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Spotlighting
picture books (PB)
with
musical hooks (Jamz)
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PBJamz!

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ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT by Delia Ruiz

5/14/2025

1 Comment

 

A Chat with Delia

Come listen in as Delia and I chat about the inspiration and origin of her book, as well as it's journey to publication.  We dig into the musical connections in the book and so much more!  It's a delightful conversation that ends with what Delia has up her sleeve next!  Pop in and find out all about plena, panderos, coquis, bomba, and what books are coming next for Delia.  Be sure to check out all the resources below and share this episode with your favorite teacher, librarian, or family!  It's full of amazing music, nature, encouragement to dream and of course, a great book with a great story!

ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT

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Roqui is a tiny coqui with a big dream. He wants to be a drummer -- to play the pandero and make plena music like back home in Puerto Rico. When he moves to New York with his family, he feels smaller than ever. Roqui must believe in himself and try his best if he is going to play the pandero like his papa.  Sprinkled with Spanish and musical terminology, this story is a multi-layered journey from Puerto Rico to New York. It's perfect for ESL students and teachers -- or anyone who's ever had to leave home and adapt to somewhere new. It's also perfect for kids with big dreams -- or small bodies -- or both!  It's a great "I can" message without being preachy. It's also a great introduction to Puerto Rico.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Senor Matos gives a great demonstration and explanation of the three different pandero drums.   This is a perfect video for kids (and grown-ups) who want to understand what a pandero is, and how they are played.  If you want something different, be sure to check out the YouTube playlist in the links section below! There is ambient music with coqui song, songs about the coqui, more plena music, bomba music, dancing, information about Puerto Rico and more! There are also some great play-alongs too!

​Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
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Social Studies
Puerto Rico study (geography, history, culture, music, etc.)

Science
Coquis -- life cycle, range, etc.

Math 
Story problems using coquis, pandero drums, musicians

ELA
onomatopoeia
Spanish vocabulary
Conversation/quotation marks
problem/solution

SEL
Tenacity
Positive thinking
​Affirmations
body positivity
​Moving cities/countries
​

​Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
​

  • The Music of Puerto Rico
    • Bomba
      • Instruments
      • Dance
    • Plena
      • Different types of pandero drums
      • Different rhythms/roles for each drum
  • Rhythm practice
    • Handheld drums (play-alongs, call and response, improvisation, reading rhythm cards, etc.)
    • Syllables in the book (cafe con pan, etc.)

​Writing Prompts from Tonnye
​

  1. Listen to examples of plena music and bomba music from Puerto Rico. Which do you prefer and why?
  2. Have you ever felt like you were too _______ to do something? (too small, too tall, too thin, too thick. . . ) How did that feel?  How did you handle that?
  3. Do some research on Bomba music and dance. Why was it important to the people of Puerto Rico?
  4. If you could play any instrument, which would you choose, and why?
  5. Write a story about a coqui frog.
  6. Write a song about the coqui frog or about leaving home.
  7. Have you ever had to move from one place to another? What was hard about the move?
  8. Write a story about a child that moves from you home town to ______.. What challenges do they discover? How do they overcome them?
  9. Are you close with your dad? If , what is one thing your dad does that you would like to do? How can you make that happen?
  10. Write a story about moving.
  11. Make a list of all the things you would miss about your home and your town if you had to move.
  12. Write a story about a character with a big dream.
  13. Write about the life cycle of the coqui frog.
  14. Write a story as a conversation between a parent and a child.
  15. Write a poem with a rhythm. Read it aloud while playing a beat on a drum. Make adjustments until they sound good together. Share it with someone.

Writing Tips from Delia

​I look at the first and last sentence of my manuscript and see if they align back to the theme. 

 I separate my layout into spreads and look at the final sentences. I ask myself, would this follow a page turn or would someone stop reading here? I want readers to be hooked and want to turn the page each time.

I don't write everyday but I find the time to do writing related things like cleaning up my workspace, writing bullet point ideas of potential book topics, reading, and resting.

 With revision, I wrote the entire PB story from scratch and see what moment stuck and which scenes generated new ideas / outcomes. This helps me keep the heart and adjust any areas I might want to change when I compare it to the original.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist featuring plena music, panderos, coquis, Puerto Rico, bomba music and more!

Teachers' Guide/Activities

Pinterest board with lots of related resources: Coqui, Puerto Rican music, maps, flags, history, coloring pages, and more!

Guest Links and Giveaways
​

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Delia Ruiz 
Delia Ruiz is a first generation Latinx author. She enjoys creating teacher materials under her teacher store Aventuras En ESL. Aventuras En ESL is also her social media platform used to showcase diverse books, especially Latine/x book picks. Her published books include the International Latino Book Award-winning Roqui’s Pandero Beat and the !1,2,3 Baila! board book series. Delia enjoys time at home, writing, and going on long walks. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and pug. She is represented by Sera Rivers at Speilburg Literary Agency.
​Website   
To purchase ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT, visit Delia's website (this link)
​
Instagram

TikTok

FB

Delia is generously offering a signed copy of ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT to one lucky winner! Simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 and we'll randomly select a winner.  


​

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1 Comment

ABUELITA'S SONG with Gloria Amescua

4/30/2025

9 Comments

 

A Chat with Gloria

Listen in as Gloria and I chat about the origin of her book and it's journey, the musical connections, how language plays into the story, legacies, and lots more!  Join the conversation by leaving us a comment below.

ABUELITA'S SONG

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Bilingual, full of music, gorgeous illustrations, an intergenerational story about love, lyrics, language, and legacy!  Such a sweet and lovely book about how the things we share that come from our heart come back to us sometimes in surprising ways! 

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

The original song! Sung by Gloria's Granddaughters! How sweet is this?!? Check out the links section below for even more videos, the sheet music and more! You and your littles can sing along with Gloria's granddaughters, or you can grab the sheet music and play along as well.  A sweet, repetitive lullaby that is a great introduction to Spanish for non-native speakers as well as a comforting lullaby in Spanish for families already fluent in Spanish.

​Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Lullabies
  • History of lullabies
  • Lullabies in English and Spanish (and other languages)
  • Compare and contrast several lullabies
  • Analyze lyrics of lullabies
Spanish and English language
  • Learn Spanish/English words for sky objects (moon, sun, stars, etc.)
  • Learn Spanish/English words for body parts
  • Learn Spanish/English words for terms of endearment
  • Learn Spanish/English words for family members
​Discuss bedtime routines: similarities/differences
Find examples of personification
Verbs in different forms -s, -ed, -ing, etc.
Questions/Answers

​Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

  • Sing popular lullabies in different languages and from around the world.
  • Discuss lullabies and their purpose/history
  • Make up additional verses to the song
  • Share favorite lullabies from their family heritage
  • Use the sheet music in the back of the book:
    • Boomwhackers
    • bells/bar instruments
    • keyboard/piano
  • 3/4 time -- waltz beat
  • tap the rhythms of the music on bodies or on instruments

​Writing Prompts from Tonnye

  1. Write about your nighttime routine (or your memories of bedtime routines)
  2. Write about a favorite lullaby
  3. Make up your own lullaby. 
  4. Write a list of all the words you know in another language and translate them to English/your home language
  5. Write a poem about the sun, moon, and stars going to sleep
  6. Write a story about a kid who cannot go to sleep.
  7. Write a story about something that is special between you and your grandfather.
  8. Write an acrostic poem using the word lullaby.
  9. Write a song in 3/4 time signature.
  10. Write a letter to the author telling her if you enjoyed the book and why/why not.
  11. Write a letter to your grandma (abuelita) or grandpa (abuelito)


​Writing Tips from Gloria

1. Accept that your first drafts are usually pitiful. That doesn’t mean that they will stay that
way. When I first write something down, I start wondering if I will ever again have a
good idea or be able to make it better or get another book published. I have to push
those thoughts aside and keep working. I need to relish each small improvement and
enjoy that rush of “it’s better.” So, the most important thing is to let go of those fears
and keep revising, trying new things or putting that project aside and start working on a
new one. Now, it’s harder to let go, when you have been revising, using critique
partners’ feedback, putting months and months (possibly years) on a manuscript and
your agent and editor say, “No and no.” I’m working on letting go of that. Keep in mind
that you have other ideas, other possibilities waiting for your voice and kids waiting to
connect with your stories. Persistence is key.
2. Revision is the fun part of the process; it’s the real writing. I love seeing my story get
better and better with feedback from my critique group, agent or editor. I may have an
insight or idea that pops into my mind and I can try it. I can change a word here or there
and it’s so much better. I can cut something that isn’t needed because there is an
illustrator who is going to add their vision and magic. Okay, sometimes, I have to cut
something that I really, really love and want in, but I have to accept that it doesn’t move
the narrative forward. In the end, I’m glad because the story is better. My secret is to
think that I might use that tidbit in another story.
3. Read, read, read contemporary books that are like the ones you want to write. You can
write an analysis of what you like, what works and what doesn’t for you. Pick a mentor
book and try that approach or structure or a variation of it.
4. For me, the most important aspect is that I have to have an emotional connection to the
story. I have to relate to the anxiety, challenges, conflicts or love and tenderness
expressed by the characters and their actions. I spend a long time developing my stories,
especially my picture book biographies. If I’m going to spend part of my life writing a
story and promoting it, I have to feel it’s really touching readers in a significant way.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
​

Gloria's links to the song and the sheet music

Pinterest board with more Spanish lullabies, nighttime crafts, Spanish language activities, and more!
YouTube playlist with lullabies, Spanish lessons and more!

​

Guest Links and Giveaways

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Gloria's website

Links to purchase ABUELITA'S SONG
Book People link to purchase the book (Gloria mentions them in our chat.)
Abuelita's Song Goodreads page (You can leave reviews here, as well as on Amazon and B&N)

Facebook

Twitter/X

Instagram

Bluesky

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9 Comments

TRACTOR DANCE

4/16/2025

8 Comments

 

Dancing Tractors, Poetry, and Pivots

Join Matt and I as we chat deets about his board book released in the Fall of 2024, poetry, the idiosyncracies of publishing and knowing when and how to pivot. AND, a little bit of chat about his newest book too!  Come listen in or leave us a comment to join the conversation!

TRACTOR DANCE

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For a board book, Matt has filled this one full of layers.  You have farm equipment, animals, lots of dance terminology and a rip-roaring hoedown of a good time.  The illustrations are joyful and complete the festive farm mood.  This one is perfect for every tractor-loving dancing toddler/preschooler out there!  A fabulous addition to preschool and daycare bookshelves.  You could have a lot of fun with this one in your classes for littles or story time or anytime at home! Super-fun and full of down-home farm happy goodness on every spread. This book will have your littles boogying down on the farm!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

 This song is super fun for the littles, and I love that it mixes in real footage of tractors doing their work on the farm alongside the silly and very entertaining cartoon dance sequences!  This song is perfect for all your farm-loving littles or your tractor-loving littles or your boogying littles -- pretty much for all your littles! Crank it up and have a tractor dance party! Be sure to check out the playlist below in the links section for lots more tractor fun, some hoedowns, tractor square dancing, a lot of Aaron Copland's "Hoedown" along with other fun music activities for kids.
​

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

So fun!  Lots of layers! While admittedly, this (board) book is MOST appropriate for daycare and preschool and home settings, you could probably get away with using it in primary/early elementary grades, and there are some great reasons to.  If any of these apply, regardless of your setting, feel free to grab them and enjoy teaching with this joyful adorable book! (And don't forget to check out the Pinterest board and YouTube playlist for even more teaching opportunities!

Rhyme!
This is one of Matt's specialties, and it shows up great here!  
For littles, you could leave out words and see if they can predict the rhymes and just talk about the fact that it's a rhyming book. Generate verbal (or written if appropriate)lists of rhyming words.
For older/advanced kids, you could actually talk about rhyming patterns.  This one is an ABCB pattern (although a couple of spreads the lines get a little tricky, but the rhyme pattern continues throughout)
To take it even further, you could have students/children write their own poems with an ABCB pattern . . .

FARM!
Since that is the setting, it makes sense.  You could talk about the tractors and farm equipment, and other vocabulary that permeates the book: silo, neigh, plow, combine, etc.
The book is a great addition to a unit on farms!
Farm animals (and ones you don't typically think about being on farms -- like frogs) are another farm direction you could take the study. (The YouTube playlist has some nice farm ambience videos that would make the perfect backdrop)

Dance!
The book mentions several different types of dances that you could dig your heels into a bit more (pun definitely intended! ;-)
hoe-down
jig
promenading (The tractor square dancing videos in the YouTube playlist would be a hoot in conjunction with this!)
ballet/pirouette
shimmy-shake
country (line dances or two-step)
polka
How fun to have a dance party featuring lots of different dance styles! You might think about pairing it up with LET'S DANCE by Valerie Bolling if you choose to focus on the different dance styles, because that is the focus of her book and you can find that PBJamz episode here.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
​

For preschool and kinders, I think it would be such fun to do a farm unit for music class. For that age group, here are some recommendations:
  • Check out all the amazing farm/music books:
    • BARNYARD BOOGIE by Tim McCanna (PBJamz episode here)
    • MISS MCDONALD HAD A FARM by Kalee Gwarjanski (PBJamz episode here)
    • Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton
    • There are more, but these I think are especially appropriate
  • Use instruments to mimic the sounds or use for sound stories of any of these books.
  • Check out the square dancing tractor videos and get your littles to try some simple square dance moves.
  • Sing Old McDonald and all the fun farm songs in the YouTube playlist!
  • Lots of crafts/fun activities on Pinterest and you could put the ambient farm music in the background for a musical component, too!

For k-2, I think the book still has value and I think you could certainly do a compare/contrast between TRACTOR DANCE/BARNYARD BOOGIE/BARNYARD DANCE and then learn some simple dance moves. Some of the songs from the YouTube playlist would still be appropriate for this age, and I think kids of ALL ages will get a kick out of the square-dancing tractors! You could have students write new words for Old McDonald for the farm equipment. . . how fun! 

Regardless of the age/grade level, you could combine this with BARNYARD BOOGIE music activities and MISS MCDONALD HAS A FARM music activities as well and have your own classroom hoe-down!

Writing Tips from Matt!

​Re-write: If a manuscript or poem isn’t working, no one said you can’t rip it up and start over. Maybe try using a different POV, perhaps a change of scenery, or a change of character. See what happens!

Revise: If you have a manuscript or poem you really like, don’t stop there! Set it aside for a day, a week, or even longer – then go back to it with fresh eyes and see what works and what doesn’t. Change a word, change a line, polish, polish, ‘til it shines!

Recycle: I can’t count the number of poems and manuscripts that I have set aside because they just weren’t working. You probably have plenty, as well. So why not reach back into those dusty computer folders, pull one out, and see if there’s something you can do with it? Perhaps there is some nugget there you can use. Try rewriting, try revising, or even try writing it in a completely different genre! For example, my book “The Thing to Remember about Stargazing” started out as a poem that never made it into the anthology for which I wrote it - so when a well-known author/poet friend of mine suggested I flesh it out into a picture book manuscript, I decided I would do just that!

Writing Prompts from Tonnye
​

Considering this book will be most appropriate for the youngest learners, my writing prompts will be in line with that:
  1. Make up new words for Old McDonald, but use the farm equipment.
  2. Choose your favorite farm animal and write a couple of sentences about the music/sounds they make.
  3. Make a list of farm animals/equipment and beside each write an instrument you could use for that animal/farm equipment.
  4. Write down your favorite dance from the book and draw a picture to match.
  5. Draw a picture of your favorite farm equipment and write a couple of sentences about why you like it.
  6. Have you ever been to a farm?  Make three columns: Plants/Animals/Equipment and write as many items for each category that you saw on the farm.
  7. Write a class/family acrostic poem using your favorite farm word/phrase.
  8. As a class/family, make a chart of as many rhyming word families as you can. (Start with the pairs in the book and see how many you can add.)

But for the writers, older kids, and adults who want a farm challenge, too:
  1. Write your own story about music on a farm.
  2. Write a poem with ABCB rhyming pattern. (Will yours be set on a farm, too? Or somewhere else?)
  3. Write another story with a tractor as the main character.
  4. Write about your favorite kind of dance and why you like it.
  5. Write about a tractor square dance where something went very wrong.
  6. Write about a different piece of farm equipment besides the tractor.
  7. Write about one of the farm animals who would like to use one of the farm machines. What is the problem? How do they solve it?
  8. Write a sensory poem about life on the farm.
  9. Write a letter to Mr. Esenwine telling him your favorite thing about the book and one thing you wish was different.
  10. What song do you think the farmer was singing at the end of the story? Pick up there, and write a NEW story starting with his song.

​Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of real square-dancing tractors, lots of Aaron Copland's Rodeo music, some fun musical activities and a ton of tractor songs and videos for kids. I also included some farm ambience videos as well.  There is something for everyone in this list, and I'll continue adding as I find pieces that are a good fit.

Pinterest board with tractor party ideas, tractor crafts, tractor songs, and much more that connects with the book TRACTOR DANCE.
​

Guest Links and Giveaways

Picture
Matt's website

​Matt's blog (where you can find the Poetry Friday posts we discussed)

Matt's YouTube with interviews, Wit & Wordplay and much more!
Wit & Wordplay playlist

Matt's Twitter/X
FB


To buy TRACTOR DANCE
ON AMAZON

Matt is offering a giveaway of one copy of TRACTOR DANCE to one lucky winner! To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on April 30.  One winner will be randomly chosen from the comments.
8 Comments

OVER IN THE GARDEN by Janna Matthies

4/2/2025

9 Comments

 

Gardening, Community, and Songs, Oh My!

Join Janna and me as we discuss gardening, singing, building community, and much more!  It's a lovely conversation. Come on in and pull up a chair! Listen in or leave us a comment to participate!

OVER IN THE GARDEN
​

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A delightful, colorful and whimsical view of how a community garden comes together. It shows that everyone has a part and there is a place for everyone. It details many of the things that happen to help a community garden prosper and the positive things that happen when it does!  It follows the cumulative structure of Over in the Meadow, a familiar children's folk song, and indeed it can be sung to that tune as well. The marriage of words and text do a lovely job of capturing the joy and comradery of a community garden and the ways it benefits everyone! A great blend of music, words and art that make the world a better place!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Perhaps you were expecting a karaoke version of OVER IN THE MEADOW that your class could sing along with? I've got you covered! That's also in the playlist, so be sure to check the links section!  This one is sweet and really gets to the heart of community gardens, as does the book, so y'all enjoy it!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
​

ELA
  • Rhyme, rhyme, rhyme --This book is full of rhyme.  Depending on the grade level and their familiarity with rhyme, have them 
    • ​Make a list of rhyming words
    • Write rhyming couplets
    • Write rhyming quatrains
    • Use some internal rhyme (as opposed to end rhyme)
  • Prepositional phrases --
    • ​Scavenger hunt (list all the ones you find in the book)
    • Extend by having students creat their own mini-booklet of prepositional phrases from the book, but drawing a picture to illustrate.
  • Strong verbs
    • ​Scavenger hunt
    • Charades
    • List and illustrate
  • Adjectives
    • ​Scavenger hunt
    • List and illustrate
    • Find five nouns in the book and list as many adjectives as you can to add detail about the noun.
    • ​Vocabulary
      • ​Garden terms: shovel, weeds, compost, etc.
Social Studies
  • Power of community
    • ​Research community gardens and how they benefit communities
    • Discuss how communities use their natural resources to cultivate a community garden and grow stronger relationships within their community
    • Discuss/complete a project following a community garden through the steps to get one started in your community
Science
  • Plant parts
  • life cycles of plants
  • Making compost/benefits of compost
  • Needs of plants
Math
  • Simple Counting
  • Adding/subracting to ten
  • "Making a ten" problems
  • Story problems --rows, plants, seeds, etc.
Art
  • Use plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruit) to create paintings
  • Make mud paint
  • Draw pictures of gardens
  • Do leaf rubbings
  • ​Check the Pinterest board for more!

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

  • Folk song "Over in the Meadow"
    • ​Learn to sing the original folk song
    • Sing it with the garden lyrics
    • Extend it with other books/versions of the song 
      • OVER IN THE BLUERIDGE
      • OVER IN THE GARDEN
      • OVER IN THE MEADOW
      • OVER IN THE ARCTIC
      • OVER IN THE JUNGLE
    • Have students write their own lyrics for a nearby habitat or their own community
  • Extend learning of "Over in the Meadow"
    • ​Use it for body percussion
    • Rhythm practice
    • Boomwhackers/desk bells/Orff instrumentation
    • Decode the rhythmic patterns
  • Compare versions of the song
    • with different habitats
    • different styles
    • different instrumentation
  • Bring in garden tools and allow students to create music with gardening implements.
  • If your school has a school garden, take students out and allow them to create garden rhythms or write a song about the school garden.
  • Read the story several times and have students choose instruments to accompany the various scenes. (ie. shovel =agogo, digging=sandblocks, hot cocoa = "yum yumm", etc.

Writing Tips from Janna

1) READ, READ, READ books in the genre you want to write--picture book, middle grade, poetry, YA. Use the ones you love as "mentor texts," studying them to learn how they do it successfully. Then write, revise, receive critiques...REPEAT! 

2) Scour the most recent CHILDREN'S WRITER'S AND ILLUSTRATOR'S MARKET guide book, in print or digitally, to better understand the industry, your genre, the craft of writing, what editors and agents are looking for, how to find an agent, how to submit queries. It includes indexes by subject matter at the rear, full of publishing info. 

3) Join the SCBWI (pro organization for the children's publishing industry). Read the website thoroughly and find a local critique group via your region's chapter. SCBWI conferences offer great learning and networking, chances to meet agents and editors and to register in advance for a paid critique.

4) Regarding finding an agent, check out manuscript wish lists on twitter at #MSWL as well as www.manuscriptwishlist.com, where editors and agents show what they want in general. 

There are simply no shortcuts! ​

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

  1. Plant a garden (or at least a few seeds.). Keep a journal showing the growth and talking about changes you see.
  2. Write a letter to your community leaders about starting up a new community garden. Be sure to give them at least three good reasons a collaborative garden would be good for your community.
  3. Write about a gardening experience you had.
  4. Write a fictional story about a magical garden.
  5. Write a sensory poem about being in a garden.
  6. Write an acrostic poem using the word "Garden" or for a real challenge "Community Garden".
  7. Write a letter to the author telling her whether you like the book and why/why not.
  8. Try your own hand at writing a song to the tune of Over in the Meadow.
  9. Since OVER IN THE GARDEN is a counting book, too, write your own counting book for your community.
  10. If you could grow any type of garden, what would you grow and why?
  11.  Write about your favorite treat to enjoy after you've been working outside in the yard or the garden.
  12. Write about your favorite flower.
  13. Write about your favorite fruit.
  14. Write about your favorite vegetable.
  15. Write about something you cooked/help cook that went straight from the garden to the table.

​Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
​

YouTube playlist with karaoke versions of OVER IN THE MEADOW, lots of fun songs about gardening and community gardens and plant needs, composting, etc.

Pinterest board full of lots of gardening songs, crafts, printables, science experiments, additional book lists for little gardeners, and much more! Tons of resources for families, daycare/preschools, and elementary school classrooms (music and general ed).

Guest Links and Giveaways
​

Picture
Janna's website


Janna's Instagram

Janna's Facebook

Janna's
​ (You can get purchase links for any of her books on this page)

Janna is offering a free copy of OVER IN THE GARDEN to one lucky winner (continental US only) Simply leave a comment below to be entered.
9 Comments

SHE SANG FOR THE MOUNTAINS by Shannon Hitchcock

3/19/2025

2 Comments

 

Mountain Music, Dulcimer, Saving the Mountains and more. . . .

Join Shannon and me as we chat about her book SHE SANG FOR THE MOUNTAINS, the Story of Singer, Songwriter, Activist Jean Ritchie. We talk about what inspired her to write this book -- and three others in this series, how music is an integral part of this book and Jean Ritchie's life. We relate this to how mountain people (and all people) use music to make it through their days -- how important it was for so many things. We discuss the mountain/Appalachian dulcimer, the beautiful artwork by Sophie Page and much more!

SHE SANG FOR THE MOUNTAINS: THE STORY OF SINGER, SONGWRITER, ACTIVIST JEAN RITCHIE

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From the cover, you can see that: 1. This is a beautiful book with unique art. 2. It is chock full of music. and 3. It's about someone who loved music and loved the mountains. 4.  Her name was Jean Ritchie and she was a singer, a songwriter, and an activist.  When you open the book, it delivers on every one of those "promises", telling a story of a girl, born in Kentucky who loved living in the Appalachian mountains. It tells of struggles, and how music became the balm for aching souls, but also the battle cry for changes that needed to happen. It tells how she became one of the greatest names in folk music, and how she impacted people and places with her words and her songs.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

There are lots of great Jean Ritchie songs in the playlist in the links section. This is one of my favorites. If you watch the video and hear me share the story about the station wagon., this is one of the songs Daddy taught me when I was very young (long before we even had the station wagon), but it was definitely one of the ones we sang on those rides to Grandma and Uncle Jerry's or to Charlotte to see Uncle Billy and Aunt Peggy.  It's a quintessential folk song, and one that I think children will enjoy.  There is another fun one perfect for Halloween on the list called Skin and Bones.  It's loads of fun for the kiddos too!  Check those out and more on the playlists I've linked up below.

From a music teacher perspective, this song is perfect for teaching call and response songs, because this is a fabulous example where literally one singer states something, the other asks a question and then there is a reply.

If you're looking for more of the songs that Jean wrote, several of them are included in the playlist. (and I keep adding to it as I find things that are appropriate.)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

In the regular classroom, you could also teach any of the content in the music section as well, but here are some additional tips/topics for teaching this book: Also, just a note that this is one of four books about Appalachian storytellers/folk heroes.  You could teach them in conjunction as different forms of storytelling as the author presents them.  Or you can certainly focus on just this one book.

ART
Pay attention to the art!. Sophie Page uses 3D art to create the illustrations for this book and the others in the series.  Compare/find the similarities and differences in her illos for the 4 books.  Guide students to use some of the same media to creat 3D art.

ACTIVISM
What do you do when you don't agree with things that are happening in your community?  What are some actions Jean took?  What are some actions you could take?

(comprehension). What was Jean protesting?  Why? 
What is the significance of the title of the book?  Why did the author use that title?

ELA
Prepositional phrases 
There are lots of prepositional phrases in this book.  You could simply point them out and discuss or you could do a scavenger hunt kind of activity (Find 5 prepositional phrases in the book. Write them and draw a picture to match)  "in the Cumberland Mountains"  "on soft summer evenings" etc.

Onomatopoeia
This book is a great one for pointing out that onomatopeia doesn't always have to be sound effects in big font with exclamation marks. Those words can simply be embedded in the text: 
crackling fire
rumbling cars
roar of radios
strum of strings
etc.

Adjectives
There are many adjectives that could be pointed out, charted, drawn, etc.

Strong verbs
Look for the strong verbs and discuss how that makes the story stronger

Social Studies
Geography
Trace the places Jean traveled/lived on a map
Research Appalachia -- find it on a map


Natural resources -- Discuss the positives and negatives of coal mining
Women's roles in society (ie: she used a man's name to publish her songs -- why?) Has that changed?  How do you know?  Is that positive or negative?


Science
Water pollution -- analyze the lyrics of "Black Waters"
​Study water pollution in your own area

Science of Sound -- vibrations cause sound waves. (dulcimer strings, rain on the roof, etc.)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
​

There are several topics you could address using this book as a jumping-off point:
  1. Appalachian/mountain music -- discuss instrumentation, topics/subject matter, tone, form, etc.
  2. Mountain dulcimer (specifically). Use videos, live performances (if applicable), diagrams, and hands-on demonstration (if available). Check the Pinterest board for diagrams, coloring sheets, etc. Check YouTube playlist for mountain dulcimer videos.
  3. Folk music -- instrumentation, topics/subject matter, tone, form, etc.  If you decide on this you could point out that Appalachian music/mountain music is a subset of folk music.  (ie. mountain music is folk music, but folk music is not necessarily mountain music).
  4. Jean Ritchie -- biographical study of Jean as a musician; listen to her music; timeline, compare her versions of songs to other artists/compare her dulcimer playing to others' playing.
  5. Study the other folk music activists pictured in the book: Doc Watson, Woody Guthrie,  Carl Sandburg, and Pete Seeger

Writing Tips from Shannon

​1. Read your work aloud to yourself. When I'm writing my picture book biographies, I read the manuscripts aloud to myself over and over. I'm trying to capture a rhythm and make sure the language sings.  Any words that throw the rhythm off have to be replaced.

2. Keep an idea folder. There is nothing worse than a blank page and nothing to write about. To avoid that scenario, I keep a folder of possible story ideas.

3. I find a little pre-planning goes a long way, so when I'm starting a new project, I ask myself questions that I call the 5 Ws.
  • Who is my main character?
  • What needs to happen to him/her
  • When Does the story take place?
  • Where is my setting?
  • Why does this story matter to anybody besides me?
Knowing the setting and the time period influences all the details I will use in the story, but probably the most important question is why the story matters.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye
​

  1. The author says Jean Ritchie heard music everywhere.  Do a music walk. Take a notebook or clipboard with you on a walk and write down all the music you hear. Write it as a poem.
  2. Write a letter to your city council, county commissioners or other leaders in your community explaining something you think is not good for the community or the earth. Don't just tell what's wrong. Give them a couple of ideas for how it could be improved.
  3. Write a song about how your community has changed.
  4. Listen to several of Jean Ritchie's songs and write a letter to her telling her what you think of her songs.
  5. Write a letter to the author telling her what you enjoyed about the book.
  6. Research coal mining in Kentucky and write about how it affected the water of the area.
  7. Read the book and write five comprehension questions  to check your friends' understanding of the book. Switch questions and see if you can answer each others' questions.
  8. Listen to several dulcimer songs and write about how it sounds to you. Include onomatopoeia.
  9. Research one of the other activist musicians mentioned in the illustration: Carl Sandburg, Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson or Pete Seeger and write the story of their life.
  10. Write an acrostic poem using either "Jean Ritchie" or "dulcimer" or "Activist" or "Mountains" or "Music.

​Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist of Children's Songs and Games from the Southern Mountains sung by Jean Ritchie

YouTube playlist of videos of Jean Ritchie singing, playing dulcimer, teaching how to play the dulcimer and other videos that will support teaching, learning, and extending the book SHE SANG FOR THE MOUNTAINS by Shannon Hitchcock

Pinterest board full of links, activities, crafts, music lessons, interviews and more related to Jean Ritchie and/or the book SHE SANG FOR THE MOUNTAINS by Shannon Hitchcock

Teachers' Guide for SHE SANG FOR THE MOUNTAINS 

YouTube playlist of Mountain Dulcimer lessons

​YouTube playlist of Carl Sandburg's album Flat Rock Ballads





​




Guest Links and Giveaways

Picture
 Insta: hitchcock_shannon
Website: https://shannonhitchcock.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/shannon.hitchcock.940


Goodreads link (for purchase options, click on the arrow beside "Buy on Amazon" to view several options)

Shannon has offered a free zoom visit to one lucky winner. If you'd like Shannon to zoom into your classroom to talk about this book (or her others), simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, and I will draw a winner!


2 Comments

STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY with Moira Donohue

3/5/2025

3 Comments

 

Tons of Writing Tips and More with Moira Donohue
STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY

What a fun conversation with Moira! Y'all come on in and check it out! This book is full of amazing facts and great stories! Moira packed this conversation full of great writing tips. It's a master class itself, and she shares so much good information. Plus which, she is delightful to talk with! Hop on in and join the conversation!

STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY

Picture
This picture book biography shines the spotlight on Chick Webb -- specifically focusing in on one major event that propelled Chick Webb to the heights of stardom -- even though he was only 4'11".  Author Moira Donohue uses music, rhythm, and onomatopoeia to tell a compelling story of a young man who persevered, making the most of challenging circumstances and even using them to his advantage. The book shines a light on one specific competition -- Battle of the Bands at the Savoy.  It is chock full of fabulous language and a story that begs to be told -- and told well. The author delivers, supported by wonderful illustrations by Laura Freeman.  This book is perfect for the young drummer, the kid who thinks he's too small, the kid with a tough diagnosis, but it's also perfect for the seasoned percussionist, the fan of big band music and the history buff. This book has something for everyone!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Here is a recording of Chick Webb and his group playing the song "Stompin' at the Savoy". I couldn't think of a better piece of music to highlight for this episode. . . .  There are additional pieces in the YouTube playlist in the links section.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

ELA topics and tips:
  • Onomatopoeia -- This book is FULL of it!  Great examples to share as mentor texts for kids or to help them understand what it is.
  • Strong verbs -- tapped, banged, slapped, hammered, spied, raced, etc.  This text is fabulous for a verb scavenger hunt or to mentor students in how to utilize strong verbs of their own.
SEL
  • Perseverance/overcoming challenges
  • Being teased/bullying

Math/Social Studies
  • Timelines
  • Create story problems based on timeline or selling newspapers for whatever skills you are working on.  
    • If Chick sold 10 newspapers at 25 cents each, how much money did he collect?
    • If Chick delivered 25 newspapers in one week and 35 the next week, how many did he deliver?
    • If Chick was born in 1905 and started selling newspapers at 9 years old, what year was it when he began selling?
    • If Chick made $2 each week, and the drumsticks cost $10,00, how many weeks did it take him to earn the money?
    • If the drumset was $50, how many weeks?
    • etc.
Art/Music
  • ​DIY Drums (Create/decorate drums)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

  • Swing Music (listening, rhythm play-alongs, recognizing it in movies -- Aristocats, Monsters, Inc, etc.)
  • History and sub-genres of Jazz music
  • Big Band era and key musicians
  • Chick Webb/Duke Ellington/Ella Fitzgerald/Benny Goodman interactions
  • Drumming (various kinds depending on ages and stages of kids)
  • Dance connections -- swing and Lindy Hop
  • History of Savoy Ballroom and impact on music and dance
  • Compare versions of songs by Benny Goodman and Chick Webb
  • DIY Drums (in conjunction with art teacher perhaps)

Writing Tips from Moira

Here is a link to Moira's page with writing resources and tips. Check it out, along with the video interview where she shares a ton of great writing tips.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

  1. Write a letter to Chick Webb telling him 3 reasons you admire/appreciate him.
  2. Listen to Benny Goodman's version and Chick Webb's version of  Stompin' at the Savoy and write a comparison of the two.
  3. Write an acrostic poem using one of these words or phrases: Chick Webb, Big Band, Swing, or Savoy.
  4. Write a report about the importance of the Savoy Ballroom.
  5. Write a timeline of Chick Webb's life.
  6. Write about a time you were called names or bullied.
  7. Write a "How to" story about how to play drums, or how to overcome a challenge or how to deal with people calling you names, how to create a drum, etc.
  8. Write your own math problem using ideas from the story.
  9. Write a letter to Chick Webb from Benny Goodman's drummer.
  10. Have you ever had a "battle"?  Write about it.
  11. Write about an experience you had learning something new.
  12. Have you ever played drums?  Write about that.
  13. Make a list of at least 10 strong verbs for walked.
  14. Write a story with onomatopoeia about music.
  15. Write a letter to the author telling her at least 3 things you enjoyed about this book.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
​

YouTube playlist with the interview, read alouds, music from Chick Webb, bio videos of Chick and more!

Pinterest board with flyers, photos, teacher activities and more!


Guest Links and Giveaways

Picture
Moira's website

Email

Instagram

To buy STOMPIN AT THE SAVOY, check out the Goodreads page with lots of options.


​Moira is generously offering a copy of STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY to one lucky winner. To be entered, leave a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, March 19.
3 Comments

PBJAMZ Turns 3! Celebrating with Grace Ludtke and BECAUSE by Mo Willems

2/20/2025

8 Comments

 

A Full Circle Journey with Grace Ludtke

PBJamz is turning 3!!! And to celebrate, I have a fantastic conversation with musician and teacher Grace Ludtke! I first heard of Grace when my best friend, Rachel, sent a link to an article in OUR STATE magazine to me. When I read about how Grace was inspired to become a musician because of a picture book, and then became a teacher, too, it seemed like the quintessential PBJamz story. So, I contacted Grace and asked if she would join me and talk about her journey.  This chat is full of serendipity and connections between music, reading, writing and teaching. It's all about inspiration and where it can lead. It's about the journey from inspiration to reality, and we have a blast along the way! Join us for the convo!

BECAUSE by Mo Willems

Picture
I chose this book to accompany my interview with Grace because it's such a lovely picture of the cause and effect relationship of a journey from inspiration to reality and the serendipity that happens to cause one thing to lead to another until your dreams come true. Sometimes inspiration comes from a musical performance, sometimes it comes from a teacher, and sometimes it comes from a picture book Here's to the inspiration waiting for you and the serendipity along the way! Available wherever books are sold (and on sale at Amazon at air time for 40% off -- a perfect time to add it to your collecction.)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Listening to this week's guest, Grace Ludtke, on harp, feels absolutely ethereal. If you close your eyes, you can imagine yourself in Heaven amidst the angels.  This piece happens to be one of my favorite songs -- a beautiful song about making your dreams come true, and so, it seems doubly appropriate for this episode. Take a few minutes and listen to your troubles melting like lemondrops.  If you (like me) have a "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" playlist, you'll want to add this one for sure.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
​

This episode (in my mind) has basically 4 different sections. You could teach each of them, interconnect, or you could certainly pull out additional topics from the book BECAUSE, or expand on some of them in various ways.

Section 1: Inspiration
You can talk to your students about what inspires them.  What inspired them to want to take dance classes or play basketball, etc.  Compare that to Grace's journey of being inspired by an illustration in a picture book. Have your students every been inspired by something they saw in a book. (Great time to bring in the book BECAUSE).  I would extend that conversation by talking about how inspiration by itself isn't enough. You have to give your inspiration legs. You have to follow through. You have to find out what it takes to make that dream come true and then pursue that. You have to practice/work hard/take lessons, etc.
**I was inspired to contact Grace when I read an article about her in OUR STATE magazine, and thought her story aligned beautifully to my mission for PBJamz.  Inspiration comes in all sorts of ways!
​
Section 2: BECAUSE by Mo Willems
This book is a great companion to this conversation. It shows that there are so many components to even a simple thing happening, and how, not only does inspiration have to strike, but there are MANY MANY More steps to be taken for your dream to become a reality.  There are certainly other topics you could bring in with this book. There is one study guide in the links section, but I'm sure there are many more for it as well.  This book could extend the learning in quite a few different directions.  There are a couple of read-alouds included on the YouTube playlist, but there are many more!

Section 3: Cause and Effect
Both Grace's real-life story, and the book BECAUSE contain so many examples of cause and effect.  I've included several videos in the YouTube playlist that you can use to help teach or cement the learning of cause and effect. There are lessons, explanations, songs, and more. Check it out if you want to expand in this direction.

Section 4: Grace and the Harp. 
This is a huge section, and I'll dig into it more deeply in the music teacher's section, so check it out there.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
​

In the teachers' section, I shared 4 main topics and I believe all 4 of them translate well for music teachers as well, although how you teach them will be probably very different,

Topic 1: Inspiration
I think it would be amazing to search out how various famous musicians were inspired to follow music.  It would make a great bulletin board, a great research project, or a fun fact at the beginning or end of your music classes to talk about how inspiration comes from so many different places: church, family, holidays, picture books, concerts, etc. Talking with music students about what instrument they are learning and/or hope to learn to play and why.  The role of inspiration, and how it is simply the starting point. It requires learning, practice, and tenacity to become a musician.

​Grace was inspired as a little girl from a picture in a book, but it took lots of follow-up: finding a harp and a teacher, lessons, practice, practice, practice, and lots of tenacity. But the effect of all of that is that now Grace is sharing that knowledge and expertise with young harpists and with her students at Guilford College.  It started with inspiration, but it didn't end there. That was just the beginning.

Topic 2: BECAUSE
This book is a fabulous one for the music classroom not only because it starts with the inspiration of a concert and ends with the young woman having a successful music career. (although, YES! all of that, too!), but I think it's also a great book because it mentions how many people go into making a music event successful, which is a very important lesson for young musicians to learn! Be sure to check out the musical storytime videos in the YouTube playlist. You may find them to be perfect jumping-off points for music lessons related to this book.

Topic 3: Cause/Effect
While this is something students learn about in their reading classes, and sometimes social studies and science, it is also very apropos for music students. ie. if I'm inspired, what is the effect?  If I practice every day, what is the effect on my music?  If I'm not learning my instrument (or other music content), what is the reason/cause for that?  Helping students to be reflective practitioners starts early. They need to understand the cause/effect relationship and how their music learning is affected by their choices.

But, also, the scientific cause/effect relationships of music and how it is formed: 
When I stretch the trombone slide, it creates a longer tube. What affect does that have on pitch?
What causes the strings on a harp (or other string instrument) to vibrate?
What is the effect of vibrations?
etc, etc., etc.

Topic 4: Grace and the Harp
This is a great way to bring this instrument into your classroom, since most of us don't have a resident harpist or thousands of dollars to add one to our cache os instruments to demonstrate.
I've included videos in the YouTube playlist that introduce the harp, show the parts, demonstrate how to play, etc. as well as beautiful videos of Grace, herself, playing the harp, as well as the NC Harp Ensemble that Grace co-founded.  Also, different kinds of harps, why the strings are different colors, and other things I thought your students might find interesting.
Since it is a string instrument, you could talk about all the relative musical content to that:
pitch -- length of strings
how string instruments make sounds
etc.

Grace was inspired as a little girl from a picture in a book, but it took lots of follow-up: finding a harp and a teacher, lessons, practice, practice, practice, and lots of tenacity. But the effect of all of that is that now Grace is sharing that knowledge and expertise with young harpists and with her students at Guilford College.  It started with inspiration, but it didn't end there.

A Note to My Writing and Illustrating Friends. . . .

 byIn lieu of "writing tips" from an author this week, I want you simply to revel in the thought that one day, someone might read one of your books or see one of your illustrations, and it might inspire their life's work, and it might have a ripple effect. like Grace's story. Because she read a picture book with a picture of a beautiful blonde woman playing the harp, she took lessons and became an amazing harpist, and now is teaching children and college students to play the harp too.

DON'T STOP WRITING! THE WORLD NEEDS OUR STORIES! 

Can you imagine if that book had not existed?  Grace wouldn't have been inspired by it She might not have learned to play the harp. She wouldn't be teaching harp. She wouldn't have co-founded the NC Harp Ensemble. And the world would have a lot less music in it!

KEEP WRITING AND DRAWING!  YOUR BOOK MAY JUST BE THE INSPIRATION SOMEONE IS NEEDING!

Remember when the story or the illustrations aren't coming together. . . don't forget when the querying trenches are hard.  Keep this in the forefront of your mind to help you KEEP MOVING FORWARD!  One day, your work may inspire someone and set them on an amazing path!

YOUR BOOK OR ILLUSTRATIONS MAY CHANGE SOMEONE'S STARS!

Don't quit or give up. Keep writing, keep drawing, work on your craft, just like Grace worked on hers. One day, someone may write an article about how THEY were inspired by YOU!

Writing Prompts from Tonnye
​

  1. Have you ever been inspired by a picture in a book?  Tell about that inspiration and the effect.
  2. When you are inspired to do something, what do you do to follow that through?
  3. Write a story about a boy who plays the harp.
  4. Write an acrostic poem using one of these words: GRACE, HARP, INSPIRE (or INSPIRATION) or BECAUSE.
  5. Write a letter to Grace telling how her story inspired you.
  6. Write a letter to someone in your life who inspired you in some way. Explain it to them and thank them for providing the inspiration.
  7. Write about a harp that comes alive. What do they do? How do they feel?
  8. Write your own version of BECAUSE, telling the story of your life.
  9. Write a song or poem about inspiration.
  10. Write a cause and effect story that gets wilder and wilder with everything that happens. How does it end?
  11. Write about an instrument you hope to play some day. Why? (Or if you don't want to play an instrument, write about something else you hope to learn and why.)
  12. Write about a book you read that had a big effect on you and made you think about things differently. Tell about the book and how it changed you.
  13. Write everything you have learned about the harp.
  14. Write a letter to a teacher who taught you the importance of practice and or tenacity/perseverance. How has that helped you/made your life better?
  15. Listen to one of Grace's harp pieces and write about how it makes you feel. What do you picture as she's playing?
  16. Do you think it is hard or easy to play the harp and why?

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

OUR STATE magazine article link about Grace

YouTube playlist with the interview with Grace, music from her and the Harp Ensemble as well as videos related to the book BECAUSE by Mo Willems, and other videos that teachers could use in conjunction with either of those (or both!

Pinterest board full of great images, links, teaching ideas and more related to my conversation with Grace, including: harp, string instruments, cause and effect, BECAUSE by Mo Willems and more.

NEA study guide for BECAUSE

RIF activities for BECAUSE


Guest Links and Giveaways
​

Picture
AndWebsite: www.graceludtke.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/harpist.grace
Facebook: www.facebook.com/harpist.grace/
YouTube: Grace Ludtke - YouTube

North Carolina Harp Ensemble
www.ncharpensemble.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ncharpensemble
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ncharpensemble
YouTube: North Carolina Harp Ensemble - YouTube


Grace is generously offering a school visit (in person if you're close enough geographically or virtual if it's too far for her to travel.)
AND
I'm offering a copy of the book BECAUSE by Mo Willems
To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below!

​Happy Birthday to PBJamz!  And thank you, Grace, for a lovely celebration conversation! Here's to our next year of music, picture books, teaching, reading, and writing!
8 Comments

SOULFUL STRUTTIN' w/ Julia Pierre Hammond

2/6/2025

9 Comments

 

A Soulful, Musical, Practical, Joyful Conversation

Join us for a soulful, musical, practical, and joyful conversation. This chat has something for everyone: the writers/aspiring authors, the teachers (classroom, music, library, etc.), the families, the musicians. It is as rich as the gumbo recipe in the back matter and as full of fun as a mardis gras celebration. Julia is absolutely delightful and generous with her knowledge and excitement. Her book is just as delightful. I enjoyed every minute of our interview and I hope you will too.

SOULFUL STRUTTIN'

SOULFUL STRUTTIN' is a joyful peek into one family's Sunday routines and traditions that include cleaning, music, and gumbo. Hammond takes the mundane and adds soul, music, layers, and such joy!  This book is perfect for families teaching children responsibility at home, teachers focusing on language and writing in a classroom, music teachers who want to dive into a bit of jazz or N'Awlins music, librarians hoping to share a rich book full of layers, young (or old) chefs-in-training who want to learn to make a rich gumbo, folks who have an affinity for Louisiana or jazz/R&B/soul music.  Basically, it's perfect for pretty much anyone.  It will put some pep in your step, some mean in your clean, and some music in your heart!
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A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Since this was one of Julia's inspirations for this book, I had to include it!  I like this version to share with students because it shows the instrumentation. Introduce them to some classic soul. "Soulful Strut" by The Young-Holt Unlimited is a soul-jazz song that blends elements of jazz, funk, R&B, and soul. The song was released in 1968 and was a million-selling single.  Also, check out Julia's playlist in the links section, and the full YouTube playlist in the links section as well for more musical connections.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

  • Sunday traditions
    • Write/talk about your own Sunday traditions
    • Sunday culture at your house
  • Chores/Cleaning 
    • Tools (Broom, mop, sponge, etc.)
    • Make a chores list
    • How can you turn chores into a game
  • Louisiana culture
    • Food (gumbo & more)
    • Music
    • Canal St.
  • REading/language
    • -ing verbs (and dropping endings/using apostrophe)
    • Metaphors
      • broom becomes microphone
      • bathroom = Funkytown
    • Onomatopoeia
    • Similes
      • Bowl splashes like a cymbal
      • Gleam like a cornet
    • Idioms "Cut the rug"
  • Refrains -- what are they and why do authors use them
  • Author's note -- what is it and why do authors include them

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

  • Brass family
    • Trombone
    • Tuba
    • Trombone
    • Trumpet/Cornet
  • Second line parades
  • Jazz (N'Orleans)
  • Louis Armstrong
  • Song list in the back of the book

If I were using this book, I would pull some of the songs from the playlist for some body percussion/steady beat work, use lots of Dixieland and LA Jazz, learn the members of the brass family, do a musician study on Louis Armstrong, and more!  There is so much fun to be had with this book. Have a second line parade around the music room -- or around the school and see who joins in.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

  1. Write about chores:
    1. your favorite chore
    2. least favorite
    3. favorite chore-related memory
    4. List of ways to make chores fun
    5. Which chore is hardest/why
  2. New Orleans/Louisiana/Mardis Gras
    1. Write about a trip to one of these
    2. Or write about a dream to go
    3. Write a report on one of these and learn everything you can
  3. Learn about and use figurative language/literary elements in a story:
    1. Similes
    2. metaphors
    3. Onomatopoeia
    4. Idioms
  4. Write about a special memory with a member of your family
  5. Listen to "Soulful Strut" Write about what you picture and feel as you listen.
  6. Write a letter to someone in your family thanking them for a special recipe they passed along.
  7. Write a recipe for your favorite food.
  8. Write an acrostic poem using an important word from the story.
  9. Write about a song that has a special memory for you or your family.
  10. Write about a fun tradition in your house/family.
  11. What is important about Sundays at your house?  Write about it.
  12. Write a letter from Clara to her dad OR from her Dad to Clara.
  13. Write a song about your favorite food.
  14. Write a list of your favorite foods.
  15. Make a list of your favorite songs to play when you're cleaning up.

Writing Tips from Julia

My favorite writing tips are these! 
  1. If you are stuck on a story format try writing the entire story in dialogue and then try writing the entire story in narration. Then go back and rewrite a first draft mixing both. 
  2. If you’re stuck on pacing I love the advice to go to the library and take a few recent picture books and literally write them out noting the page turns, climax, resolution. There is so much to notice here like when the sentences get short and snappy versus when they’re long and setting the reader up for something.
  3. My next writing tip is to read, read, read. One of my mentors told me a good goal before getting an agent is to read 200 picture books. That was extremely helpful to me and I noticed that my cadence and word count changed so much from trying to accomplish that goal. 
  4. My last favorite writing tip is specificity breeds authenticity. Put pieces of yourself in your writing. Everytime I feel like a story is missing heart or emotion, I try to connect with my inner child and put something specific from my childhood there. I am always shocked at how those pieces resonate with critique partners or editors. I think there’s magic in our childhood memories and it is just itching to come out and play a part in our stories. So that’s my favorite piece of advice, put precious, specific memories into your stories. 
  5.  Okay I lied, last tip. Put yourself out there. I had a teacher in high school who told us that anything worth doing in life requires taking a risk. I know that's hyperbole and a little aggressive but I’ve lived my life based on this and I think as long as you have good intentions there is only growth that can come out of it. So even if you take a risk and get a manuscript shredded by a critiquer or you put yourself out there at a conference and get rejected, I think that some part of you or your story will grow or become more aligned with your goals based on those risks. ​

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board full of links and activities for families, schools, teachers, daycares/preschools, libraries and more to expand learning from this book. The board includes lessons, activities, printables, and more surrounding chores, jazz, brass family, Louis Armstrong, cleaning with kids, gumbo, Louisiana. . . . chock full of goodness!

Julia's SOULFUL STRUTTIN' playlist

YouTube playlist full of music activities, songs, dances, introduction/demonstration of brass family, jazz, soul, R&B, play alongs, karaoke, performances, etc.
​

Guest Links and Giveaways

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Julia's website

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To order SOULFUL STRUTTIN', check out Julia's links on her page.

To review SOULFUL STRUTTIN':
On Goodreads
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Julia has offered a WINNER'S CHOICE for her giveaway!  If you are chosen as the winner, you can choose:
  • A copy of SOULFUL STRUTTIN' or. . . .
  • A picture book critique by Julia or. . . 
  • An "Ask Me Anything" session  (length and platform according to Julia's preference)
To be entered into the giveaway, simply leave a comment below by Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 11:59 PM EST.

9 Comments

THE SNOWMAN WALTZ with Karen Konnerth

1/23/2025

1 Comment

 

Come Dance with Karen and Me

Save us a spot on your dance card and come waltzing with us as we chat snowmen, penguins, snow, music, time signatures, curriculum . . .we really packed this snowball full of fun tidbits, curriculum connections and lots of music! Timely, too, since Karen and I BOTH got snow this week (which is a rare occurrence for us since we are both Southern girls.) AND,  I LOVE having repeat guests because they become friends, and I especially love when the timing works out that I can teach with the book around that time. I just used this book for all my music classes last week and they loved it! What perfect timing, since snow arrived Tuesday night for us! 

THE SNOWMAN WALTZ

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Written by Karen Konnerth and illustrated by Emily Neilson, this book is perfection for introducing kids to different time signatures.  While the book is going to help them become familiar with and differentiate 3/4 and 4/4 time in music, it is also a lovely story about learning to get along with people fundamentally different from yourself, and about accepting differences, forging unlikely friendships, taking turns, learning from each other. . . and if you want to stretch the curricular connections, you can expand to talk about snowmen or snow and penguins and more. This book is a treasure trove of inspiration for littles that could branch off in numerous directions.  It is sweet, rhythmic, and absolutely beautifully illustrated.  If you're in the mood for a delightful winter book, look no further than THE SNOWMAN WALTZ, published by Sleeping Bear Press!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

If your students (or kids or whomever you're sharing this book with) are like mine, they have NO IDEA what a waltz is.  This is a lovely sample danced to My Snowman and Me by Sia so there's a bit of a double meaning there.  If this is not something you're interested in showing your students, there are lots more choices in the YouTube playlist in the links section. My students particularly also enjoyed this Freeze Dance.  It was especially appropriate because it had the snowman and the penguin. :-)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

This book is so rich and perfect for a multidisciplinary unit. In the links section, you'll find even more activities and ways to use the book. Here are some fabulous tips and topics you can share in conjunction wit this book:
  • Reading/literacy
    • poetic elements
      • rhythm
      • rhyme
      • alliteration
      • repetition
      • assonance
    • Using picture clues/ text and illustration matching
    • Purpose of back matter
    • One of the things I would definitely do is pair tis with some other books.  You could do a snowman unit or a penguin unit or a winter unit.  Pair fiction and nonfiction.  There's so much you can do and many directions you could go with this book.  It's a great one to partner with your specialist teachers (Arts/Encore/etc.). This book makes a super interdisciplinary unit!
  • Math
    • Creat story problems related to penguins and snowmen. (Use whatever concepts you're teaching and learning)
    •  Math problems related to time signatures.  Ie. If there are 4 beats in every measure, how many beats are in __ measures (simple mult/div problems) **Time signature is different from fractions, so don't get confused.  In music, 3/4 means 3 beats per measure and (4) the quarter note gets the beat.  4/4 means 4 beats per measure and the quarter note gets the beat.  
  •  Science -- lots of great topics
    • Winter
    • Snow
    • Penguins
  • Arts -- check the Pinterest board and listen to the interview for some ideas and details. Here are some general possibilities
    • Music -- see music section for more ideas and details 
      • learn the song
      • learn the waltz
      • time signatures
    • Art
      • Penguin/snowman puppets
      • Directed drawing
      • Various penguin, snowman, snow crafts (check Pinterest board)
    • Dramatic arts
      • Role plays
      • Puppet shows
      • Readers theater
  • Social studies
    • Geography (penguin habitats)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

There is so much musical content in this book!  I've been using it this week in my own music classes (K-2).  In my classes, I've started with some fun winter/snowman/penguin rhythm play-alongs, vocal explorations, etc. I played an instrumental version of a waltz and had kids listen for the 1-beat, then we counted 1,2,3. lastly we swayed to the music.   (We haven't done much with 3/4 time.) Then we listened to the read aloud that is on the YouTube playlist, done by Mrs. Geiger.  Really excellent with musical background and a distinct difference in the time signature sections.  Then I pointed out a couple of things in my copy of the book.  Then we looked carefully at the written music and discussed that.  Then we tried the waltz steps in the book, starting slow, step-by-step and speeding up a bit until we did the steps (just by ourselves) in a nice moderate 1,2,3 beat.  Then we did a couple of penguin songs/dances for fun and we always end with a "boogie" so we used Coach Corey Martin's Winter Freeze Dance which features a snowman and a penguin, so it was a lovely fit.

Next week, we'll delve into penguins a bit more and I have the beautiful waltz video from Strictly Dancing to show them what a beautiful waltz can look like. I don't think I'm up for trying the waltz with partners in K-2, but maybe some of you are braver or better :-)

Here are some of the topics I'm teaching with this book and some others that you could teach, depending on the ages of your kids, your schedule and other variables.
  • 3/4 time -- time signature How to count in 3
  • 4/4 time review
  • Comparison of 3/4 and 4/4 time
  • Waltz tempo
  • Waltz steps/following step diagram
  • Writing down music
  • characteristics of written music
If you want to expand a bit or work with a classroom teacher or another arts/specialist/encore teacher, you could explore more of the subjects above -- delve into penguins and their geography and life cycles or dig into the seasons and characteristics of winter or do a big snow/snowman unit.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

  1. Write a list of 5 (or 10 or more) pieces of advice from a snowman.
  2. Write a joke featuring a snowman and a penguin.
  3. Write winter riddles. Give 2 clues and ask a question. (Don't tell us the answer! Make us guess.)
  4. Write a letter from the little snowman to the little penguin (or from the penguin to the snowman).
  5. Write an acrostic poem for SNOWMAN (or SNOW or PENGUIN or WALTZ or DANCE or WINTER.)
  6. Write a "How-to" guide for marching -- or for waltzing -- or for getting along with people different than you, or for making a snowman.
  7. Make a Venn diagram with Penguins and Snowmen. (two overlapping circles: how are they alike and how are they different.  Use your Venn diagram to write a comparison.
  8. Would you rather be a snowman or a penguin?  Why?
  9. Would you rather learn to waltz or march? Why?
  10. "If I were a Snowman. . . " or "If I were a Penguin."
  11. Write a report about penguins -- find out at least 5 new facts and work them into what you already know about penguins.
  12. Write your own story about a penguin and a snowman.
  13. If you could teach the snowmen and penguins any dance move, what would you teach them?  Include the how-to for your dance move in the writing and in a picture.
  14. Draw a picture of a penguin and snowman. Look at your picture carefully and think of their story. Now write that story.
  15. Write a cinquain or diamante poem based on the book. Go from Snowman to Penguin or Penguin to Snowman. Or go from March to Waltz or Waltz to March.
  16. Write a story titled PENGUINS HATCH BUT SNOWMEN ARE BUILT.
  17. Write some math problems with snowmen and penguins.

Writing Tips from Karen

1. READ as much as possible in the genre you want to write.
I particularly love to find authors and illustrators from other countries to observe the differing approaches, sensibilities, design concepts, and use of illustration media.


2. FIND INSPIRATION in the immediate world around you. Think out of the box. There are many stories about celebrating diversity, but The Snowman Waltz uses rhythm as the difference between the two cultures.



3. BE AWARE of the age child you are writing for and write for that child - in word count, in concept, in page turn suspense, in potential connection to their life.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Instrumental version of Karen's music for THE SNOWMAN WALTZ. (Arranged and played by Leslie Martin. a full time pianist playing around New Orleans, and also a member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, a very cool national band.
https://www.snzippers.com/  
Here is a reading of THE SNOWMAN WALTZ (by the author) with the instrumental version played as the intro and outro.


YouTube playlist full of read-alouds, music, dances, snowman, penguins , , , .

Pinterest board that is overstuffed with craft ideas, additional books to pair, dance info, nonfiction info about penguins, reading and writing activities, science, music and more!

​

Guest Links and Giveaways

Picture
Karen's Website

TPT

Instagram

​FB


Karen is offering a free copy of THE SNOWMAN WALTZ to one lucky winner!  All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment below.  Tell us your favorite part of the book, or share how you've used it, or how it's inspired your own writing. Give us a fun writing prompt, or anything you want to share.  Leave your comment by Wednesday, Feb 5 at 11:59 PM EST to be eligible for the giveaway.
1 Comment

MAMIACHI & ME

1/7/2025

7 Comments

 

​

MAMIACHI & ME w/Jolene and Dakota Gutierrez

Join Jolene, her son (and co-author), Dakota, and me for a fun and laid-back discussion of their latest book MAMIACHI & ME -- the first episode of 2025! We pay special homage to school music programs and chat all things mamiachi, writing with a partner, and much more! You do NOT want to miss tis great conversation!

​​Brava to the Mamiachis: Past, Present, and Future

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​Inspired by a true-life Mamiachi, the authors and illustrator compose a story of a contemporary Mexican family who carries on the tradition of mariachi (Mexican music played by a small group of musicians) in a non-traditional way, since mariachi did not include women until much later in its history and it is still a fairly rare occurrence. The creators of the book have brought together Mexican culture, music, and girl power in a very meaningful way that will hopefully inspire the next generation of "mamiachis"! The back matter is not to be missed, as it tells the true story of some of the earliest mamiachis and tell more about the instruments and the make-up of a mariachi band.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

As I've delved into the world of female mariachi, I've enjoyed listening to many all-female groups as well as male groups and mixed-gender groups.  I love this group for a few reasons:  their name (Mariachi Mariposas) which translates to Mariachi Butterflies or Butterflies of Mariachi.  I also love the variety of instruments in the group:  violins, trumpets, guitar, guitarron.  This one gives you a perfect, if slightly softer and slower example of female mariachi.  There are many more in the YouTube playlist, along with some educational videos, and rhythm play-alongs for music class, etc. Their sound is professional and quite lovely. I hope you enjoy!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
​

This book is so great for the classroom.  It would especially be applicable for Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15) or for other Hispanic holidays (Day of the Dead, Cinco de Mayo, etc.)  It would also be fabulous for March, as it is Music in Our Schools AND Women's History Month. Here are some topics you could explore, but also take a look at the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest board for specific lessons, crafts, videos, etc. to supplement the book.
  • History of mariachi
  • Geography of mariachi (where it originated, where it's popular now, and everything in between -- regional differences? etc.)
  • Mexican holidays where mariachi would be featured
  • Women's changing roles in mariachi
  • Reading/literacy
    • Vocabulary/Spanish words
    • Back matter
    • Blending fiction/nonfiction
  • Mariachi costumes
  • Mariachi instruments
  • SEL -- So much emotion!  Lots of different feelings to discuss, roleplay or learn about in the way that best suits your classroom and the ages/stages of your students.
  • Arts -- Draw instruments or players, create puppets, make musical instruments, etc. (Check out Pinterest board and YouTube playlist for specifics and more ideas)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
​

  • Listening to samples of mariachi music with varied instrumentation and varied musicians.
  • Videos of male, female and mixed mariachi (Check out the YouTube playlist!)
  • The instruments of mariachi
  • Compare mariachi music
    • women vs. men vs. mixed groups
    • regional variations?
    • older mariachi vs. contemporary
  • Make your own instruments (castanets, maracas, etc.) Check the Pinterest board.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye
​

  1. If you could play any mariachi instrument, which would it be, and why?
  2. Do you agree or disagree that women should be able to play mariachi?  Write a persuasive essay arguing your viewpoint.
  3. Listen to at least 3 different mariachi groups. Write about what they have in common.
  4. Write a mariachi story from the perspective of one of the instruments.
  5. This story contains lots of emotions.  Write your own emotional story. Include at least 5 feelings your characters are experiencing.
  6. Have you ever performed?  What emotions did you experience? 
  7. Write an acrostic poem for Mariachi (Or choose one of the instruments)
  8. Write a list of Spanish words from the story and the English equivalent.
  9. Write a sensory poem about a mariachi experience (maybe at a Mexican restaurant?)
  10. Have you ever been part of a performing group?  How did that feel?
  11. Why do you think school music programs are important?
  12. Make a list of ten of your favorite words. See if you can use all ten in a story.
  13. What is your favorite kind of music?  Write a story about a kid learning to play that style of music.
  14. Do you and you mom have any hobbies in common?  What do you like to do together?
  15. Would you like to be part of a mariachi group?  Why or why not?
  16. Write a letter to one of the women in the back matter. Tell them why you admire them and ask them 3 questions you are curious about.

Writing Tips from Jolene and Dakota

Dakota and I worked hard to find lyrical language that fit the vision and vibe of our story, including words that have a strong rhythm to them for some parts and words that flow beautifully in other parts.

​Look at your manuscript. What words might enrich and enliven your story?

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with 60+ videos that are the perfect complement to this book!  There are examples of female mariachi, as well as mini-documentaries, play-alongs for music class, background music, and more!

Pinterest board with images of mariachi costumes, craft ideas, Hispanic culture tie-ins, activities for Cinco de Mayo and Dia de Muertos and Hispanic Heritage month or any other time you'd like to use this book.  History of Mariachi, Mariachi costumes, information about the musical genre and the instruments and more. . . 

Visit Jolene's site for an Educator's Guide for MAMIACHI & ME as well as her other books.

Guest Links and Giveaways
​

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Picture
Jolene's website where you can find out more about her, her books, access educational guides, and more.

Jolene's FB

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Jolene's Instagram

Jolene on YouTube

Dakota isn't very active on socials, and is quite busy with his university work.

Get your signed copy here: 
https://secondstartotherightbooks.com/book/sign1419767159

Or, grab a copy wherever books are sold!

Jolene and Dakota have offered a free copy of MAMIACHI & ME to one lucky winner who comments on THIS BLOG POST by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, January 22.  Just drop a comment below to be eligible!
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