My two books won the Literary Classics seal of approval!!

SH SH SH LET THE BABY SLEEP   

TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY

Both of my new releases have won the Literary Classics Seal of Approval! Here are the press releases for both books.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Louise Bryant

Children's Literary Classics

literaryclassics@live.com

Children's Literary Classics is pleased to announce that the children's picture book, Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep, written by Kathy Stemke and illustrated by Jack Foster has been selected to receive the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval.  The CLC Seal of Approval is a designation reserved for those books which uphold the rigorous criteria set forth by the Children's Literary Classics review committee, a team comprised of individuals with backgrounds in publishing, editing, writing, illustration and graphic design.

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep is the story of a fantastic series of adventures as seen through the eyes of Zachary, a boy who is struggling to adjust to life with a new baby sister.  Young Zachary becomes a "super hero" whenever he puts on his glasses.  Donning his glasses as he does his best to help protect his baby sister from noises which might wake her, he encounters all sorts of noisy nuisances, including birds, trains and bears.  This whimsical book creatively incorporates consonant blends in a story which will surely transport youngsters to new levels of imagination in their quest for adventure and learning.

Zachary's journey is only beginning at the conclusion of this story.  Complete with teacher's supplements including rhymes, songs, worksheets and more, this book has much to offer young readers as well as educators.

 Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

This CLC Seal of Approval book, ISBN#9781616331577 , is available for purchase at the following locations Guardian Angel Publishing, Amazon, B & N, and others.  You may contact the author directly for book-signing events at dancekam1@yahoo.com .

For Immediate Release

Children's Literary Classics is pleased to announce that the children's picture book, Trouble on Earth Day, written by Kathy Stemke, has been selected to receive the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval.  The CLC Seal of Approval is a designation reserved for those books which uphold the rigorous criteria set forth by the Children's Literary Classics review committee, a team comprised of individuals with backgrounds in publishing, editing, writing, illustration and graphic design.

Trouble on Earth Day is the story of Shelby Squirrel, a youngster who is thrilled to have won an Earth Day Poster contest. As Shelby's family of squirrels contemplate the meaning of her poster, namely to "re-think" how some items might be recycled, they start brainstorming ways to put their saved and cast-off items to good use. 

When Shelby encounters a bird in short supply of materials with which to build her nest, she comes to the rescue with some of the items her family had recently decided to recycle.  Shelby and her new friend pool their efforts and resources to create a beautiful new nest. 

With interactive games and projects, including additional Earth Day history information at the back, this book is an excellent resource for educators on the topic of recycling.

Children’s Literary Classics, an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in  children’s literature, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic children's literature which appeals to youth, while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.   To learn more about Children's Literary Classics, you may visit their website at www.clcawards.org or www.childrensliteraryclassics.com

This CLC Seal of Approval book, ISBN#978-1-936021-36-9, is available for purchase at the following locations Educationtipster, Amazon, B & N and others. You may contact the author directly for book-signing events at dancekam1@yahoo.com .

 KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Join the fun on the 4th and 5th day of the Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep Virtual Book tour!

Join the fun on the 4th and 5th day of the Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep Virtual Book tour!

June 16 Brother Sister Poetry at Connie Arnold’s blog http://childrensauthorconniearnold.blogspot.com

June 17 Favorite Consonant Blends at J Aday Kennedy’s blog http://jadaykennedy.blogspot.com

Kathy stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Author Sue Berger Writes a Children's Book about Earthquakes

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

"Animal Sound Mix-Up" by Connie Arnold

Title: Animal Sound Mix-Up

Author: Connie Arnold

Illustrator: Kit Grady

Genre: Picture book
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

ISBN-13: 978-161633-083-5

e-book-13: 978-1-61633-084-2

Paperback: 14 pages

Price: $ 9.95

Congratulations to author, Connie Arnold, for her delightful picture book, animal Sound Mix-Up.  Her rhyme and rhythm is music to my ears.  Children will giggle as they imagine animals speaking with the wrong sound. 

"What if a lion said meow . . .
or if a donkey said bow-wow?
Wouldn’t it seem quite funny now
if they became mixed up somehow?"

Kit Grady, the illustrator captured the humor of this book with colorful, action filled pictures.  This book would be a great addition to every school and home library. 




Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

PLEASE VOTE! I NEED YOUR HELP MY FRIENDS!

I've entered a story book contest a little late.  Some people have over 800 votes already.  But I have so many great friends, I know I can catch up.    

I could only use 4 pages of text and had to use their illustrations.  I really had to squeeze the words on the page.  So the story was limited in many ways. 

CLICK HERE TO VOTE:  http://naturemadesleep.net/stories/377 

YOU CAN VOTE ONCE A DAY!

THANKS FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT. 

XXXOOO

KATHY

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

Become a Fan of Children's Author Mieke Blommestein

This month I'm hosting Day 6 of the Virtual Book Tours for all the children's book authors/illustrators who are part of the October Showcase at the National Writing for Children Center. Today I'm pleased to be hosting Day 6 of the tour for author Mieke Blommestein.

I have a face book fan page.

Everyone is welcome to join. Right now we have 72 members for this fan page.  Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=the%20tale%20of%20miss%20spider%20who%20spun%20her%20web.&init=quick&tas=0.3331127139389135

Follow all 7 authors on their 6-day Virtual Book Tours and leave comments and you could win the Giftbox Giveaway from the National Writing for Children Center. Click here to keep following the tours The National Writing for Children Center. 

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

Welcome Award Winning Author Donna McDine

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions. Donna’s stories and features have been published in many print and online publications and her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Her second book, The Hockey Agony is under contract and will be published by Guardian Angel Publishing. She writes, moms and is the Publicist Intern for The National Writing for Children Center and Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Musing Our Children.

http://www.donnamcdine.com
http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/dmcdine
http://www.jacketflap.com/dmcdine
http://www.twitter.com/dmcdine


Thank you for this interview, Donna. Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later? Do you remember your first published piece?

A: When I was a child, I enjoyed watching the television program, Lou Grant with my dad, and became mesmerized on how a reporter put a story together and I dreamed of becoming a reporter one day. For some reason or another, I did not follow this early dream and worked in administration for several Fortune 500 companies for many years. Not until I came across the Institute of Children’s Literature aptitude test in 2006 did my dream of becoming a writer reawaken.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

A: The waiting. I am very much hurry up let’s get it done mentality. Over the last several years I’ve learned that patience is truly a virtue. My most rewarding experience was the day my children acknowledged me as a children’s writer to an adult I was having a conversation with.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life? Do you have support?

A: Balance, balance, and some more balance. To find it at times with (as many fellow writers) the responsibilities of wife, mother, daughter, friend and my work as a virtual assistant can be quite daunting at times. Even though summer vacation is in full swing I find it essential to rise at least two hours before my children, so I can get my exercise, shower, and writing in. By the time the girls rise, I’m all set to have breakfast with them and then I’m ready to switch gears to my virtual assistant position with International Business Leaders Forum. This way I can remain much more focused on my VA work when I get my writing session in first. Oh and yes, this isn’t the army, so there are times my schedule gets thrown out of whack depending on what the day throws me (i.e., basketball camp and F.I.T. camp car pools).

Can you tell us about your latest book and why you wrote it?

A: Be transported through time to the Underground Railroad, where high-pitched screams echo each night. David’s cruel Pa always chooses the same victim. Despite the circumstances during slavery, David uncovers the courage to defy his Pa. Raised in a hostile environment where abuse occurs daily, David attempts to break the mold and befriends the slave, Jenkins, owned by his Pa. Fighting against extraordinary times and beliefs, David leads Jenkins to freedom with no regard for his own safety and possible consequences dealt out by his Pa. I have always been fascinated by American History and it was a natural pull for me.

Can you share an excerpt?

A: He crept into the barn. A sweaty odor clung heavily in the air. His first attempts to help Jenkins hadn’t gone well. Jenkins use to cringe when he saw David. Fearful he was there to inflict another beating. But over time, David gained Jenkins’ trust with promises he was not there to harm him, but to help. Tonight, the wounds from the whip were worse than ever. The welts looked like caterpillars lodged under his skin. David dared not touch the wounds with his bare hands, afraid his calluses from farming would make the welts worse.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

A: The dining room table away from my computer. This way I am not distracted by email and because the natural light fills the room.

What is one thing about your book that makes it different from other books on the market?

A: Even though there are illustrations, The Golden Pathway is not a picture book, but rather a story book geared towards 8-12 years old.

Tables are turned…what is one thing you’d like to say to your audience who might buy your book one day?

A: The protagonist David shows that we can overcome negative influences with love and perseverance.

Thank you for this interview, Donna. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

Thank you to Cheryl C. Malandrinos of Pump Up Your Book Promotion for this original interview.

VBT – Writers on the Move continue to swirl through cyberspace, visit with Nancy Famolari on October 3rd at http://nancyfamolari.blogspot.com as she features Virginia Grenier.

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com

Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke 

Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

 

Sept Virtual Book Tour Schedule 2010

1st Karen Cioffi is featuring Donna McDine
2nd Kathy Stemke is featuring Virginia Grenier
3rd Nancy Famolari is featuring Robert Medak
4th Margaret Fieland is featuring Jane Sutton
5th Dianne Sagan is featuring Marietta Taylor
6th Elysabeth Eldering is featuring Janet Ann Collins
7th Helena Harper is featuring Debra Eckerling
8th Carolyn Howard-Johnson is featuring Helena Harper
9th Heather Paye is featuring Dianne Sagan
10th Marvin Wilson is featuring Kari Wolfe
11th Stephen Tremp is featuring Nancy Famolari
12th Darcia Helle is featuring Dallas Woodburn
13th Martha Swirzinski is featuring Stephen Tremp
14th Debra Eckerling is featuring Maggie Ball
15th Heidi Thomas is featuring Heather Paye
16th Dallas Woodburn is featuring Gary Murning
17th Maggie Ball is featuring Brigitte Thompson
18th Virginia Grenier is featuring Karen Cioffi
19th Janet Ann Collins is featuring Margaret Fieland
20th Katie Hines is featuring Martha Swirzinski
21st Brigitte Thompson is featuring Kevin McNamee
22nd Marietta Taylor is featuring Darcia Helle
23rd Kari Wolfe is featuring Marvin Wilson
24th Jane Sutton is featuring Jessica Kennedy
25th Gary Murning is featuring Katie Hines
26th Jessica Kennedy is featuring Elysabeth Eldering
27th Robert Medak is featuring Carolyn Howard-Johnson
28th Kevin McNamee is featuring Heidi Thomas
29th Kim Rapier is featuring Kathy Stemke
30th Donna McDine is featuring Kim Rapier

Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

CHECKLIST FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Here are a few things to consider when choosing books for children.

Story:

Is the story line interesting to children?

Are the stories age appropriate to ensure that children can understand what is presented?

Are there various conflicts for children to explore?

Are the conflicts resolved in ways that children will find interesting and challenging?

How are obstacles overcome?

How does change occur? Is a magic wand the only way positive change occurs? Can girls take responsibility for their own destinies?

Will the stories encourage discussions?

Are children exposed to multiple perspectives and values?

How is "beauty" defined? Whose standard of beauty is being promoted? Are all or most of the "pretty" girls blond? Are all or most of the "pretty" girls white?

How is "happiness" defined? Do girls need to find their man to achieve happiness?

How is "success" defined? Is the definition of success the same for all people in the book?

Characters:

Do the characters represent people from a variety of cultural groups?

Do "good" characters reflect a variety of backgrounds?

How is being "good" defined or described in the book? Is being good the same for boys and girls or are there different standards and expectations?

Are females as well as males depicted in leadership roles?

Themes:

Does the story offer children a variety of things to think about, to question, and to consider?

What messages does the book convey about "race," gender, class, sexual orientation, religion and other human differences?

What values are being communicated in the book? Whose values are they?

Are values being explored rather than preached?

Does the story include lessons to be learned?

Settings:

Do the stories reflect a variety of settings?

Are urban, suburban, and rural settings represented realistically?

Are cultural settings represented realistically?

Illustrations:

Are diverse populations represented?

Are characters realistically and genuinely represented?

Do the pictures show diversity within cultural groups?

Do the illustrations avoid reinforcing societal stereotypes?

Other Considerations:

From whose perspective is the story told?

What are the author's qualifications to tell the story? Do the characters' voices sound authentic?

Do the stories promote understanding of our diverse society and world?

KATHY'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

Selecting Great Non-fiction Books for Kids

Giving children many sources of informational books will stimulate growth in general knowledege, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. It is essential that we choose challenging, quality, high-interest books for young children. Many reading experts agree that including non-fiction books in primary education experiences will make for a smoother transition into middle and high school level reading. There are several keys to picking great informational books for your children.

CATCHY COVERS

The cover of a book must invite the reader to come inside an exciting new world of learning. A good cover should include brightn and intriguing illustrations or photographs that grab a child's attention. The title needs to be short and understandable with large clear font. But the main job of the title is to ignite interest in the topic.

TERRIFIC TOPICS

The topic should be age appropriate and relevant to the child's world view. For example, you might have a funny bumble bee teach children about flowers. However, it is important that the information is accurate and backed by reliable referrences. To hold the attention of children the topic should have an element of mystery and be full of surprises. In fact, there should be at least one surprise on every page.

INTRIGUING ILLUSTRATIONS

Each page needs to contain a balance of beautiful illustrations with clear, easy to read captions, and informational text. The illustrations should explain and enhance the factual information. For instance, photographs or diagrams on a light background can add a pleasing contrast to a good book.

ORIGINAL ORGANIZATION

Many good non-fiction authors use sub headings to help the young reader understand and retain the information. These subdivisions guide the children effortlessly through the information like a treasure map leads you to a pirates chest. A table of contents, glossary and index will help them browse through unique topics. Fonts should be large, consistent in spacing and placement and easy to read.

With today's wide selection of non-fiction books available it doesn't have to be difficult to pick the right books for your children. Inspect each book for the four key ingredients listed above and you will glide through the selection process.

A LIST OF GREAT NON-FICTION BOOKS:

Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia
by Carmen Lomas Garza
Children's Book Press, 1993
Grades pre K-4

Author: A True Story
by Helen Lester
Houghton Mifflin, 1997
Grades K-4

In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America
by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Lisa Desimini
Knopf, 1995
Grades K-5

Eric Carle's Animals, Animals
By Laura Whipple (compiler), illustrated by Eric Carle
Puffin, 1999
Grades pre K-6

Hottest Coldest Highest Deepest
by Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin, 1998
Grades pre K-3

Children of the Wild West
by Russell Freedman
Clarion, 1990
Grades 3-8

We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. History
by Phillip M. Hoose
Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2001
Grades 5-12

NO BONES ABOUT IT!
The Sum of Our Parts Series
Academic Wings
Author: Bill Kirk www.billkirkwrites.com
Artist: Eugene Ruble
Guardian Angel Publishers
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/


Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

Check Out This Great Blog by Maria Zagora

Here

MiaZagora Homeschool Minutes
A blog that highlights inexpensive and free resources, links to the greatest blogs, as well as occasional educational news topics.

Maria provides LONG LISTS of great resources:

Fantastic Freebies!
Inexpensive Learning Curriculums!
Web Sites for Kids!
A Great Blogroll!
A Seperate Math and Science Blog List!
A List of Super Homeschool Blogs!
A List of Writing Instruction Blogs!
Art and Crafts Blogs!
General Education Blogs!
Christianity Blogs!
Blog Carnival Information Links!
A List of Fun Stuff Blogs!
Curriculum Links!

Recent Posts include:

All Owls: A fun study
My Body
All Apples: A fun study
ook Bag od FunB
All 50 States

USE POETRY TO TEACH READING AND WRITING SKILLS

The key to teaching reading is to motivate and inspire the children to practice. The use of rhyming poetry, songs or stories is an excellent way to engage the children in learning. Kids love to hear and memorize poems. It's a fun and very natural form of expression. Poetry is excellent for choral readings because of its rhythm.

MAKE A POETRY FOLDER OR BINDER

1. Pick a variety of poetry. Demonstrate to the children that poetry can be sad, funny, silly, dreamlike, or mad.

2. Pick poems that go with the theme you're currently working on.

3. When you introduce a poem, read it with enthusiam and drama. Humorous poems usually grab their attention. You can hook a child to poetry for life if they catch your love of poetry.

4. Now pass out a copy of the poem so that students can follow along as you read it again.

5. Define any new words that are important to the meaning of the poem.

6. Read the poem chorally as a class.

7. If there are different characters in the poem, assign each one to a student to act out. Sometimes there's a part the class can say all together.

8. Start with short poems for memorization then go with longer ones.

9. Teach young children about rhythmic patterns by having them clap hands and stomp feet along with the poem.

10. Use the old familiar poems for word skills.

WORD SKILLS FOR POETRY

1. Say a word from the poem and ask the children to find synonyms or antonyms.

2. Pull some words from the poem and put them in alphabetical order.

3. Use words in the poem for word sorts. For example, label three cups people nouns, place nouns, and thing nouns. Then sort all the nouns into the proper cup. Sort by nouns, adjectives and verbs. Or sort by beginning or ending sounds. Sort by word families. Sort contrations and possessives.

4. Find and copy sight words from the poems.

5. Find word families in poems.

6. Use word families or rhyming words to write a class poem. It might be fun to do a class illustration on giant newsprint paper for a bulletin board.

7. Use word families to create student poems. They enjoy drawing illustrations for their poems.

8. Create poems in small groups about certain feelings. (sad, happy, angry, peaceful) These poems usually are great for dramatization. Kids might find out that other kids feel like they do sometimes.

FINDING GOOD POEMS

1. Use classic children's authors like Robert Louis Stevenson.

2. Jack Prelutsky, named the nation's first Children's Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation, is the author of more than 40 books of verse and editor of several poetry anthologies.

3. Dr. Seuss demonstrates that made-up words can be poetry too.

GREAT BOOKS TO USE

Sight Word Poetry Pages: 100 Fill-in-the-Blank Practice Pages That Help Kids Really Learn the Top High-Frequency Words by Rozanne Williams.

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young by Jack Prelutsky.

Wham! Its a Poetry Jam: Discovering Performance Poetry
by Sara Holbrook. (Each poem is paired with explanations on how best to perform the poem out loud, alone or with a group.)

Bird Watch: A Book of Poetry by Jane Yolen (Several of her books pair poems with photography.)

Kathy Stemke's websites:
http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

REVIEWS FOR LIANA METAL'S BOOK: "The White Snail"

The White Snail
Written and illustrated by Iliana Metallinou aka Liana Metal

The White Snail includes an exciting story and educational material appropriate for young readers. It is the first of a series of books that aims to encourage children to read stories while, at the same time learn about nature. At the end of each book there are educational activities.

The White Snail’s basic theme is self-esteem that develops from early childhood. The hero of this story believes that he is not equal to the other snails just because he is different. This story is about the differences among people or peoples generally. It caters not only to young kids but also to adults, parents and teachers.

This series also aims to highlight some of the small miracles of nature, that we usually take for granted. The White Snail encourages the reader to notice snails closely and learn some facts about them via the educational activity at the end of the book.

BILINGUAL ΤΕΧΤ: GREEK/ENGLISH

This book can be read both in Greek and English. Thus, it caters to Foreign Language education as well as to readers all over the world.

Author and illustrator, Iliana Metallinou, holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, is an artist, a book reviewer, former Language School owner, and nature lover. http://lianastories.blogspot.com

Available at Vasilis Savvanis Publications, Corfu, Greece,
www.aggelia-online.gr, local bookstores and kiosks.

The White Snail
ISBN: 978-960-98648-0-0
Paperback, 32 pages, 16x16 cm
5.50 euros


The White Snail by Liana Metal

Five Stars:  A delightful children’s book

Liana Metal is a talented writer of children’s stories and it shines in her latest book The White Snail. The White Snail is about a happy, lovable white snail, who wishes his “home” was brown like all the other snails. He meets a lovely female snail, who admires his beautiful white home, and the white snail soon realizes that the grass is always greener on the other side.

The illustrations, done by Liana Metal, are cleverly designed. Young children who do not read yet, can easily follow the story while looking at the lovable animals. I particularly enjoyed reading the Greek version. It took me back to my Greek school days when I was in elementary school and had to go to Greek school right after regular school, 3 days a week. Some of the words I am familiar with but with others, I have to guess. With some words, I didn’t know what they meant and had to guess from the story. I didn’t know what the word for snail was in Greek and now I do.

Pauline Papacalos-Hager
Author of Memoirs of an American housewife in Japan

The White Snail

Reviewed by Maria Gouna
ETL teacher, Greece

Very Highly Recommended

Liana Metal is an EFL teacher and freelance writer from Greece. She has been writing articles, children’s stories, non-fiction books and short stories, as well as ELT books for classroom use for a very long time. Among her books are: “ The Hostel”, “Bedtime stories”, “Writing Basics”, “Flowers for Women”.

The White Snail is about a snail that differs from the others in that he is not brown but he is white and so he thinks that he is not as beautiful as the rest of the snails. As a result, he decides to paint his “house” brown! But what will happen? Will he be able to achieve his goal? Will the other snails laugh at him or accept him as he is? And finally, will he ever realise that to be different is not bad?

Written in a simple language without difficult verbal images or exaggerations and double-spaced, it is a book that is suitable for very young children as well as for the “older” ones. Moreover, it is fully illustrated by the writer herself and this is an aspect that makes the book more interesting and entertaining. Most important of all is the fact that the writer tries and succeeds in introducing young readers to concepts such as discrimination, racism and love for animals in an amusing and easy way. It is absolutely a book that caters to everyone!


Kathy Stemke's websites:
http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

AN INTERVIEW WITH LILLIAN CAULDWELL

Thanks for coming back to answer a few questions for my bloggers. Your books are so descriptive and exciting.

Kathy: Lillian,is it true that your first book was a non-fiction book? Tell us a little bit about background and how you became a children's book author.

Lillian:In 1992, I wrote a non-fiction book about handling teenage behavior, "Teenagers! A Bewildered Parent's Guide." The book was quite successful. My editor told me I told great stories and I should consider writing for a young adult or tween audience. I wrote another book, "Sacred Honor," that targeted the young adult market. That book too, a historical science fiction, was also quite successful. After that second book, I recognized that my strengths in writing focused on teenagers and tweens. Since then, I've concentrated my writing on targeting tweens and teenagers.

Kathy: What do you enjoy most about writing for children?

Lillian: Their sense of wonder, their ambivelance to the world and each other, and their wisdom. The clue is to listen to what they're saying, and not interpret their thoughts. I remember my own childhood still, and this makes it easier for me to relate to children as I write their stories.

Kathy: What is the most difficult part of writing for children?

Lillian: Keeping them focused on the written page. Children today are of the "instant gratification" stage and wants to be "entertained" all the time. An author must blend in humor, challenge, and a believable storyline to hold children's attention. Otherwise, the book goes unread.

Kathy: Tell us about the marketing process for authors. What do you do to market and sell your books?

Lillian:

*Word of mouth helps.

*Have a book-party in your home inviting friends, relatives, and the media.

*Tie your book to a current event, a happening politically, economically, and kid-wise. For example, The President Elect is the first African American in U.S. history to take office. The Anna Mae Mysteries: The Golden Treasure: Anna Mae and Malcolm Botts, the first African American sneaker-toed sleuths to solve the mystery of Jefferson Davis lost gold. Take advantage of what's happening around you.

*Read your book in a serial fashion, and post it on your website.

*Get on Internet and regular radio.

*Send out your books for reviews.

*Target your local library and schools. An author can't be shy when marketing and promoting their book. Authors are up against the competition. They must make themselves heard and seen.

Kathy: Do you have a website? If so, please give the URL. If not, where can listeners go online to learn more about your book(s) and to order?

Lillian: Two websites are available for listeners:

http://lilliancauldwell.homestead.com/radioshow.html

http://www.authorsden.com/lilliancauldwell.

The Anna Mae Mysteries: The Golden Treasure is already posted on http://www.amazon.com.

Additional bookstores should be carrying it within the next two weeks, or they can buy directly from Star Publish LLC at http://www.starpublishllc.com.

Kathy: What are you working on now?

Lillian: I'm working on the second book of the series: The Anna May Mysters: King Solomon's Ark, The Black Hat Society, and After. All books for the young adult.

Kathy: What is your best tip for an aspiring children's author?

Lillian: Know your subject matter. Remember what it was like when you were a child, pre-teen or teenager. Human nature doesn't change, just the environment and the social culture.

Thanks again for coming and sharing your knowledge and expertise in the children's book market. We're looking forward to the next book in this exciting Anna Mae Mysteries series.

http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html

http://kathystemke.weebly.com

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR IN NOVEMBER!!

I'm very excited to be part of a virtual book tour which is slated to launch this November. Each week I'll be featuring a different author. You can add comments or questions that I can ask the author. I will interview these authors and get insights into their lives and their writing. Some of them might be authors that you have read or are using in your classroom already, while others are exciting new authors entering the book world. I am one of the latter. I have just signed a contract for my first children's book entitled, "Trouble on Earth Day." This book about a squirrel named Shelby and her family is a great way to introduce your children to conservation and recycling. After finding things around the house to recycle, Shelby hears someone crying outside her home. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that she helps another animal through a crisis using her recycled materials. Then all is well in the forest again! This book will come with several activity pages for children, parents and teachers to enjoy. I will be interviewed on other authors sites as well.

http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com