Tonnye Fletcher

BLUES MUSIC by Moira Donohue

9/2/2026

How is Writing a Book Like a Puzzle?

Moira Donohue returns for a guest appearance to talk about her educational market book, BLUES MUSIC. Join us as we discuss the differences in work-for-hire projects vs. traditional picture books, chat about Moira's process and her experience with the write-for-hire market (and lots more). Perfect epiosde for teachers and for writers who have considered dabbling their toes in the educational market. If you're a fan of blues, don't miss it for sure!

BLUES MUSIC by Moira Donohue (Music Genres)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

I chose to highlight this one for the littles because it is a simple, but well-defined example of the blues form while talking about things they can relate to, and I think it would be helpful for teachers and families to add this to their daily playlist as it could improve responsibility around the house (and maybe the school). There are more authentic performances, background music, and much more on the playlist. Check it out!

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Resources, Resources, Resources!

YouTube playlist with authentic blues, kid-friendly blues-y takes, history of the blues, intro to blues, background vibes, and more!

Pinterest board with some vibey backing tracks, quotes, bio sketches, images, coloring sheets, worksheets and more!

Guest Links and Giveaway

Moira's picture is linked to her website and the book image is linked to Goodreads where you can find out all the important information, including how to purchase.

Please remember there are great ways to support authors (and many of them don't cost a dime!):

Request their books from the library
Buy their book(s) -- for yourself or as a gift
Leave reviews for their books (*AMAZON, B&N, GOODREADS)
Follow them on socials
Share their books with others who will enjoy them

1 Comment

I AM A BON DANCER w/ Brandi uyemura

8/26/2026

25 Comments

Dancing for Our Ancestors

Join Brandi and me as we chat debut life, honoring ancestors, the power of support and having a story that resonates with passion, and more! What a great conversation!

I AM A BON DANCER

I AM A BON DANCER is a story of culture, honoring our ancestors, and the importance of family stories and remembering. It is also a story of not letting fear have the final say, of not allowing fear to silence our voice or convince us that we are not able, not worthy, or any of the other lies it tells us. Yes, it is also the story of a specific religious observance of a specific culture -- the Obon Festival in the Buddhist tradition. But it is so much more than that, and it has applications that reach far beyond that. It is a story that can remind any of us that our ancestors deserve to be remembered well, and that it is our responsibility, and we cannot -- must not --let fear rob us of the privilege or the responsibility. The illustrations add so much to the story. They are simple, but never simplistic. They have the beautiful flair of Eastern illustration -- with the bold black lines, but the spread that is simply the layers of hands of the generations dancing is absolutely beautiful in conjunction with Brandi's words. It's a beautiful marriage of text and illustration -- and one that can have vast meaning for all of us!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Tankobushi -- The Coal Miners' Song

If you'd like to use this with your kids or your classes, here is the significance of the motions. There are additional bon dances and tutorials in the YouTube playlist if this video is not to your liking or if you prefer something for older kids.

Digging/Shoveling: Scooping coal with an imaginary shovel.

Lifting: Hoisting a heavy bag of coal over the shoulder.

Wiping the brow: Wiping sweat from the forehead.

Pushing carts: Pushing a loaded coal cart forward.

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of bon dance tutorials, examples, and more

Pinterest board with resources to support I AM A BON DANCER

Guest Links and Giveaway

Connect with Brandi, learn more about her work, read her articles, follow her journey and more!

Website
(Find her socials there as well!)

Please remember there are great ways to support authors (and many of them don't cost a dime!):

Request their books from the library
Buy their book(s) -- for yourself or as a gift
Leave reviews for their books (*AMAZON, B&N, GOODREADS)
Follow them on socials
Share their books with others who will enjoy them

Brandi is offering a copy of her book, I AM A BON DANCER to one lucky winner! To enter, simply leave a comment below by Saturday evening, Sept. 5, 2026 and you will be added to the drawing!

Shortly after the closing date, I will choose a winner and connect you with Brandi to arrange for your prize

Good luck!

25 Comments

Strings, birds, community & more: a panel discussion . .

6/25/2026

2 Comments

A Panel Discussion Between Christy Mihaly, Jen Fier Jasinski & Tonnye Fletcher about Their String Instrument Picture Books

We each had our own episode, but now we are coming together to talk about the commonalities and differences in our three string-related books, all of which came out in Spring 2026. This conversation is so rich and full of great topics, like putting your passion on the page, having a great illustrator, the importance of author visits in schools, and so much more! It's great for teachers, librarians and families as well as string players, music teachers, and aspiring writers, or ones who are new in their career! Check it out and leave a comment and let us know what you think! BTW, this post doesn't have all the resources, but go back to each episode for resources, tips, prompts and more for each of our books!

2 Comments

Music plants hope

5/6/2026

10 Comments

We Flipped the Script! -or-
Tonnye Becomes a Guest on her own Show!

Join us for the turned tables, the flipped script! I invited a couple of dear PBJamz friends and supporters to come and interview ME for PBJamz! It was so special sitting on the other side of the questions -- and of course Rekha and Steena came up with some amazing questions! We had a blast sitting down and sharing all things "Music Plants Hope". We might have shed a tear or two and we definitely shared some belly laughs! Come along for the conversation! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! (As you can tell from this picture! :-D)

And, PS, if you missed it, go back and check out Steena's episode for Lupita's Brown Ballet Slippers. Rekha has been a guest multiple times. You can search the archives and find them all. Her most recent episode was That Swingin' Sound.

Music Plants Hope

Music Plants Hope is a lyrical retelling of the concert for plants in Barcelona during the Pandemic. Eugenio Ampudia had an idea -- he filled the Liceu Theater with 2,292 plants and had the UceLi String Quartet to play a piece by Puccini (Crisantemi or Chrysanthemums) to the audience made up only of plants. The prologue and epilogue give the facts of the story, while the main text and glorious illustrations by Natalia Bruno explore the idea of the interaction of the plants and the music through flowing lyrical text and enchanting, colorful, fantastical images of nature.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This is the version of the concert that started it all. The one I watched over and over as I was writing Music Plants Hope. I found it beautiful and fascinating -- and inspiring. You can watch it and decide for yourself. I believe it to be a testament to our human need for art as well as a way of thumbing our nose at the pandemic as if to say, "You cannot stop art and music. We'll play to an audience of plants or reach out via computer or whatever we have to do, but we will keep making music and art, because we are human and it is like breathing. It is innate and important and indomitable.

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board with all sorts of things that relate to the book: information about plants, worksheets and crafts about the parts of plants, experiments with plants and music, Puccini, Crisantemi, string quartets, string instruments, the Liceu Theater, Eugenio Ampudia, Barcelona and more.

YouTube playlist with the interview and other interviews, various versions of Crisantemi, the concert for plants, music for plants, research about music and plants, parts of a plant, music activities for kids, string quartet info, information about Puccini, Eugenio Ampudia, and more!

Virtual tour of Liceu Theater
Liceu Website

Puccini Museum, Lucca, Italy website

Guest Links and Giveaway

The book image is linked to the Goodreads page where you can read reviews, find links to purchase and more. The headshot is linked to my website's home page where you can explore tabs for the book and resources, media kit, social links, and more!

This is where I usually remind you of all the ways to support authors, and it's all true. I would definitely be very grateful if you could:

request MUSIC PLANTS HOPE at your local library or bookstore.
If you've read and enjoyed MUSIC PLANTS HOPE, I would very much appreciate positive reviews on Barnes & Noble and/or Goodreads and/or Amazon (after 5.26.26)
Follow me on socials (You can find them on my Contact page), as well as Amazon and Goodreads.
Purchase, if you're so inclined. Or, check it out from your local library
Share the book with others who will enjoy it!

Thank you so much for any and all support. Links to pre-order (or order after 5/26/26) are on the Music Plants Hope page.

I'm happy to offer a winner's choice for my giveaway!

Simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM ET on Wed., May 20 and I'll enter you in the drawing for your choice of prizes.

Thanks for joining us for another episode of PBJamz!

10 Comments

Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals by Christy mihaly

4/23/2026

5 Comments

Of Music, Activism, Illustration and More!

Join Christy and me as we chat strings, writing, the life and times of Pablo Casals, symbolism, how illustrators complete a picture book message and more! Such a rich conversation. Pull up a chair and a cuppa and join the convo! Leave a comment by 11:59 PM ET on Wed., May 6 to be entered to win your own copy of MUSIC AND SILENCE. Of course, we are happy to hear your comments any time!

Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals

This is a beautiful book full of gorgeous art, significant text, intricate language, symbolism and so much more. Mihaly shares with us a chunk of Casal's heart, coupled with beautiful words to explain and share the story, to remind us that our voice (and sometimes our silence) matters. To remind us that sometimes we need to take a stand, and to remind us that hope is ever present.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Whew! This piece brought tears to my eyes. Hearing his passion as he cried out for peace is so moving. And the piece entitled "The Birds" is the perfect accompaniment to this glorious book. I will put additional pieces in the YouTube playlist, so feel free to grab a different one if this is not what you need for your setting, but wow!

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with songs, interviews, reviews and more related to MUSIC AND SILENCE
Pinterest board with coloring pages, activities for teaching peace, facts and info about Catalonia, Pablo Casals and more!

Guest Links and Giveaway

Please remember there are great ways to support authors (and many of them don't cost a dime!):

Request their books from the library
Buy their book(s) -- for yourself or as a gift
Leave reviews for their books (*AMAZON, B&N, GOODREADS)
Follow them on socials
Share their books with others who will enjoy them

Christy is offering a copy of her beautiful book as a giveaway for this episode. To be eligible, simply leave a comment below no later than 11:59 PM Wednesday, May 6

I will choose a winner shortly after that and mail out a copy of MUSIC AND SILENCE to the winner.

5 Comments

MY VIOLIN by Jen fier jasinski

4/5/2026

10 Comments

A Musical Chat full of follow-ups, the power of ensemble playing, and more!

This is Jen's second visit on PBJamz, and let me invite you into the conversation! We chat about music, violins, and so much more! It's always a lovely, lively chat when I'm with Jen. This follow-up book to MY PIANO is a gem, as is this conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

MY VIOLIN

A beautiful follow-up to MY PIANO, this book follows a young player from his grandfather's luthier shop to playing with an ensemble and passing around the melody. With rhyming text, Jasinski details the parts of a violin, how it works, the power of practice and the joys of making musical art with an ensemble! Rhythmic and perfect for read-alouds, this book is perfect for every child who ever considered playing the violin, who loves music, who wants to be part of a group or who is fascinated with sound!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A beautiful cover of "How Far I'll Go" from Moana by a young violinist. Perfect for inspiring young musicians or if you prefer, you can have students work with steady beat or give them scarves or ribbons to play along with the music. As always, if this jam isn't working for you, your family or your students, check out the YouTube playlist below for lots more choices!

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board full of coloring pages, violin worksheets, practice exercises, information about violins, creating a melody and more!

YouTube playlist with lots of violin playing, lessons, practice exercises, play-alongs and more!

Gnome Road Publishing link where additional educator resources will be located.

Guest Links and Giveaway

Jen is graciously offering a copy of the book + some swag for this episode!!

To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, April 22. I'll draw a winner and put you in touch to collect your prize!

10 Comments

Rock'n'roll baby by David mcMullin

3/20/2026

8 Comments

Rock On! With David, Baby, and Me!

Grab a front row seat and join Baby, David, and me as we chat about his brand new board book! Full of rock music vocabulary and based on everyone's favorite lullaby, this conversation is full of reminders that the path may be long and twisty, with surprises along the way. It also reminds us that flexibility is key. It's a fun chat -- full of arts and heart.

ROCK 'N' ROLL BABY by David McMullin

The rockinest, rolliest take on Rock-a-Bye Baby you've ever seen! Bright, beautiful, and bold illustrations, lots of rock and roll subgenres and musical vocabulary, and loads of fun! You and your littles will thoroughly enjoy this superfun musical boardbook that is full of rock'n'roll heart!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Music Travel ids is one of my very favorite music groups. Such a sweet, laid-back sound. This is a lovely version of Rock-a-Bye Baby -- and it has additional verses, which is cool. This may not be quite as "rockin'" as some of the other songs in the playlist, but it's definitely my favorite! If you're more interested in rock genres or other connections to the book, definitely check out the YouTube playlist! There are plethoras of versions of Rock-a-Bye Baby, lots of videos about rock music and subgenres of rock, and some other books that would make great companions. I also added some play-along and karaoke versions too. Lots of options there!

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of rock genre fun, various versions of Rock-a-Bye Baby, play-alongs, sing-alongs, and other books that would make great companions!

Pinterest Board with lots of ideas for rock'n'roll birthdays, classrooms, activities and more, more, more!

Perfect Pairings (Other PBJamz episodes that would partner well with this one. Great as a unit study or if you're looking for additional resources)
ROCK STARS DON'T NAP

Guest Links and Giveaway

David is graciously offering a Winner's Choice prize for this episode!! If you win, you can choose a copy of the book, a virtual visit with David, or a picture book critique.

To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, April 1. I'll draw a winner and put you in touch to collect your prize!

8 Comments

WHY THE TURTLE WALKS SO SLOWLY

3/5/2026

3 Comments

The Long and Winding Chat . . .

It might be a bit longer than the typical PBJamz interview, but it winds its way around so many topics and is very interesting and entertaining! Sandra is a delightful conversationalist and I think that you will enjoy this chat. I know I did. Come learn about her inspiration, the journey and much, much more!

WHY THE TURTLE WALKS SO SLOWLY by Sandra Martin Denis

A tale of rhythm, running, a drum, a secret, and a big ole dose of pride! An old tale, well-told in a new way with charming illustrations.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A super-fun (and sometimes fast) rhythm play-along for rhythm sticks by Cuban artist Celia Cruz! This would be great for grades 1 and up. Kinders could probably do it with some extra practice, too. So fun! If this is not your jam, check out the YouTube playlist for more Cuban music, virtual field trips and more!

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of Cuba dances, facts, music, play-alongs and more!

Pinterest board with crafts, info about Cuba, coloring sheets, unit studies and more!

Guest Links and Giveaway

Please remember there are great ways to support authors (and many of them don't cost a dime!):

Request their books from the library
Buy their book(s) -- for yourself or as a gift
Leave reviews for their books
Follow them on socials
Share their books with others who will enjoy them

Sandra is offering a giveaway of a picture book critique to one lucky winner! To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM ET on March 18, 2026.

3 Comments

TOCAMOS!

2/18/2026

6 Comments

An Artsy Conversation with Cynthia Weill

Ingenuity, creativity, adventure, art, literature and more are waiting if you dip into this conversation with Cynthia and me. What appears to be a simple book is anything but that. It is full of so many complexities. It was amazing to talk with Cynthia about the concept, process, and publishing journey of this book, which is part of a series focused on Mexican folk art and simple concepts in a bilingual format. What a lovely conversation! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

TOCAMOS! by Cynthia Weill

This picture book is what's known as a concept book. It introduces some musical instruments common in Mexico in both English and Spanish. While the text is certainly simple, the book is far from simplistic, with the multiple layers of the bilingual format -- each phrase is written in English, then Spanish, the musical instrument content, the beautiful wooden sculpture work by a Oaxacan artisan, which was then placed and photographed for the book, a variety of birds depicted in the sculptures, and then a little nod to girl power at the end. Simple? In some ways. Simplistic? No way! A beautiful tribute to the wooden sculptors of Oaxaca while also providing some excellent content in a musical theme. So many layers. So cool!

A Little Peek into the Creative Process

These are Cynthia's photos of just SOME of the process the artisans went through for every single character. What care and attention to detail! They are amazing!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This fun little jam introduces a number of instruments in Spanish and is a great correlative video to the book. It extends the book's instruction as it includes a few more instruments. It's great for home or the classroom.

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with interviews with Cynthia, Mexican ambient music, songs about musical instruments, rhythm practice, body percussion, and more!
Pinterest board with worksheets, study units about Mexico, songs, dances, crafts, and more!

Cynthia's website has lots of information about the process and more!

Guest Links and Giveaway

Cynthia's picture is linked to her website where you'll find her socials, bio, books, educational resources and more!

The book image is linked to the Goodreads page, where you'll find links to purchase, reviews, etc.

Cynthia has generously offered a giveaway for a free copy of TOCAMOS! To enter, simply leave a comment below no later than Wednesday, March 4 at 11:59 PM ET. You will automatically be entered by commenting and the winner will be contacted via email after the drawing.

Please remember there are great ways to support authors (and many of them don't cost a dime!):

Request their books from the library
Buy their book(s) -- for yourself or as a gift
Leave reviews for their books
Follow them on socials
Share their books with others who will enjoy them

6 Comments

AS YOU ARE: A HOPE FOR BLACK SONS

2/4/2026

8 Comments

The Art of a Heartfelt Story

Join Kimberly and me as we chat about working with illustrators and editors, watching a vision come to life, pouring our hearts and souls into our work, musical connections, specificity and how it leads to universality and much much more. It's a packed conversation! I hope you enjoy hearing Kimberly's journey for this beautiful book.

AS YOU ARE: A HOPE FOR BLACK SONS

With beautiful lyrical text that is part song, part poem, part prayer, part love letter, part entreaty and part affirmation, Kimberly has done a lovely job of putting her love, concern, worry, belief and encouragement for her own son onto the page and generously shared it so that other mothers, other sons and other parents and children can benefit from her kind and heartfelt message.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

As a musician, Kimberly often writes and performs songs that go along with her books (as you heard in the interview). This one is no exception. Click on the picture to take you directly to the place on her website where you can preview and download the song. With her strong and beautiful soprano voice, Kimberly adds another layer and gives moms a chance to share Kimberly's musical take on this message through song.

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board full of affirmations, parenting tips, and more.
YouTube playlist with music and more fun related to this beautiful book!
Be sure to visit the link above (or go to Kimberly's website) to access the song.

Guest Links and Giveaway

Kimberly's picture is linked to her website where you'll find her socials, songs, books, educational resources and more!

The book image is linked to the Goodreads page, where you'll find links to purchase, reviews, etc.

Kimberly has generously offered a winner's choice giveaway + book swag! If you are the winner of the giveaway for this episode, you can choose from:

A copy of the book
A virtual school visit
A picture book critique

To enter, simply leave a comment below no later than Wednesday, February 18 at 11:59 PM ET. You will automatically be entered by commenting and winner will be contacted via email after the drawing.

Please remember there are great ways to support authors (and many of them don't cost a dime!):

Request their books from the library
Buy their book(s) -- for yourself or as a gift
Leave reviews for their books
Follow them on socials
Share their books with others who will enjoy them

8 Comments

<<Previous

Spotlightingpicture books (PB)withmusical hooks (Jamz)

PBJamz!

How is Writing a Book Like a Puzzle?

BLUES MUSIC by Moira Donohue (Music Genres)

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

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

Guest Links and Giveaway

Dancing for Our Ancestors

I AM A BON DANCER

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

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

Guest Links and Giveaway

A Panel Discussion Between Christy Mihaly, Jen Fier Jasinski & Tonnye Fletcher about Their String Instrument Picture Books

We Flipped the Script! -or-Tonnye Becomes a Guest on her own Show!

Music Plants Hope

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

Of Music, Activism, Illustration and More!

Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

A Musical Chat full of follow-ups, the power of ensemble playing, and more!

MY VIOLIN

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

Rock On! With David, Baby, and Me!

ROCK 'N' ROLL BABY by David McMullin

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

The Long and Winding Chat . . .

WHY THE TURTLE WALKS SO SLOWLY by Sandra Martin Denis

​​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

An Artsy Conversation with Cynthia Weill

TOCAMOS! by Cynthia Weill

A Little Peek into the Creative Process

​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

The Art of a Heartfelt Story

AS YOU ARE: A HOPE FOR BLACK SONS

​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teachers' Jam

Writers' Jam

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Guest Links and Giveaway

PBJamz

Praise for PBJamz. . . ​

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

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

We Flipped the Script! -or-
Tonnye Becomes a Guest on her own Show!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Praise for PBJamz. . .