#50PreciousWordsforKids2020 is OPEN

What could be more perfect while we are #ShelteringAtHome? Here’s a great activity for the kids…grades K through 12. I’m sure many of them complain when a teacher gives a writing assignment and requires a full page or a word count of 200 or 300. And I’m sure many of them would say it was easy-peasy to write a story in only 50 words or less.

50PreciousWordsforKids flyer 2020revised3b1024_1

A few years ago, I decided to challenge children to write a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end using only 50 words or less – the same guidelines we use for the adult contest that I host in March. Past challenges have brought stories from Singapore, Canada, Switzerland, the UK, and many states across America.

So, girls and boys: your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to write a story in 50 words or less. Please read the guidelines in the flyer. If you love creating graphic novels or cartoons, that works also. Just have your parents scan the page and email it to me. And if you have any friends who’d like to give it a try, please invite them to join in!

Parents and teachers can email the stories to me, I will post all of the stories on Mother’s Day, May 10,  and everyone will receive a certificate of participation.

Certificate JPEG (1)

Girls and Boys…Please sharpen your pencils or click on the computer.

Get Ready! Get Set! GO!

There is a storyteller that lives in every child’s heart…and I can’t wait to read all of your precious words.

Book Birthday Post: SPRINGTIME Plus Special Kindle Launch

What a wonderful celebration here today! The launch of a new book by an old friend that is JUST what the doctor ordered to lift all of our spirits. Will you help me sing?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR SPRINGTIME! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

springtime

SPRINGTIME Continue reading

Perfect Picture Book Friday: RESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Plus Giveaway and More

It’s a good thing that Stephen Pleasonton had a better sense of timing than I do! Otherwise, we might not have the original Declaration of Independence to view when visiting Washington DC. The actual launch date for this book was April 14th…and I was supposed to announce that in a book birthday post…but since I missed the birthday, I decided to turn the Perfect Picture Book spotlight on this awesome picture book. And author Anna Crowley Redding not only is generously giving away a copy of the book to one lucky winner, but she is also stopping by to chat with us a bit. Make sure you scroll through the post so you don’t miss her!

Rescuing the Declaration of IndependenceRESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Continue reading