Creative Dismantling: Genres, Themes & Pain Points

I recently finished creating a teacher guide for Melanie Conklin’s amazing new middle grade novel, A PERFECT MISTAKE. Melanie is a master of crafting relatable, yet highly complex characters, multi-layered plots that are rich with theme and premise – a Pinterest marketer’s dream!
 
There is so much more to Pinterest than surface-level, eye-catching graphics. With books and content like A PERFECT MISTAKE, we can go considerably deeper than that.  To do so we need to dismantle the constructs of her intricate plot and her reader’s interests into itty-bitty pieces called keywords. We will then use these keywords on the graphics, board titles and descriptions, and in the pin titles and descriptions. Here’s a sample of keywords one might use to communicate what this book is about:

• Mystery novel for middle grade readers

• A compelling middle grade mystery novel about ADHD

• Time Blindness & ADHD

• Overcoming conflicts with friends & family

• A moving mystery 5th - 8th graders will love!

• A middle grade novel about honesty & truthfulness

• A gripping middle grade mystery about friendship & responsibility

• CCSS-aligned educator resources available

• Free educational resource for teachers & librarians 

The goal is to anticipate her readers’ “pain points” — problems that reading her book might solve — and then offer the solution. By reviewing the list of intriguing keywords, you can easily see how A PERFECT MISTAKE could be the ideal middle grade novel caring teachers or librarians are searching for. 
 
Isn’t this process fun? I just love it!

The Mother Of All Questions → "So What?”

Last week, my Pinterest guru hosted a Pin Clinic during which we examined the pinning strategies of some of the most effective Pinterest marketers on the platform. Not only did we scour through pin selections, we also combed through their linked landing pages to discover how they are making it happen. We clicked through platforms produced by high-end food bloggers, cosmetic companies, woo-commerce sites (Did you even know there was such a thing?), interior designers, and yoga masters with an eagle eye to how they addressed the “So What?” Factor.

The “So What?” Factor typifies the what’s-in-it-for-me mindset of the Pinterest user. They come to the platform with their questions, problems, and desires at the forefront of their mind. Then, when intrigued by a well-crafted pin, they click through to discover how the blog post, giveaway invitation, school visit programming, book offers, and/or supplemental educational content might meet their needs. If it resonates, it meets the “So What?” Factor. If not, we have some work to do.

The “So What?” Factor is all about the quality content we offer. Any copy, image, video, or offer we create needs to be created with the intention of establishing a connection with our audience in mind. It’s easy to do, once you get the hang of it. When crafting a post, make sure you address the benefits they will gain by reading it. When promoting a presentation, list the highlights of the event. And, when creating opt-ins, make sure these freebies are something that will make their lives a little bit easier. The “So What” Factor is what makes marketing on Pinterest a slow burn. But, man-oh-man, is it ever worth the effort.

A Case Study Of A Reluctant Marketer: Establishing A Platform For A Platform

Bibbity, bobbity, boo to YOU!

I have a friend whose publishing dream has come true! Like me (and maybe, you), she’s soldiered through the submission, rejection, submission, rejection process like a champ in efforts to achieve her goal. Now it the time to deeply consider establishing marketing strategies that are authentic, helpful, manageable, and fun. 

Candy has an active personal, professional, and writing life, leaving little time to master the nuances of Canva or Google Analytics. Yet, she understands that she’ll need to do some work to assure that her picture book biography will gain the visibility it will need to survive. In efforts to get her pre-pub marketing campaign, my wise friend has built a bare-bones, professional marketing account on Pinterest for free! I have plans to chronicle the steps of her process in a series of blog posts for your reference. For now, let’s hit the highlights in three broad steps.

1. Talk to the bots: Optimized board descriptions using language that Pinterest and Google algorithms understand. This language is called SEO. Each one of Candy’s boards include a descriptive paragraph explaining what type of pins will live in that board. Eventually, her audience will delight in these well-crafted paragraphs. For now, she’s telling the Pinterest and Google algorithms about her debut. And...if they know what is good for them, they’d better sit up and recognize. 

2. Clarify your message: Candy has a rich life surrounded by friends and family. She’s generous to a fault. While these are all noble attributes, Candy has resisted showcasing her favorite recipes and decor ideas on her business account. Her boards reflect her writing life. For example, her passion for history is communicated in her Civil War board. There she can boost visibility for her middle grade novel by surrounding it with like-content pins. Bots love this.

3. Less is more: Observe that Candy has just nine boards on her platform. She’s off to a grand start. Note that each board is relevant to her Kidlit and nonfiction messaging and are optimized to a tee. She can keep those Pinterest algorithms happy for years by consistently searching for and adding relevant content to her platform. For instance, she might like to add this pin to her Strong Girls board.  That would work, right? 

   That’s enough for now, I'd say. As I mentioned earlier, I’ll blog about this process. It’s not really as heady as it sounds. Not to worry.

   I’m also available for one-off webinars and weekend workshops, if you’d like to schedule an event. I love teaching and I love Pinterest. As far as I’m concerned, the two go hand-in-hand!

Pinterest Marketing Dragonslayer

I’ve been serious about wrapping my head around the digital marketing space for close to four years now. The spark for this quest was the confusion/frustration/shame I often experienced while attending conference sessions about digital marketing. I had a book coming out, for gosh sakes! I needed to know this stuff! Yet, those derned presenters (Most of which were millennial cutie-patooties.) kept telling me WHAT I needed to, but never HOW to do it. Obviously, there was a cavern as wide as the Grand Canyon between this Baby Boomer’s skillset and the blather coming out of those tech wizard’s mouths. For me to bridge that gap, I’d have to swallow my pride and figure it out, keystroke by keystroke. I’m still working at it.

As you well know, I’m forever intrigued by the benefits of Pinterest marketing for our Kidlit community. It’s a creature unlike other forms of social media. That’s for certain. (I describe some of the differences here on a video I made for you.) Yet, some the required elements to build a presence on Pinterest platform are similar and can be repurposed on other platforms. Some examples of such elements are branded graphics, opt-ins (freebies that live on your website), and the all-knowing website landing page.

My newest quest is to conquer the Pinterest Promoted Pin, a feat that would cause Heracles to shiver. I’m not going to slay this dragon alone, though. No way. I have my band of gurus as wise as Yoda, my oh-so-brave side-kick, Taylor (She’s available to help you, too.), and a handful of faithful clients joining me. Many are preparing for survival by sharpening their digital marketing tools. Some have made plans to simultaneously market their campaigns on Instagram & Facebook by posting well-timed, resized graphics. A few have created educationally-sound opt-ins as free downloads. We’re all looking at our landing pages to be sure that our messages are clear and easily understood by those who stop by our websites.

We might be in for a perilous journey. I’ll keep you posted as to our progress.

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Debbie Gonzales is an author, educator, and a Pinterest Marketing specialist. She’s the host of Guided by Deb, a website consisting of over 300 standards-aligned educator guides for all genres. If you’re interested in learning more about Pinterest marketing, reach out to Deb. She loves talking about all things Pinterest!

Going Evergreen

Yesterday, while scrolling through my Pinterest home feed, one of my old Guides by Deb pins surfaced in the mix. This heart-laced beauty merits a bit of examination. I could geek out by analyzing this treasure in bazillion ways. For now, lucky for you, I’ll stick to just two points.

Anne Bustard’s BUDDY HOLLY pin was part of a campaign we ran in late 2020 in anticipation of hitting the Valentine’s Day 2021 trend. We prepare for campaigns such as on a monthly basis around anticipated trends, themes, or deliberate efforts to build platforms based on a client’s expertise. In this case, we nailed last year's Guides by Deb Valentine’s Day campaign, and it looks like we’re going to do it again in 2022 without any effort at all! Yippee!

Evergreen marketing transcends glitz and fads, which is why I believe so strongly in the power of Pinterest. Rather than surfacing as a digital blip on other forms of social media, this stuff lasts. The secret to posting pins that thrive like a Ponderosa Pine is to link to quality content that is inspirational, authentic, educational, and beneficial for your intended audience. In this case, our charming specimen is linked to a juicy book list and freebies that will make any elementary educator swoon.

I’d like to give a shout out to two other Pinterest marketers that are featured on the screen shot. The Mandela pin on the lower left was posted by the lovely Lindsey McDivitt. I’m not sure when she posted that pin, but I’ve seen it before in other searches. It's doing well. The Idea Pin beneath BUDDY is highlighting a freebie promoting Jeanne Walker Harvey’s MY HANDS SING THE BLUES, which was first posted on August 25, 2021. My guess is that the Pinterest algorithms have linked these gorgeous pins and their time-tested content to the current Black History Month trend (See graph below). You’re going green, ladies. Good for you.

Kermit’s words, “It ain’t easy being green,” pretty much sums up the process of marketing on Pinterest. It requires intriguing content, strategy, planning, patience, and a little bit of luck to find success on this platform. And believe you me…it’s worth the effort.

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Debbie Gonzales is an author, educator, and a Pinterest Marketing specialist. She’s the host of Guided by Deb, a website consisting of over 300 standards-aligned educator guides for all genres. If you’re interested in learning more about Pinterest marketing, reach out to Deb. She loves talking about all things Pinterest!

The Reluctant Marketer Rides Again.

Most of us feel reluctance when it comes to calling attention to ourselves, which is what we intuit that marketing is all about. We angst about the time required to establish a platform. We’re baffled regarding the tech skills required. We’re lost when it comes to navigating our way through this confusing digital marketplace. Because of our distress, most of us avoid the topic altogether. Then, when our big moment arrives - we panic! We’re not ready! Help!

It doesn't have to be this way. I promise.

Many of you have heard my Writer’s League of Texas story. I attended their behemoth conference as a novice in early 2008. I was overwhelmed by the masses. How in the world could I become noticed in this multitude of authors, all of whom seemed much more accomplished than I perceived I’d ever become? My dream to become a published author seemed formidable. What the heck was I thinking? Then hope arrived.

I attended a session in which the speaker was practicing some tough love with his audience. He said whether we were published or not, we needed to come to terms with the fact that marketing is simply part of the publishing process. Even back then, he told us that we shouldn’t depend on our publishers to do all of the heavy lifting, that we needed to establish an author platform, and that this could be done through creating content. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I grabbed onto his words like my life depended on it.

He explained that, if we’re serious about publication, we need to host a “blog” on a website (?). On this “blog” we were to create “content” on a consistent basis (Double ??). This “content” was to be founded on interests, ideas, and activities that are unique to us. He said that, if we consistently create this blog content bi-weekly, we will eventually create an author platform that would become a resource for an audience of readers. He told us not to worry if people didn’t come to our blog. Just keep it up. Don’t stop. Well, being serious about publication, I accepted his challenge and established a blog called Simple Saturday. I had fun with that blog for 4 short years AND, I began establishing an audience for my work! I continue to benefit from the experience to this day.

I’m telling this story to encourage you to consider what your authentic messaging might be. What are your interests? Strengths? Passions? How do your interests, strengths and passions inform your writing? Asking yourself these questions will help to establish a solid foundation for your author platform. By doing so, you'll establish clarity and purpose in your messaging. This is what takes the ick of marketing. For real!

I’m eager to hear about your ideas. What are you inspired to share with your audience on a consistent basis? Your poetry? Your crafts? Your joys? Your pets? Your love of reading? Your questions about life? Your angst about marketing? (Now, that’s a good one!)

Let me know if I can help simplify this process for you.

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Debbie Gonzales is an author, educator, and a Pinterest Marketing specialist. She’s the host of Guided by Deb, a website consisting of over 300 standards-aligned educator guides for all genres. If you’re interested in learning more about Pinterest marketing, reach out to Deb. She loves talking about all things Pinterest!

Pinterest Marketing Basics: Keep It Simple, Authentic & Fun

I firmly believe that all book creators would benefit by establishing a visibility platform on Pinterest, this goes for pre-published authors and illustrators, as well. Not only is the process in establishing a viable platform highly effective as a marketing tool, Pinterest shines an authentic light on who we are and what we embrace as creatives. This reflection is digitally achieved by intentional connections between one’s Pinterest platform and their website. Here’s how the magic happens.

Pinterest is a tool to amplify a message of service, inspiration, and encouragement for our audience. It’s a visual search engine on which parents, teachers, librarians, millennials, and teens use to find answers, products, and inspiration. Gone are the days when we had the luxury of chatting up a potential buyer at a bookstore or festival.  The reality is that purchasing relationships are developed digitally.   Our challenge is to first understand how our services and books meet their needs, then establish a pathway for them to land in an intriguing place where they are compelled by a desire to want more than a one-off purchase. We want to make a dynamic, yet personable, connection through our websites. Tall order, yet relatively easy to do.

Too often we focus on embellishing our websites rather than focusing on their functionality and purpose. Slow-loading websites adorned with gizmos dancing across the screen have lost their appeal. Pinterest users want what they want when they want it. If the website seems buggy or confusing, they’ll bounce. Conversely, if they land on captivating content they can connect with, chances are they’ll poke around the website with curiosity. Better yet, they find the content living on the site to be so intriguing, they bookmark it! Bingo! The first steps toward a happy digital relationship have been established!

Award-winning author Barb Rosenstock not only knows how to write award-winning picture book biographies, she’s savvy regarding how to maximize her web presence to assist in marketing her books and programming. Her website layout is one to consider, for sure. The website is packed with practical content to benefit teachers and librarians,  while being organized in a clear and succinct manner. It’s attractive, loads easily, and is extremely user-friendly. Though not glitzy, Barb’s website is a shining example of inspiration, education, and of service to those who have the good fortune to land on it. 

Much like the revision process, refining our marketing message takes time, especially if we seek to establish something that is genuinely authentic. Our audience is looking for books that resonate with young readers. Take your time to become acquainted with those you desire to market to. The best news is that Pinterest is a long game. Discover the type of content that appeals to them, then experiment with formatting that messaging on your website. The best news is that Pinterest is a long game. It’s a slow burn, which allows plenty of time to thoughtfully establish marketing strategies that edify one’s audience. Most importantly, have fun while doing so!

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Debbie Gonzales is an author, educator, and a Pinterest Marketing specialist. She’s the host of Guided by Deb, a website consisting of over 300 standards-aligned educator guides for all genres. If you’re interested in learning more about Pinterest marketing, reach out to Deb. She loves talking about all things Pinterest!

Your Mommy Was Just Like You - A Celebration of the Spirit of Mother's Day

I began making guides for folks before the Common Core was cool. Even then, I was creating hands-on, project-based content that is entertaining, yet academically sound - the kind of stuff that both the kids and the folks that care for them would appreciate, and have been enjoying every minute of doing so for a long, long time.

Recently, author Kelly Bennett asked if I would go back and align all of the guides I previously made for her with the Common Core State Standards. I was glad for this opportunity as I would be able to revisit the work I had done almost three years ago in the light of present-day standards. That's kind of exciting, in a nerdy sort of way.

Kelly's Your Mommy was Just like You is just as charming as I remember it being. I love the way it celebrates humanity, in all it's messy forms. In it, tales of a mother's childhood are told to a child. The grown up is presented as an awkward, fantasy-loving, mistake-making kid. This book brings the "nobody's perfect, everybody has an off day" message home, loud and clear.

I encourage you to read this delightful book. Review the guide, too, if you'd like. There are a couple activities in there that will make your Saturday simply delightful, on being creating a Daisy Chain, as demonstrated in the video below.

A Celebration of Color - My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood (a re-posting)

This will be my second Michigan autumn. The vivid colors of the changing leaves, brilliant sunsets, and the rosy-red cheeked children continue to make me smile. Everyday is a celebration of change and color. So, this week, I'd like to focus on a guide I made for Tameka Fryer Brown's charming my cold plum lemon pie bluesy mood. The story explores the connection of the change of mood and its corresponding color. This book is a tribute to sibling rival survival and the tenacity it takes to do so.

 Folks, let me say that the story is lively, entertaining, and very clever. However, if you take a close look at the connection of theme and art, there is a whole lot of shaking going on. It's deep. Really deep. That being said, the guide consists of discussion questions, writing prompts, and basic color theory lessons that lead the reader to an intimate awareness of how color affects and/or reflects emotions.

One of the most rudimentary-yet-satisfactory activities presented in the guide is Color Mixing. In it, the child experiences the joy of transposing primary colors into secondary and tertiary just by the drip of an eye dropper. It's a very simple activity that lends itself to some profound results.

I encourage you, on this blustery autumn weekend, to take a look at this guide. Better yet, check outmy cold plum lemon pie bluesy mood, the book that inspired the lessons within.

Spanky: A Soldier's Son by Sue LaNeve

Click on the image to order the book!As I’ve said many times before, each guide I create offers a unique opportunity to learn something wonderfully new. Creating book guides for authors and illustrators also grant me the great pleasure of getting to know the individuals on a more personal level. Such was the great experience I had creating a guide for author Sue LaNeve’s award-winning Spanky: A Soldier’s Son.  It’s no surprise that LaNeve’s novel earned a bronze medal from the 2013 Military Writers Society. It’s that good. I can attest for it!

Click here to access the guide.The story is about a boy whose father is deployed to Afghanistan, leaving Spanky and his broken-hearted mother to fend for themselves in a new community. His father’s departing words were, “Son, make me proud.” These words haunt him as he deals with bullies, self-doubt, and adult-like responsibilities. Eventually, Spanky begins to trust and believe in himself by acknowledging the leadership skills he holds within.  In the end, he makes his father proud – and then some.

The story is great. Sue is fantastic. But, the aspect I enjoyed most about this project was partnering with Sue’s mom, Audrey W. Lederman, M Ed., as a consultant for the guide’s contents. You see, Audrey once worked with the talented and gifted. She was a true gift to me, I’ll tell you. Her insights and ideas were astounding!

Sue and Audrey - now there's a mother/daughter team that can't be beat.

For sure!

A Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff

I’ve been teaching long enough to know that there are times when the student has more to teach than the instructor does. As a Montessorian, moments like these are sheer bliss. They mean we’ve worked ourselves out of a job. The students have become independent, which is the ultimate goal of the classroom experience and in life. Working with the lovely and talented Kit Grindstaff on her Teacher’s Guide for her most incredible fantasy The Flame in the Mist was one of those blissful "forging toward independence" experiences.  

Kit describes The Flame in the Mist as the story of courageous and fiery-headed Jemma, who, with the help of two magical golden rats and her friend Digby, has a dangerous destiny to fulfill: to stop the evil rulers of her country, and the mist and misery they create. Whoa! Stop right there. Magical rats. Evil rulers. Mist and misery. Shoot…I’m chomping at the bit to make a guide for an awesome story like this one. But alas, fair Kit has a plan of her own – a good one, too.

Kit created her own guide that far surpasses anything that I could have dared to attempt making – an astounding 35 page feat of splendor comprised of chapter-by-chapter analysis, historical setting, a summary of Medieval times facts, a cool section entitled “Nursery Rhymes – Innocent or Creepy”, character analysis done in marvelously creative way, and even a criss-cross puzzle! All she needed me to do was to pretty it up a little and add the Core Curriculum State Standards annotations to it. She did the heavy lifting. I merely cheered her on.

I became enraptured by the story as I poured over the guide she created. So much so, I dropped a bomb of a hint that I wanted to read the book. Kit graciously sent me a copy in which she inscribed, “Thank you for helping me rock the schools with Jemma and the Ratresses.” No….sweet, Kit. I think you’ve done it all by yourself! And, I’ve have to say, that I’m mighty proud of YOU!

Vampire Baby by Kelly Bennett

Click on image to purchase Vampire BabyThis picture book was written by one my most favorite authors, Kelly Bennett, and it is the perfect pairing for the upcoming season of blood-sucking fun! In Vampire Baby, the once sweet and cuddly Tootie has transformed overnight into a diaper-wearing vampire! Tootie bites all the time, and her favorite person to gnaw on is her older brother. He tires of being her perpetual victim and encourages a real vampire family to take her away. In the end, his protective nature takes over and he realizes that he loves Tootie, fangs and all.

Needless to say, creating a guide for this delightful story was great fun for me to do. I encourage you to check out the book and then review the guide. In it, you’ll see plenty of fun and games as well as an academically sound manipulative activity focused on teaching story structure. Folks, this concept is a tough one to teach. However, with some paper, scissors and Vampire Baby in hand, the heady literary elements of setting, character, rising action, climax, and resolution become less threatening and easier to comprehend.

Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween. I plan on it. Wish me luck keeping my hands out of the candy bowl. I'm a blood-sucker for candy corn.

One of My Favorites - Monster Stew

Click on image to purchase through IndieboundJust like teachers can't help but to have favorites, I feel the same way about the guide I created for this charming book written by  Stephanie Greene and illustrated by Stephanie Roth Sisson. The story tenderly depicts a young child's ambivalent fear of Halloween spookiness in a subtle and sweet way. I enjoyed creating this guide almost as much as I enjoyed reading the book.

There are plenty of discussion questions and fun lessons to choose from in the book guide. One the most enjoyable activities is the Black Cat Domino Game, and it's super easy to make, too. Just print the domino game pieces off on card stock. Trim around the edges of the domino cards and you're game-ready! The game can be played with one or more kiddos. Simply shuffle, stack cards face down, and begin matching the quantities of black cats printed on the cards.

 I do hope that you'll take some time to check out Princess Posey and the Monster Stew and then access the guide. Hopefully you'll find something in it that will compliment your Halloween festivities in a booo-tiful way!

Fab Guide for The 14 Fibs of Gregory K.

The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. is precisely the type of story I would have used in my classroom when I worked with those wacky upper elementary kiddos. It's funny and tender and intelligent and delicately didactic, in a super-subtle way.  Both boys and girls will enjoy this tangled tale of confusion, mild deception, pi (pie), and poetry.  

 Its a story about a boy who has a poet's heart and a father who is blind to the his passion. Author Greg Pincus nailed the voice of a conflicted, well-intentioned kid who, because of his desire to please others, gets caught in a web of lies - or fibs. Ultimately, through the study Fibonacci and his fascinating numeric sequence, the protagonist finds a way to be true to himself, as well be honest with his dad about his love of writing.

Fibonacci - and that ain't no lie.

In addition to being lively and full of comical action, this book is layered upon layer with depth of  that would reflect these literary elements and have some Fitheme and premise. I wanted to make a CCSS aligned guide Fibonacci fun, too! In it, along with gobs of discussion and writing activities, are three brainiac lessons that I had a total blast creating - The Pi Number Roll, Fibonacci Numbers in Excel, and - the all time classic - The Fractal Foldable! 

It's my hope that Pincus' The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. will become as timeless as the Golden Rectangle. I know it's tons more entertaining.

A Guide Celebrating America's Finest!

Author Patricia Newman deserves a 21-gun salute for penning two exciting titles. Navy SEALs: Elite Operations and Army Special Forces: Elite Operations are both part of the Military Special Ops series and are phenomenal.  Newman takes the reader behind the scenes to show what it takes to become some of America’s best. Full of action and ammo, young readers are sure to enjoy this engaging non-fiction.

The books are rich with well-crafted text, great glossaries, fascinating photos, plenty of interesting sidebars and quotes from servicemen of all ranks – a plethora for this book guide crafter to work with. Patricia asked that I make a joint guide, one that would encompass the integrity of both books in one. My intention was to design a make-shift scavenger hunt that would mandate that the reader would have to read carefully to solve the puzzle, of sorts. The mission was accomplished, I must say.

One of the most gratifying activity (and the most fun) to create was the Path to the Green Beret and Earning the Trident Foldables. Here, the reader must perform reconnaissance through the text to discover the steps a Special Ops hopeful must take to earn the high honor to serve our country as a Navy SEAL or in the Army Special Forces. The foldables earned a gold star. Check them out.

Whether by land, or sea, or air… I can tell you, after making this guide, I am so very glad that the Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces are here. God bless America and the fine men who serve her.

Odette's Secrets: A Geographical Lesson of the Heart

Odette's Secrets is one of the most beautifully written novels I've read in a long while. Written in free-verse, author Maryann Macdonald captures the inner conflict of a young Jewish girl who, in order to survive, must keep her heritage secret. Nazis have destroyed her happy home in France. Her beloved father enlists in the French army. Her mother joins the Resistance, and Odette is taken from Paris live with Christians in the countryside. There, among other things, she questions what it really means to be a Jew, and wonders if she will ever be able to truly live as one.

Maryann thoughtfully explores the sheer essence of humanity while keeping the middle grade reader's sensibilities in mind. Through the eyes of this tender girl, we see the very best and the horrific in all kinds of people. Odette is trying to make sense of her world, which is sometimes warm and loving, yet primarily confusing and contradictory, all the while she must keep her heart shut tight with secrets.

The map foldable sans labelsLet me say that I consider it an honor to have created a guide for this important book and, most especially, for this delightful author. Like all of my guides, I wanted this one to be unique to the topic and theme. Not only did I hope to guide the reader in a deeper awareness of Maryann's intent for the story, I wanted memorable activities that would compliment the experience, as well. One activity is the Map Foldable, which I had a ball making!

The Map Foldable complete!On the map, I focused on the European countries in which Odette's Secrets were set. My hope is that, as the reader snips and tapes away at the simple craft, they will get a real sense of the distances Odette's broken heart had to travel. Follow up questions are included to help guide in this experience.

I maintain that it is the simple things that make a lasting impression. After engaging in heart-felt, introspective discussion about profound themes, such as those explored in Odette's Secrets, kids really enjoy making simple projects such as this. In fact, I think they're downright therapeutic!

Fueling Some Foldable Fun with Newman's Biofuels

Of late, I have been having a ball creating foldable activities for the guides I'm commissioned to do, adding a little bit of crafty, Simple Saturday-like flair to each. Patricia Newman's Biofuels (Cherry Lake Publishing) provided the perfect fodder for a terrific pocket sorting foldable. Kids love to learn while creating projects like these. Heck, I do, too, for that matter.

Biofuels covers topics such as gasification, non-renewable and renewable energy sources, carbon footprints and many others - heady concepts that kids are completely jazzed about, these days. While working on Patricia's guide, I discovered that I could create four basic categories by which kids could sort through and classify the Pocket foldable classified with four energy-specific pictoral categories terminology and ideas presented in her book.  Those categories are biodiesel, biofuels, fossil fuels, and biomass. (I told you this was heady stuff.)

You can access the guide by clicking HERE to get a sense of how the foldable is created. Basically, I printed key phrases from the text on small cards, each associated with at least one energy source. These phrases are to be classified by slipping each card into the proper pocket labeled with the energy sources presented in the book.

During the editing process, Patricia and I discovered something pretty remarkable - a number of the phrases printed on the little cards could be cross-referenced with two or more biofuel categories! For instance, the phrase "Carbon is a key ingredent in production" can be slipped into the fossil fuel and the biomass pockets. Or, both biodiesel and biofuels cut back on the need for non-renewable energy sources. This discovery makes me happy to think of the budding engineers and scientists deep in discussion as to what pocket the cards should be placed. Neat thought, isn't it?

In closing, I give Patricia's Biofuels a hearty thumbs up with an extra generous dose of biofuel made from algae oil on top! Yum.

Noah Webster & His Words - CCSSI Annotated to the Max!

I love Noah Webster & His Words! I love, love, love it's historically layered sense of patriotism. Author Jeri Chase Ferris did an incredible job depicting Webster's vision of uniting the country through words! 

The CCSSI Annotated Discussion and Activity Guide celebrates Webster's passion with a number of  word games that can be played independently or with pals. Skills such as alphabetizing, syllabication, and searching for words in a dictionary can be practiced in a fun, collaborative manner. Kids can craft a historical timeline to study Noah's life achievements. And there is even a cross-word puzzle comprised of key words sprinkled throughout Jeri's clever text!

Included in the guide is a four-page annotation linking the activities to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy suitable for K-5 students. The book and the guide are classroom-ready and super kid-friendly - the perfect combination, wouldn't you say?

One Day I Went Rambling Giveaway!

A shared post with ReaderKidZ.com:

Parents, teachers, and librarians! Take a moment to consider the absolutely charming premise of One Day I Went Rambling, written by Kelly Bennett and illustrated by Terri Murphy, won’t you? If so, you will be ever so glad that you did.

In the story, Zane, the protagonist sees magic in the mundane surrounding him. Pop tops are jeweled rings. Wooden crates hold the daring intrigue of a pirate ship. Nothing is normal. To Zane, everything is fantastical!  And, as life would have it, Zane is surrounded by nay-sayers, peers that poke fun and tease a child who dares to think as a creative individual. Yet, Zane stays true to his individualistic nature, and in turn, influences others to begin to celebrate the wonderful freedom of thinking outside of the boring, common, everyday box.

Kelly and Terri are over-the-top enthusiastic about this important tale. So much so, that they are offering a number of incentives to entice you to climb aboard the Rambling train. One is a discussion/craft guide in which directions for a variety of homemade band instruments are included – instruments that serve as props for a Reader’s Theatre interpretation of this unforgettable story. And, finally, the opportunity to participate in a giveaway! Yes! How wonderful is that? Link away today!

In closing, enjoy an excerpt from Bennett’s and Murphy’s One Day I Went Rambling:

Ahoy, mates, time’s a wasting.

Climb aboard! Let’s sail away!

We’ll explore the world together.

Finding adventure all the way.

Things to Love About One Day I Went A Rambling

When author Kelly Bennett asked me to create a guide for her latest picture book, One Day I Went a Rambling, I took a cheerful jiggity-jaunt down memory lane. For, you see, years ago I directed a summer arts and creativity camp for kids and this marvelous book is one that I would have centered the program's entire theme around, had it been in print at that time.

If I would have had this book in hand way back then, I'd have done exactly what Kelly asked me to to, which is to compliment the story's theme by creating a homemade band props out of everyday, commonplace objects like paper plates, plastic bottles, a shoe boxes. Then, as a program finale, I would have cast and performed a Reader's Theatre rendition based upon this wonderful tale. I believe in this story's the timeless inspirational message - when we have the eyes to see, anything is possible! 

One Day I Went Rambling is sensational. There is so much to love about this book. Below are three reasons why you should buy it, read it, and enjoy it. Order away. You'll be glad that you did!  

• I love protagonist Zane's, unassuming, individualistic demeanor. In the story, Zane sees the fantastical creative potential in everyday items such as feathers, shells, a wooden crate. He's lost in a visionary quest for adventure. Way to go, Zane, my man. I love that. Way to go.
• I love illustrator Terri Murphy's pictorial expression of the story's theme. Reader, once you have the book in hand, I encourage you to take a several slow, sweet moments to absorb her artistic interpretation of all of the characters involved in the story. Note the deep, emotionally subtle yet whimsical techniques of her masterful work. Absolutely amazing. And trust me, she is, too.  
• I love that the story is founded upon the premise that magic that can be found in the mundane - a hubcap as a a flying saucer, or a pop top as a magic ring, or even Grannie's slip as a covered wagon top. This book illuminates the notion that all things are marvelous in the eyes of the beholder, if they're willing to see life in this way.

One Day I Went A Rambling speaks to the inherently creative nature that lives within us all. When we dare to let loose and dance to the beat of the unique drummer that resides in our hearts, others will sit up, take notice, and - maybe, just maybe - dance along beside us.