Big Project Showing Progress

Ever have one of those projects that sounds so cool and you think won’t really take long? Yeah, me too.

Back in November, I hatched this idea. You can read about my first blog about it here. Then life got in the way. Finally after several months, I revived the project. And have finally been able to get a dozen YouTube clips posted of Blossom reading. You can see the clips here. But when you go, please be sure and look around the rest of the site a bit.

I have more books to read, but since I’m using a volunteer to video them, I have to wait until that works out again. But I am always still looking for more children’s authors. Picture books are one of my biggest weaknesses but unfortunately the publishing houses are impossible to work with. Besides, independent authors are the best anyway! So, if you, or someone you know, are a children’s picture book author, please consider being a part of this project.

The plan is to post a new book reading once a month (I would be happy to do once every two weeks if I have enough books). I need your help. And a special thank you to the authors who I am already working with – Bette A. Stevens, Judi Light, Russ Towne, Dr. Stephanie Cox, Dana Lehman, G. Gilman Wheeler.

Look at these pictures of their book covers – they are wonderful! You should buy them all.

Amazing Matilda by Bette Stevens Review

I love children’s books and read quite a lot of them to children (4-6 yrs). This story of Matilda shows how a caterpillar develops and changes into a beautiful Monarch butterfly. It is done in a way that is just perfect for young children to understand. I think this book could serve as a great introduction to more learning about butterfly development and habitat. And what a perfect thing for children to learn so they can become advocates for the environment.

Five out of five stars

Calling all Children’s Authors

I have a project in mind for our Early Childhood Initiative we are involved with at work. But I need your help.

I want to do YouTube videos of me reading books for young children. But the copyright laws are funny things and don’t permit me to do that unless they are public domain or I seek out and get permission from each author. The purpose of this project is to add the videos to our website (which is still under construction, but will be childrenreadytolearn.com). We are interested in promoting reading and reading with your own children. But sometimes parents need a little help. Plus, we have a reading mascot (Blossom the Book Butterfly) whose costume I would be wearing in the video.

By allowing me permission to use your book to read to children through video, your book would be promoted with a link – and if it is available in a paper book, I would also be purchasing your book. The videos would also be promoted on our local United Way Facebook page, through twitter, plus my own Facebook page and both my professional and personal twitter pages. Plus you will be able to promote it through your own blog, Facebook, twitter, etc.

I would love to promote indie authors as we encourage reading for our youngest children everywhere.

If you are interested in partnering with me on this venture, please send me an email at pamela984 at yahoo (dot) com.

Line Drawing of Blossom the Book Butterfly

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson Book Review

You know that book you loved as a child. The one you remember reading and it makes you feel loved and warm inside? That book for me was Rabbit Hill. I read it over and over and over again. For some reason I’ve been thinking about that book lately. So, I pulled out my copy and read it again tonight.

What a delightful children’s story with a moral. I love Uncle Analdas, mostly because of his name I think. Georgie is a cutie though. The relationship the animals have to each other fascinated me.

The fact that the New Folks have such compassion for the animals though touched me. Nursing them back to health. Even the cat, Mr. Muldoon, was gentle. When the St. Francis of Assissi statue arrived, it was a message that there was enough to go around and the animals respected the garden because they had plenty.

I probably haven’t read this book in 30 years. It still held a magical charm for me. Is there a book from your childhood that affects you like that?