ginny;s Back-to School Shopping List   ..  1. New school shoes and new toe shoes for ballet.  2.  New backpack.  3. New binder (a cool one this year.  PLEASE!! Brown is not a cool color!!!)  4.  The yellow sweater at the mall.  The one in the window of Gerards.

Synopsis:  Ginny has ten items on her big to-do list for seventh grade. None of them, however, include accidentally turning her hair pink. Or getting sent to detention for throwing frogs in class. Or losing the lead role in the ballet recital to her ex-best friend. Or the thousand other things that can go wrong between September and June. But it looks like it’s shaping up to be that kind of a year!

Here’s the story of one girl’s worst school year ever — told completely through her stuff. Yes! Through “post it notes”, stickers, chocolate wrappers, comic strips, postcards, and receipts and even “instant messages”.

Why I Like it:  Hilariously blunt, quirky, insightful.  We are lead into a private “kept-under-the-bed” box of a young seventh grader’s thoughts, and ups and downs of life, as she sees it.  Some have referred it as a near graphic novel while it is probably meant as a middle grade read, I on the other hand looked at it as each piece of item albeit a post-it-note, school report card , though covered in either scribbled handwritten text by Ginny or her Mother, school friends, or from others, such as her teacher, as pictures.  Stuck with glue-tack, or paper pins, paper clips or magnets on each page of this more than 30 page book. Hence I have brought it to Perfect Picture Book-Friday.  From her notes of plea’s to her mother for that yellow sweater, where her mother’s reply notes “too expensive, wait for Christmas” to a note to her teacher saying her dog ate her homework, resulting in the reply from teacher, Miss Angelini, being, “ I’m sorry to say that”the dog ate my homework.” While a very amusing excuse and not one I have heard very many times, does not substitute for the fact that you have not completed your quarter science project.  Sadly, I have no recourse but to give you an F.”  We follow Ginny through getting “acquainted” with her stepdad; will he ever learn to put the toilet seat down, her “brain project” for school; her stepdad’s note to the teacher, with his best intentions,  and many other quirky, hilariously real situations she finds herself in during the year.  On one page a calendar with 3rd of May circled and a post-it-note with an arrow reads “Mom, No way!! The dance is next week!! Your Daughter Ginny who refuses to wear braces to her First Dance Ever” is followed by a continuation of a handwritten project on flower pollination edged with clever diagrams by Ginny herself and a note in the corner from a young suitor asking what her favourite flower and colour is so he can buy her a corsage.  Another is a Detention Referral for throwing a dissection tray with a live frog on it.

One can almost, feel, experienced, been-there-done-that, worn the t-shirt, and ………     oh! Written the Book!!!  This is truly fodder for inspiration for writers.

I’ll leave you with something Ginny wrote:

An Ode to the Dumbest Age of All

Oh, the dumbest age of all is twelve

Too young to drive, but too old to have your parents take you to the movies.

Too young to work at the mall, but too old to get an allowance anymore.

Too Young to stay up to watch television, but old enough to babysit your bratty little brother.

Oh, the dumbest age of all is twelve.

I’m just hoping that thirteen isn’t so dumb.

(Now quickly before you get your hand smacked, close the lid and put the box back under the bed from where it came before you get caught – by Ginny!)

Resources/Findings:   While there is no direct resources for this particular book I did find on Jennifer’s website ….  http://www.jenniferholm.com/  a reference to Judy Freeman a Literary Consultant, writer and speaker, her website…. http://www.judyreadsbooks.com/  on read aloud, story telling, and book talking conference in New Jersey April 25,26,27th.     She has programs for Teachers  and Programs for Parents, with hands on assistance.  A very dynamic and busy lady.

It’s interesting the  vast ideas one can come up with to use with this type of book.

–          Children writing lists –  their uses, etc.

–          How to write up a school project, ie science, biology etc..

–          Discussions on communication

–          Discussions on Peer pressure

–          Discussions on behaviour in class  ….    To name a few.

For more books with resources please visit the lovely author Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog and find the tab for  Perfect Picture Books.    Her blog is full of resources links and activities associated with the books reviewed by many authors.

Posted in 12x12in12, Children's literature, Literature, Picture Book Review | Tagged , , | 10 Comments