About viviankirkfield

Writer for children - Reader forever - Mom of 3, educator, author of FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN: AN ANIMAL COUNTING BOOK (PomegranateKids, PIPPA'S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House), SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books); MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: THE INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP OF ELLA FITZGERALD AND MARILYN MONROE (Little Bee Books); FROM HERE TO THERE: INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Jan 19, 2021); PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, First Woman to Bike Around the World (Calkins Creek/Astra, Feb 20, 2024) picture book junkie, lover of travel, hiking, fly-fishing, cooking, and playing Monopoly with my grandson.

Groundhog Day: Facts and Fiction

Posted on February 2, 2013 by viviankirkfield

We celebrate Groundhog Day on February 2^nd. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

In many parts of the United States, early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow.

According to Wikipedia, “The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day, already a widely recognized and popular tradition, received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney and portrayed Punxsutawney Phil.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge, social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g’spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime, or quarter per word spoken, with the money put into a bowl in the center of the table.”

Susanna Leonard Hill, author of the popular children’s picture book, Punxsutawney Phyllis, is having a celebration of her own. All over the world, her followers will be taking their Punxsutawney Phyllis paper groundhog doll outside to see if it will cast a shadow or not.

As you can see, it was sunny this morning in Colorado Springs. Punxsutawney Phyllis, accompanied by several of her friends, did NOT see her shadow…she was facing the other way! I, on the other hand, did see her shadow…but I’m not a groundhog, so I don’t believe that counts.

Whatever you believe about Groundhog Day, I hope you will check out Susanna’s wonderful picture book, available at Amazon. Sweet and funny and adventuresome, Susanna’s little groundhog will capture your heart.

If you visit her website today, you’ll be able to track Phyllis’ adventures on this Groundhog Day of 2013. I wonder where she has been?

IMPORTANT GROUNDHOG DAY ANNOUNCEMENT:

THE FINALISTS IN THE WRITERS DESK COMPETITION HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED!!!!!! And my entry is one of them!!!!!

Please take a moment to visit Nancy’s website and VOTE! There are seven finalists. I know you will enjoy reading about how others carve a place to do their thinking and writing.

This was my entry:

I WRITE, THEREFORE I AM by Vivian Kirkfield

A writing space by any name does serve me well.

By lamplight or with sunlight streaming

Ideas flourish while I’m dreaming.

From mind to pen words quickly teeming

Pages fill with stories beaming.

In quiet or with children screaming

Cluttered desk or table gleaming

I’ve found my heaven…not to write would be my hell

http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/the-writers-desk-let-the-voting-begin/

Happy Groundhog Day…whether winter lasts six more days or six more weeks or six more months, we can have sunshine in our hearts and smiles on our faces…please make a positive impact on those you touch. For parents, this is especially important. Winter days may seem to drag on. Bad weather may keep the kids inside. Here’s a GREAT plan:

Buy a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking
Read your kids one of the recommended picture book stories
Do one of the quick and easy craft projects
Let your children help you make one of the child-friendly healthful recipes
You’ll have fun and so will they

Groundhog Day 2013 Prediction Revealed: NO SHADOW! (thehollywoodgossip.com)

Super Bowl Sunday: Including the Kids with Snacks and Stories

Posted on January 30, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Super Bowl Sunday is three days away. What does Super Bowl Sunday mean to you? Are you having a Super Bowl Sunday party at your home? Does your family cluster around the TV, watching all of the action?

If you have young children, you can include them in the festivities. Read this wonderful picture book. Invite them into the kitchen to help prepare some yummy and healthful Super Bowl Sunday snacks.

Dino-Football

Written by Lisa Wheeler

Illustrated by Barry Gott

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (August 2012)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Football, good sportsmanship

Synopsis:

From School Library Journal: “It’s Mega Bowl Sunday in the Lava Dome, and a crowd of excited dinosaurs are watching the Greenblade Snackers play against the Redscales. The rhyming running commentary contains the terminology and all the play-by-play excitement of a televised game. “Kentro gets the takeaway!/This Snacker rookie saved the day.” After the “Dino Halftime Show,” the score is close, but the last play allows small, young Mussaurus to score the winning touchdown. Gott’s illustrations of the tackles are more humorous than brutal, and he draws examples of good sportsmanship on and off the field. A detailed scoreboard and color-coded naming system in the text (the dinos’ names are in green or red depending on their team) make this game easy to follow”

Why do I like this book:

It’s important for parents to share their passions with their children. If you love football, invite your children to watch for awhile. But please don’t expect them to be able to sit through the entire game. Watching Super Bowl Sunday on TV might make more sense to a kid if he or she had heard this story. The book highlights good sportsmanship…a crucial life skill that extends to every area of our lives. Reading this story might also serve as a launching pad for outdoor family activity. Grab that pigskin and head outside with your kids for a football toss.

There are several other Super Bowl Sunday-related picture books out there:

From England, where football is soccer: http://www.ivillage.co.uk/top-10-football-books-kids/81455

http://www.squidoo.com/picture-books-about-football

Related Activities:

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SNACKS

Why not serve an assortment of fresh veggies with a homemade dip or hummus?

Fresh-cut fruits are sweet and nutritious!

A selection of flat breads or crackers teamed up with chunks of cheese make tasty and healthful munchies.

Each of these takes only minutes to prepare…and are so easy, even a child can do it…inviting a child to help in the kitchen is important:

Builds self-confidence and self-worth…helps a child feel useful
Develops an understanding of good nutrition…start when they are young
Encourages ‘picky’ eaters to try new things…kids will often eat what they have helped prepare

Here are a couple of links to posts I’ve done that have perfect foods for Super Bowl Sunday:

Yummy Vegetarian Chili: https://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/new-years-resolution-1-face-your-fears/

Delicious Cock-a-Leekie Soup: https://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/sunday-post-recipe-for-self-esteem/

Some lovely healthful Super Bowl snacks here: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20338949,00.html

On the other side of the world, the conference directors for the 2013 Asian Festival of Children’s Content are putting the finishing touches to their website: http://afcc.com.sg/

Stop by and find out how their National Book Council is working to increase international awareness of quality Asian Content for children around the world and has partnered this year with the National Library Board of Singapore. The event will include authors, illustrators, educators, publishers, literary agents, producers, parents, librarians and anyone who cares about content for kids.

For great content for kids that will give you 100’s of picture book summaries, easy matching crafts and healthful child-friendly cooking activities, purchase a copy on Amazon (or my website) of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. A PERFECT gift for any parent or teacher of children ages 2-8…as well as for daycare providers and grandparents. No batteries required…powered by a child’s imagination! Buy your copy today!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday reviews…come and join Susanna Leonard Hill’s fantastic group of picture book writers, illustrators, librarians and others.

Brett Favre to join NFL Network for Super Bowl (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
A Side By Side Comparison Of Your Super Bowl And Puppy Bowl Starting Lineups (fastcocreate.com)
5 Top Trends for 2013 Super Bowl Commercials (business.time.com)
Super Bowl Sunday! (nfl.com)

Sunday Post: Focused Attention…Does Your Child Get Yours?

Posted on January 26, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is FOCUSED ATTENTION.

Photo by Sven Zarek for National Geographic

Birds do it!

Photo by Malou of the Netherlands

Bees do it!

Even precious little kids do it!

Have you ever watched young children coloring a picture? Head close to the page, crayon gripped in their fingers, tongue clenched between their lips…they are focusing every fiber of their attention on what they are doing.

Observe your children next time they are learning a new task or playing ball or dancing…you will see how their entire body is involved.

Do you give your children YOUR focused attention when you are reading a story with them or participating in some activity or just listening to them tell you about something that happened at school?

So often, parents are busy and listen with ‘half an ear’.

All dressed up in her Easter finery…Carrie at age 3.

I remember, years ago, when our daughter was about 6 years-old. She had come home from school and her father, who was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper, asked her how her day had gone. Carrie began telling him what she had done in school. After a minute or so, she stopped. “Daddy” she complained. “Listen to me!” “I am listening to you” replied her father. “No, Daddy!” our pig-tailed poppet responded as she pulled the newspaper away from him. “You have to look me in the eye when I talk to you!”

Five Tips for Great Parent-Child Interaction

1. Give your child your focused attention

2. Maintain a positive up-beat attitude

3. Choose an activity that is age-appropriate for your child

4. Communication is a two-way street…TALK AND LISTEN

5. Have FUN!

If you need a book that will give you and your young children many positive, age-appropriate quick and easy activities, please buy a copy of my award-winning parent-teacher resource, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.

And, if you didn’t see the video of Ray Bethell, grand world-champion multiple kite-flyer, you MUST watch this: http://youtu.be/E69flRylQRo His performance is a perfect example of FOCUSED ATTENTION.

You will be entertained for five minutes…and inspired for the rest of your life!