Expletive!

          Certain words are getting too commonplace for my taste. It seems that every time I pass someone on the street they are saying f-ing this or f-ing that!

          For this reason I propose going back to the expletives of the past!

         Bring back the following more descriptive pronouncements:

        Thunderation!

        Egads!

        Gadzooks!

       Zounds!

       Dagnabbit!

       Goshdarnit!

       By Jove!

and the always popular -  Gee Willikers!

     What ancient swear words can you come up with?

     Please join me in adding more colorful, colorful, language to our world!

       

FAIRIES AND DINOSAURS

        It is interesting to note that children's book interests seem to be the same worldwide. A friend was over for dinner and he showed some pictures he had photoshopped of his grandniece and nephew in Germany, the children with dinosaurs and fairies. And unicorns. Dinosaurs, fairies and unicorns are exactly what children in the USA love too.

     That goes with my theory that childhood is a subculture. Children worldwide relate to one another because they are united. They go to school, they play with dolls and blocks, their families make them good food, they have friends, they read books, they run and they laugh.  

     Lucky children do at least. In 2022, far too many children are starving, unable to attend school, have no shelter, ragged clothing, no one, and not much, to laugh about. What could this world be if every child, each and every, had love, support, healthcare and adequate food?

    So I will revel in the fact that lucky children worldwide can spend their days thinking about dinosaurs, fairies and unicorns, a magical world where anything can happen. And perhaps one day that bit of magic can be spread over all.

STORYTELLING

    When I was studying to become a children's librarian, storytelling was a part of the curriculum. Several of us formed a storytelling group, led by our wonderful teacher and mentor, the fabulous Jan Lieberman. We told stories at conferences and meetings, at bookstores, schools and on local radio. 

     Once I completed my master's degree and became a librarian, storytelling was part of the job. I would plan preschool storytime for the younger children, and storytelling would be part of my programming for school age children. These programs were well attended. When I visited school classrooms, I would tell the children a story. On Halloween, several children's librarians would get together for spooky stories program. Those stories were really great!

    Most storytellers had a specialty, stories that they preferred to tell. Mine was classic fairy tales. There are so many exquisite stories, but only some which "spoke" to me, in terms of feeling I could tell them well. One story I enjoyed telling was "The Twelve Dancing Princesses", which is actually a quite intricate tale featuring a clock of invisibility, an enchanted kingdom and shoes which were danced to pieces in the night. On the scary side, one of the stories I told was "Mr. Fox". "Lady Mary was young, Lady Mary was fair. She had seven brothers and more suitors than she could count, but the one she liked the most was a certain Mr. Fox." It's quite a gothic tale which ends with a bloody severed hand - "Here's hand and ring I have to show!" 

      I remember what hard work it was to learn a story. I would read it over and over. Then, as Jan suggested, practice it in front of the mirror until I knew it well. This took time! I would also have to learn to tell it in my own way, speak slowly, add drama and my own interpretation. 

     Unfortunately, storytelling is not part of the programming at most public libraries anymore. There are so many wonderful children's books, and reading aloud to children is great fun. But it is not the same as storytelling and hearing a story told does something for the mind and imagination that is unique.

     I have always wanted to attend the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Perhaps I finally will this year, covid permitting! I wish I had gone years ago when I could have heard storytelling master, Jackie Torrance, perform.

    Here is a picture of me from long ago, telling stories to a group of children at a bookstore. I love their expressions! 

 

PUBLICATION DAY

    I am very happy that my board book Peek-A-Boo Passover will be out in the world, published, on February 1. It received a nice review in Kirkus too!

In a variation of the popular peekaboo game, a White toddler peeps out from behind his fingers and notes all of the items on the dinner table. There are candles, matzah, an egg on the seder plate, parsley, and Elijah’s cup. There’s also a pillow for reclining, a bowl of matzah ball soup, and the Haggadah (a liturgical book that recounts the story of the biblical Exodus). The illustrations provide only a glimpse of each item at first; children must turn the pages to discover what each object is. After all is revealed, the boy and his family—a mother, father, and grandfather—offer up a spirited rendition of “Had Gadya” (“One Little Goat”), a playful, cumulative song traditionally sung at the conclusion of the seder. At the end, readers are invited to identify objects on their own tables. With just one line of text per page and colorful, digital illustrations throughout, this board book can serve as a fun introduction to an important Jewish festival, ideally facilitated by adults who can fill in additional details. The male characters wear kippot, and the mother serves the soup. A delightful element of the visual narrative is the family cat who mimics the boy’s facial expressions.

Festive fun for the preschool set that serves up good educational fare, too. (Board book. 2-4)

THANK YOU, P.G. WODEHOUSE

      Thank you, P.G. Wodehouse, for providing me a delightful escape in this time of the pandemic and other woes. I refer to my reading of the novel, Leave It To Psmith, found in a book I inherited from my late uncle, Nothing But Wodehouse. I have always been a Wodehouse fan, but had not read this particular novel before. Of course, anything with a character named Freddie Threepwood is bound to be enjoyable! This book is edited by Ogden Nash, who also provides an introduction. 

     Here is his wonderful introduction:

The work of P.G. Wodehouse needs no introduction.

                                                                    O. N.

      

       Ha!

WRITING INFO

  

   Every month or so I receive an email, usually from a friend of a friend, wanting to introduce me to someone they know who is interested in writing books for children. And that's great. I am always happy to provide information about writing and the children's book industry. 

     What's not so great? Nine times out of ten the people who contact me aren't really interested in children's books or the children's book industry. They just want me to tell them how to get a manuscript they wrote, sometimes as long as thirty years ago, published. Whatever information I provide about children's books is secondary to their desire.

    Just as you would in any profession, you have to study, learn and practice. Children books are unique in that format and word count matters. The principles of writing, characterization, plotting, voice take time to master. As in any art form, the market evolves and changes. In children's book there are wonderful classics and brilliant new material and new voices. It's important to read widely and to keep aware of events in the publishing industry too. It's difficult and competitive. To quote from the baseball movie, "A League of Their Own" -

     "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." 

     Am I often frustrated by how hard it is? Of course. The bar is set very high, because so many talented people work in this industry. 

     So please contact me if you are serious about writing or having your manuscript critiqued. But I have no secret formulas, no ins, no recipe, to tell you how to be published except for one. Work hard, learn, present your best work. 

Peek-A-Boo!

      I am very pleased that my first board book, Peek-A-Boo Passover, will be published by Kar-ben

 in spring 2022.

    The brilliant artwork is by illustrator, Viviana Garofoli, who lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

    Other good news, the book has been chosen as the PJ Library selection to be sent to one year 

olds in March 2022. And I received an Author Incentive Award - yay!

     Thank you PJ Library and thank you, Kar-ben.