Halloween Dance Party Countdown – The Halloweensie Contest

Posted on October 28, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Get ready!

Get set!

Go!

It’s time to have lots of fun with Susanna Leonard Hill’s Halloweensie Contest!

There is still plenty of time to enter – here are the rules from her website:

“The 3rd Annual HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!!!

The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words spooky, black cat, and cackle. Your story can be scary, funny or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words (you can count black cat as one word) and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!) Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 🙂

Post your story on your blog between now and Thursday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list below. There will be no Would You Read It or Perfect Picture Books this week, so the post and the list of links will stay up all week for everyone to enjoy. I hope everyone will visit everyone and you’ll all get your friends and relations to visit, read and enjoy too! If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below. (If you have trouble, and alas, people sometimes do, just email your entry to susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it in the comments for you!)”

It’s so much fun to read all of the creative entries – and the prizes are SPECTACULAR!!! Click here to enter and/or read the other entries.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Spooky Piggy (mikeallegra.com)
Cackle . . . the Spooky Black Cat (nrhatch.wordpress.com)

National Bullying Prevention Month – PPBF

Posted on October 17, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Today is Friday – I have a children’s book review to add to the Perfect Picture Book resource list that author Susanna Leonard Hill is building on her blog. For more wonderful reviews from authors, educators and others who contributed today, please go here.

We’ve been so busy with our move, the fact that it is National Bullying Prevention Month almost got past me. We read tragic stories in the media about kids who suffer from bullying so much, they can think of no other option but to take their own lives. The campaign to prevent bullying starts with each one of us. What will you do to help?

One of the things I do is to encourage parents to help their young children develop strong positive self-esteem. Kids who believe they are valuable and worthwhile are much less likely to be bullied. Spending time with your children, whether you are reading, crafting, cooking or simply having a conversation with them, is an important way. Please check out my award-winning parent/teacher resource for quick and easy activities that are fun for the entire family.

Another important element in building self-esteem is feeling loved and accepted. One of the stories on my grandson’s bookshelf is all about this.

THE KISS BOX

Written by Bonnie Verburg

Illustrated by Henry Cole

Publisher: Orchard Books (2011)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Separation anxiety, feeling loved

Opening Lines:

“Mama Bear was always home, and that’s how Little Bear liked it. But sooner or later, all mama bears need to go away, even if it’s just for a little while.” Continue reading →

International Day of the Girl: Perfect Picture Book Friday

Posted on October 11, 2013 by viviankirkfield

Today is Friday and this is my 450th blog post! I have a children’s book review to add to the Perfect Picture Book resource list that author Susanna Leonard Hill is building on her blog. For more wonderful reviews from authors, educators and others who contributed today, please go here.

We are still surrounded by crates and boxes – moving 2000 miles was exhausting, but so worth it! In the morning, our grandson greets us with a cheery, “Good morning, Grandma! Good morning, Grandpa!”