One Winter’s Day written by M. Christina Butler, illustrated by Tina MacNaughton,

Good Books, October 2006, Fiction

Suitable for: 4-8 years.

Themes/topics: Selflessness: the hedgehog was in need but thought of helping others first. Courage, harsh seasons.

Opening and brief synopsis:

Little hedgehog was making his bed for the winter when a sudden gust of wind blew him off his feet. It took hold of his cozy nest and tossed it high in the air.

Synopsis:

When a fierce windstorm blows away Little Hedgehog’s nest, he puts on his winter clothes and sets off for Badger’s warm house. On his way, Hedgehog meets his friends, all shivering in the wind and snow. One by one, Hedgehog gives away his cozy mittens, hat, and scarf.

But will Little Hedgehog make it through the storm to safety without his warm clothes?

A delightful story about sharing with others, with soft flocking wherever Little Hedgehog’s mittens, hat and scarf appear.

Links to resources: Activity pages Printables about winter and caring Arty winter crafts

It’s just about still snowy here. This is probably the last snow book I’ll get away with this year. I found this adorable book at play group and to do just one more snow book. It is so similar in the cuteness and kindness factor to the others and even in title, One Snowy Night for example, and yet the stories have their own unique quality. A unique quality is probably the hardest thing to bring to a picture book.

Have a lovely weekend!

Amazingly I was the only one who knew, fancy that! My dad and my sister are seriously into classical music, so no doubt I heard it one Sunday morning before church. And now I’m getting all nostalgic about mum’s Sunday Yorkshire Puddings again.

Me and Dad watching rugby (Oh how I miss rugby!) or motor racing. So if like me you are wanting a bit of classical nostalgia, watch this masterpiece

Hello Sheri, so nice to have you here today!

So on with the questions. You write across three different genres, Sheri, how do you juggle it all?

Great question! I find it easy to separate my young adult and middle grade ideas from any picture book ones. I tend to work on my PBs, after I return home from reading with my son’s 2nd grade class or when he’s said something to me that is just so ‘out of the mouth of babes.’ I also flip through my older children’s photos of when they younger.

For my YA and MG projects, I try and find an important issue to focus on to thread through the story. With MG, I tend to be more silly, use lots of humor, and let myself regress back to junior high. I was the epitome of the tall, lanky girl with thick glasses and braces. It was awful. With YA, I do most of the same but definitely enjoy adding a romantic slant and write with more edge.

Great answer!

With all three, I ALWAYS note my ideas and developments in separate notebooks. I really should take stock in the notebook industry.

What is your favorite genre you write in?

Hmm… I have to say I enjoy writing anything that challenges the norm or ordinary. For me, that usually includes anything supernatural, paranormal, different, or simply wacky. By nature, I’m an out-of-the-box thinker. I rarely follow a trend. Some might say a writer should follow the current trend, but for me it’s about being unique and bringing something new to the table.

Do you have time time for hobbies? Secret snowboarder? Crochet queen? (I know you dance!)

I’ve been a dancer for over 25 years. I began when I was three years old and danced sporadically during my twenties and early thirties due to giving birth four times. I’m currently still dancing with a group of woman ranging in age from 25 to 61. They are awesome and a cornucopia of ideas for all my stories! I also am a mural painter and a crafter. Guess you could say I like the creative.

That is making me want to whip out my neglected scrapbooking, lucky coincidence I have a scrapbooking date tomorrow. Fabulous about the dancing Sheri!

What time of day do you get the most writing done?

Since all four of my children are in school, I usually get the bulk of my writing goals accomplished between 8 AM and 1 PM. I used to write at night, but after awhile that got too exhausting. Plus, I like to spend some of the night with my kids doing homework, reading, or simply chatting. Once again, I live in a home with an 18, 15, 13, & 8 year old. That’s lots of KidLit writing material.

Who is your favorite author?

Ooh, without a doubt, Jane Austen. She not only was an amazing storyteller and character developer, but she did it all during a time when working wasn’t in a woman’s description.

Where is the most exciting place you’ve ever visited?

Wow! You’re making me think. Okay, this might not be exciting to most, but I’m going to say the original thirteen colonies. I’m a history buff. When I was in eighth grade, I took a class trip called the Heritage Tour. We visited places like Gettysburg, museums, and the Statue of Liberty. I loved viewing all the fine art and learning about our country’s history.

As far as any of my works, I do lots of community freelance writing and one of my short stories was published this past November by Pill Hill Press, Feel free to check it out! Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Flash-2012-Days-Fiction/dp/1617061611/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322921779&sr=8-1

Thanks so much for the link, we will check it out. Congrats on your publications Sheri!

Thanks so much for having me, Catherine! This has been so much fun.

Thank you Sheri, it is so nice to get to know you better. Best wishes and hope to see you here again.

You can find Sheri at her blog Writer’s Ally and her group blog Oasis for YA and also on Twitter and Facebook.

Sheri will be back one day with a video clip of her dancing. *surpriseSheri* We all want to see it don’t we?

Samuel’s Kisses written by aussie #pblitchat buddy Karen Collum and illustrated by Serena Geddes,

New Frontier Publishing, December 2010, Fiction.

Suitable for: Pre-schoolers.

Themes/Topics:  Kindness, compassion, cheering people up, being positive.

Opening and brief synopsis:
Samuel was excited. It was shopping day. He loved going shopping with Mummy.

Synopsis: Samuel goes shopping with his Mummy and looks around to see some very sad, grumpy people. As he notices each one, he blows them a kiss, and when the kiss lands it has a magical power that cheers everyone up.

Links to resources: Activity timesheet, learning time.

This is the cutest book ever with the kindest message and beautiful illustrations and it is so wonderful that we all know and love the author already. The lovely Karen Collum x

If you catch a kiss today, be sure to pass it on

via google images

Just a little notice board notice Ishta Mercurio is about to start a regular post where picture book writers can put their query letters on her blog and have her critique it and I guess the blog readers too. What a neat idea! So hop on over and get your pitches perfect.

And I almost forgot to say, hubby comes back from his travels today He’s been in Holland for two weeks. I remembered to feed the dog and the kids every day and just about survived without his play book lol. I seriously wish I hadn’t said I’d do without when there was a deal on them. Aren’t they so handy? Could you live without your netbooks/ipads etc.?

‘His fingers closed around hers with the softness of a caress. And when his thumb brushed against the pulse in her wrist, her heart tumbled into a dizzying spin.’

Those who entered can put their links in the comments (or I’ll just click back on your names). Maybe Jody will pick a winner who will receive either a signed copy of The Doctor’s Lady or a $15 gift card. The choice is yours.

You can visit Jody’s awesome blog here and read reviews of The Doctor’s Lady here.

And here’s a lovely book of children’s poems written by famous poets, called Valentine Hearts, holiday poetry selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins.

And check out these super Valentine’s posts:

Come and read the entries for Susanna’s fun Valentine’s contest

Colin Falconer has a wonderful valentine’s post about the origins of Valentine’s Day. Check it out here.

This one has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day but you have to see it it’s too funny! Ellie Soderstrom

Susie gives us a cute story from her early Valentine days here and a funny one from Jenny Hansen too.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 Introducing Milo the Belgian cat

Milo had travelled from Belgium. He purred and preened and scowled visiting with aunties who dined on scones and raspberry jam. Terribly bored, Milo sneaked away to the hedgerows of the Engish countryside. She didn’t know it was Valentine’s Day. And she didn’t know Hippos munched on daisies and chewed on grass.

“Hello cat! What are you doing here?”

Milo almost choked on a fur ball, “My name is Milo, I am from Belgium.”

“And my name is Hilda. Nice to meet you Milo.”

“Don’t hippos have to be in water?” asked Milo.

“Yes, I suppose they do. Let’s go and find some!”

So Hilda and Milo ambled up to a nearby stream. Milo climbed on Hilda’s back as she attempted to bathe.

“How refreshing!” said Hilda.

“Yes, quite,” said Milo.

“Happy Valentine’s Day Milo!”

“Happy Valentine’s Day Hilda!”

via Google Images

I had hippos on the brain after reading the middle grade book, Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs. It is SO funny. You can read a review on it on Vicki’s blog. Happy Valentine’s! (Psst! It’s my Valentine’s surprise contest on Tuesday too

Today it is my great pleasure to share Pete the Cat  written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean with you. On day one of it being in the house I can’t count how many times I had to dance to this with my kids.

The publisher is Harper Collins Children’s Books, 1999, Fiction

Suitable for: Ages 3-7

Themes/Topics: This is a great tool for teaching about brushing off problems and getting on with it, a great lesson in life for kids. On a very basic level it teaches colours, linking them to fruit, changing attributes, identity of objects, sequencing and predicting.

Opening and brief synopsis:

Pete the Cat was walking down the street in his brand-new white shoes. Pete loved his white shoes so much, he sang this song:

Synopsis: Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand new white shoes. Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to brown to WET as he steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries and other big messes! But no matter what color his shoes are are, Pete keeps movin’ and groovin’ and singing his song…because it’s all good.

links to resources: Pin the shoes on Pete (printable) Activities galore

Here are the author and illustrator demonstrating Pete the Cat:

Please check out all the Perfect Picture Book Friday posts over on the lovely Susanna’s blog. Have a great weekend and keep walking along and singing your song… coz it’s all good.

Many things can cause that irritating phenomenon we call writer’s block — when you just can’t seem to make any forward progress on your writing. I’ll list just a few here.

1. You’re ready to start a new project and haven’t figured out what you want to do.

2. You’re not clear how to progress from one scene to the next or how you want the current scene, chapter, subplot, overall plot, etc. to work out.

3. Lack of confidence in your own ability.

4. External influences (relationship problems, etc.).

One of the best things you can do when you hit a block, in my experience, is just sit down somewhere and start writing. It doesn’t matter what you write, just do it. Let your subconscious have the wheel and run with it. But that solution doesn’t always work. Sometimes you need something more. Sometimes your subconscious unwilling to step in while your conscious mind is blathering on about it’s many woes. That is where the manure comes in.
Please head on over for the manure part here.

Thanks Nikki! And just to prove we’re not all cuddly teddy bears and hopping bunnies round here, here’s something a bit on the dark side lol:

p.s. If you’re stuck for a Valentine’s post, please email me at catherine_mrsj@hotmail.com to join in the secret blogfest. Think flowers and scenic views Have a great day ha, ha, ha.

FOXIE WITH MOXIE – BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT THE OTHER GUYS

Today, I am thrilled and honored to be hosting the wonderful Piper Bayard and Kristen Lamb on this leg of their presidential campaign trail!

If it wasn’t for homophobia and mud slinging there would be no political debate thus far in the electoral process; Piper and Kristen have been the only light in the darkness. I hope this interview helps you decide where your vote goes in November!
http://colin-falconer.blogspot.com/2012/01/foxie-with-moxie-because-theyre-not.html

And I’d just like to thank Diane (ThePatientDreamer) for the Liebster Blogger award and Debbie for the KreativBlogger award. Check out their blogs they so deserved those awards. I am going to keep an eye out for interesting awards because there are so many awesome blogs to share.

And I am going to pass these awards on to:

Julie Hedlund
Stacy Jensen
August McLaughlin
Vivian Kirkfield
Erik
Susanna Leonard Hill

Don’t forget to check out that campaign post, it sure is funny. And if you like it let me know and I’ll see if I can have the honour of a campaign trail on this blog. How fun! Have a lovely week everyone.

This is the Mud written by Kat Apel and illustrated by Warren Crossett.
Hachette Australia, 2009, fiction.

Suitable for: Primary school aged children.

Themes/Topics: Consequences, life in the country, problem solving skills, farm-life.

Opening and brief synopsis:
This is the cow who was chewing her cud.

Summary (Hachette Children’s Australia website)

There is muck and mayhem when a cow gets stuck in the mud by the dam, but who will rescue the rescuers? A rollicking, rhyming, cumulative story based on This is the house that Jack built .

This is the cow who was chewing her cud, as she went for a drink and got stuck in the mud A girl passing on her horse gets her dad passing in his ute to help unstick the cow. The ute gets bogged, the neighbour’s tractor and plough get bogged who will rescue them all now? Great rhythm and rhyme in a funny story of mayhem caused by the placidly chewing cow.

Links to resources: Lesson plans about mud On the farm activities Farm animal activities Australian teaching resources about farms Each one of these sites has oodles of activities!

So I think you all need to put this on your Easter wish list. It is beaut!