Caroll Spinney

Transcription

Caroll Spinney

July 2015
VOL. 1 / ISSUE 11
TM
Star Ballerina
Michaela DePrince
Caroll
Spinney
Brings Decades of Sunny
Days to Sesame Street
Inspires Hope in Taking Flight
Sebastian A. Jones
Instills Positive Messages
in Young Minds
Barbara Bottner Loves
What She Does!
(and we do, too)
Dr. Stephanie Cox
Encourages Healthy Habits
in My Doctor and Me ABC
TM
MEET THE STAFF
PUBLISHER
Linda F. Radke
[email protected]
Editor-in-Chief
Cristy Bertini
[email protected]
WRITERS
Rachel Koestler-Grack
Melissa Fales
DESIGN
Jeff Yesh
[email protected]
Science & Nature Editor
Conrad J. Storad
[email protected]
Webmistress
Laurie Herring
[email protected]
Advertising
Linda F. Radke
[email protected]
Cristy Bertini
[email protected]
Jennifer Bisignano
[email protected]
Special Contributors
Darleen Wohlfeil, Jennifer Bisignano,
Joshua Bloomfield, Carol Osman Brown
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Story Monsters Ink | JULY 2015 | StoryMonstersInk.com
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Contents
Story Monsters Ink
July 2015
Welcome to the July issue of Story Monsters Ink!
Caroll Spinney can tell us how to get to Sesame Street. He’s been
commuting to the beloved neighborhood for the better part of
46 years. He is the man behind Big Bird’s yellow feathers and
Oscar the Grouch’s green and grumpy exterior. Meet the man
who chased the clouds away and made all of our childhoods
a little brighter. Also in this issue, Michaela DePrince tells
us about her journey from being abandoned in an African
orphanage to becoming a star ballerina and an inspiration to
us all. Sebastian A. Jones is on a mission to make the world
a better place, Barbara Bottner outlines the many chapters of
her amazing career and Dr. Stephanie Cox has a prescription
to make children more comfortable during doctor visits: read
her book! “Buzz” on over to Conrad’s Classroom, get your grill
warmed up for this month’s recipe and check out our 2015
Purple Dragonfly Book Award winners!
HAPPY
4th of July!
Features
4
Caroll Spinney
8
Star Ballerina Michaela DePrince
Brings Decades of Sunny Days to Sesame Street
12
Sebastian A. Jones
16
Barbara Bottner Loves What She Does!
18
Dr. Stephanie Cox
Instills Positive Messages in Young Minds
(and we do, too)
Encourages Healthy Habits in My Doctor and Me ABC
15 Kids Can Publish
20 Activity Page
22 Meet Story Monster
24 Purple Dragonfly Book
Award Winners
26 Monster Book Reviews
28 Conrad’s Classroom
30 Spring Reading Guide
34 Monster Munchies
35 Juicy Jack’s Spanish Corner
38 SMI Academy
Sign up for a free monthly subscription at www.StoryMonstersInk.com!
“Like” us on Facebook! www.Facebook.com/StoryMonsters
Follow us on Twitter! @StoryMonsters
StoryMonstersInk.com | JULY 2015 | Story Monsters Ink
3
Cover Feature Story
Caroll
Spinney
Brings Decades of Sunny Days
to Sesame Street
by Melissa Fales
Like most icons of American culture,
Big Bird is instantly recognizable. However, the face of
Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who has been tucked inside
the 8 foot-tall, yellow-feathered suit for much of the last
46 years remains largely unfamiliar. “People have often
asked me if it bothers me that my character is famous but
I’m not,” Spinney says. “Actually, it’s kind of nice because I
can choose who I reveal myself to. It’s kind of like ‘I’ve Got
a Secret.’ Although with I Am Big Bird, I’m starting to get
recognized in the airport now.”
4
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney
Story is the recent Copper Pot
Pictures documentary of the
now 81-year-old Spinney, delving behind the scenes into his
portrayal of the beloved Sesame
Street character. “It’s funny, but
it’s also a tear-jerker,” warns Spinney. Many of the clips are family
videos taken by Spinney’s wife,
Debra. “She’s a great cinematographer,” says Spinney. “There’s some
good stuff in there.” The film has
inspired its viewers, and Spinney himself, to reflect on the role
Big Bird has played in the lives of
generations of children.
Born in Waltham, Massachusetts, Spinney’s childhood was
far from idyllic. His slight build,
androgynous first name, and
interest in puppets didn’t win him
any popularity contests as a child.
“I was definitely not cool,” he says.
In 1957, after serving in the U.S.
Air Force, Spinney headed to California to try to land a job as an
animator for Disney. The low pay
was just one of the reasons Spinney decided to turn the job down.
“You don’t hear any applause with
animation,” he says. “You spend
a week working to create 2.5 seconds on the screen.”
1
“We had a lot of
doubters who
didn’t believe that
television could be
a teaching tool. I
think we proved
them wrong.”
Spinney returned to Boston
where he produced animated
films until he got a job on TV’s
Bozo the Clown playing Grandma
Nellie, Mr. Lion and Kookie, the
boxing kangaroo. “I was making
decent money, but I wanted to do
something more,” he explains. “I
had the feeling there was something else for me.”
In 1969, Spinney performed
at the Puppeteers of America
puppet festival in Salt Lake
City where a man named Jim
Henson was in the audience,
scouting for Sesame Street. “He
was specifically looking for someone to play Big Bird and Oscar
the Grouch,” says Spinney. “It
pays to be in the right place at the
right time.” Spinney is quick to
gush about Henson, his longtime
friend. “He’s probably the only
genius I’ve ever had a chance to
know,” says Spinney. “He would
have 12 huge, great ideas going on
in his head all at the same time.
He had a great ability to focus
on exactly what he wanted to
achieve.”
Henson’s initial vision for Big
Bird, however, clashed with Spinney’s take on the character. Henson saw him as a goofy grown-up,
while Spinney imagined him as
a six-year-old kid inside a large
avian frame. “At first, Big Bird
was a real yokel,” says Spinney. “I
made him very human and just a
little less smart than the kids who
were watching at home. He was
learning the letters of the alphabet right along with them.”
According to Spinney, Sesame
Street was created as an experiment. “It was designed to reflect
society as it had evolved and
reach inner-city kids,” said Spinney. “The street scene was very
gritty and very real. That’s why
those elements of fantasy were so
important.” Sesame Street was the
first educational children’s show.
“We had a lot of doubters who
didn’t believe that television could
be a teaching tool,” Spinney says.
“I think we proved them wrong.”
2
1) Archival photo of Caroll Spinney puppeteering Big Bird. Photo courtesy of Robert Furhing. 2) Archival photo of Caroll Spinney and Snuffleupagus on
the set of Sesame Street. Photo courtesy of Debra Spinney. 3) Archival photo of Caroll Spinney and Jim Henson. Photo courtesy of Debra Spinney.
3
Cover Feature Story
For Spinney, one of the most noteworthy
Sesame Street episodes addressed the real-life
death of Will Lee, who portrayed store owner,
Mr. Hooper. “That was the greatest scene we ever
did,” Spinney says. “We approached it very honestly, but delicately, in a way that children would
understand. We were very careful not to abuse the
trust that parents placed in us.” Spinney said he’s
heard from many fans touched by that episode.
“One said his father had passed away a week earlier
and that the show helped him deal with the loss,”
says Spinney. “Those types of stories mean the
most to me, hearing from children who felt a personal connection to what we were doing.”
Over the years, Spinney has received countless
letters from Sesame Street fans sharing how much
they identify with Big Bird. He particularly treasures
one from the early years, written by a Saskatchewan mother whose son felt left out when his older
siblings went to school and he had no one to play
with. In the letter, the mother recalled finding her
young son crying by the television. When she asked
him why, he said, “Because Big Bird is just like me.”
He had been watching an episode where Big Bird
couldn’t find anyone to play with him. “I was very
touched,” said Spinney. “It was one of the first times
I sensed that what we were doing on Sesame Street
had the potential to resonate with children all over
the world.”
Unlike the affable, optimistic Big Bird, Spinney’s other Sesame Street character, Oscar the
Grouch, is gruff and curmudgeonly. Spinney
said many questioned why a grouch would be featured on a children’s show. “Even I used to question
if it was a good idea,” admits Spinney. However,
Spinney heard from one woman who told him that
Oscar the Grouch changed her life. She grew up in an
extremely strict home and wasn’t allowed to watch
any television, not even Sesame Street. One day, at
age 12, she found herself alone in the house and
made a beeline to the TV. The first thing she ever saw
on a television screen was Oscar the Grouch saying
“no” to an adult character. “She told me, ‘I didn’t
even know you could say no to a grown-up,’” Spinney recalls. “She said when the adults returned home
that day, there was a different girl waiting for them.
It’s not that she turned into a terrible person, she
just learned that she could stand up for herself.”
Hearing these personal revelations about the
impact he’s had on so many lives motivates
Spinney to continue breathing life into Big
Bird and Oscar. He has no plans to retire anytime
soon. This Emmy Award winning and National
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Lifetime
Achievement recipient seems truly humbled and
honored to have earned so many accolades and made
so many friends while doing something he clearly
loves to do. “I’m lucky to have had a job I enjoy so
much for so long,” he says. “I suppose I could’ve
gotten a better job in terms of money, but money
would never have been as much of a reward to me
as knowing that my characters have made a positive
difference in people’s lives.”
For more information about Caroll Spinney,
visit www.carollspinney.net. To learn more about
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story,
visit www.iambigbird.com.
“I suppose I could’ve gotten a better job
in terms of money, but money would
never have been as much of a
reward to me as knowing that my
characters have made a positive
difference in people’s lives.”
6
7
Feature Story
Michaela DePrince
by Rachel Koestler-Grack
Somewhere in the Sierra Leone, Africa, a little girl twirls in a murky
puddle. Orphaned at three years old and abandoned in a crude
orphanage, Mabinty Bangura has nothing but the crumpled page of
a magazine, which she tightly grips in her tiny brown fingers. She
stares at the glossy image of a ballerina, dressed in a glittering, pink
tutu and balancing on the tips of her satin slippers. “Someday, I will
dance on my toes like this lady,” she says. “I will be happy, too!”
Young Mabinty was surrounded by death and
violence, trapped in the middle of a brutal civil war
with no family to claim her. Born with vitiligo, a
condition that made her skin appear spotted like
a leopard, she had been called “ugly” and even told
that no one would want her. Dancing in the rain
8
that day, she dreamed of a life very different from
the one she knew. A miracle followed by years of
hard work and determination sculpted her dream
into a reality. At age four, Mabinty was adopted
by Elaine and Charles DePrince, and she started a
new life in America as Michaela Mabinty DePrince.
think of all of the time and effort I had already put
into my dream. I would think of all the time, effort
and money my parents had put into allowing me
to have my dream. All this love, passion and effort
would go down the drain if I gave up, so I would
try to ignore the pain caused by these obstacles
and just keep going.”
Michaela had an amazing support system in her
family. They encouraged her to stay focused on her
aspirations. “I knew that being a black ballerina
would be a difficult goal to achieve,” says Michaela’s
mother, Elaine. “So I told her that she would need
to work ten times as hard as the white girls just to
gain credibility as a ballerina. She needed to commit to that hard work if she wanted to make it happen, and she did.”
Michaela was number eight of eleven children,
nine of whom were adopted. But she would never
be identified by a number, as she had been at the
orphanage in Africa. Instead, her American family
encouraged her to carve out her own identity, by
pursuing her passion for ballet.
Michaela started dance lessons in 1999, the
same year she arrived in the United States. She
attended the Red Rock School for Dance Education
in Philadelphia and soon noticed that few AfricanAmerican ballerinas danced in classical ballet. She
heard the parents of classmates make comments
such as, “Black women are just too athletic for ballet. They are too muscular.” Many African-American ballerinas ended up dancing modern or jazz
rather than the classic story ballets Michaela loved.
She began questioning whether her skin color
would prevent her from achieving her dream. Over
the years of training, she struggled to overcome
these feelings. “Whenever I experience moments
of doubt, I remind myself that the doubt is temporary, so I shouldn’t base my decisions on a temporary feeling or setback,” she explains. “I would
In 2006 at age 10, she won the Hope Award at
the Young America Grand Prix (YAGP) competition
in Philadelphia for her portrayal of Gamzatti, the
Indian princess from the ballet La Bayadère. For
her outstanding performance as Esmeralda, the
poor, love-stricken gypsy girl from La Esmeralda at
the 2009 YAGP, Michaela received the Youth Grand
Prix Award, the top award for her age division, as
well as the National Training Scholarship Award,
which offered a full scholarship for the American
Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) summer intensive program
in New York City. At the 2010 YAGP finals in New
York City, Michaela won a full, year-round scholarship to study at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
School of Ballet at ABT.
During 2010, Michaela was one of six dancers
filmed for First Position, a documentary which
follows the ballerinas while they train and prepare
for the YAGP finals. Although the film forced her
to recall painful memories of her early childhood,
Michaela saw the documentary as a chance to
show the world that African-American girls could
be ballerinas, too. After the release of First Position
in 2011, Michaela was flooded with more opportunities to be a role model and an activist against
racial bias in ballet. She was featured in magazines
such as Marie Claire and Teen Vogue and appeared
on Good Morning America and Nightline. In April of
9
Feature Story
Michaela’s journey has only begun, and she has
“Ask yourself, ‘What do I want greater dreams to achieve. One day, she’d like to
open a ballet school in Sierra Leone. “I think that
out of this life?’ Then go after this will bring hope to the children of Sierra Leone,”
she explains, “because it would liberate them from a
it with all your might.”
life of drudgery.” Meanwhile, she works with organizations that raise funds on behalf of the children
2012, she performed on Dancing with the Stars as a of Sierra Leone, and she sponsors a 12-year-old
spotlight guest. “Dancing with the Stars was exciting child from her native tribe through ChildFund
International. “The money I contribute assures that
to me because it was my first public recognition as
she gets her immunizations, proper nutrition, and
a ballerina—a black ballerina!” Michaela says. “It
was the first opportunity I had to reach out to all of an education,” says Michaela. “It’s a small first step
the little black girls who had dreams of dancing bal- for a young ballerina like me to take. Bigger steps
will follow.” In ballet, her ultimate goal is to become
let, too. This is what made it so important to me.”
a Prima ballerina assoluta, a rare honor awarded
During 2012 and 2013, Michaela toured with
to the most notable and exceptional female balthe Dance Theatre of Harlem, a neo-classical, pri- let dancers of their generation. “I know this is a
marily ethnic ballet company. In 2013, she joined
big dream, but I figure I might as well reach for the
the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, one of the stars,” says Michaela. “Even if I fall, I’ll at least reach
top classical companies in the world, where she is
the moon.”
the only dancer of African origin. Her accomplishTo learn more about Michaela DePrince and
ments sparked a desire to share something with
her book, Taking Flight, visit her website
others. “I didn’t have anything material to share,
at www.michaeladeprince.com.
other than a closet full of tutus,” Michaela says in
her memoir, Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star
Ballerina, “but I did have a lot of passion, drive,
persistence, and hope—especially hope.” As a way
to give hope to others, Michaela, with the help of
her mother, wrote Taking Flight in 2014. Her book
was recently awarded the grand prize in Five Star
Publication’s 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards
in the biography/autobiography/memoir category.
By sharing her story, Michaela inspires others
to let nothing stand in the way of their dreams.
If people have endured a past marred by abuse and
misfortune, Michaela encourages them to leave it
behind them and move forward. “As far as I know,
we have one life to live,” she says. “And wallowing is
a waste of the precious time we have on this earth.”
Michaela dreamed of dancing classical ballet, and
she never gave up until she achieved her goal. “Ask
yourself, ‘What do I want out of this life?’” says
Michaela. “Then go after it with all your might.”
10
Michaela and her mother, Elaine.
Photo by Jade Young
A future book illustrator?
We think so! First-grader Landon Oldham did
a wonderful job coloring the pages of his Story
Monster and Friends: Creatures to Color from Five
Star Land coloring book. Keep up the great work,
Landon!
11
Feature Story
Sebastian A. Jones
Instills Positive Messages in Young Minds
by Melissa Fales
Whether he’s writing comics,
managing the company he founded
or being a dad, Sebastian A. Jones is
on a personal mission to “obliterate
mediocrity” and make the world a
better place.
That zeal is evident in his latest ventures,
publishing children’s books under the Stranger Kids
division of his Stranger Comics brand and partnering
with actress Garcelle Beauvais to co-author a series
of children’s books, including I Am Mixed and I Am
Living in 2 Homes. “That phrase, ‘I am’ is so powerful,”
says Jones. “We wanted to encourage kids to take
12
ownership of their lives, even if they’re dealing with
difficult situations. I Am is a way to celebrate who you
are. It’s a celebration of self.”
Jones moved to America from England at
age 18. A true music aficionado, he founded his own
record label at the age of 20. “With MVP Records,
we had great blues and jazz and old soul music,” he
explains. “The good stuff.” Jones’ first taste of writing
was coming up with liner notes for the albums. “I
enjoyed that creative process,” he says. But as the
Internet grew in popularity, the success of MVP
Records faded. “Essentially, all the rare, eclectic tunes
I had collected were available for download with the
touch of a button.”
With I Am Mixed, Jones and Beauvais give parents
an opportunity to talk about race in a simple and
fun way. “Kids have questions about everything,”
says Jones. “They want to know why the sky is
blue and why leaves are green. Of course they have
questions about race. Too many parents don’t know
how to respond when a child asks why is so-and-so a
different color than me. It’s an innocent, wonderful
question. We wanted the book to respond to that
innocent curiosity and to broach the subject from a
sense of wonder about the world.”
Undaunted, he began writing fantasy stories.
Unable to find the right people to publish his work,
Jones started his own company, Stranger Comics.
“I did it to protect my vision,” he explains. While
being the president of the company allows Jones
artistic freedom as a writer, this dichotomy comes
with added pressure. “Now I have to wear those two
hats,” he says. “I’m pulled in a direction that I feel is
my calling and my destiny, that is to be writing, but
at the same time, I’m running a company and need
to make sure I can survive so I can continue to create.
When you’re running an independent company,
your success or your failure rests on you. That can be
overwhelming.”
Jones admits he had purely personal reasons for
starting the Stranger Kids division. “I’m a dad,” he
says. “I wanted to do kids’ books.” The I Am series
grew from a chance encounter at a playground when
Jones and Beauvais chatted while their children played
together. “When I mentioned I was doing publishing,
her eyes lit up,” says Jones. “She had this idea for a
kids’ book for children of mixed heritage. I am mixed,
my son is mixed, and I hadn’t seen any books about it
from a child’s perspective. It was very serendipitous. It
struck a chord with me on a visceral level.”
According to Jones, he knows what it’s like to feel
on the fringe of society. “Being mixed and coming
from England gives me a different perspective,” he
explains. “Growing up, I could fit in everywhere, but
I never felt like I belonged anywhere.” While that was
awkward for him when he was younger, now at age
41, Jones said he’s found his niche. “I came to feel
that I belonged with my friends and my family, not
necessarily with any one cultural group.”
Jones said they intentionally chose the word
“mixed” over terms such as “multi-cultural” or “multiracial” due to their target audience. “I understand
how sensitive people can be about race and why some
adults may choose to use those other words,” Jones
explains. “We picked the word ‘mixed’ for the book
because kids know what the word ‘mixed’ means. It’s a
simple way to describe what can be a complex issue.”
Jones says the concept behind I Am Mixed extends
beyond skin color and hair texture. The idea can
apply to almost anyone, from that girl who likes
to play in the mud and dirt but sometimes likes
to wear a pretty dress, to a music fan who feels “a
little bit country and a little bit rock n’ roll.” He also
says people can be mixed in many ways. “We’ve all
experienced a mixture of emotions,” he adds. “We’ve
all felt conflicted, or happy and sad at the same time.”
“Isn’t it great that we’re all
different? Isn’t it rad that
there are so many interesting
cultures out there? And most
importantly, aren’t you glad
you’re you?”
Like I Am Mixed, I Am Living in 2 Homes is about
affirmation and celebration of the positive things in
a child’s life. “Everybody knows somebody who has
been through a divorce,” says Jones. “Yes, it’s a tough
thing for parents to talk about, but studies show
that kids want and need to talk about it. Parents
may have strong emotions, or even guilt about
a failed marriage, but it’s important to have that
conversation with children. You especially want to
make sure that they don’t feel they are to blame.”
13
In addition to the positive message of the stories,
each book in the I Am series includes an activity
section to help parents continue the conversation.
“Ideally, these questions are just the beginning,” he
says. “Parents can use them to get the dialog started
and take it from there.”
This summer brings two big releases for Jones.
An animated version of his graphic novel, The
Untamed, will be released in July. “I’m super excited,”
he says. “It’s a vengeance-redemption-salvation type
of story. Whatever I do in the field, whether I’m
writing for children or adults, I always have some
kind of underlying moral theme.” The latest book in
the I Am series, I Am Awesome, is due out this August.
“It’s about how to be a good friend and how to be
brave,” said Jones. “It’s written from an imagination
standpoint. When the kids are pretending to
be superheroes, the illustrations show them as
superheroes. I love it.”
Jones says children’s books have a unique power to
instill positive messages into young minds and hearts.
14
While it may be difficult to sway an adult’s opinion
on topics such as race, religion or politics, Jones
says there’s a small window of time when a child is
forming his or her own thoughts. “That’s when a book
can really grab a kid and make an impression on them
that will stay with them throughout their whole lives,”
he explains. “That’s what the I Am series is all about,
helping kids feel good about themselves and keeping
them open to all of the wonderful possibilities that
are out there for them. The point is, ‘Isn’t it great that
we’re all different? Isn’t it rad that there are so many
interesting cultures out there? And most importantly,
aren’t you glad you’re you?’”
You can follow Jones on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter, learn more about Stranger Comics
and Stranger Kids at www.strangercomics.com
and purchase the I Am books through Amazon or
Barnes and Noble. The I Am series also has its own
Facebook page.
Kids Can Publish!
Colors
by Jessica King, age 8
A pop of color is good for anything.
A hat, or a shirt, or a spicy chicken wing.
That’s why tie-dye is the best invention.
‘Cause color can make you happy, even at detention.
A little more colors are better than one.
The number of colors you can use is a ton!
Without colors this world would be bland.
So that’s why we thank colors all over the land.
Kids Can Publish has joined Story Monsters Ink!
Teachers can now submit their students’ written works, such as poems,
articles, stories, book reviews, etc. to Kids Can Publish for online
print consideration. This means that if your teacher thinks your work
is exceptional for your grade level,we might publish it in Story Monsters
Ink! Visit www.StoryMonstersInk.com and click on “Kids Can Publish”
for instructions on how to submit your work!
15
Feature Story
Barbara Bottner
Loves What She Does!
(and we do, too)
by Melissa Fales
The heroine of Barbara Bottner’s book,
Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t) is Missy, a stubborn, difficult child who nonetheless appeals to children and adults alike. Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I
don’t) was a New York Times bestseller and has a sequel titled Miss Brooks’ Story Nook (where tales are told
and ogres are welcome!). “I like ornery characters,” says
Bottner. “I love the idea of sassy, ornery girls. I like to
lead the charge on that. I’m
of a certain generation of
women who were taught to
be obedient. My generation
was the first to veer away
from the prescribed notions of how women should
live—that they should always
behave and be quiet and
agreeable. You’re all welcome,
by the way.”
Initially, Bottner pursued
a career as an artist. “I had
absolutely no intention of
writing books,” she says.
She went to Paris to study
painting, designed sets for
off-Broadway productions
and even joined the acting
troupe Theater Genesis where she acted with Sam
Shepard. Bottner says her eclectic past isn’t all that
unusual for those who came of age when she did.
“I’m a product of my generation,” she explains. “Every
day, we reinvented ourselves. I think the fact that we
failed at a lot of things only helped us. A lot of us,
myself included, kept experimenting until we found
where we fit in.”
As a “completely unprepared” kindergarten
teacher in Harlem, New York, Bottner developed
her own style of teaching her students to read. Relying heavily on that technique, she started drawing
16
storyboards for Sesame Street and The Electric Company. “After that, it seemed like the next step was to
go into children’s books,” she recalls.
While looking for jobs as a children’s book illustrator,
Bottner was surprised when editors suggested that
she write her own stories to accompany her artwork.
“Now, I realize that it was because I wasn’t a slamdunk, technically fabulous
illustrator,” she says. “They
thought that it would make
my work more competitive.”
Once she crossed over
into writing, Bottner
said it was as if a switch
went off in her head, and
she was almost exclusively
interested in the craft. “It
was as though I’d forfeited
the other side of my brain,”
she says. Since then, she’s
explored many avenues of
writing, including movies,
television and even song
lyrics for Jim Henson’s
Muppets. No matter where
she’s dabbled, Bottner
has kept one foot firmly
planted in children’s literature. “I’d get excited by
other things, and I’d leave for a while,” she says. “For
me, it was so completely unexpected that I would be
a writer, I wanted to do it all. Let me try writing for
Cosmo. Let me try this other thing. What else can I
do? Exploring was irresistible.”
Bottner insists she remains “extremely opinionated” when it comes to art. “I thought Maggie Smith
did a bang-up job illustrating Feet Go to Sleep,” she
says, referencing her latest book. It’s about a girl
1
who is too excited to sleep after a fun day at
“I feel incredibly blessed that
I’m still jazzed every single day
to be doing what I’m doing.”
the beach. “I was thinking about yoga and how it
can help relax our bodies,” Bottner explains. “I was
inspired by yoga techniques, but I wanted to include
them in a way kids could use, through a story, not a
manual.” Bottner says her collaborations with illustrator Michael Emberley on the Miss Brooks books and
An Annoying ABC have been “dynamic” and that fans
can look forward to two more books currently in the
works from this duo.
In 1973, having written exactly one picture
book, What Would You Do With a Giant?, Bottner
found herself standing in front of a class at Parson’s
School of Design. An acquaintance had suggested
she’d be a good teacher there, and needing money,
Bottner decided to give it a whirl. On a whim, she
met with the dean and was hired on the spot. “I don’t
know if it was purely due to my personality or if he
liked the book,” she says. “I do know that I didn’t have
a clue about what I was doing. The amazing thing is
that I now know I was meant to be a teacher.” She was
later awarded a “Distinguished Teaching Award” from
Parson’s New School of Social Research.
For Bottner, teaching others how to write children’s
books has been a true turning point in her life and in
her career. “The teaching process has been an amazing
gift for me,” she says. “It also provides a good balance
to the self-centeredness that some artists have. You
can’t teach and not be generous. You can’t lack generosity of spirit. You’re teaching your competition.”
Bottner said she insists that her students dig deep
and get real about their experiences. “I always tell my 2
students to go where the screaming is the loudest,”
she said. “I just don’t think you’re driven to be a writer
if everything has always fallen into place for you. Then
you have nothing to write about. There’s nothing
there to explore.”
Having written over 40 books in addition to her
work in other genres, Bottner says the challenge of
writing still delights her on a daily basis. “It’s fun,
but it can also be hard, competitive, demanding and
disappointing,” she said. “The more you know about
writing, the less you know at the very same time. It’s
not for everyone. Someone once gave me this advice
about working in the theater: ‘If you cannot do it,
don’t do it, but if you have to do it, do it.’ I think that
applies to writing, too. Personally, I couldn’t not
do this.”
Currently, Bottner is working on a novel. “It’s a very
serious, free-verse, young adult book,” she explains.
“It came as a complete surprise, but here it is.” That
element of surprise is one of the reasons Bottner
retains such an enthusiasm for writing, and says she’s
continually being challenged, elated and rewarded.
“Doing this kind of work is a gift. I get to live and
work in a state of excitement. A lot of people my age
don’t know what to do with themselves. I feel incredibly blessed that I’m still jazzed every single day to be
doing what I’m doing.”
For more information on Barbara Bottner and her
books, visit www.barbarabottnerbooks.com.
Bottner got her first taste of that reality when
her former student, Laura Numeroff, author of
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, informed Bottner that
she had not one, but four book deals. “I didn’t have
any,” says Bottner. “I thought … wow, now my ego has
to deal with this.” Since then, Bottner has watched
proudly as other former students have emerged in
the field, including Bruce Degen, illustrator of The
Magic School Bus series; Robin Preiss Glasser, illustrator of the Fancy Nancy series; and Peggy Rathmann,
author and illustrator of Goodnight, Gorilla. “It goes on
and on and on,” Bottner said. “It’s been great for me
personally, and for my career. Working with them has
made me a better writer.”
17
Feature Story
Dr. Stephanie Cox
Encourages Healthy Habits in
My Doctor and Me ABC
by Melissa Fales
It’s no surprise that Dr. Stephanie Stitt Cox pursued a career in medicine. She grew up in Fort Dodge,
Iowa, where her grandfather, Dr. Paul Stitt, and her
father, Dr. Michael Stitt, were both family physicians
and her mother, Carole Stitt, served as her father’s
nurse. “We always had people calling our house for
medical advice,” Cox says. “We’d run into people out
in the community and it wouldn’t be unusual for my
dad to check out someone’s rash in the freezer section of the grocery store.”
Now, with nearly 13 years under her belt as a thirdgeneration family physician, Cox has authored a
children’s book called My Doctor and Me ABC. “As a
physician, my goal is to help people live the healthiest lives they can, and focusing on an active lifestyle
and healthy habits is a big part of that,” she explains.
“My hope with writing this book was to get kids
interested in their health care at an early age and get
them on the path to lifelong good health.”
Cox was inspired at a young age to follow her
family’s footsteps. “For as long as I can remember, I always knew I wanted to be a doctor,” she says.
“Witnessing the wonderful impact my parents and
grandfather had on the health of the community
fueled my drive to go into family medicine. I wanted
to make a positive impact, just like they did.” Cox
attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City for both
her undergraduate degree and medical school and
remains a die-hard Hawkeye fan. She completed her
residency at Waukesha Family Medicine Residency in
Waukesha, Wisconsin.
While Cox was inspired by her family to enter the
medical field, she was never pressured to do so. “My
parents never pushed me or my sisters into medicine,” she says. “They wanted us to do whatever made
us happy, to forge the path we wanted to forge. We
all went into medicine in some form anyway.” Cox’s
parents recently retired together after 40 years in
medicine, leaving Cox to carry on the family tradition
18
along with her three sisters—a veterinarian, a nurse
in a cardiothoracic ICU and another family physician.
For nearly three years, Cox has been practicing
at the Iowa Clinic in Des Moines. “The best part
of being a family physician is having the opportunity
to get to know several generations of the same family,” she says. “I’ve been fortunate to get to know up
to four generations of the same family, taking care of
the kids, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Watching these families grow and expand over
time is a unique and special experience.”
According to Cox, the idea for My Doctor and Me ABC
just popped into her head one day. “It evolved over
time,” she says. “It took about two years to get it to
the version you see today.” Cox said she wrote it hoping to appeal to the two different kinds of pediatric
patients she typically sees. “Some kids enjoy coming
to the office and are very inquisitive about what we
do, but many others think of it as a very scary event,”
she explains. “I wanted the book to help both types
of children.”
ever since they were tiny tots, and reading together
is something we’ve always enjoyed,” she says. “I want
other parents to be able to share that with their
kids.”
My Doctor and Me ABC is designed to engage
preschool and early elementary age children,
but Cox said she purposely included medical terminology that would also keep the interest of slightly
older children. The book includes a medically themed
rhyme for each letter of the alphabet. “Writing
the rhymes was a fun process, but it was also very
challenging,” said Cox. “I first had to come up with
medical terms that would be important to a child,
and then come up with an appropriate and hopefully
witty and amusing rhyme.” She kept paper and a pen
by her bedside because sometimes she’d wake up
in the middle of the night with a rhyme in her head
that she didn’t want to forget.
Cox offers her young readers a healthy-living tip for
each of the 26 letters in the alphabet. The “L is for
Lungs” page contains Cox’s most emphatic advice
for children. “Getting kids to say ‘no’ to smoking and
helping people quit smoking is very important to
me,” she said. The “S is for Sunscreen” page is another personal favorite for Cox, as it is a particularly
accurate reflection of her daily life as a mom of three.
“Yes, that’s me chasing after the children with the big
bottle of sunscreen, even on a cloudy day,” she says.
Cox said she hopes My Doctor and Me ABC
serves as a fun way to help children understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. “I
feel like if we can get kids on a healthy path early on,
then they will grow up to be healthy adults and have
their own healthy children,” she says. Additionally,
Cox says she wrote the book in an effort to encourage children and parents to read together. Reading
has always been a favorite pastime for Cox and her
own children, sons Connor and Aidan and daughter
Lydia. “We have spent hours upon hours reading
Cox’s children willingly served as her guinea
pigs while she was writing the book. “My now
10-year-old laughed out loud at the rhyme for Q,
and I thought ‘That is my target audience,’” she says.
“That adorable giggle was the exact response I hoped
I’d get.” Her children were delighted to find references to themselves within the book. For example,
illustrator Emily Burger made the little girl on the “A
is for Abdomen” page look like Cox’s daughter. On
the “F is for Fracture” page, the names on the cast
are those of Cox’s and Burger’s children. “The doctor,
of course, looks like me,” explains Cox. “Now I can
never change my hairstyle.”
The book matter-of-factly includes common experiences children will have at the doctor’s office, such as
having their blood pressure taken, their height and
weight recorded and their vision tested. “I thought
the fun rhymes would make these things seem routine and less intimidating,” she says.
Throughout the book, Cox tried to keep her target
audience in mind. “I tried to see medicine through
the eyes of a child and to visualize what would be
important to them.” For example, Cox says she put
special thought into the “I is for Immunizations”
page, knowing that most children are anxious about
receiving shots. “I thought making that rhyme
superhero-themed would help kids understand that
the purpose of vaccines is to help make their bodies
strong and able to fight disease.”
Cox says she’s been delighted by the response
to the book, especially from her own patients.
“I’ve had parents who’ve had My Doctor and Me ABC
on their Kindle or iPad and were reading it to their
kids when I came into the exam room,” she says.
“That’s been a really neat experience for me.”
Looking ahead, Cox hinted at some ideas she has
for a possible second book. “Adults also don’t like to
come to the doctor, so maybe I could help out with
that, too.”
My Doctor and Me ABC is available on Amazon in a
paperback version and as an e-book.
19
Activity Page
Coloring Fun!
© 2015 Mark Watson and Pablo Michau - Milo’s Journey: The Colouring Book
20
21
Feature Story
Meet
Story Monster
at the Payson Book Festival on July 25
Story Monster loves to travel, and this month,
children can meet him in the cool pines at the Payson
Book Festival on July 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gila
Community College Payson campus, located at 201 N.
Mud Springs Road. This is Payson’s first book festival,
and readers of all ages are encouraged to attend and
visit with 50 Arizona authors.
It takes a community of readers, writers and volunteers to launch a successful book festival.
Five Star Publications, Inc. is proud to
be one of the sponsors of this newest
book festival in Arizona and will have
several tables with a variety of authors,
including Conrad J. Storad, the awardwinning author and editor of more than 50 science
and nature books. He writes the popular “Conrad’s Classroom” column in Story Monsters Ink and will present
story time sessions, as well as conduct a Young Writer’s
Workshop for children ages 9-12.
Arizona Professional Writers (APW), formerly
known as Arizona Press Women, is partnering with
Gila Community College to present this one-day
event, which will take place from in several areas
of the small campus, nestled in scenic mountains of central Arizona. This family-oriented
festival is offered to the public free of charge.
A portion of the book festival proceeds will
Photo by Linda F. Radke
22
benefit scholarship funds of these two
non-profit groups.
“We invite people from throughout Arizona to
escape the sizzling summer temperatures of the
desert areas and attend this new event as an enjoyable day-trip,” says Connie Cockrell, chair of the
Payson Book Festival planning committee. “Our
book festival offers families and individual readers
a day of fun. Authors representing a wide variety
of genres in both fiction and non-fiction will sign
books. In addition, there will be a full schedule of
author presentations and workshops. Families also
can enjoy local food, entertainment and
door prizes.”
Due to budget cuts, a growing number of
schools cannot afford to sponsor author visits,
so many children have never met an author in person. “Our goal is to promote literacy and showcase
Arizona authors,” adds Carol Osman Brown, director of the Rim Country District of APW, a statewide
non-profit organization. “We want to foster a love
of reading by providing a friendly environment that
encourages personal interaction between Arizona
authors and readers of all ages.”
Research shows that children who are solid readers
perform better in school and become lifelong learners. Yet many lack the motivation to read because
they don’t see their parents reading for pleasure.
Often there are no books, magazines or newspapers
in the home. Many parents report they are too busy
to read to their children. These factors can severely
hinder a child’s success in school.
in Forbes (5/13/2014). He notes that middle
school students (6th graders in particular) are
reading the most but reading decreases among
high school students. Shapiro writes, “When
these kids become adolescents, they attempt
to directly emulate their adult role models.
If adults don’t read books, then trying to act
like an adult means not reading books.” As a
father, he requires 30 minutes of reading as a
prerequisite to video game time. He also models good reading behaviors. “In my household,
being an adult means feeling comfortable with
books,” Shapiro explains. “Maturity means
having excessive familiarity with the longform written word.”
When children accompany their parents
or grandparents to a book festival, they
see people getting excited about books and
meeting authors. Teens can talk to authors
in a relaxed setting and perhaps realize that
they are interesting people who want to share
stories with readers. And maybe these youths
will be inspired to write a book or article of
their own.
Sponsors are welcome to help support the
Payson Book Festival. For more information,
visit www.paysonbookfestival.org or its
Facebook page. For questions, call 928-4689269 or email [email protected].
Parents cheer on small children to learn to
read picture books as quickly as possible,
but when they learn to read independently,
parents tend to be less involved. According to
Lisa Holton, former president of Scholastic
Book Fairs, as kids get older, the role parents
play changes. “We found that not only do
parents need to be reading role models, but
that they must play a key role in helping their
older children select books that capture their
imagination and interest.”
Author Jordan Shapiro wrote an interesting
article titled, “Kids Don’t Read Books Because
Parents Don’t Read Books” which appeared
23
Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winners
Congratulations to our 2015 Purple Dragonfly
Book Award winners! The following are the grand
prize and first-place winners. For a complete list
of winners, including second-place and honorable
mentions, visit www.DragonflyBookAwards.com
Grand Prize Winner: Taking Flight: From War
Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela and Elaine
DePrince
Activity Books: My Very Own Bucket Filling from
A to Z Coloring Book by Carol McCloud and Caryn
Butzke; illustrated by Glenn Zimmer
Activity Kit: Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon
by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle
Animals/Pets: CougaMongaMingaMan Meets
Maggie by Nancy Scalabroni, illustrated by Terri
Kelleher
Arts/Music: When the Sun Goes Down
by Nannette Nocon, illustrated by John Kastner
Best Cover Design (tie): Gollywood Here I Come!
by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia Cerato;
The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by
Margery Fern
Best Illustrations (tie): A Colorful Journey
Through the Land of Talking Letters by Mary Jo
Nyssen, illustrated by Mike Motz; Nickerbacher,
The Funniest Dragon by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle
Best Interior Design: The Eel Hunt by Jennifer
Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
Board Books: The Lucky Chipmunk by Sirui Li, illustrated by YingMing Zhao
Chapter Books: Muddy Madeleine Meets an
Arach-A-Doo by Amanda Stone Norton, illustrated
by Veronica V. Jones
24
Charity/Making a Difference: Wilson & Bella’s
Christmas Wish! by Susan Castriota
Children’s Nonfiction: Hey, Baby, Look! by Kate
Shannon, illustrated by Morgan Owens
Cultural Diversity: The Eel Hunt by Jennifer
Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
Educational/Instructional: Super Smart Sugar by
Barbara Freeman, illustrated by Caitlin Welsh
Family Matters (tie): It’s This Monkey’s Business
by Debra Mares, illustrated by Taylor Christensen;
Just Because by Chiquita Camille Payne, illustrated
by Jerry Craft; Sugar: A Princess Pit Bull Finds Her
Family by Barbara Freeman, illustrated by Caitlin
Welsh; That Mama is a Grouch by Sherry Ellis, illustrated by Don Berry
General: CougaMongaMingaMan Meets Maggie
by Nancy Scalabroni, illustrated by Terri Kelleher
Green Books/Environmental: The Rain Forest
Dance by Sandra Fernandez-Achenbach
Growing Pains: Your Awesome Brain by Edwin
Lee, M.D., F.A.C.E and Jim Huth, illustrated by
Bryan Burright
Health: Your Awesome Brain by Edwin Lee, M.D.,
F.A.C.E and Jim Huth, illustrated by Bryan Burright
Historical Fiction: Powder Monkey by Donna M.
McDine, illustrated by K.C. Snider
Middle Grade Fiction (tie): A Place to Call Home:
Toby’s Tale by G.A. Whitmore; The Gift of Sunderland by J.E. Rogers, illustrated by Guy Atherfold;
The Gift of Sunderland (ebook) by J.E. Rogers,
illustrated by Guy Atherfold
Scared Little Sheltie by Linda Greiner, illustrated
by Morgan Spicer; The Dandelion Seed’s Big
Dream by Joseph Anthony, illustrated by Chris
Arbo; The Great Danbury State Fair by Theresa
Buzaid, illustrated by Steve Dasgupta
Picture Books 5 & Younger (tie): Eden and Her
Happy by Tracy Schlepphorst; If I Could Reach
the Sky by Abbe Reichman, illustrated by Charles
Berton; It’s a Piece of Cake by Laurie Lunsford,
illustrated by Brittani Gothard; Noisy Bird SingAlong by John Himmelman; The Adventures of
Paka The Lion Cub by Mary N. Keown, illustrated
by Yvonne L. Martin
Poetry: Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle
Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
Picture Books 6 & Older (tie): An Amazing Circus
of Phonograms: Act 1 by Mary Jo Nyssen, illustrated by Mike Motz; Explorations of Commander
Josh Book One: In Space by Donna LeBlanc, illustrated by Anton Servetnik; Gollywood Here I
Come! by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia
Cerato; Queen Vernita Visits Baja Quail by Dawn
Menge, illustrated by Pamela Snyder; Sashi: The
School Issues: The Lonely Loon
by Margaret Ball Ottman
Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal:
The Visitor’s Choice by Alexander Davidson
Spiritual/Religious (tie): If Jesus Lived Inside My
Heart by Jill Roman Lord, illustrated by Amy Wummer; Pancakes with Papa: Five Ways to Remember by Dena Albergo Jayson, illustrated by
Rainer M. Osinger
Young Adult Fiction: A Place to Call Home: Toby’s
Tale by G.A. Whitmore
25
Monster Review
Trouble in Zombie-Town: The Mystery of Herobrine,
An Unofficial Minecrafter’s Adventure
by Joshua Bloomfield, age 11
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Author: Mark Cheverton
Description: Gameknight999
was sucked into the world
of Minecraft when one of
his father’s inventions went
haywire. Trapped inside the
game, the former griefer
learned the error of his ways.
He transformed into a heroic
warrior and defeated powerful endermen, ghasts
and dragons to save the world of Minecraft and his
NPC friends that live in it. Gameknight swore that
he’d never go inside Minecraft again. But when his
little sister, Monet113, accidentally enters the game
herself, the User-that-is-not-a-user has no choice but
to return to a digital world where very real danger
lies around every corner. With the help of some old
friends such as Crafter, Hunter and Stitcher, as well
as a few unexpected new ones, Gameknight will
journey deep into a zombie village and face Xa-Tul,
the powerful zombie king crafted by a shadowy figure
with bright glowing eyes and a hatred for Gameknight999. To save his sister, Gameknight will have
to learn a few new tricks if he has any chance of
defeating this monstrous creature.
While it is a good book, it can get a bit dark and
scary, with several characters almost killed. Despite
not being accurate to actual minecraft, the world
is interesting, fun and cool, but also a living nightmare to live in. The good guys are nice, while the bad
guys are nightmare-worthy. The character descriptions were realistic, believable and interesting. I did
not have a favorite character, because they were all
amazing to read about. It is part of the second Gameknight999 adventures series; there’s a trilogy before
this book. The plot was crazy at moments but overall
strong, cool and interesting. Due to the themes, I
would split this into three age groups: BRAVE KIDS:
8+; DON’T SCARE EASY KIDS: 10+; EASY TO
SCARE KIDS: 13+
I fall into the easy-to-scare kid range, so I got a bit
scared and hope the sequel is less dark and has less
violence.
Dear Mom
by Darleen Wohlfeil
Dear Mom, written
by the accomplished
Canadian writer and
musician Peter Wilson, is a gentle lesson
in reflection. Life can
often pick up speed,
and we find ourselves
scrambling to keep
up. All the while, a growing list of I would have, could
have, should have, develops in the back of our minds.
So often the cares at hand can push special moments
26
aside, and heartfelt fires dim to low glowing embers.
Wilson is known for his works, in literature and lyric,
that capture the heart and mood of relationship.
Dear Mom is a moving reflection long overdue, and
illustrations by Carol Matsuyama complement each
thought with great visuals that capture the past,
bringing each memory to new life. Wilson and Matsuyama have given us a perfect little gift to remind
that special someone how much she’s loved. And it
just might shorten up that mental guilt list! I guarantee it’s a winner all the way around.
Daddy’s Little Girl
by Darleen Wohlfeil
Daddy’s Little Girl is yet another laurel to be placed in the crown of victory
for Peter Wilson. Known for his many songs and stories on relationships, he
brings us another tender promise of life’s truest treasure. This is a perfect gift
for any new daddy to be. Tossed about with the sudden reality of the necessary changes and demands a child will bring can be overwhelming. This heartfelt book brings a whisper of peace, a peek into the joys and the reminder of
love’s lasting ability to carry us through. Carol Matsuyama’s artful illustrations
cap it off perfectly, leaving us to close its pages with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
The Hired Girl
by Jennifer Bisignano
Fourteen-year-old Joan
Skraggs, just like the heroines
in her beloved novels, yearns
for real life and true love. But
what hope is there for adventure, beauty or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania
where the work never ends?
Over the summer of 1911,
Joan pours her heart out into
her diary as she seeks a new,
better life for herself—because maybe, just maybe,
a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a
week can become what a farm girl could only dream
of—a woman with a future. Inspired by her own
grandmother’s journal, Newbery Medalist Laura Amy
Schlitz relates Joan’s journey from the muck of the
chicken coop to the comforts of a society household
in Baltimore, taking readers on an exploration of
feminism and housework; religion and literature;
love and loyalty; cats, hats and bunions.
I’ve been told that you can tell an amazing piece of
literature when you invest your heart in the main
character. That is what happened when I read this
novel. From the beginning of the story, I cared for
Joan (forgetting often that this was a work of fiction). The novel is written from her perspective, as
she is recording the moments of her life in a diary.
Joan is an avid learner and loves books but struggles
to find herself by working on a farm. She is disheartened when her father tells her that the path to
knowledge is not for her. She goes on strike and refuses to cook the meals for her family and then later
sets off on her own.
When Joan enters the next chapter of her life, she
is a naïve, 14-year-old girl who considers herself
educated but learns lessons that you cannot find in
the text of a book. She is hired by a Jewish family
and is paired with a stoic girl named Malka who
runs the home. When Joan applies for the position,
she not only changes her name, but also her views
on religion, love and friendship. This novel is set in
the early 1900’s, but the familiarity of challenges a
young girl faces still holds true. This is a book I will
definitely read more than once.
Become a Monster Reviewer!
Story Monsters Ink publishes book reviews written by adults and children. Authors of printed reviews
receive a free Story Monsters T-Shirt for their first published review. Reviewers with five printed reviews
get to choose a free book from the Little Five Star bookstore, www.LittleFiveStar.com.
Youth reviewers will need a parent or guardian’s permission slip submitted along with their reviews.
To obtain a permission slip or formore information, email [email protected].
27
nd
aF
. Ra
dke
Science & Nature
:
by
Photo
Li
Protect the Pollinators!
by Conrad J. Storad
Our planet has problems. The
climate really is changing, despite the protests from “science
deniers” who say that nothing
is wrong. Scientists who study
animals and plants and other
living things have plenty of
evidence. New evidence piles up
by the day.
Frogs and amphibians around
the world are getting sick and
dying. So are many kinds of bats.
And the scariest of all, colonies
of honey bees are falling apart
and dying as well. Some people
might say: So what? Who cares
if there are a few less slimy frogs,
scary bats or bugs and bees and
creepy crawlers?
We should care. Everyone should
care! Consider this quote:
“If the bees disappeared from
the Earth, man would have no
more than four years left to
live. No more bees, no more
pollination … no more men!”
The words are not dialog from
a bad science fiction movie.
The quote is actually attributed
to Albert Einstein, one of
28
humanity’s most acclaimed
scientists. There’s only one
problem. Einstein never said
it. At least no source can be
found, according to science
writer Kirsten S. Traynor in her
new essay, “Stung: In Search of
Honey Bees.”
Traynor says that enterprising
European beekeepers protesting
cheap honey imports probably
invented the catchy slogan in
1994. It added weight to their
claim that beekeepers were being driven out of the business.
Despite the invented quote,
Traynor says the concept is basically true. Beekeepers are disappearing. And so are honey bees
and other creatures we know
as pollinators.
Spicebush Swallowtail on a thistle.
Luna moth.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated June 15-21 of
this year as National Pollinator
Week. The world’s most important pollinators include birds,
bees, beetles, butterflies and
bats. Plenty of small mammals
also play a role in the process.
Zebra Longwing butterfly.
What is pollination? It is one of Nature’s most
important processes. It is a vital stage in the life
cycle of all flowering plants. Bees and other pollinators move pollen from inside one flower and carry
it to another flower of the same type. This leads to
fertilization. The end result can be vegetables and
fruits and grains of all kinds that humans and other
animals use as food.
Scientists say that more than 80 percent of all flowering plants need the help of a pollinator. It is the
single bee or bird or beetle or butterfly that actually moves the heavy pollen grains from one plant
to another. The wind is not strong enough to do
the job in most cases. More than 200,000 kinds of
bees, beetles, butterflies, wasps, ants and moths do
most of the hard work. The majority of pollinators
are insects.
Parasites and diseases are wiping outpollinators. So are pesticides and other human made
chemicals that were designed to kill only “bad”
bugs. This is not good. The work of pollinators
ensures good crop harvests. Pollinators contribute
to healthy plants and forests everywhere. Humans
are supposed to be the smartest creatures on the
planet. Sometimes we need a scary nudge now and
then to get moving in the right direction. Earth
needs its pollinators.
Things kids can do to help pollinators:
Be nice to pollinators. Most birds and bugs are
small and fragile. Be gentle and quiet when they
are near.
Look, but don’t touch! Hummingbirds, butterflies, birds, bees and beetles won’t hurt you. Leave
them alone and they will leave you alone.
Bee approaching a cactus flower.
Photos 1 and 2 by Tim Kristof, Ranger - Lost Dutchman State Park,
Apache Junction, Arizona. Photos 3 and 4 by Conrad J. Storad
(taken at Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona).
Resources to learn
more about pollinators:
WEBSITES:
• Pollinator Partnership
www.pollinator.org
• Ask A Biologist – Arizona State University
askabiologist.asu.edu
• USDA – Forest Service
www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators
BOOKS AND ARTICLES:
• “Stung: In Search of Honey Bees”
by Kirsten S. Traynor
www.inkshares.com/projects/stung-insearch-of-honey-bees
Don’t use poison sprays. Bug your family to stop
using poison sprays in the house or garden. The poison kills bad bugs, but it can kill pollinators, too.
• Arizona Agriculture: Bee’s Amazing
Adventure by Bonnie Apperson Jacobs and
Terri Mainwaring, in cooperation with The
University of Arizona College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences Cooperative Extension
and Maricopa County Farm Bureau
www.ArizonaAgricultureBook.com
“Bee” an expert! Plant some flowers. Read about
pollinators. Teach your friends and family about
these important creatures.
• The Forgotten Pollinators
by Stephen L. Buchmann and
Gary Paul Nabhan
www.islandpress.org/forgotten-pollinators
Get involved! Join the Pollinator Partnership.
Check it out at www.pollinator.org.
29
Spring Reading Guide
Ten Zany Birds
by Sherry Ellis
Ten zany birds have a tree party, until one by one they find other things to do. It’s
a zany countdown—which bird will stick around? Ten Zany Birds is a fun, beautifully
illustrated picture book. As parents and teachers read, children are introduced to
counting and basic subtraction skills. Whenever a bird leaves, the number of striped,
spotted and polka-dotted birds changes, teaching the application of simple classification
rules. Whimsical and entertaining, Sherry Ellis’s tale of ten silly, distractible, little birds is
an excellent choice for both pre-reader storybook time and early readers.
http://tinyurl.com/naje3ts
Posie Pixie and the Pancakes
by Sarah Hill
Posie Pixie and the Pancakes is the last book in this first super set from the wondrous,
award-winning Whimsy Wood series for 5-8 year olds. Posie Pixie has been on so many
exciting adventures already! She’s hunted for a new Autumn home, hosted a fireworks
party and had her plans scuppered by a sudden snowstorm! Book seven is just as jampacked with fun, frivolities, nature and necessary whimsy as the previous delightful six
books from this enchanting series. “If you haven’t read these adorable stories yet, you
don’t know what you’re missing!”
– the Homeschool Mom Blog http://tinyurl.com/mfl6q3h
The Betrayal
by Andrea S. Adams
Lacey Addison thought that she had found the key to her happiness. She had the
perfect boyfriend, the perfect job and the perfect life. That is, until she walked in. Like
a tornado destroying everything in its path, Alicia O’Malley waltzes into Lacey’s life and
almost instantly, her perfect world is shattered. Suddenly, Lacey is pulled into a web of
art thefts, ancient legends and an old brotherhood that flips all she knows on her ear.
Can she put aside her feelings of betrayal long enough to unravel the mysteries and
save her relationship before her world crashes in around her?
http://tinyurl.com/nvtp6wc
Just Because
Chiquita Camille Payne
Just Because is a short picture book written in poetic form by Chiquita Camille Payne,
Illustrated by award-winning illustrator, Jerry Craft and published by Mama’s Boyz, Inc.
Just Because tells the story of a young mother who takes her inquisitive son on a poetic
journey of the importance of family, traditions and how families get together for special
occasions for no reason at all and that the greatest love is family ... just because!
First-place winner, 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards. http://tinyurl.com/nnm2z8u
30
Tickety Boo at the Zoo: The Animal Game
by Lucy Bermingham
Come along and join Tickety Boo, the rare blue cockatoo, on a trip to the zoo! Using fun,
engaging rhyming schemes, she presents clues to help children identify each of the
animals they will encounter on their adventure. Vivid full-color illustrations will reveal
the correct answers to each “Who am I?” This smart and entertaining book will teach
your child fun facts about the diversity of the animal kingdom, and some new vocabulary
along the way. Published by Authorhouse. Available at: authorhouse.com, amazon.com
and barnesandnoble.com ISBN 978-14969-7044-2, http://tinyurl.com/mfl6q3h
A Whirlwind of Discovery
by Darleen Wohlfeil
Baseball season was winding down, and all-stars and championships filled the hearts and
minds of kids and adults alike. Jackson had high hopes of his team leading the victory
when suddenly the air shifted, hope fell and loss darkened his emotions. Overwhelmed,
his thoughts swirled until he and his grandma were caught up into a whirlwind of
discovery, landing them in the most amazing adventure of all. In an unknown land of time
forgotten, incredible creatures and wounded people, Jackson is challenged in depths he
didn’t know he had. Could he make a difference? He’s just a kid! Yet, the future of this
powerful place is in his hands. http://tinyurl.com/kg95qt5
Buttermilk
by Fat Hendrick
Farmer Floyd’s prize cow is suddenly giving him wonderful, delicious, savory ... butter?
Does the mysterious guitar-playing tenant from Tupelo have anything to do with this?
Find out in this new, award-winning book from master storyteller Fat Hendrick! Two
2015 Finalist Indie Book Awards, Second-place winner, 2014 Royal Dragonfly Awards,
2014 Story Monster Approved! Honorable Mention, 2015 Purple Dragonfly Awards,
2015 Feathered Quill Book Awards Best Animal - Children’s/YA and the Feathered Quill
“We Love Animals!” Award. 2015 Feathered Quill Third-place Debut Author award. Like
us on Facebook and post the comment “5 Star Contest” on our page to enter to win a
free 1st edition copy of Buttermilk. www.facebook.com/fathendrick
What if I Were Bigger Than My Bully?
by Cat Blount
“What if you were bigger than BJ?” is the question that initiated the change in Jed’s
circumstances forever. Jed, a young boy, bullied each day at school, goes through a
whirlwind of scenarios and emotions as he mentally orchestrates his revenge on BJ,
his bully. Has Jed been pushed too far? Is he more like his bully than he realizes?
What if I Were Bigger Than My Bully? is a story that speaks to the bullied, the
bystander, all parents, schools and to the bully. An original work from Cat Blount’s
organic stories. Packed with colorful illustrations. www.catblog.catblountstories.com
31
Parents for Sale
by Dr. Nicole Audet
The Clark parent threatens to sell their dog, since twins Luke and Lucy don’t take
care of her as promised. When their parents’ car is out of sight, Luke paints white
letters on a sign: “Parents for Sale.” When the twins sell their parents to fairy orphan,
she transforms into a witch who wishes to eat them in a stew. How will the twins
save their parents? Through this book, Dr. Audet hopes to teach kids about the value
of family, as well as the work of owning a pet. www.nicoleaudet.com
Purchase at www.authorhouse.com.
Three Little Shrimp
by J. Steven Spires
One day, a troop of shrimp swim off to the sea. On their way, three little shrimp,
mesmerized by the wonders they see, decide to swim away from the safety of the
troop to explore their surroundings. Unseen predators lurk in the shadows of the water.
Without the protection of the troop, the three little shrimp may become the next meal
for a hungry predator. Despite their best efforts, the predators are unable to catch the
shrimp, who do not even realize they are being hunted. As the day comes to a close,
the trio rejoins their troop and together they swim to the sea bottom to sleep soundly
on their sea beds. www.jstevenspires.com
Peewee the Ladybug and the Jamaica Freedom Jamboree
by Dr. Annmarie Monica Edwards
What does freedom mean to you? Peewee the Ladybug and eight animals take on the
dangerous and extraordinary task of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Jamaica
Morant Bay Rebellion—one that will threaten their lives and change how they think about
trust, history and community. This tale of courage and celebration will take your whole
family on an exciting journey. http://tinyurl.com/mx2xlfz Join Peewee in celebrating this
special anniversary by writing two paragraphs about what freedom means to you. The
first prize winner will receive an $25 Amazon gift card. The next 10 winners will each
receive a bookmark. For more information, visit www.peeweetheladybug.blogspot.com.
32
Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback
by Michael L. Thal
Koolura has the ability to teleport, levitate, heal and even fly. But at Camp Saddleback,
she wakes up drained and powerless. Who or what has stolen Koolura’s psychic powers?
As Koolura searches for the truth about her power loss, she and the Chumash Girls have
to deal with pranksters ruining their cabin and destroying their summer. The campers plan
revenge, but problems escalate as lives are threatened. Will Koolura and the Chumash Girls
solve the mystery at Camp Saddleback? http://tinyurl.com/mfl6q3h
Sara to the Rescue
by Susana Sánchez
The adventure begins when Sara is waiting for the school bus and a whale shark
arrives and takes her to the bottom of the sea instead! She finds out that the marine
animals are threatened by an unexpected creature … a Garbage Monster! Discover
what Sara has to do to rescue her friend and save the ocean. Fiction-Adventure/
Chapter Book, Ages 5-9. Available at Amazon.com.
Ockleberries to the Rescue
by Mandy Eve-Barnett
Follow the adventures of two magical woodland sprites, Crispin and Tansy, as they go
to the aid of their forest animal friends. Each chapter is a delightful story for bedtime
reading or for independent readers who love the animal kingdom. Which animal is your
favorite? Are they in the story? Will Crispin find the secret cave? Where did the squirrel
twins hide? What did the beaver find in the tree? Are the fairies able to help Crispin cure
Tansy? Find out the answers and learn facts about the animals, too!
www.dreamwritepublishing.ca/products/ockleberries-rescue
To be listed here, contact Cristy Bertini at [email protected] for submission guidelines.
33
Monster Munchies
Perfect Pork Burgers
Fire up the grill! The 4th of July holiday will send barbeques a blazin’
and our friends at the Food Network can always be counted on to add
a delicious twist to a classic favorite.
Ingredients
Directions
5 slices bacon
Pulse the bacon and garlic in a food processor until coarsely ground.
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine the ground pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the sage
in a large bowl. Add the bacon mixture and gently mix with your hands. Gently
form the meat into 4 balls, then lightly press into 4-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick
patties. Make a 2-inch-wide indentation in the center of each with your thumb
to prevent the burgers from bulging when grilled.
1 pound ground pork
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
Freshly ground pepper
4 potato buns, split
Unsalted butter, softened, for spreading
Prepared coleslaw, for topping
Preheat a grill to medium high. Season the patties with pepper. Grill,
undisturbed, until marked on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and grill until the
other side is marked and the patties feel firm, 4 to 6 more minutes. Meanwhile,
spread the cut sides of the buns with butter and toast on the grill.
Serve the patties on the buns; top with coleslaw.
Photograph by Kana Okada, Recipe courtesy of Food Network Magazine
© 2015 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
34
Juicy Jack’s Spanish Corner
¡Hola,
Amigo!
Numbers from 1 to 15:
1. uno (oo-no)
2. dos (dose)
3. tres (trace)
4. cuatro (kwat-ro)
5. cinco (sink-o)
6. seis (saze)
7. siete (see-yet-eh)
8. ocho (och-o)
9. nueve (new-eh-veh)
10. diez (dee-ace)
11. once (ohn-say)
12. doce (dos-say)
13. trece (treh-seh)
14. catorce (ca-TOR-say)
15. quince (KEEN-say)
Practice with Juicy Jack:
¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to
Juicy Jack’s Spanish Corner!
Jack wants to know how old you are. Use this phrase
to tell him. Use the numbers at the right to help you
fill in your age:
Tengo (your age) años.
Now that you know how to tell someone how old you
are, here is how you ask someone their age:
¿Cuántos años tienes?
Use this short conversation as a guide to practice
with your friends:
Jack: Hola, amigo. ¿Cuántos años tienes?
You: Tengo ______años. ¿Cuántos años tienes?
Jack: Tengo nueve años. Adiós, amigo!
You: Adiós, Jack!
Translations:
Buenos días = Good morning
Adiós = Goodbye
Amigo = Friend
Leigh Carrasco is an educator
and author of the wildly popular
Juicy Jack Adventures series about
a spunky guinea pig who travels to
Peru with his human.
www.juicyjackadventures.com.
35
Featured Business
“Once upon a time…” These four words have captivated conceptual photographer
and digital artist Söndra Nell Rymer since she was a little girl. She has worked in book
and curriculum publishing for 20 years and continues her love of the arts, providing
cover and inside art for children’s picture and YA books. Her passion is creating
whimsical, enchanted imagery that communicates the story and evokes a fantasy world.
While she uses vivid color for most of her art, she occasionally
explores darker or gothic fantasy stories, which she portrays in
a more mature visualization. Söndra is available for cover and
inside book art as well as digital retouching art services.
Contact Söndra at [email protected]
or visit www.fairytalesimagery.com.
36
37
Curriculum Page
Let’s Review!
Reading Comprehension:
1. In “Carroll Spinney Brings Decades of Sunny Days to Sesame Street,” Oscar the Grouch is described as “curmudgeonly.” Look up this definition in a dictionary. Explain why this adjective fits Oscar’s character.
2. Michaela DePrince sponsors a child through ChildFund International (www.childfund.org). Consider sponsoring
a child as a classroom. Every month, each student contributes a small amount ($1 or less), and learns how a little
giving can make a huge difference in the life of a child. Continue sponsoring the child each year with a new class of
students, sharing the child’s history with them.
3. Discuss what it means to be “mixed,” as described in “Sebastian A. Jones Instills Positive Messages in Young
Minds.” Have students discuss what makes their families special.
4. Ask students if they have ever been afraid to visit the doctor’s office. Read My Doctor and Me ABC to the class.
Have students identify ways in which this story helps calm those fears.
5. “Bee-come” a classroom of pollinator promoters! Plant flowers in planters and place outside of the school. Have
students take care of the flowers, and note when pollinators visit.
True/False:
1. My Doctor and Me ABC is a book about visiting the doctor’s office and offers kids tips for healthy living.
(True or False)
2. Television can be a teaching tool. (True or False)
3. African-American women are too athletic for ballet. (True or False)
38
4. Monster Reviewer Joshua Bloomfield thought the book Trouble in Zombie-Town: The Mystery of Herobrine,
An Unofficial Minecrafter’s Adventure was a little scary at times. (True or False)
5. In Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t), Missy is a sweet and agreeable girl. (True or False)
6. Pollination is one of nature’s most important processes. (True or False)
7. The I Am series is a celebration of self. (True or False)
8. Kids who see their parents reading are less likely to read themselves. (True or False)
Fill in the Blanks:
1. Carroll Spinney puppeteers ___________ and ___________ on Sesame Street.
2. Due to be released in August, Sebastian A. Jones’ next book is titled I Am ___________, a story about how to be
a good friend and how to be brave.
3. “I like ___________ characters,” admits Barbara Bottner.
4. Michaela DePrince is a ___________.
5. In her poem “Colors,” Jessica King says that color can make you ___________.
6. This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared June 15-21 National ___________ Week.
7. Children who are solid readers perform better in school and become lifelong ___________.
8. The world’s most important pollinators include ___________ and ___________.
1. Big Bird/Oscar the Grouch; 2. Awesome; 3. ornery; 4. ballerina; 5. happy; 6. Pollination; 7. learners;
8. two of the following: birds, bees, beetles, butterflies or bats
Fill in the Blanks:
1. True; 2. True; 3. False; 4. True; 5. False; 6. True; 7. True; 8. False
True/False:
Answers
39

Caroll Spinney

Transcription

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