Sunday Post: Collectibles…Picture Books and People

Posted on July 22, 2012 by viviankirkfield

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

Children’s picture books are among some of the most prized collectibles. Many don’t survive the wear and tear of childhood…others live on to be passed down from generation to generation.

For me, the value of the book is in the joy each story gives to the children who hear it.

Some collectibles are valued in the millions but the smile on a child’s face is priceless.

Books are a window on the world for young children…and the time spent talking about the story and encouraging the child to relate the events in the book to his own life experiences can help strengthen the parent-child connection. Children who are comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings at a young age will be more likely to come to parents with problems and concerns as they get older.

Many of you have heard of the horrible tragedy that occurred a few nights ago in my state of Colorado in the theater in Aurora. Our hearts go out to those who were impacted by this and our prayers are with their families and friends.

One of our biggest problems in the world today is the inability of people to tell others when they are angry or frustrated or depressed or unhappy. Engaging with young kids with stories and activities is a great opportunity for this type of communication.

If you need a guide to choosing great picture books and awesome activities, please take a look at my award-winning resource for parents and teachers… Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking

I’m so pleased to announce that it is now available for shipment to Canadian residents…please visit my website and click on the special PayPal buttons for Canadian shipment!

If you’d like to see the book in action, please check out a new review of Show Me How! Erik did several of the activities with his younger sister and took some fantastic photos…the mac and cheese casserole picture will make you hungry!

Show Me How will be featured on Diane Hower’s segment of the local NBC affiliate morning show (Grand Junction, CO at 6am to 7am Mountain Time) on Tuesday, July 24^th http://www.nbc11news.com/news/misc/50648692.html and will be reviewed on her blog: http://bookwisdombydiane.blogspot.com/.

I hope everyone will tune in and I’ll try to post the show’s highlights on my blog next week.

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

And here are some other bloggers who are doing Jake’s Sunday Post:

http://tacts21.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/sunday-post-collectables/

http://cyclingrandma.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/silver-coins-for-uri/

http://jmeyersforeman.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/3006/

http://p0nky.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://northernnarratives.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://bopaula.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://canoecommunications.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/camp-collection/

http://firstandfabulous.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://francineinretirement.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://imagesoftheheart.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://africatoalgarve.blogspot.pt/2012/07/collectibles.html

http://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectables/

http://36beauty5.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://shaanthz.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://flyingsouthforthewinter.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

http://rondomtaliedraai.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/sunday-post-collectibles/

Obama arrives in Colorado to meet families of shooting victims – CNN (cnn.com)
America resigns itself to no change in gun laws – AFP (google.com)

And the winner is…Awards, awards and more awards!

Posted on July 7, 2012 by viviankirkfield

We all need a break now and then. I just got back from an amazing week in Chicago…total rest and relaxation provided by my son and daughter-in-law.

Many bloggers I know are stepping back a little from their posting schedule…renewing and refreshing themselves with family time and/or vacations near and far.

I, too, have been less active with the business of blogging…but today I wanted to catch up on several awards that have been passed along to me over the last few months. I also want to announce the winner of the Lap-Time Song and Play Book by Jane Yolen that I am giving away in honor of my 300^th blog post.

Let me first thank:

1. Future Flying Saucers for the Mrs. Sparkly’s Ten Commandments Award

The “Mrs. Sparkly’s Ten Commandments Award” has to do with a woman of the same name, known for being very elegant and having high expectations, and who is committed to maintaining integrity, good manners and behavior, as well as a rich sense of humor.

Future Flying Saucers is a homeschooling SAHM now…but she had a career in education before…her story is inspiring…I hope you will pay her a visit. I’m honored with this award…not sure about the elegant part…but I do have high expectations and I am definitely committed to maintaining integrity, good manners and behavior…and I can laugh at myself and try to see the lighter, humorous side of life, especially when things aren’t going well.

2. Dawn at Tales of the Motherhood for the Good Apple Award.

Dawn has an amazing blog…her home is a veritable United Nations…take a look-see…I know you will enjoy it. As with most blogging awards, there are all kinds of rules…answer a bunch of questions and then nominate others and provide them with questions they need to answer…but it’s summer…and I don’t want to give anyone more work and stress.

3. Milka at Perfecting Motherhood for the ABC Award.

If you love reading and think it is an important activity for children, please stop over at Perfecting Motherhood! Milka is an amazing mother who encourages reading by reading to her children every day, by having books available all the time (her children probably think the library is just an extension of their home because they are there so often) and by being seen reading (she is always recommending books that she has read). The requirement of the ABC Award (Awesome Blog Content) is to describe yourself using every letter of the alphabet…I seriously doubt anyone wants to know that much about me, but in my post on Sunday, I will recommend twenty-six picture books (from A to Z) for great summer reading.

4. Marcy at Orples for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.

Marcy is a talented children’s picture book author and illustrator. Her Orples picture book series is charming and each book presents a lesson to be learned. Please pay a call to her website and check out her lovely books. I hope I can live up to this award…perhaps my passion for reading picture books with children will inspire other parents…and my love of writing picture books will encourage others who dream of publishing their work.

One of the rules of all of these awards is to nominate others to receive them. There are dozens and dozens of bloggers whose posts I love reading who deserve all of these awards. Many of them probably have some of them already. Because it is summer…and I don’t want to put pressure on anyone…I’m going to list a baker’s dozen (13) of blogs that I encourage everyone to visit…and pass along the honor of all four awards to them…but I hope none of the thirteen will feel compelled to post about it now. This list of bloggers is an international one…enjoy!

Barbara at Spanish4Kiddos
Julie at Write Up My Life
Susanna at Susanna Leonard Hill
Darshana at Flowering Minds
Patricia at Children’s Books Heal
Joanna at Miss Marple’s Musings
Jake at Time after Time
Clar at Clarbojahn’s Blog
Nancy at Spirit Lights the Way
Elizabeth at Mirth and Motivation
Marylin at Things I Want to Tell My Mother
Barb at Plate Spinning 101
Milka at Perfecting Motherhood

Thank you for your patience. You all definitely deserve something sweet and good to eat.

Yes, I’m sure Jeremy will share some of his ice-cream cone with you as well!

And now…the winner of the 300^th post giveaway is…

Hannah Holt at Lightbulb Books…Congratulations!!!!

Hannah, please email me at vivian@positiveparentalparticipation.com and I’ll get that lovely book in the mail to you. 😉

I’ll be posting the Summer Reading List from A to Z on Sunday…hope you’ll all come back to check it out.

Children’s Literacy and Reading News Roundup: June in Review (jkrbooks.typepad.com)
A Child’s Picture Book: Flotsam (maryekstrand.com)
Writing Picture Books (kathytemean.wordpress.com)
Re-Imaging Your Picture Book (kathytemean.wordpress.com)
Kid Konnection: Workman Fun (bookingmama.net)
January Carnival of Children’s Literature (delightfulchildrensbooks.com)
Top 10: Best Old Fashioned Children’s Books and Their Modern Day Equivalents (pragmaticmom.com)
Award-Winning Children’s Books for the Dog Days of August (prweb.com)
It’s a Picture Book Party for 12 x 12′ers AND a Giveaway! (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)

It’s a Picture Book Party for 12 x 12’ers AND a Giveaway!

Posted on June 25, 2012 by viviankirkfield

There will definitely be CAKE! I’m sure Jeremy will be happy to share a piece with you.

You are welcome to help yourself to an Overnight Cookie!

And make sure you read through to the end, because there is a prize lurking around!

I’m joining in on the six-month celebration of Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge.

In January, Julie issued a challenge to picture book writers and illustrators: write a picture book draft each month of 2012. Hundreds of people hopped aboard the 12 x 12 train and Julie set up an amazing Facebook page to encourage participants to connect with each other. Her blog posts are a treasure…filled with information and valuable advice…often offered via interviews with editors, authors, illustrators and others in the field of children’s picture books.

I’ve had a life-long passion for picture books…as a child, I loved listening to them…as a teacher and mom, I loved reading them to kids…and for the past forty years, I’ve dabbled in writing them.

Julie’s challenge has spurred me to do more than just dabble…and in the past six months, I’m proud to say that I HAVE written six picture book drafts…and scribbled ideas for quite a few more!

What’s so special about picture books you may ask?

Picture books are usually a child’s first introduction to the written word.
Picture books help develop better reading readiness and literacy skills.
Picture books introduce children to the world of art.
Picture books help parents and children bond with each other.
Picture books are a crucial tool for encouraging life-long learning among children.
Picture books allow kids to relate their own life experiences to the events in the story.
Picture books help build self-esteem in children.
Picture books are enjoyable and entertaining.

Here’s an example of one of the classic picture books that I love.

Do those words sound familiar? This verse comes from one of the most famous picture books every published. Madeline was written in 1939 by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian author who relocated to New York City. Madeline is quite the modern day young girl who thinks for herself and has courage and determination.

Maybe one day, my stories will be enjoyed by children all over the world…for now, my grandchildren and the kindergarten classes I visit during the school year are my audience. In the next few days, I plan to submit one of them to Rate Your Story.

In January, my picture book draft was a rhyming story about my daughter and her favorite hat: Caroline’s Flower-Sprigged Hat.

In February, I wrote another rhyming tale about a bunch of unlikely Valentine’s: Whom Do I Love?

In March, my picture book draft relayed the saga of a little boy who refuses to take off his boots: The Boots of Dylan McGee.

In April, I entered Susanna Leonard Hill’s Birthday Contest with another rhyme about a little girl who came up with an ingenious idea because she didn’t want her brother to come to her party: No Brother for My Birthday.

In May, I turned my efforts to prose in a true story about my younger son: The Tomato Turner.

And this month, I wrote a sequel to the saga: Confessions of the Tomato Turner.

I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy. This wonderful kid lit community is filled with picture book authors, illustrators, librarians, teachers and others who love picture books and understand how important they are for children. I am so fortunate to have connected with them and I look forward to the second half of the year…Thank You to Julie, Susanna, Tracy, Penny, Clar, Joanna, Stacy, Tina, Robyn, Beth, Heather, Catherine, Kirsten, Jennifer Y, Jennifer R, Amy, Jackie, Darshana, Emily, Diane, Renee, Erik…I know I’ve missed a bunch of you…but I’ve enjoyed reading your posts and your comments on mine…and I’ve learned so much!

And now for the prize! This is the 300^th post on my blog! I’m so excited because when I started out almost two years ago, I knew almost nothing about the Internet, blogging and social media like Twitter. When someone said I could “grab their button” I thought they were talking about the round piece of plastic, metal or wood that you sew onto a coat. I had no idea how to link a URL to a picture or word…and I also had no idea what a URL was.

In honor of this 300^th post, I’d like to give away a lovely copy of The Lap-Time Song and Play Book, edited by Jane Yolen with illustrations by Margot Tomes. If you’d like a chance to receive this special picture book with favorites like “I’m a Little Teapot” and “The Eensy Weensy Spider”, please leave a comment on this post and let me know you’d like to win it. When I get back from my trip to Chicago, I’ll use Random.org to pick the winner.