I came home yesterday with a long to do list.
- Make lunch
- write PiBoIdMo post (visit Tara’s blog to see me over there today!)
- stamp some journals,
- and get some stuff ready to mail.
All while icing my sprained foot.
And wishing I could just kick back and maybe take a nap.
Then I look over and see this:
I must have said something like, “Must be nice”
because Singe Singe felt a little bad, and he offered to do the last post of 31 in 31,
on Halloween!
And he said it could be any book I want.
So, it’s going to be the book
that was my FAVORITE book
as a child,
AND the same book that inspired
Singe Singe’s very NAME.
Needless to say, he’s excited, and I’m excited.
Speaking of excited!
We were very excited to meet this author,
because she’s from my little hometown of Plattsburgh, NY.
She taught my younger brother and sister,
and everyone knows her smiling weatherman husband.
It’s the ultra talented Kate Messner!
Did you know she lives in Plattsburgh, NY, where Kathy Ellen is from?
I love all her books, but I have been having lots of fun with Marty McGuire.
I wonder if sometime Marty will be in a play called “The Sock Monkey Prince”
and if I could be the sock monkey?
Maybe.
Just maybe.
And we’re talking about one of her picture books today!
Title: Over and Under the Snow
Published by: Chronicle Books, 2011
Written by: Kate Messner
Illustrated by: Christopher Silas Neal
In one word: parallel-universes
In one sentence: While a child is experiencing winter over the snow, lots of animals are experiencing it under the snow!
Favorite pages:
Likes:
- the story is like a poem
- it’s non fiction and fiction all at the same time
- easy to relate too because of the parallel “over the snow” actions of the child, and the “under the snow” actions of the animals.
- the illustrations feel so homey and comfortable and touchable..I don’t know, I just like them!
- The author’s note and additional information at the back of the book is awesome for children who want to know more…and, frankly, who wouldn’t want to know more?
- the story makes you want to open up your eyes more in nature.
- I like the size of the book too.
Learns:
- You can write a non-fiction picture book that mingles with fiction too.
- Parallel stories are really fun.
- There is so much going on under the snow! I grew up around snow (remember, same town Kate lives in, Plattsburgh!) but never knew this stuff…fascinating!
Bookshelf:
And some pictures of some notebooks going out.
I think I may make some for my etsy shop soon, or just let them be custom orders.
What do you think?
Alright, Day 25.
What is everyone reading?
Also, make sure to check out the 31 in 31 page.
I’ve updated it…see, the things I do when I’m injured and have to sit still!
Now there are links to each post!
Anywho, hope Thursday’s going well for everyone!
Enthusiastically yours,
Kathy Ellen and Singe Singe
Hi Kathy!
Today I read The Little Bit Scary People by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. It’s a story about a little girl who thinks different people in her school and around town are a little bit scary to her for different reasons. But she also imagines what they might be doing at home when they’re NOT so scary. I love the Fall and this book has lots of fall colors in the drawings. Children are going to be able to relate to the main character and will be pleasantly surprised by the ending…
Donna L Martin
http://www.donnalmartin.com
http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com
Yay! Go Upstate NY! I’m from a little suburb of Syracuse!
Today I read NOT A BOX by Antoinette Portis. I absolutely love this book. The design is great, too because its cover is actually made out of cardboard…or a box. It caught my eye on the library shelf and I am glad it did.
Its quite simple with just black line drawings. “A box is just a box . . . unless it’s not a box. From mountain to rocket ship, a small rabbit shows that a box will go as far as the imagination allows.”
When I looked it up on amazon, I found out it is actually a Giesel award winner and a NYT Best Illustrated award winner. And there is a follow up book called NOT A STICK.
Check it out!
I love NOT A BOX, and I’m delighted to hear about NOT A STICK! What fun!
Yes!
Not a box is awesome!
Antoinette Portis was at SCBWI LA this year…I think I have a picture of her reading to Singe Singe…I’ll look….
Syracuse is beautiful…
I haven’t read “Not a stick” though.
Have you read her book, “Penguin Story” ?
It’s really sweet too.
I can hardly wait to start filling my wonderful little idea book with BIG ideas! I am happy of myself. I’m happy of yourself, too.
“Over and Under the Snow” is such a lovely and delightful book. And WOW to your connection with Kate Messner. How utterly cool.
I had brought home a snow book from the library last time, and you inspired me to read it today. “Names for Snow” by Judi K. Beach, pictures by Loretta Krupinski is a beautiful quiet book, like a gentle Christmas Eve snowfall. The author was inspired by the Inuit having so many names for snow, and so she has crafted a book in which a mama bunny (anthropomorphized) tells her little bunnies the names we call snow, like “Call snow Lace when it lines the limbs of the lilacs– or Eyelet when it embroiders spruce.” The text, though not rhyming, is totally lyrical and the illustrations are just right. Most times, the Name suggestion is on a page that’s mostly white, with a border that includes illustrations that look like paper snowflakes as well as the bunnies in some action or other, while the facing page has a beautifully detailed painting illustrating the Name. There are occasional double-page spreads that are mmmmmmm lovely. I would highly recommend this one!
I love lyrical text…this one sounds great!
I’m going to make a master list of all the books so I can print it out and take it to the library, and I’ll look for this one!
I had quite a chat with Kate Messner at SCBWI LA….she told me to get writing because maybe if there were two writers in Plattsburgh we could put Plattsburgh on the map š
How is my Thursday, you ask? AWESOME!
It is snowing outside here in Colorado Springs…after having been the most beautiful warm and sunny fall ever. š And since I don’t have to go anywhere today (Thursday being one of my days off from work), I can really sit back (well, while I am working at the computer) and enjoy watching the snow come down. š
I was just asked to take part in a Google+ HOA (live stream to YouTube) on Monday with the wife of the Governor of Maryland to talk about bullying…I am waiting to hear the details!
I am so excited to be receiving the “Art Ideas” notebook from you, Kathy…you picked the PERFECT one for me. š I was thinking of ordering the PiBoIdMo notebook for Tara’s challenge…but then I remembered that Susanna sent me a lovely Short and Sweet notebook for taking part in the Summer Short and Sweets…so I think I will use that. š My pencil is sharpened and I am thrilled to be a part of this…I’ll hop over and read your guest post as soon as I click send on this comment.
A new connection, author Heather Shumaker, had a guest post today on Badger Girl (a cooking plus other stuff site) and they were spotlighting her new book for parents, “It’s OK Not to Share”…I’ll be reviewing it on Sunday on my blog. What is amazing is that she generously mentioned my book in her post…how sweet is that!
Did I mention I am also from NY…the city…but my husband and I spent MANY weekends in upstate NY during the first 30 years of our marriage…we took quite a few vacations with our children at a dude ranch near Lake George. Upstate NY is so beautiful…but pretty cold in the winter. š
I love the book you picked…and it has inspired me…I already have my first book idea for PiBoIdMo …so thank you. š
And, last but not least, I get to read and talk about another picture book here…see what I mean about it being an awesome day!
Today I read, “If You Give a Dog a Donut” written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. Sweet lively illustrations follow the text that reads like what is in a young child’s mind…I can just see a kid having a donut, thinking about being thirsty, wanting to make apple juice from real apples, deciding to play ball because the apple reminds him of one, etc. Lots of fun…and a satisfying ending that returns to the donut-eating dog. š
Off to read your guest post on Tara’s blog!
I met Laura Numeroff years ago…
It was my first time meeting an author and I was so excited I couldn’t speak!
Now it’s easy š
I saw your post on “It’s ok not to share” and I really want to check that book out! Awesome that she mentioned your book too š
I used to play in Lake George all the time….my grandparents lived closeby.
I’m glad you are excited about your notebook…I had fun making it.
Kathy, great post on Tara’s blog today!
And…I received a beautiful package from you today. Haven’t opened it yet…Can’t decide if I want to open it with the kids now or wait until the holidays??? Probably will open it tomorrow! Thank you so much!
Tonight we read, ELLEN’S BROOM by Kelly Starling Lyons. It is a story about Ellen’s parents receiving the freedom to be recognized as a married couple through the eyes of the law. She learns about the importance of the her parent’s broom and how it was used as a symbol of their marriage before the freedom was granted to all former slaves. At the end of the story, her parent’s received their marriage license.
I pulled out our marriage license and shared it with my kids. I love how picture books can create family experiences. I don’t think I would have ever had a reason to show my children our marriage license.
I dare you to wait to open the package…I know I can’t wait one minute when something comes for me!
Ellen’s Broom sounds awesome, and how cool that you got to share your marriage license with your children! I agree with you so I’m going to repeat your line: I LOVE how picture books can create family experiences.
How neat, Kate is from the same city as you! And making those stampers looks like fun and hard work!
I read “Chico the Brave” by Dave Horowitz. A little bird in Peru is afraid of everything until he hears about the legend of the golden chicken and sets out to find him. Neat setting and a cute story for all who fear.
Hope your ankle is feeling better!
Foot is feeling better, thank you!
The stampers are so much fun.
Chico the Brave sounds very cute. I like books that help children grow out of fear.