I am delighted to find that my two little books from the Library For All collection are featured in Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord Children’s Reading Room.
Library For All is an Australian not for profit organisation with a mission to “make knowledge accessible to all, equally” through a digital library of books that is available free to anyone anywhere in the world.
Sally is a wonderful supporter of readers and writers everywhere and I am very appreciative of the support she offers me and am grateful to her for sharing news of these books and of Library for All.
Please pop over to Sally’s to read her post. While you are there, if you haven’t already, take some time to explore the richness of what Sally has to offer on her site.
Category: Education
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Smorgasbord Children’s Reading Room – New books on the shelves – Let’s Move and Wombat Digs In by Norah Colvin
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Honouring Eric Carle, Children’s Author and Illustrator – #readilearn
This is a special month for me. It is my birthday month. It is also the birthday month of one of children’s literature’s favourite authors and illustrators, Eric Carle. I had already planned to write a post about Eric Carle’s books during this month of his birth. It seems even more important now since he passed away in May, just a month before his 92nd birthday on 25 June — such a loss to the kidlit community, but what a legacy he has left.
Eric Carle was a prolific author and illustrator of children’s picture books. He wrote and illustrated more than 70 books. I’m sure everyone knows at least one, and probably several, of Carle’s books. There are possibly several of his books on the shelves of every early childhood and lower primary classroom. Everyone will have their favourites, but I think possibly the best known and the one that comes to mind first for many people is The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
In this post, I list ten of my favourite Eric Carle books and suggest at least one teaching idea for each.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Continue reading: Honouring Eric Carle, Children’s Author and Illustrator – Readilearn
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Saddle Up Saloon; Chattin’ With Norah Colvin
I had a great chat with my fellow Ranch-hand, writer and educator, D. Avery over at the Saddle Up Saloon at the Carrot Ranch. We discussed my favourite topics – children, education and writing. Not your usual saloon fare, eh? A bit dry for Kid and Pal too.
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Writer in Residence
This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a new way to office. Has the office changed? Can we return to normal after big changes or time away? Go where the prompt leads!
As a teacher who also loved to write, I used to love inspiring and nurturing a love of writing in my children. The desire equalled my love of reading and of picture books. We wrote together every day (they wrote, and I wrote at the same time). We often wrote collaboratively, authoring stories, songs, and poems together before they wrote their own. They wrote independently and of their own volition, especially in free time. I, and they, would often say, “That would make a good story.” I loved reading and responding to the messages they wrote to me in a daily diary that gave me a window into their lives and the things that were important to them.
To encourage their writing, there was always a great variety of paper, pens and other essential equipment available to them. While I didn’t ever have a desk such as I describe in my flash fiction (it is fiction, you see), I can just imagine how they would have loved it and how they would have imagined themselves at it while writing in the office (writing corner). I hope you can imagine it too.
Writer in Residence
The large old oak writer’s desk with multiple drawers, pigeon holes, an ink well and leather writing mat faced the room.
Upon it, a multitude of cups stocked with pencils, pens and other writing and drawing tools sat ready. The pigeon holes held a magnificence of paper and cardboard, and the drawers essentials like scissors, glue, rulers, lettering guides, clips and stapler. It was a writer’s paradise — perfect for the daily Writer in Residence.
The children loved it. Especially when they were Writer for the day with freedom to organise, reorganise and create to their heart’s content — growing writers.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
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#Bookreview: Two delightful children’s books by Norah Colvin
I was absolutely surprised and delighted to find a review of my two picture books that have been published by Library For All on Robbie’s Cheadle’s blog Robbie’s Inspiration. Thank you, Robbie. Please pop over to Robbie’s blog to read her reviews.
But before you go, I’d like to tell you a little about Library For All.
Library For All is an Australian not for profit organisation with a mission to “make knowledge accessible to all, equally” through a digital library of books that is available free to anyone anywhere in the world.
The focus is on providing high quality, engaging, age appropriate and culturally relevant books to children in developing countries and remote areas. The stories are often donated by authors, as were my two, or written in collaboration with local people in the communities they support.
You can find out more on their website Library For All or in a post I wrote about them a few years ago when these books were first published Library For All — A Force for Equality through Literacy.
Now, over to Robbie’s.I bought these two delightful books for very young children for my two year old nice. The illustrations are colourful and bright and the stories are adorable.
My review of Wombat Digs In by Norah Colvin
This is an adorable book for small children about a wombat who is struggling to keep up with some of the other animals including the kangaroos who can bounce, the possums who can climb, and the fruit bats who can fly. Wombat is feeling a little dejected, but when Baby Koala falls out of the tree, Wombat’s own special skill of digging comes to the forefront. This little book is illustrated with simple and bright pictures that small children will love.
My review of Let’s Move by Norah Colvin
This is a delightful little book for teaching very young children about animals and movement. The illustrations are adorable and I particularly liked the snails…
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Picture Books about the Environment — a selection – #readilearn
Sharing picture books with young children is one of my favourite things. Picture books can fill children’s minds with wonder, curiosity and imagination, and their hearts with love. Picture books lead them gently into the world beyond their own front doors. They allow children to explore the previously unexplored in the comfort and safety of their own familiar surroundings, at home or at school.
In this post, I share some books that will help children develop an interest in and concern for the environment through reading and discussion.
Ethicool Books
A good place to start is with publisher Ethicool Books. I recently interviewed Stuart French, the founder, who explained their goal of engaging children in discussions about issues such as climate change, ocean pollution, poverty and gender equality through stories told in their beautiful picture books. While you can find a full list of their books on their website, these are some of my favourites:
Remembering Mother Nature by Stuart French introduces children to the concept of Mother Nature and encourages them to take an active interest in the environment and help to save the planet.
My Rainforest Classroom by Stuart French introduces children to the beauty of the world’s environments and its inhabitants. It shows how easily the environment can be damaged and urges them to take action to protect it.
Continue reading: Picture Books about the Environment — a selection – Readilearn
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Unleashed #Flashfiction
This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story being leashed. Is it literal or metaphorical? Who or what is leashed. How does it set the tone? Go where the prompt leads!
I know the term leashed, and consequently unleased, refers specifically to dogs, and that is how Charli used it. However, I am not particularly familiar with dogs, either leashed or unleashed, so decided for the metaphorical interpretation of being held captive and, conversely, set free.
I usually try to conjure a story about children or education, or possibly an idea that I may be able to work into a publishable picture book manuscript one day. However, I didn’t realise I’d done that this time. Until I had.
I was thinking of slinky toys and the practical joke that uses a (fake) snake springing out of a can. I combined the two ideas, thinking how awesome it would be to release (unleash) a whole lot of slinky toys at the top of some stairs at the same time. When I finished writing, I realised that I’d repeated my thoughts about schooling and education once again. I even wondered if it had a theme similar to The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen. Let me know what you think.
Unleashed
It began harmlessly with a mini-slinky party favour in a birthday bag. The sparkles mesmerised Jamie as it tumbled end over end down the driveway or stairs. Soon it became an obsession. Swapping favours at birthday parties, pleading for them in supermarkets, Jamie hoarded them in a can carried everywhere. The obsession progressed from sparkles to numbers as the can filled. Eventually, no more slinkies would fit. As Jamie pressed and squeezed, the recalcitrant can tipped. Slinkies erupted, springing to life. As they danced away, sparkling in the sunlight, Jamie was captivated. Even slinkies need freedom to be themselves.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
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Meet author Karen Tyrrell and the fifth exciting Song Bird Superhero adventure: Drought Rescue – #readilearn
Today it is my pleasure to reintroduce you to Karen Tyrrell with the fifth of her books in the Song Bird Superhero series. Each of the books in the series encourages children to believe in themselves and their ability to make a positive difference.
In each adventure, Song Bird tackles a problem facing a different environment and empowers children with knowledge they can use to protect our precious world.
With World Environment Day occurring tomorrow on 5 June, Karen couldn’t have picked a better time to launch her book.
About Karen Tyrrell
Karen Tyrrell is an award-winning author and former teacher who coordinated science at her school. Karen and hubby, Steve won an Arts Queensland stART grant to travel to Winton and Longreach to research Song Bird: Drought Rescue.
As a girl, Karen dreamed of flying. Now she soars via alter ego Song Bird, superhero. Karen’s eleven books connect children with their inner superheroes. Her characters empower kids to live strong, develop team-building skills and grow resilience to deal with bullying.
Karen lives in Brisbane, Quensland, where she presents FUN storytelling sessions and creative writing workshops at schools, libraries and festivals.
Kids Helpline supports Karen’s books, STOP the Bully and Bailey Beats the Blah. The Queensland Department of Environment and Science supports Song Bird: Rainforest Rescue and Song Bird: Great Barrier Reef Rescue.
About Song Bird: Drought Rescue
Continue reading: Meet author Karen Tyrrell and the fifth exciting Song Bird Superhero adventure: Drought Rescue – readilearn
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Promoting Care of Our Environment in June – #readilearn
Every day is a good day for caring for our environment and for ensuring that the next generation accept their role in doing so with enthusiasm. However, in June, some days provide an opportunity for participating in an international movement focusing on the environment:
5 June World Environment Day
8 June World Oceans Day
22 June World Rainforest Day
Although Queensland Day on 6 June is not specifically about the environment, I’ve included it as it’s a celebration of my home state.
5 June World Environment Day
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day is “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore” focusing on ecosystem restoration.
You can find out more about how to be involved on the website and download a free Ecosystem Restoration Playbook here.
There are numerous readilearn resources about minibeasts and other animals such as turtles and alpacas to support learning about the environment and biodiversity. These can all be found in the science biology resources.
The teaching ideas for the International Year of Plant Health also support learning about the environment.
8 June World Oceans Day
World Oceans Day is a day for celebrating, protecting and conserving the world’s oceans. ‘The purpose of the Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.’
The theme for 2021 is ‘One Ocean, One Climate, One Future — Together”.
Here at readilearn we have many turtle-themed resources which are suitable for celebrating World Oceans Day, including:
Continue reading: Promoting Care of Our Environment in June – Readilearn
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Let’s Meet Alison McLennan and her Hotel for Bees – #readilearn
Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Australian author Alison McLennan and her beautiful picture book Hotel for Bees.
About Alison McLennan
Alison McLennan has written three picture books, Hotel for Bees (State Library of Qld 2020), Growing Pains (EK Books 2021) and Great and Small (Storytorch Press, coming October 2022). Her graphic novel, A Flood in the Village, was published by Library For All as part of their natural disaster education series. Her short stories have appeared in the School Magazine and the Spooktakular Stories Anthology. She is a proud member of SCBWI and Qld Writelinks, a mother of two teenagers and a fur baby. She is also a singer and voiceover artist.
About Hotel for Bees
Continue reading: Let’s Meet Alison McLennan and her Hotel for Bees – readilearn
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Norah Colvin 