This is a dream, right?

Wide eyes in all shapes, sizes and colors, big smiles (some with missing teeth), listening ears eagerly awaiting the first word, and a touch of awe at meeting an author.  That's what I witnessed last week as each class entered the Sacred Hearts Academy Lower School Library.  It was a week I will never forget!

The excitement had been building for me since November when Ms. Taylor, the Lower School Librarian, and I began making plans for my first school visit.  My daughter is a senior at that very special school where students and their families feel a genuine love. I figured that if I made any mistakes there, I would be among family and friends. They would surely forgive me, hug me, and help me get back on my feet. 

Even knowing that, I wasn't sure what to expect and, I have to admit, I was a bit nervous. Is my book good enough? Will the students laugh at the funny parts? Are there actually funny parts, or am I imagining the whole thing? Is the story right for their grade and reading level? Am I a good read-aloud reader? Is that "so-so" review I received a few days ago right? What was I thinking?

Finally, the day arrived. No more time to ask questions I couldn't answer.

As I walked into the school office to sign-in and get a visitor's pass, Ms. Ching greeted me with open arms. She had actually been expecting me and was just as excited about me being there as I was. What a great way to start the day! She showed me to the library where I met Ms. Taylor and Ms. Maggini-Mackay, the Library Assistant. Smiles and hugs came my way! I thought that maybe we should just stop right there. It couldn't possibly get any better than that. 

My nerves returned for a split second. Again, I questioned myself, my book, my being there.

Then, Ms. Taylor told me how much she and the children had enjoyed my book. The students had been engaged in the story and had laughed in all the right places.

I asked myself, "This is a dream, right?"

Well, yes, it was a dream. Not a black-and-white, fuzzy dream whose details escape you as soon as you awake, but a full-color, every-detail-etched-in-your-mind-forever kind of dream.

I read A Reel Cool Summer to six classes of smart, sweet, curious, silly, beautiful girls in three days. They listened carefully to the story, making mental notes of each detail. They laughed out loud as the characters in the book did, and said, harebrained, ridiculous, funny things.

More fun was in the works when students dressed up as the characters in the book and reenacted the movie scenes from the story. Those very simple costume pieces I had purchased and made brought out the actor in each child. One became a pirate who doesn't really like broccoli, another turned into a princess who gets help crying from an onion, two squeaky girls transformed into cute guinea pigs who turn out to be mean, evil aliens, and, finally, an artistic visionary stepped into the role of movie director shouting, "ACTION!" and "CUT!" at just the right times.

The students asked questions and told me their favorite parts of the book. One told a story about making a silly movie with her dad and brother. Another student talked about important things to remember when writing her own book for a class assignment. "Always start a sentence with a capital letter and finish with a period or a question mark," she reminded herself and her classmates.

Pictures were taken and hugs were given and received. The beautiful crocheted and fresh flower leis, the delicious cookies, and the adorable handwritten notes are treasures I will always cherish... although I must admit the cookies are already in my tummy. So yummy! 

It was a dream come true. The pesky questions that had been floating around in my head finally got their answers. 

As the children left the library at the end of their time with me, they repeated lines from the book and talked to each other about their favorite characters. I had just spent three amazing days surrounded by sweet children and the terrific adults who work every day to encourage them to read, write, explore and wonder.  What more can a children's book author ask for? Nothing, I say! 

There really aren't enough words to express my gratitude to the students, faculty, and staff of Sacred Hearts Academy for their warm welcome, wonderful smiles and great hugs. They will always have a special place in my heart. They will always be "reel cool" in my book!

Until next time... stay cool!

Martha

P.S.  I also want to thank my daughter, Jacqui, and her friend, Jhunette, for joining in the fun and reading to two classes with me.  You're the best!

My Clearest Me is Very Sweet!

My Clearest Me by Claudine Gueh Yanting is a sweet book about Wynn, an adorable, quiet, and very shy six-year-old boy who carries his teddy bear everywhere he goes.  He knows he’s different from his classmates.  On this day, he overhears his teacher telling his mother that she worries he will have few friends, “Or worse!  That he will let Dreams pass,” if he doesn’t change.  Wynn wonders what he’s supposed to be. 

As his mother tucks him in that night, she assures him that she loves him no matter what.

“You are a breathing wind,

A bout that flies and flows at night.

Be quiet, be loud, between,

You’ll always be my King of Bright.”

But, still, in his dreams he wonders.  Should he be loud, like a crowd or like the bang of a drum?  Is that his “clearest me?”   Or can a shy and quiet boy, one who is like the soft music of a flute, fit in with the other children?    

This softly rhyming story is beautifully written and illustrated.  Very young children may need some help understanding the rhymes but it’s a great opportunity to spend extra time snuggled in a comfy chair with an attentive little reader talking about the meaning of the words. 

It is wonderful to follow Wynn as he discovers his “clearest me” in his dreams.  The illustrations by Sarah Quek Rui Zhen are wispy and calming, like a sweet dream and, at the same time, bright and bold like children playing and laughing.  The details of the illustrations dance beautifully with the descriptive words and the silly scenes will put a smile on your face.

It is clearly a sweet book!

My Clearest Me is available on iTunes.  Coming soon to Kindle, Nook and Sony.  To purchase a copy or for more information please visit the Carry Us Off Books website.

Watch the book trailer on YouTube.

Follow on Twitter: @carryusoffbooks

Like the Carry Us Off Books Facebook page


DISCLOSURE:  I would like to thank Claudine Gueh Yanting for sending me a review copy of the book in PDF format.  NOTE:  In the e-book, the words are separate from the illustrations for text-to-speech application convenience.

Five Gold Stars for SHOW ME HOW!

 

SHOW ME HOW!  BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING

By Vivian Kirkfield, BA, MS

Vivian Kirkfield has poured so much care and love into this wonderful guide that it is palpable on every page.  Any parent would consider it a blessing to be able to leave their little one in Vivian’s loving, caring and thoughtful hands.  Since she’s not available to all of us, this book is the next best thing.

SHOW ME HOW! is the first in the new Positive Parental Participation Series.  It is a book that you can pick up today and start using within minutes.  The format is wonderful as Vivian divides the book into six chapters, each with a different theme such as Mastering Tasks and Skills, Valuing Strengths and Qualities, and Feeling Appreciated, Loved and Accepted. 

A brief anecdote introduces and clearly illustrates the theme of each chapter.  Then, within each chapter, Vivian lists 15 to 18 picture book titles with synopsis and one craft and cooking activity for each book.  A short Positive Parental Participation Note explains ways in which parents, teachers, and caregivers can lead the way in building a child's self-esteem.

Many of the picture books will be on your home, class, or school library shelves.  If they are not, they will surely be available at your public library or inexpensively at your favorite local or on-line bookstore.  The materials required for the craft projects will probably be found in your craft closets, project drawers, or recycling bins.  And, the tools and ingredients required for the cooking activities are items you will have in your utensil drawer, fridge, or pantry.  Of course, it is always a good idea to check the lists and plan ahead so that children won’t be disappointed if items are not readily available.

You don’t have to be an expert to use this book to its fullest potential.  All you need is a love of children and a desire to build their self-esteem.  The rest is all fun and games and yummy, nutritious treats.  Every child will be excited to relate the stories from the picture books, to display their artwork and craft projects, and to share their snacks with their teachers, moms, dads, grandparents, older siblings and babysitters.  With one hundred great ideas at your fingertips, building self-esteem in your child or student has never been so fun!

For more information about SHOW ME HOW! or to purchase a paperback copy or Kindle book edition please visit www.positiveparentalparticipation.com.

DISCLOSURE:  I want to sincerely thank Vivian Kirkfield for sending me a complimentary copy of this book to read and review.

Let's Begin at the End

Isn’t that where good stories usually begin, at the end?  Think about it.  You’re sitting around with your friends and someone says something that triggers a memory.  You want to tell the story that’s in your head.  Why?  Probably because you think the ending is exciting, funny, scary, or in some cases, especially when boys tell stories, gross!  You wouldn’t tell a story about buying a lottery ticket unless you won, right?  Although some people do like to give you all the details about what they’d do with the money if they did win.  What are those odds again?  Does anyone really want to hear about the time you got up in the morning and drove to work in traffic?  I don’t, unless you pulled a man from a burning car on the way.  Now that’s exciting!

It was the same with our little book (I call it little because it’s still so new and delicate in so many ways.  It’s not even two months old for goodness sake!).  Although I had the basic idea for the story I wanted to tell, the story of three young siblings making a movie with an old video camera, it was not ready to be told.  The ending needed to have that special element that would make it worthwhile to take the journey with us.  The ending was actually the driving force. 

Once I knew the ending, the meat of the story and the silly details began to flow.  The fun part was imagining what ideas the kids would come up with for their movie, how they would verbalize the events that were taking place, how they would solve problems they encountered along the way and how they would work together to reach their ultimate goal, the funny, exciting or scary ending. 

Finally, the beginning was the hardest part for me.  What would give the kids the idea to make a movie?  Would there be a leader or would all three children have a say in the events of the day?  How would the beginning relate to the ending? 

It does seem a little awkward, doesn’t it?  But again, remember that it’s the exciting, funny or scary thing that happens at the end of the story that really makes you want to tell it.  Or, maybe that’s just my crazy way of looking at things and the rest of you are wondering what I’m talking about.  Either way, it has been an amazing book journey for me and Joey and we are very excited to bring you our little book, A Reel Cool Summer.  We’re happy to be able to begin at the end, with book in hand.  It may not be as exciting as pulling a man from a burning car or winning the lottery but it’s definitely toward the top of our list!  We hope you and your little ones will enjoy the journey that Joey, Danny and Jacqui take through the book as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you!

Until next time… stay cool!

Martha         

You Wrote a Book? (Why is everyone so surprised?!)

Me:  Hey, Mary, guess what. 

Mary:  What?

Me:  I wrote a book! 

Mary:  You wrote a book?  Really?  No way!!

Me:  Yes!

Mary:  NO WAY!

Wow, why am I so shocked that people are so surprised?  I guess I can understand it in a way.  Do you know anyone who has written and published a book?  I happen to personally know two people and I think that’s probably a lot.

After the shock comes that weird feeling in the pit of your stomach.  It’s kind of like that awkward silence that rears its ugly head when you’ve been introduced to someone with whom you have absolutely nothing in common.  Do you just start talking about your book?  Do you wait until they ask you about it?  Neither?  Both?  Is “both” even a choice?

I wrote a picture book and I find that it’s relatively easy to get the conversation started.  I mean, who doesn’t like children’s books, right?  They’re easy to read and the pictures are cute.  If it’s not about a topic you like, it will be over soon.  You don’t have to read 300 pages.  The fact that the book’s characters are my three children, and that my oldest son Joey illustrated the book, makes it that much easier.  Moms and Dads like to talk about their kids… but *WARNING* they have to know when to stop.  You have to strike a balance (I’m trying to learn).  The people who know my kids will probably see their personalities shining through in the book and those who don’t know them will immediately understand how wacky they are and wonder what kind of parents we are. 

The funniest part comes when the conversation gets more comfortable and people start to give you advice, some good, some not so good.  At that moment, you thank them for their advice and you just put it all in your memory bank and make something of it later… maybe!  You’re just glad that the person hasn’t walked away yet and that they seem interested.  Maybe they are really good actors.  I don’t know.

So, now I’m actually ready when people are surprised.  The conversation goes a little more like this:

Me:  Hey, Mary, guess what.

Mary:  What?

Me:  I wrote a book!

Mary:  You wrote a book?  Really?  No way!!

Me:  I know.  I’m kind of surprised myself!  (See, now we’re on the same page… pun intended!)

I hope you’ll stop by my website to get a sneak peek at A Reel Cool Summer, watch the book trailer and read reviews.  Oh, and if you want to get on my good side, you may want to buy it… I’m just sayin’!

Until next time… stay cool!

Martha

Special note:  I want to thank my wonderful friends Michelle, Sharon, Kelly and Clare.  They may have been surprised but did not show it.  The first thing they did was buy a copy of my book to share with the little ones in their families.  That did not shock me; it melted my heart.  You are four incredibly wonderful friends!

Special note #2:  My friend Sharon, mentioned above, MADE ME add this note from her.  She's a sweetie pie!

OK, you have me in tears now!  Thanks for acknowledging me, but you get all the credit here.  I wasn't the least bit surprised you wrote a book - I somewhat expect things like that from you!  You are very talented and creative …. and it's obvious you're a mom who's really into her kids, which I love about you.  I say "good for you, write another one!"  And if you do, be sure to let me know when it comes out so I can buy it for my grands.  By the way, you're pretty incredible yourself!  (and I'm no actor!)