Share a Story - Shape a Future

Recently on the Book Chook blog, I wrote a post where I asked us all to remember that "... one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of people can change the course of history." (Sonia Johnson)

I am now watching the incredible energy building around Share a Story - Shape a Future, and wondering if there is clairvoyance underneath all these feathers! There has been an immediate and heartening response to the announcement about our Blog Tour for Literacy. I've already had offers of books from authors to use as giveaways on my blog. There's a buzz building all over the internet, and it's just so exciting to be part of it all.

If you missed the main announcement, click here. If you would like to stay totally up-to-date on what's happening with Share a Story - Shape a Future, bookmark the special SaSSaF blog.

If you're thinking of writing a special post on the theme of Reading Aloud, and would like me to link to it, you'll find my email address cunningly hidden away from spybots in my profile. I'll have several special posts coming up soon, to lead up to the big week, so be sure to come back often. Remember to spread the word throughout your own network, so that together we can give history a nudge!

Exciting News!

Regular Book Chook readers will know how passionately I feel about children's literacy. This week, I spoke of reading as a free magical gift; other posts have been about my dream for all kids to be read to, or suggestions on what we can do to reach out to others and promote literacy.

My exciting news is this: in a couple of weeks time, there will be a huge online event, specifically to promote sharing stories with kids, and you're all invited! Here's the scoop!

Share a Story - Shape a Future, A Blog Tour for Literacy

Within the kidlitosphere, the children's literature bloggers comprise and reach a very broad audience. One of the group's greatest assets is its collective, community-minded approach to sharing information and ideas. Through events like blog tours, authors and illustrators have had wonderful opportunities to share their story and their craft. Given the success of tours for "producers," what about an event for and by the people who create and engage their readers: teachers, librarians, parents, and people passionate about literacy?

Voila! Share a Story - Shape a Future is just that event. This is an ensemble effort not only to celebrate reading among those of us who already love books, but to encourage each other to reach beyond ourselves and do it in a way that we are neither judging nor instructing others. This is a venue for communicating practical, useable, everyday ideas.

The event begins March 9, 2009 and lasts one week. Each day we will have a group of bloggers sharing ideas around a specific theme. There are a number of book giveaways and free downloads that will be announced by the various hosts as we get closer to the kickoff. Here is the tour schedule.

Day 1: Raising Readers
hosted by Terry Doherty at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, the Reading Tub blog

• Finding Time at Home - Tricia Stohr-Hunt @ The Miss Rumphius Effect
• Making Time in the Classroom - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• Helping a Reader in Need (remedial readers) - Sandra Stiles guest post on Scrub-a-Dub-Tub
• It's Bigger than the Book: Building Strong Readers at any Age with a Daily Dose of Read Aloud - Cathy Miller interview on the Share a Story - Shape a Future blog
• Keeping Gifted Readers Engaged - Donalyn Miller @ The Book Whisperer
  

Day 2: Selecting Reading Material
hosted by Sarah Mulhern at The Reading Zone

• The ABCs of Reading: Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers - Valerie Baartz on The Almost Librarian
• How to Help Emerging Readers - Anastasia Suen (blog to be identified later)
• Helping Middle Grade Readers - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• Booklists and Read Alikes - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• Using Non-fiction - Mary Lee Hahn of A Year of Reading, hosted by the Stenhouse blog
  

Day 3: Reading Aloud - It's Fun, It's Easy
hosted by Susan Stephenson at the Book Chook blog

• Ten Terrific Tips from Read-aloud Queen, Mem Fox - on the Book Chook blog
• Conquering Stage Fright - Interview with Sarah Mulhern/The Reading Zone @ the Book Chook
• Reading Aloud With Kids: A Dad's Perspective - hosted by Steven and Brian at Book Dads: Fathers that Read
• Using Technology for Read Alouds - Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
• What to Do When the Reading is Done - Aimee Buckner, hosted by the Stenhouse blog
• Reading Aloud with Independent Readers - Donalyn Miller @ The Book Whisperer
  

Day 4: A Visit to the Library
hosted by Eva Mitnick at Eva's Book Addiction blog

• From Cozy to Cool - Library Spaces for Everyone - Eva @ Eva's Book Addiction
• Lions and Marble and Books, Oh My - Betsy Bird at A Fuse #8 Production
  
• How to Make the Library Work for YOU - an interview with Adrienne of What Adrienne Thinks About That conducted by Jules at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• The World Beyond the Library's Walls - Melissa @ Librarian by Day

Day 5: Technology and Reading - What the Future Holds

hosted by Elizabeth O. Dulemba at Dulemba.com

• Audiobooks with Bruce Coville of Full Cast Audio and Mary Burkey of Audiobooker
• E-books with Harold Underdown of The Purple Crayon and Sheila Ruth of Hornbook
• Podcasts with Andrea Ross of Just One More Book! and Cheryl Rainfield of cherylrainfield.com
• A resource of links to audiobooks, e-books, podcasts and webcasts @ Dulemba.com.
  

Through Share a Story - Shape a Future we hope to build a community of readers, by sharing ideas and encouraging each other. When the event opens on Monday, March 9, 2009, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to join us and share your ideas.

In the meantime, we'd love for you to start spreading the word. Feel free to re-post, tweet, stumble, digg or whatever you can, to tell others. If you share my passion and you're interested in The Book Chook linking to a relevant post of yours during March 9-13, email me (see profile top right). If you're an author or publisher interested in donating books as giveaways on my blog, email me. If you'd like to join the Share a Story near circle group and get the widget in my sidebar for your blog, email me.

Children's literacy is such an important cause. I truly believe that together we can make a difference.

Book Review, Baby Bilby, where do you sleep?

When I look back over my reviews to date, I see I haven't posted many classified as non-fiction. That's not because I don't like non-fiction books. It's more because there are thousands of wonderful fiction tales out there, and only so many hours in a day.

But some children's non-fiction books definitely make me swoon. My current swoonful book is Baby Bilby, where do you sleep? by Narelle Oliver, first published by Lothian in 2001,and an honour book in the CBCA AWards: Early Childhood/Picture Book of the Year, 2002.

This marvellous nonfiction picture book reaches out to children from the very young to the young at heart. Simple, rhyming, interactive text is coupled with amazingly detailed illustrations of Australian wildlife. Oliver mentions different Australian animals, and includes each animal's tracks to give us clues, along with a peephole to peek into their habitat, and some "hidden" creatures to find.

"Out in the desert on a hot thirsty day, lots of secret animals are hidden away." We read of bilbies in burrows, geckos in spinifex, hopping mice in sand tunnels, treekeepers in mulga, planigales in clay cracks, and gibber dragons among stones. Despite cunning camouflage, alert eyes will find much more on each page, and there is a key at the back of the book to make sure we spot and identify them all.

It's important to introduce young children to a range of different genres, but not always easy to find brilliant non-fiction books suitable for the very young. Watch out for this one! A great activity to follow it up would be to go bush and hunt for animal and bird tracks. After rain is a good time - try checking near water. Take some plaster of paris along in a container, add water, and make your own plaster cast footprints. Or use Baby Bilby as a model for children's own peephole books.

Free Magical Gift - Advertisement

Reading is magic. When you encourage a child to read, you are actually conferring two special magical powers on him - the power to solve problems, and the power to enter other worlds.

Reading is empowerment. When you have a problem, often the answer can be found by reading. If you need to take a bus to another city, you read to find out how. If you want to pan for gold, there are books and web sites to help. When you can't defeat the Green Dragon on level 3, use the magical power of reading on a cheat sheet, or email Grandma to ask for help.

Reading is escape. Everyone has times in their life when they want to be distracted or entertained. By reading a book, we can enter someone else's life and walk a mile in their shoes. If we all did this, it would increase tolerance in our society, because people hate what they fear or don't understand. Opening up the world of books to a child means giving him the power to enter others' worlds.

But wait, there's more! Aside from reading's magical properties, it's a gift that won't wear out, and it's inexpensive. Books are portable, quiet and stimulate imagination. They make fantastic gifts. A book won't grow too big, bark incessantly, and have to be returned to the Shelter. You don't have to run to the store to pick up batteries for books. Save on paper by buying an easy-to-wrap book, or go paperless and give an ebook or a magazine subscription for your child's next birthday.

Better still, upsize your gift and add writing, too. I guarantee that encouraging kids to read and write will make both them and you feel fantastic!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacobrask/1243629763/

Book Chook Read Aloud Roundup (2)

Sally Murphy

www.sallymurphy.net

I have many favourite books to read aloud, and enjoy reading my own picture books because it’s wonderful to see something I’ve written bringing joy to kids. But my favourite read aloud (for today, anyway) is Mo Willems’ Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus.

I love this book because it encourages interactivity. I have read it to school groups many times and have never had to prompt the children to say ‘no’ to the pigeon as he begs and pleads to be allowed to drive the bus. I am not the only teacher who loves this book, and I was delighted at school last year to see a year one boy with no literacy skills clutching the book to his chest. His teacher had read it to him and he simply loved it. Loving a book can be the difference between learning to read it (and, consequently other books) or remaining a non-reader.

Lucy Bertoldi
esl-ealandmore.blogspot.com
enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com

My all time favourite book, which I read to my first four children (who are all teens now) and continue to read to my seven-year- old is: The Little Witch Sisters, by Stephanie Calmenson, pictures by R.W. Alley, published by Grosset and Dunlap.

I love this book because it involves two sisters making magic together, with the underlying moral of helping eachother. It's a fun book because the spells are all in rhymes, and the pictures are very descriptive. One of the spells goes like this: "Achoo! Achoo! Achibbity-choo! Pumpkin powder I need you!"

I started reading it to my first two daughters and I guess because the book is about sisters, they could really relate.

In the beginning, the younger sister doesn't want to help out at all; but when the magic brew is ready she wants to have fun with making magic. That's when her sister decides to turn her into different animals to teach her a lesson. The little sister understands that she was no help at all and to fix things she decides to do all the cleaning up. Both sisters are happy and are then ready to go out and make magic together: "Ibbity, jibbity, bibbity faire. They made magic everywhere!"

All my memories of this book are of my children and I snuggling close together before going to bed and repeating the rhymes over and over, instead of once like in the book. My kids even made up their own rhymes during the day, with Ibbity Jibbity ... in them. We had so many laughs with this book. Even today, my older daughters will make fun of the rhymes (I guess they still have good memories as well).

I particularly like books to read aloud that have repetitions and rhymes. This helps children feel confident in joining in and participating out loud. It also promotes recognition of words. Best of all reading and repeating together is so much fun, and ultimately it's that feeling of closeness and bonding that children are looking for. That feeling is something they'll remember, and in turn they'll associate reading as something good, and special.

Amy Watson
www.literacylaunchpad.blogspot.com

My favorite read-aloud, or at least one of my favorite read-alouds, is Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. I have memories of being read this story as child by the librarian at my elementary school during class visits to the library. I can remember the gestures, facial expression, and voice inflections she used throughout the story, and I find myself emulating her style when I read it to my students today.When reading this story aloud, make sure to use fully immerse yourself in the part of the peddler. Your read-aloud will only be successful if you go all out and truly act out the angry and frustrated emotions of the peddler. Also, I pretend to stack and/or feel the caps on my own head every time the story lists the various caps the peddler has on his head.

I don’t think I’ve ever read this story to a group of children that didn’t love it! It’s silly, it’s interactive, and it’s memorable. All it takes is one reading, and they will ask for it again and again. I never get tired of reading it aloud. It’s my go-to read-aloud book. If you want a read-aloud story that will never fail you, Caps For Sale is your book!

Caps For Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

By Esphyr Slobodkina

Published by HarperFestival

First published in 1940

Fred Lee
http://parentingthehardway.blogspot.com/
http://greeninthegreenmountainstate.blogspot.com/

We're Going on a Bear Hunt
by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

In what is bound to become a family favorite, Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Aladdin, 2003), based on the song of the same title, successfully captures the imagination of its readers by describing a family's search for, of all things, a bear. Wonderfully illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, whose work also includes Big Mama Makes the World and Farmer Duck, the story follows a father and his four young children (and their dog) who, emboldened by each other's company, brave nature's elements in the quest to find their mythical creature.

Because of it's fun and whimsical tone, the reader may not at first anticipate that they might actually encounter a bear. But what a surprise when they do, forcing our young heroes to rush back home, hastily retracing their steps, the bear hot on their trail, until they reach the safety of their home (but don't forget to close that door!).

We're Going on a Bear Hunt, with it's lighthearted prose, tickles the imagination and simply begs to be read aloud with its evocative descriptions of our young adventurers as they "splish splosh" across the river and "squelch squerch" though the mud. It encourages families to experience the journey together, feeding everyone's love for adventure and excitement, not to mention, of course, reading.

Corey Schwartz ,author of Hop! Plop! (Walker, 2006) and mother of two kids aged 3 and

http://coreyschwartz.blogspot.com/

My favorite book to read aloud is Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson. One by one, little critters sneak into a Bear's lair to warm up on a cold, winter night.The language is delightful and the meter is flawless.

An itty-bitty mouse,

pitter-pat, tip-toe,

from the fluff cold snow.

The rollicking rhythm make this story perfect for reading aloud, but the best part is that kids can easily chime in for the refrainBut the Bear snores on.

This lines repeats at predictable intervals throughout the story and my kids love to yell it out. I often stop when I get to it, and let them say it on their own.

This participation has given my kids confidence and has made them feel like "readers" at an early age.

Bear is eventually woken up when a pepper flake makes him sneeze. It is fun to put on a deep, cranky bear voice as he complains:

You've snuck in my lair
and you've all had fun!
But me? I was sleeping
and...
I have had none!

And then switch to a squeaky mouse voice, as Mouse offers a solution.

I never tire of reading this charming book! In fact, I have read it so many times I can recite most of it by heart. And so can my preschoolers!

Many thanks to all the contributors from Read Aloud Roundup (1) and (2).
Book Chook Alert: Writing Competition, kids 7-10, at jelli-beanz book corner

Book Chook Read Aloud Roundup (1)

I've asked some people who love books to choose their favourite book to read aloud. I certainly enjoyed their responses and I know you'll find many books here to share with your own child, as well as great tips to add extra value. Read Aloud Roundup (2) will bring more titles tomorrow.

Kim McDougall
Children's and YA Fiction at www.kimchatel.com
Blazing Trailers Book Previews www.blazingtrailers.com

Eek! Creak! Snicker, Sneak
By Rhonda Gowler Greene
Illustrated by Jos. A. Smith
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Atheneum; 1 edition (March 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689830475
ISBN-13: 978-0689830471

My daughter is now into chapter books, but she’s not ready to give up her picture books. That’s okay. Neither am I. Sometimes, on a quiet afternoon, I sneak into her room and look at my favorite picture books. Eek! Creak! Snicker, Sneak is at the top of that list.

Bugbear and Bugaboo are two little creatures who like to frighten children. They’re the ones who make the creaking noises on the stairs and the scratching noises at the windows. Their nasty tricks really crack them up. Parents try to explain away the noises, but a brother and sister are not convinced by their rational explanations. They discover the truth and decide to turn the tables on Bugbear and Bugaboo.

First off, I have to say that Bugaboo is so cute, I just want to squeeze him. And Bugbear too, with his big toe always sticking out of his sock, is not so scary. This is important if you have a child (like mine) who isn’t fond of scary stories. Jos A. Smith’s cute and fun illustrations balance the scary elements in the text. The

The story is told in rhyming text. Now wait, I can hear you all groaning. Not another cheesy rhyming book! No. Not this one. Rhonda Gowler Greene has written a deceptively simple plot and the rhyme is integral to the story. It’s part of the flow. The beat of the scary train is echoed by the rhyme’s cadence. The story is told with an abundance of sound aloud words like “They shinny up trees and jiggle and jump./ Limbs SCRITCH-SCRATCH and THUMP-BUMP-BUMP.” These onomatopoeic words not are not only great fun to say, but they blend perfectly with the rhymes.

One line is repeated: “They snicker./They sneak./They make their plans/while schemingly rubbing their hairy hands.” This sing-song tone makes it a delight to read aloud. For some reason, it always brings to mind my favorite T.S. Eliot poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Of course, the subject matter is nothing the same, but both have a sort of rambling canter that intrigues me.

I won’t give away the ending, but my daughter loves it when I read the last pages of Eek! Creak! Snicker, Sneak in a soft whisper until we get to the giant ‘BOO!’ which always produces a giggle. This is a book that is fun for both of us, and not one we’re ready to retire any time soon.

Claire Saxby, writer
www.clairesaxby.com

My favourite read-aloud books are Lynley Dodd's texts including Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy. The rhythm is great, there's plenty of page-turning action. It's almost musical. I love the words she uses and the names she gives her characters. And it's got nothing to do with 'Hairy McClary' being one of my nicknames. Other favourites from Lynley Dodd include Slinky Malinky and Schnitzel Von Krumm's Basketwork. Picture books are hard to write, and rhyming picture books even harder. These stories can be read easily from the first reading - the sign of great rhyme.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd.
Slinky Malinki by Lynley Dodd

Dee White
website: www.deescribe.com.au
blog: www.deescribewriting.wordpress.com

If I had to choose one book that is my favourite to read aloud it would be: The Great Castle of Marshmangle illustrated by Paul Hess. First published in Great Britain in 1999 by Andersen Press Ltd. ISBN 0862647924.

I love this book because of the great language and rhythm, and the humorous and colourful illustrations. My favourite written page is where the grandfather is telling Michael that his name isn't really grandaddy, it's Hickory Horseradish. My other favourite is an illustration that made my young son giggle every time he saw it. The picture shows Hickory Horseradish climbing the Wooden Hill (the stairs) wearing brightly coloured patchwork pants that are hugely exaggerated in relation to the size of his body.

My tip for reading aloud is to allow enough time between pages for the child to have a really good look at the illustration because this is where they get a lot of the meaning and understanding of the humour from. Also, with a book like The Great Castle of Marshmangle, you need to read slowly and savour the wonderful words.

Laura Driver
Mum to two children aged 3 and 4
http://www.arewenearlythereyetmummy.blogspot.com/

My favourite picture book to read aloud is Dogger by Shirley Hughes. I have been a fan of Shirley Hughes books since I was a child. Her first book was published in 1960 which is well before I was born but shows the longevity and popularity of her books.

The book is based on Dave and his beloved companion Dogger, a soft brown toy. Although Dogger is old and worn in places, he is taken everywhere. The story tells the tale of when Dave loses Dogger

It was a hard decision to pick my favourite picture book. I picked Dogger because I never tire of reading it and the children never tire of listening to it. Although we may not read it for a few weeks, we always come back to it and read it several nights in a row.

When I read Dogger to the children they are captivated. We like to linger over the pages taking in the very detailed illustrations which capture each moment so well.

I think everyone can relate to losing something precious as a child and the feelings that surround the loss. Our favourite part is when Dogger is reunited with Dave because of his big sister’s kindness. A happy ending and a relief all

Title: Dogger
Author and illustrator Shirley Hughes
Publisher Red Fox
ISBN 0 09 992790-X

Many thanks to Kim, Claire, Dee and Laura for contributing their favourite read-alouds. Find more books here to share with kids, tomorrow on The Book Chook blog.

High Tech Parenting

When I look back on my parenting, I seemed to spend an incredible amount of time on what my son liked to call nagging, but I referred to as "if your mother doesn't tell you, who will?" It occurs to me that time could have been better spent having fun together, maybe flying kites or sharing a book. It's a bit late for me, but I think I've discovered a high-tech answer for other mothers, especially those who say they are too crunched for time to read aloud to their kids. This video will do much of the parenting for you, freeing you up for other tasks. Every home needs one! For added value, the captions provide great reading practice for your kids.

Book Review, Can You See A Little Bear?

There's just so much to love about this beautiful picture book. It's the sort of book that, when you've finished reading it, you want to glide your fingertips across its cover while you dream. Can You See A Little Bear? was written by James Mayhew, illustrated by Jackie Morris (Frances Lincoln, 2006), and sent to me for review by Walker Books.

The text is spare, rhyming, and wholly effective in combination with the wonderful illustrations.

"Elephants are big, mice are small,
Can you see a little bear standing on a ball?"

If you read this book aloud, and I hope you will, take your time on each page. Kids will need time to gaze and search and ponder over the illustrations. I predict their faces will be filled with wonder as they watch the exotic characters move through fantasy landscapes. On each double page children are encouraged to follow simple clues and find Little Bear.

The book is multi-layered. There is so much happening on every page, little ones will discover more and more as they revisit the story. It includes concepts like big and small, fat and thin, day and night, and colours, making it suitable for the very young. Older kids will relish finding favourite details in the pictures, and learning to read the book alone.

I loved recurring motifs like the blind mice, peacock feathers, flowers and bells. The rich patterns and textures on every page give the book a sumptuous feel, and I'm sure the hints of whimsy - toothbrushes for crocodiles, three different sized bears, and a cackle of kookaburras on Little Bear's bathing tent - will produce smiles of delight on faces all over the world.

Kids might be prompted to create their own fantasy worlds, dress up like Little Bear does, create their own circus performance, or discuss the animals and characters on each page. Can You See A Little Bear? makes a wonderful book for sharing, or for reading aloud. Above all, it is a picture book to be treasured.

What Does Love Mean?

Sometimes we are so focused on helping kids, we forget that they have much to teach us. As well as talking, singing, reciting, playing with and reading aloud to our children, we need to listen to them. Because today is Valentine's Day, here are some answers from a group of 4 to 10 year-olds who were asked, "What does love mean?"

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." (Rebecca - age 8)

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." (Billy - age 7)

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." (Karl - age 5)

"Love is sharing even if you think you don't have enough." (Chrissie - age 6)

"Love is like medicine, and hate is like poison. If everybody knew that, we'd all be happy." (Keisha - age 8)

"Love is what makes you smile when you're too tired to think." (Terri - age 9)

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." (Danny - age 7)

"Love is the quiet sound in the room when the people you care about are all together." (Luis - age 10)

"When you love somebody, it doesn't matter if they're gone for a little while or forever. You still find a way to love them." (Karen - age 7)

"My mommy said they adopted me because they wanted one more way to grow love in our family. She said I grew in her heart, not in her belly." (Hector - age 6)

"Love is when you tell a boy you like his shirt, and then he wears it everyday." (Noelle - age 7)

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other much too well." (Tommy - age 6)

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and I saw my daddy waving and smiling. I wasn't scared anymore. Love does that." (Cindy - age 8)

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night, do you?" (LaShonda - age 6)

"Love is when Daddy looks at me and calls me his little flower that's always in bloom. You get the picture." (Elaine - age 9)

"Love is when Mommy sees a picture of my family on the wall and stops to look a little extra long look at it." (Chris - age 7)

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." (Mary Ann - age 4)

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People might forget." (Jessica - age 8)

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, really. I just helped him cry."

Thanks to Jack Levine, from 4 Generations Institute, for permission to use these lovely quotes. I get Jack's newsletter and very much appreciate reading his positive thoughts and wisdom. You can subscribe by sending your name and email address to:Photo credit,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamchenkov/2076079605/

Interview, Sally Murphy

Today my guest is Sally Murphy, a talented and prolific Australian writer. I wanted to find out about her new book, The Big Blowie, her book review site, and you guessed it, how she feels about reading aloud to kids!

BC: Sally, one of your wonderful sites is Aussiereviews. Please tell us about it - how it started, and what we can find there when we visit.

Sally: Aussiereviews is a labour of love, and reviews all genres of books, but focuses on children’s books because they are my main love.

I started the site as part of the Webseed network and when Webseed closed down I bought the domain name and kept it going. At the time there were few websites which reviewed Australian books (this was long before blogs became popular). I thought maybe I could help Australian authors and publishers, as well as the reading public.

When you visit Aussiereviews I’m hoping you’ll find helpful reviews of wonderful Australian books. That’s what I aim to provide.

You're a writer as well as a book reviewer. Your latest book to be published is The Big Blowie (Aussie Schoolbooks). What on earth impelled you to write a book about a blowfly, and where can we buy it?

I wrote The Big Blowie on spec, to submit to Aussie Schoolbooks for their Aussie Aussie series. I must have been successful in following the guidelines and tailoring my story to their requirements, because they published the book.

Because the publishers were looking for uniquely Australian stories, I decided to use Aussie icons including the Outback, blowflies and ‘Big Things’. They were also keen on stories which explored important issues, so I used the backdrop of a drought, as drought is a huge problem in Australia. With these things in mind, I crafted a story which I hope is both entertaining and a little informative.

So, to answer the question, the reason I wrote a story about a blowfly is that I couldn’t think of anything more likely to be found in the outback in the middle of a drought. I wanted something really Aussie and there it was, buzzing around me!

You're on a blog tour to promote The Big Blowie. What else are you doing to spread the word about your book?

This is my first ever blog tour (though I’ve had one off visits to other blogs, and I’ve also hosted a couple of tours before). I’m really excited about the blogtour as a way to spread the word about my book, and it’s also lots of fun. Answering all these questions has really proved to be a great writing exercise. I would recommend it as a promotional idea for anyone with a published book.

As well as the tour, I try to take whatever opportunity is available to promote The Big Blowie, and my other books. I have the cover image in my email signature line, with a purchase link. I write articles for other websites and newsletters about all aspects of writing, and include information about the book in the bio. I write about The Big Blowie on my blog.

Away from the net, I promote my books and reading and writing generally when I do school visits.

Sally, many bloggers are concerned about the fact so few parents read aloud to their kids. Is reading aloud important to you? Why? What suggestions do you have for incorporating literacy and literature into family life?

Yes, reading aloud is very important to me, and I think it's tragic that so few parents read aloud to their children. Tragic is a strong word, but it is tragedy that children are being denied such an important life skill, and even more tragic that many parents blame a lack of time on their not reading aloud to their children. Being read to provides a strong literacy foundation, encouraging a love of reading and proving an early immersion in words and stories which enables children to develop reading skills, and life skills, too. Reading together is also a really important bonding experience. It is a time when you are focussing on being together with your child. What can be more important than showing your child that they are important to you?

How to incorporate literacy and literature into family life? Number one – read to your children. Number two – show them that reading is not just a necessary chore (we read for homework or we read to settle the child down, but really we are looking at our watches and planning what’s next – no!), but something to be cherished. Model reading for pleasure by reading in front of as well as with your child. Have a house filled with books – and encourage your child to choose books at the library or book store. If you must bribe your child with a reward for good behaviour, make it with a book rather than a chocolate bar or toy.

I have six kids, and books and reading have always been an important part of our lives. I have read to them from when they were tiny babies, both at bedtime and during the day. My kids consider themselves lucky that I’m a book reviewer – they have a constant supply of new books coming into the house. Occasionally, one of them even reviews for me. As well as reading, we also discuss books a lot. I’ll ask them what they like about a particular book, or what they didn’t like. I know each child’s reading tastes and so will often hand a book I have just reviewed to a particular child.

I read in your bio where you narrowly escaped being blown up by a bomb! Has that or any other real life experience made it into one of your 27 books?

That particular story hasn’t made it into any stories yet but may well do so one day. I am certainly influenced by experiences from my life when I write, but rather than writing about events that have happened, it is more that I draw on my emotions and reactions to experiences. For example, if I’m writing about someone dying, I will remember what it was like for me when people close to me died. I did this for my forthcoming book, Pearl Verses the World, where I cried buckets of tears as I wrote it.

On a lighter note, I recently travelled across Australia with my husband and five of our six kids, living in the confines of a small caravan for five weeks. Not only did we see lots of wonderful sights, but we had a gazillion life experiences which I am sure will make it into my yet to be written stories, I do think, though, that I’ll avoid telling the kids of Australia about the giant huntsman spider which found its way into my underpants in a public toilet. That might be a mental image they don’t need! Oops – I think I might have just told your readers, though.BC: The Book Chook readers are a tough bunch - they need to be! Thanks for letting us in on your secrets, Sally.

Sally: Thanks so much for having me. I’ve had a ball!

The Big Blowie can be purchased at the publisher's site. If you'd like to find out more about Sally, why not visit her website, her blog, or check out Aussiereviews. If you want to catch up on the other Australian blogs Sally visited this week, here is her schedule:

February 8 Dee Scribe Writing Blog
February 9 Let's have Words
February 10 Robyn Opie's Writing Children's Books
February 11 Spinning Pearls

Spreading the word - one magnet at a time!

Last week I wrote that I wondered how we can make a difference to child literacy and promote reading aloud to kids. One person who IS making a difference in her own special way, is Jen W, the Magnet Lady. If you live in Ann Arbor USA, you most likely have seen Jen driving around in a van with a big magnet on the side saying "Please read to your kids everyday." Here's an interview I did with Jen, who blogs at Eclectic Reader, to find out more about it.

BC: Jen, you're passionate about children's literacy, and determined to spread the word about the importance of reading to kids. Can you explain what you did with your van?

Jen: Well, I found this place on the internet called Vista Print (via either The Reading Zone or Two Writing Teachers blog entries, I don’t remember) and I started ordering post cards for my classroom in the fall. Then, I began wondering if I could get the “reading” word out with my personal stationery, etc. I made notecards that say “Reading is Good For You!” and I use them as thank yous as needed in the classroom. I also made a static cling for my van window that says “Reading makes you smarter- please read to your children everyday.” However, I really wanted to use Vista Print’s car magnets because I thought they were cool. So, I made a magnet that says: “Please read to your kids everyday.” It’s on my passenger side door, smiling at everyone I pass.

BC: It makes me smile just to read about it! Tell us a little about the process with Vista print. Was it easy? Expensive? How have people reacted to it?

Jen: Using Vista Print was both easy and cheap. I think the magnet was a “free” offer I got after ordering so much for my classroom. I just paid shipping which was about $6.50. It arrived within two weeks. The regular price is around $12.00 + S & H. The reaction has been great, but I hang out with lots of teachers who believe in reading anyway. My favorite part is that people get to see it as I drive all over town, sort of as a constant reminder of my “message”. In fact, some of my friends have asked where they can get them and I’ve just ordered another 4 in the same theme. I’m going to start giving them out to my friends so the word can be on more cars!

BC: It's obvious you not only wanted to make a difference, you ARE making a difference, Jen. Do you have any tips for others who want to spread the word about how crucial it is to read aloud to kids?

Jen: In my early years of teaching, I went to a workshop by a woman who teaches reading at one of our local universities, Dr. Mary Bigler. She said something that has stayed with me for all of these years. Whenever someone asked her how many years they should read to their children she answered: “You should read to them from the time you get them until the time they leave you.” Then she went on to explain about how she and her teenage daughter read together, even in the late teen years, all kinds of classics and that when her daughter came home from college for the first time she called her mom and said: “Get a book ready!”

I love that story. I still encourage parents of seventh and eighth graders to read to/with their children every night, especially those who are struggling readers. Just today when I was talking to the mom of my daughter’s friend, we struck up a conversation about reading. Her 3rd grader was struggling and I asked her if they still read together. She said “no”. I told her that was the best way to improve her daughter’s reading and she seemed genuinely surprised (this woman does cancer research). We’ll see what happens. I just believe that it is SO IMPORTANT not to stop reading to your child once they can read on their own. I was reading Magic Tree House books to Abby (my oldest) when she was 4 and I do the same with her twin siblings. It’s amazing what kids can soak up even at that age! And it helps to prolong their attention span.

BC: Why is this whole subject such a vital one for you, Jen? What do you see as the problem?

Jen: The problem is complex. Parents are not all, for whatever reason, reading to their kids at crucial and critical ages. Most people don’t know they should begin reading to their children right away- they wait. In a child’s brain, by 3 years old, most of the synapses and neural connections are pretty much set for life. It is so important for them to be exposed to as many words as possible in that time period. I know people are busy and times are hard, but even 15 minutes of “lap time” and books each night or day is “do-able” for every parent. It makes such a huge difference! Studies show that by kindergarten, some kids have been exposed to about 50,000 words per day whereas others have been exposed to maybe 8,000 words per day. The latter group enters kindergarten with a deficit and that’s where our reading problems begin.

Also, kids do spend a good deal of time in the car being carted around and many parents don’t realize how effective an audio book can be. This starts kids visualizing at an early age, which is also one of the problems lower readers have as they move up in school. Plus, you’re right there driving and can talk to them about what’s going on or rewind something they didn’t hear. It’s been an incredibly effective tool with both my own children and my students at school.

BC: I am definitely getting my own magnet, Jen. It's such a neat idea - affordable, achievable and effective. Thanks so much for telling us about your own special magnetism.

Jen: Thanks for having me do this, Susan. It’s been a pleasure to talk with you about reading. It's my favorite topic - after my kids!

Some Book Chook News

Does the Book Chook blog look different? A wonderful friend, writer and illustrator, Kathleen Bullock has created my very own Book Chook header. I love to think those sweet chicks already love books and will soon be sharing them with other farmyard friends. Thank you, Kathleen!

What's the deal with the picture of a blowfly? Tomorrow will see the start of a blog tour by talented and prolific Aussie writer and book reviewer, Sally Murphy. She will be here at the The Book Chook blog in a couple of days time, but why not catch her other appearances, and learn some trade secrets from a writer with almost 30 published books. Sally will be talking about her latest story, The Big Blowie, and answering Aussie bloggers' questions.

Here's Sally's blog tour schedule:
February 8 Dee Scribe Writing Blog
February 9 Let's have Words
February 10 Robyn Opie's Writing Children's Books
February 11 Spinning Pearls
12 February The Book Chook

There have been some great comments in my post about my dream for increased sharing of books with kids. Take a look at some readers' suggestions for ways we can truly make a difference.

(Photo credit Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/kacey/1249274666/)

My Dream

I have a dream.

That kids all over the world, with wondering eyes and eager grins, will listen to stories being read aloud. Some will have Dad to read them a bedtime story. Some will be at Momma's knee, listening while she tries to read and sew by candlelight. Others will be grouped around their teacher, gazing at a picture book while they imagine themselves flying with dragons, and standing up to bullies.

Because these kids are read to, they will have better language skills, have more knowledge and understanding of the world, and they will likely be more successful at school. Their own reading skills will be greater than their peers who weren't read to. They will have the opportunity to read a bus timetable, follow directions for making a cake, or discover the magic of Fibonacci numbers. They will learn tolerance by walking a mile in someone else's shoes.

And they will have their own dreams.

Kids need dreams. Without dreams, there would have been no man on the moon, no Mona Lisa, no Where the Wild Things Are. Dreams give kids something to aim for. Dreams give kids something to hold onto.

For some children dreams are an escape from a difficult reality. This was brought home to me recently when I reviewed Are You My Mother. In an email, a lovely lady explained how important the book was to her. She'd been abused as a child and yet that book gave her a tremendous amount of hope. "Granted the book always ended the same, (but) every time that baby bird approached something, there was always that chance..." Now a mother herself, she has never forgotten Eastman's book, or the chance it gave her to dream.

Books encourage dreams. Reading about what others have achieved can inspire kids to stretch toward their own goals. Entering the adventures of a hero through the pages of a book enables dreams of ourselves as heroes. And oh, our world needs heroes!

If you share my dream, leave a comment and let other readers know. Last week, I had many comments from people who said they were off to take action. We'd love to read what you're doing! Let's unite our dreams for greater literacy, and help kids dream with the aid of books.

Book Chook Alert: Coming soon to this blog, some fascinating visitors. First, I will interview the Magnet Lady who has a unique way to promote literacy. On February 12, Australian writer, book reviewer and bomb survivor, Sally Murphy will visit.

(Photo credit, talented artist Jennifer Zwick

Book Review, Elephant Mountain

If we want to increase tolerance in our society, we need to give kids some way of walking a mile in someone else's shoes. Not everyone can travel overseas to visit a different culture, so it's important that books bring other cultures to kids. Elephant Mountain, a junior novel by Janeen Brian, transports us to a village in Thailand and puts us in the sandals of a boy named Kasem.

Wouldn't every child like to look after a baby elephant? Kasem is thrilled when he's given responsibility for the elephant calf he nicknames Pooky. But life isn't easy for the young Thai boy. He has to remember lots of things, reassure a traumatized baby elephant, and cope with his friend, Pravat's teasing. With a tsunami heading for the village, can Kasem keep his promise to always look after Pooky?

Illustrator, Sally Rippin's black and white line drawings bring the Thai village to life, and contribute to young readers' comprehension. The print is large and there's a nice amount of white space, allowing young readers to have confidence in their ability to read a whole novel. The book is one of the Aussie Bites series put out by Puffin(Penguin) in 2008, so there is a "bite" taken out of the top right corner of the cover and each page, just another cool feature that will attract kids.

I believe Janeen Brian has trodden the fine line between an informational text and an exciting, fast-paced story, to perfection. She has included a few Thai words, but made sure the reader can work them out with contextual clues. She's chosen issues for her main character that every child can relate to - love for a pet animal, desire to prove oneself worthy, and annoyance with a friend's competitiveness. Kids who like stories with all the drama of real life will enjoy Elephant Mountain, I'm sure.

This book would make a great resource in any primary classroom, or for home. Kids could write about a time in their lives when they had to look after something or someone. Can they find Thailand on Google Maps or in an Atlas? They could list the special Thai words and suggest their meanings. Young artists might use Sally Rippin's drawings as a spark for their own ideas of life in Thailand, or what Pooky looks like.

Book Chook Alert: Elephant Mountain received a Notable Award in the 2009 Children's Book Council of Australia Awards. 

Book Review, Do-wrong Ron

I’ve enjoyed Steven Herrick’s poetry for kids and young adults, so I looked forward to reading some of his fiction. Do-wrong Ron was illustrated by Caroline Magerl, and published by Allen and Unwin in 2003. I would classify it as a junior novel.

It’s not written in chapters so much as short segments, almost like free-form verse to look at. It has wide margins, with sentences split to give phrases, or sometimes single words, their own line space and emphasis. This has the effect of making the text look less dense than a conventional format, making it seem an easier read.

In other respects, it may not appeal to reluctant readers. It isn’t fast-paced and action-filled. Rather, it’s a gentle story of a boy who wants to do the right thing, but somehow gets himself into scrapes. The sentence structure is not complicated and vocabulary seems to be targeted at kids around eight to ten years old.

Herrick has the voices of Ron, Isabelle, Charlie the guinea pig, and other characters exactly right. There are many funny and heart-warming moments in Do-wrong Ron, with a believable, likeable hero who stumbles his way to achievement. Magerl’s line drawings gave me great visuals of the characters, and contributed to an enjoyable read.

This book would be a great introduction to writing prose poems with children. Poetry is one of my many reading joys. If you haven't yet explored it with your child, why not check out some of the great children's poetry in your local library.

Book Chook Unmasked!

Kids need books almost as much as they need hugs!

No Time to Read to Kids

Recently, I became aware of a fact that frightens me: that less than half the children under six in the USA are read to each day. The number is similar in Australia, where two thirds of the parents surveyed reported they didn't read to their kids because they didn't have enough time. No time to read to kids???

I truly believe that Jim Trelease is right when he says, "Reading aloud is one of the most important things that parents and teachers can do to promote the happiness and future success of children." It appalled me to think of those youngsters missing out. Surely, if parents know and understand how important reading aloud is, they will change, they will make it a priority? I want to reach as many adults as I possibly can with that message.

But what can I, a humble Book Chook, possibly do to influence people? My blog gets wonderful visitors, but not yet in the thousands! Can one person really influence the actions of others?

Let me remind you of a wonderful story:

A young man is walking along the beach, picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea. A fellow calls to him,"Don't be ridiculous! There are thousands of starfish on the sand. How can you possibly make a difference?"

The young man looks at the starfish in his hand, then looks up at the questioner.

"I can make a difference to this one," he says.

Recently, NASA asked internet surfers to log onto the Hubble Web site and vote for one of six astronomical objects that the telescope will then photograph for the first time. Maybe my vote will swing it for the two colliding galaxies currently in second place. Maybe your vote will make that crucial difference.

If you too believe in the importance of reading aloud to kids, won't you join me in spreading the word? If you already read to your own children, how about volunteering to read aloud at a school, or to the kids next door? I am posting on forums, on Twitter, on Facebook. Others are designing their own car magnets or T-shirts to get the message out that reading aloud really helps.

Let's all remember that "one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history." (Sonia Johnson)

(Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meemal/2095962174/)