I was so happy to be able to talk to Steena Hernandez for this episode!  Steena was one of the very earliest supporters of PBJamz -- back when she and I were in the query trenches together. Obviously, much has changed since then :-D. So, there are no words for how thrilled I am to be part of the team sharing Steena's beautiful book with my little part of the world!  Check out the conversation surrounding music, dance, encouraging words and more!

This beautiful book is a fictional account of a young girl named Lupita who longs for ballet slippers that match her beautiful brown skin to extend the lines of her dance.  But, they are uncommon, difficult to find, and expensive.  So, she gets creative, and she gets busy. There are so many positive messages in this story: acceptance, fairness, strong work ethic, tenacity, and more. But at it's heart, it's a beautiful story of a young girl who loves to dance. Absolutely beautiful!  Don't miss it!

I chose this piece to highlight for a few reasons:

1. It has multiple ethnicities (although their ballet slippers are all colored to match their tutus.)
2. It's an upbeat song I think kids would enjoy.
3. You could use it in multiple ways: listening, sing along, movement activities.

​If you don't love this one, there are lots more in the links section. There is lots of instrumental ballet music along with some fun songs like this one for your younger aspiring ballerinas.

Dance --Ballet

• Positions
• Vocabulary (French connections)
• Music
• History
• Basic steps
• Watch ballets 
  • Nutcracker
  • Swan Lake
  • Cinderella
  • Sleeping Beauty

Social Studies

• Diversity and inclusion
• Historical exclusion/inclusion
• Partner with I SEE COLOR (by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew) for discussions about BIPOC representation

Reading/Literacy

• Beginning/Middle/End
• Using quotation marks
• Similes

Financial Literacy/Math

• Saving money/piggy banks
• Getting a job to earn money
• Savings accrual
• Pair with Kimberly Wilson books A PENNY'S WORTH, DOLLAR'S GRAND DREAM & CREDIT CARD TAKES CHARGE for more financial literacy bang for the buck!

SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

• Feelings
• Standing up for oneself/Agency

Art

• Self-portraits
• Skin-color matching
• Naming skin colors (not just black and white) Pair with I SEE COLOR by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew

-I use the notes section on my phone to record ideas or phrases that come to mind if I'm out and about. I’ve written full first drafts on my phone and then I copy and paste them into a document when I’m ready.

-If I’m researching a topic, which I am now for a new PB draft, I like to keep a separate document going for citing online or book information. I can add it to the back matter of the draft later, once it’s organized.

-Find good, like-minded critique partners who write in the same age category to share your manuscripts. 

-Take breaks when you need them! ​

YouTube playlist full of songs about ballet, ballerinas, music for aspiring ballerinas and more!

​Pinterest board with lots of ballet-themed activities, money-saving sheets and activities, skin-color activities, and more.

What better way to celebrate Latina ballerinas than with a yummy PBJ tortilla snack?  Easily customizable, super-tasty and sure to sustain your little dancer until practice is over.   Click the link and scroll down to number 4 to find the recipe for the PBJ ones .

Steena's website (Links to purchase LUPITA'S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS here too!)

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Steena has offered up a signed copy of LUPITA'S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS as a PBJamz giveaway for this episode.  To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 11:59 PM EST.  I'll choose a lucky winner from the comments.

** Remember to support PBJamz authors through reviews, library requests, word of mouth, and any other way you can get the word out about their books.

If you're a nature-lover, a musician, a music-teacher, a reader, an author, a photographer you are going to want to listen in on this conversation with Buffy!  It's a perfect blend of music, nature and writing -- 3 of my favorite things. 

This lyrical nonfiction picture book is a beautiful blend of nature, music and writing.  Buffy walks us through a day in nature near a body of water. She points out many of the beautiful sounds of nature and then compares each to a musical instrument in the text. She also offers excellent back matter that explores those analogies in more detail.

This may not be our typical PBJam, but I think it would be fun to play some nature sounds for kids and let them explore mimicking animal sounds on a variety of classroom instruments.  This is one example of a video that shares pond animal sounds.  You can check out additional music/nature connections in the YouTube playlist in the links section.

1. Go to the library and check out the new book shelf often. Read and reread what is being published today, especially in the area that you are aiming to write for. Type out the manuscripts that resonate with you.

2. Finish that first draft! This is advice I need to take--it's so easy to get distracted by a zillion other things and not put in the writing time. A first draft is not going to be close to perfect. But once it's down on paper, you have something you can improve.

3. Let your first draft marinate. Return to it a week later, or a month later, or three months later. You will have a fresh perspective and be able to see what is and is not working in your manuscript. 

4. Revision is your friend! Don't be afraid to dig deep and try a new approach.

5. It's easier to hear the music of your language when it is read aloud than when you are reading it in your head. Listen while someone else reads your words. Does the reader stumble in some places? Does the reader's emphasis and rhythm differ from what you imagined? Picture books are short, so aim to make every word sing.

YouTube playlist full of great videos about animal sounds and instruments, pond songs, pond as habitat and more!

​Pinterest board full of pond activities, music activities, and more.

What else lives in the pond (although they are silent)?  Snails!  For this episode, I'm sharing some superfun PBJ snails perfect for a pond picnic, a lunchbox or anytime you're wanting a little slow-down PBJ time.  Take it slow and easy and have PBJ snails and enjoy listening to pond sounds or your favorite music or whatever you'd like. Find the steps here.

Find out more about Buffy, her books, her writing and more by visiting her website.

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Buffy's publisher is offering one free copy of STARLIGHT SYMPHONY to a lucky winner. To be eligible, simply leave a comment below and you'll be entered into the drawing.  Comment between Sunday 9.15.24 and Wednesday 9.25.24 (11:59 PM EST).

Karen and I had a lovely conversation about so many topics because that is the nature of her work -- it encompasses so many areas, and so much thought goes into her work -- whether it's creating puppets and doing puppet shows, writing, illustrating, making music, interviewing and creating videos, creating teacher guides. . . .and yes, a bit of ALL of that finds its way into our conversation -- and into Karen's book. CALLIOPE KATE AND THE VOICE OF THE RIVER is part tall tale, part puppet show, and full of musical connections and local flavor.  Please don't miss this interview -- it is so rich and multi-faceted, as is Karen!

Part tall tale, part puppet show, part love letter to the river culture of Louisiana and full of musical connections, CALLIOPE KATE AND THE VOICE OF THE RIVER is as fun as a riverboat cruise on a Louisiana steamboat and just as full of local lore and flavor.  The author has a companion video on YouTube where she interviewed the calliope player for the Steamboat Natchez, and a wonderful teacher's guide that will help students write their own tall tale.  This book checks so many boxes and offers so much.  A perfect gift for the teacher in your life, your favorite Louisianan, a puppeteer (or a wannabe), a musician, or anyone who appreciates any of those things.  So much effort and heart went into creating all the layers that are evident in this book! Kudos to Karen!  Well-done!

Karen interviewed Debbie, the calliope player of the Natchez riverboat and created this video for us on PBJamz!  I encouraged her to make it available to everyone on YouTube, and she did!  Karen and I both thought it was so important that you were able to show your students (and/or learn yourself) what a calliope looks like, how it works and how someone plays it!  So fascinating!  Thanks, Debbie, and Karen for this lovely video that gives great insight into calliopes!

Language arts --

1. Read aloud (obviously) -- talk about dialect/apostrophes for omitted letters/compare with the full versions of the words.
2. Tall tales -- perfect to integrate into a tall tale unit as an example of a modern tall tale
3. This story began as a puppet show and the illustrations are puppets. Discuss how it could be done as a puppet show; maybe adapt it for puppet stage/performance
4. Research Czech marionettes or different kinds of marionettes. Do a report or share the information in some sort of project
5. Discuss character/characteristics
6. Great story for talking about plot or beginning, middle, end of stories.
7. Setting is also very important to this story. Find out more about the setting and how it influenced the book.

Art --

1. Create various types of puppets
2. Read aloud without the pictures and let students illustrate
3. Draw  or create 3D models of riverboats

Drama --

1. Perform Calliope Kate and the Voice of the River as a puppet show
2. REwrite and perform it at a readers theater
3. Listen to and Practice various dialects

Social studies

1. Mississippi River
2. Louisiana
3. Karen Konnerth's "Sense of Place" lessons are a great merging of language arts and social studies.
4. History of riverboats

Science

1. Hurricanes -- research, characteristics, compare historical hurricanes
2. How does a steam calliope work?
3. Riverboats -- how do they work; create a miniature working riverboat

Math

1. Story problems with characters from the story matching the level /mathematical areas of your students.
2. Weight/measurement
3. Wind speed and distance (hurricanes/boats)

Calliope music -- listen to variety (discuss history; how did the calliope music change over time?)
Compare calliope to keyboard to piano -- discover likenesses/differences

• How are they "powered" (where does the energy come from?)
• Does pitch work the same with each?  How is it similar or different?

Practice music skills with calliope music:  rhythm practice play-along, keep a steady beat, etc.
Integrate it into a study of New Orleans music
Listen and study to various styles of music that was found on riverboats.

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. Calliope Kate was inspired by a sound I often heard because of where I lived. Use all your senses to observe the world you live in.


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.

Pinterest board with additional activities about steamboats, calliopes, puppets, and more


YouTube playlist with calliope music, tall tale songs and characteristics and videos about puppetry, especially Czech marionettes

​Teachers' Guide "Sense of Place" compiled and composed by Karen Konnerth
​​

Well, they're not beignets, but these super simple peanut butter and jelly donuts would be a fun take that are an easy breakfast or snack for your favorite PBJ lovers.  You can check out the recipe at Typical Mom and make your own tasty PBJ donuts.  And, if you were to fix a cup of chicory coffee, you might convince yourself that you're at Cafe DuMonde. Put on some Dixieland jazz and let your tastebuds and your imagination do the rest! 

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Karen has offered a WINNER'S CHOICE prize!  The winner may choose from:
1. A copy of Calliope Kate
2. A virtual school visit
3. A picture book critique

To be eligible for the drawing, simply leave a comment below before Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST, and if you are the winner, we will contact you!  

Check out this super-fun series of Latin dance board books for your youngest learners (and all the others, too!  "Picture books/board books are for everyone!"). Each book shares some fun Latin dance moves AND another concept:
1,2,3 CUMBIA focuses on Cumbia moves and bodily consent and manners in both Spanish and English!
1,2,3 SALSA shares some salsa dance moves and counting in English and Spanish!
1,2,3 MERENGUE teaches a bit about merengue moves, as well as lots of info about the instruments you might hear in merengue.

Each book follows a similar format and shares information in English and Spanish. Great bilingual resources for kids learning English or Spanish, while also sharing other fun and age appropriate content about Latin dance and other concepts for young children.

While these are perfect for littles (families, preschools, daycare centers, they would also transfer very nicely into ESL classrooms in primary/elementary schools, and for dance or music classes in the early grades as well.

Since I'm featuring all three books, I like this musical piece to showcase Latin music in general.  It's a bit long (about 6 minutes), but engaging for kids.  It would be fun to let littles just dance to the music.  Of course, you could also point out the instruments as you go or you could give them accompaniment instruments like guiros or maracas and let them play along.  Lots of ways to use this piece, but if you don't like this one, I have lots of others featuring the various dance styles, the instruments, kid-friendly Latin(ish) dances, counting in Spanish songs and videos and more! Check those out on the YouTube playlist.

Mult-disciplinary topics for teaching/sharing these books (There are lots of specific ideas on the Pinterest board and YouTube playlist in the links section below. Be sure to check them out!)

• ELA
  • 1,2,3 CUMBIA -- rhyme and repetition
  • (all) Spanish vocabulary
  • 1,2,3 CUMBIA -- questions/statements/exclamations
  • 1,2,3 MERENGUE -- commands/imperative
  • 1,2,3 MERENGUE -- onomatopoeia (Special note:  Very interesting to note that onomatopoeia are not the same from language to language. Look at the differences in the Spanish vs. English onomatopoeia.  Discuss that with your group.)
• Math
  • 1,2,3 SALSA Counting in English and Spanish (Check out the YouTube playlist below for some fun videos to use)
  •  (all) Number patterns (In music and dance, we count in sets of 4 or 8, so simple number patterns make perfect sense.)
• Social Studies
  • Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Latin Dance
  • Geography (Mexico and South America)/maps
• Spanish (language)
  • Side-by-side English/Spanish for learning and comparing.
  • Key Spanish vocabulary related to these three concepts
• Art
  • Analyze the art: color/form/lines etc.
  • Integrate with math: Draw 1 ______________, 2_______________, 3_____________, etc.
  • Draw musical instruments (some activities on YouTube and Pinterest boards linked below)
• Dance
  • 3 latin dances: merengue, salsa, and cumbia
  • Steps for these dances
• Science
  • How sound is formed in percussion instruments (maracas, marimba, drums, guiro)
  • Make-your-own Latin American instrument (Lots of activities on Pinterest board)
  • Explore sounds on classroom instruments or  DIY instruments
• Health/PE
  • Body autonomy
  • Use of dance as fitness
  • Manners/asking polite questions (please, thank you, polite ways to say no, etc.)
  • Left/right (distinguishing/stepping side-side, etc.)
• See below for Music tips 

YouTube playlist with music, lessons, examples, songs, and more to go along with these board books.

Pinterest board full of fun activities for drawing, dancing, singing, learning, and more that relate to the 1,2,3 Latin dance books!

Since this episode is sharing lots of Spanish language, Latin dance and music, I thought it only fitting that we feature another Latina mom who is putting a Latin American spin on a PBJ experience.  I give you PBJ Quesadillas!!!!  What a wonderful idea and I'm sure super-tasty for breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your littles (and for you if you're a PBJ fan like me. :-)  Here's the link to this delicious recipe from Joyce of My Stay at Home Adventures. Be sure to check out her other content while you're there, leave her a comment if you love her idea and let her know you found it here on PBjamz!

Pop in on our in-progress conversation where we discuss how we became writers in the first place, our mutual benefit from the 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge with Julie Hedlund, and all about her precious picture book all about musical genres.  It's a great introduction for littles to learn 10 basic musical genres..  Eva is charming and so much fun to chat with! Pull up a chair!

BUSY LITTLE FINGERS: MUSIC by Eva Wong Nava and illustrated by Eleonora Marton and published by Big Picture Press is a musical gem for teachers and young people who enjoy music. Check out this fabulous nonfiction book that introduces littles to 10 different genres of music: classical, opera, jazz, soul, blues, folk, country, rock, pop, and hip-hop. Lyrical text, rich vocabulary, fun interactive elements, and bright colorful illustrations characterize this  one-of-a-kind book that is so full of musical content it belongs on every music teacher's shelf, and in every musical home.  It's a great introduction for students to get a little glimpse of these ten musical genres. Used in conjunction with the resources we share below, kids will receive ten little gifts of music as they learn vital musical concepts in a fun and engaging way.

In the YouTube playlist (in the links section) there are LOTS of songs and videos about different genres of music that would be great companions to this episode's book. I really like this one because it allows the students to hear the various genres, but it also asks them to clap along in appropriate ways. It's a wonderful way to keep children engaged, and it works on genres and rhythm simultaneously!  Win-win!

• The very first thing that comes to mind is features of text.  The text is used very artistically, but purposefully in this book. Often when we teach features of text, with headings and bold text and highlights, it is in magazine style format with business fonts, etc.  This, still a NF book, but it really takes artistic license with subject headings (each genre) and uses features of text in creative ways that would be fabulous to expose your students to. Here is a Pinterest board with lots of ideas for teaching nonfiction books and features of text.
• Onomatopoeia is sprinkled throughout the text. Here's a Pinterest board for Onomatopoeia.
  
  • Do a scavenger hunt for these fun sound words in the text. 
  • Find the onomatopoeia together and discuss
    
  • Ask them before opening the book, "If you had to write this sound (play or sing a sound for them), how would you write it down?"  Discuss and THEN go into the book and talk about how the author chose to spell out those sounds.
• Adjectives are prolific in this book, and are often in a different size font/separate from the main text. 
  • Do a scavenger hunt for adjectives. Discuss
  • Check the Pinterest board for activities with the adjectives
  • Charades
  • Pictionary/Win, Lose, or Draw activities
  • Find synonyms for the adjectives in the book. What other adjectives could the author have used?
• Types of sentences **Note: When teaching the types of sentences, there are at least 5 things you need to teach: 1. Identifying 2. Differentiating 3. Punctuating 4. Reading with correct inflection/expression 5. Writing each type. Obviously you can choose ONE of those to work with in this book, but sometimes teachers leave out one or more components, so please at some point in your teaching, make sure you teach students how to read and write these sentences -- not just sort and punctuate. Here's a Pinterest board to help.
  • The author has included both declarative (telling) sentences and interrogative (asking) sentences, as well as excited (exclamatory) sentences.
  • Write/type out a few examples and play a game using a 3 column chart with  each type of sentence as a column head. Discuss. How do you know it's ___. What were the clues. Read it aloud.
  • There are also some commands (imperative sentences).  How do you distinguish those?
  • After reading, highlighting various sentence types, have students write their own examples -- or challenge level:  write a paragraph using at least one of each kind.
• Vocabulary!!! Here's a Pinterest board with lots of ideas for teaching vocabulary.
  • This book is full of rich vocabulary!  Music words, robust adjectives, and more!  Don't let the excellent verbage of this book pass you by!  It's a great opportunity to enhance students' vocabulary.

Of course, there's also a ton of Social Studies you could teach using this book, specifically geography, music/culture and history, but other opportunities are sprinkled throughout the book, too. Pay attention to the countries/regions that are mentioned, plot them on a map or point them out on a globe. (Each student could have their own paper copy as you read and discuss the book.)

The obvious connections here are styles/genres of music. Of course, there are many ways you could do it.  

1. Use the book as a guide for a 12-week unit. Week 1 as an intro to musical genres and read the intro in the book.  Then for 10 weeks, tackle each genre, reading that section of the book, sharing examples of that genre, maybe talking about the key artists or time periods, etc. and then week 12, do a wrap-up: read the conclusion, do some genre reviews/games/quizzes, etc.
2. Use the book as one component of your lessons for 12 weeks, using the same basic format as above, but just as a little "genre segment" of your class so you can keep the other pieces of your lessons following whatever scope and sequence you need to follow.
3. Read the book in 2-5 class periods, dividing up the genres, with limited examples of each genre/style.

Of course, all of this depends on how your music classes are set up, how much time, what grades, etc. and how your grading periods are designed.  I have 6 classes a day with 45-minute class periods, and I teach K-2 students.   I would probably use option 1 or 2 for first and second grades, but probably more the second way with kindergarten.  Also, with kindergarten I would choose songs they are familiar with that have been done in many of these styles (Think Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Old MacDonald.) and focus on that way and give them lots of interaction. 

The way I have my classes set up is this:
Entrance (Quiet music playing) 1-2 minutes
Kids enter and sit according to a seating chart (Printed grid and I write their names in pencil so I can move them if it becomes an issue.)
Meditation/Character Education 5-ish minutes
Video of some sort teaching a character education skill  or a meditation video giving them a chance to breathe, concentrate, do a body scan, stretch/do some yoga, etc.
"CopyCat Game" 7-15 minutes
Sometimes these are teacher-directed; sometimes video driven, but it's 7-15 minutes of rhythm practice, body percussion, steady beat,  pitch/vocal exploration, etc.
Mini-lesson 15-ish minutes
This is where I share a big musical conept, read a book, do the big musical focus for the day.
Boogies and Byes 2-10 minutes
A fun dance/work-out video to get all the wiggles out before they go back to class.

Having said that, I could make this my mini-lesson for 10-12 weeks, or I could break it up over the whole class time, where everything relates (our copycat game would be relative to the genre we're focusing on that week and I would try to find a dance/workout video that related if possible as well, and the music playing as they enter could be that genre. It would also depend on if genres/musical styles is something specific in your curriculum. If it's not, probably not something you'd want to devote 12 weeks to. :-/ But I think it's great to give kids a little taste of various musical styles.  That being the case, I might would use it as a short segment each week outside of my main lesson.

That is what would work for me in my schedule, but it could be different for yours.
Check out the YouTube playlist for lots of other genre/musical styles videos that you could use in conjunction. 

I also use these playlists in my classroom for a couple of genres:
Jazz

Rap/HipHop

You can also go back and search for Rock in the PBJamz archive and there are some great playlists embedded there.

So many things to write about!

1. What is your favorite genre/style of music and why?
2. Is there one of the styles you don't know much about?  After reading that section, what questions do you have? What else would you like to learn?
3. Write about the genre you DON'T like and why.
4. Has there ever been a piece of music you didn't like the first time you heard it but you later learned to like it? Write about that experience.
5. The author says, "Music is all around you." Do you agree/disagree. Why?
6. When you think about classical music, what comes to your mind?  
7. Write about a classical music experience you had.
8. Listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons (or part of it) and write a story, poem or song inspired by your listening.
9. Have you ever been to an opera or listened to opera music?  If so, did you like it or not, and why?
10. Practice singing the scale on the opera pages.  Is it easier for you to sing low or high?  How did that exercise feel to you?
11. Listen to some jazz music by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis or John Coltrane and write about the experience. Do you like Jazz? Why or why not?
12. Join with a partner and write a "call and response" song. 
13. What do you think the author means when she says, "The world has soul."?
14. The Blues is made up of songs, often written when people are sad. Write about a time when you were sad OR write a sad story.
15. Folk is "music for the people" and every culture has their own folk music.  What country/group of people would you like to learn more about their culture and their music?  Why?  After you write down what you want to learn and why, look it up online or check out a book and learn!
16. Have you ever listened to country music or attended a barn dance or a hoedown? How did that music make you feel?  
17. Country music is all about everyday life. Write a song about something that happened to you today or this week.
18. If you had a rock and roll band, what would they be called? Describe their costumes/outfits.
19. Pop is short for popular music -- the music playing right now that everyone enjoys.  What is your favorite pop song or who is your favorite pop singer?
20. Have you ever tried rapping or beatboxing?  How did it feel?
21. The author says "Make some noise. Make some music." Do you think music and noise are the same or different?  Why?
22. Write about two friends who like two different kinds of music. What problems could happen?  How would they solve them?
23. Write about someone who only likes ONE kind of music, but finally they try a different kind -- and they LIKE it!
24. Write about a kid who likes different styles of music than their parents.
25. Write about an animal who only likes one genre of music. 

Keep making music and keep writing

YouTube playlist with lots of videos, songs, games and activities for musical genres.

Pinterest boardpin.it/37NRuDidw full of teaching activities, facts, graphic organizers, musical pieces, videos, and more to go beautifully with this book.

I thought since Eva gave us 10 musical genres, I could offer 10 PBJ tips.  While this isn't a recipe per se, Happy Healthy Mama gives 10 tips for making healthier PBJ sandwiches, and if your kid is a PBJ kid, or if you're a PBJ lover yourself, these tips may leave you singing for your supper or breakfast or lunch.  You'll be hitting the high notes of health while satisfying that PBJ craving!  Check out the tips here.

Photo credit: Rebecca Cresta

Check out Eva's links and book-buying options below:

Eva's website

To buy the book: https://evawongnava.com/busy-little-fingers-music/ 
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Eva's Giveaway: a signed copy of the first edition of Busy Little Fingers Music. 
To be entered into the drawing, simply make a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on 7/17/24.

Becca and I are agent sisters, and when she reached out to all the Sweeney Siblings to see who might want an ARC to do a review, I was happy to read and review. (Hello, I need to be reading a plethora of PBs anyway, so I might as well review them and help out the author as well! You can do this, too!) But . . . when I read Grecia's story and how singing was a through line, I thought this would be an unusual, but perfect PBJamz book, so I invited her for a chat.  Join us as we talk about Grecia, her lovely book, the power of song, engineering and the journey of picture books.  ​

Becca McMurdie invites us to join her in Costa Rica in this lovely book about the cruelty -- and the kindness of humans.  It's a wonderful reminder that, while bad exists in the world, there is more than enough good to counteract it.  It's also a testament to the power of song to express all the emotions and all the things that happen to us.  And it does all that, plus help us learn about toucans and prosthetics -- wrapped up in a STEAM package full of engineering concepts and ideas.  This one is sweet, smart, and sciency in all the best ways! ​

Topics and activities: (*Be sure to check the links section for even more activities and ideas for teaching using this book!)
Social Studies: Costa Rica

• Geography
• wildlife
• culture
• music
• history
• Timelines

Science:

• Engineering
• 3D printing
• Beak purposes/adaptations/experiments
• Bird characteristics/body parts
• Ecosystem
• Importance of toucan's beak
• Different types of toucans
• Life cycle of toucans
• Toucans 
• Measurement/scientific drawing

Art

• So many toucan art projects!
• rainforest activities
• color exploration

Reading

• Strong verbs (Verb scavenger hunt, discussion of how the choice of verbs affect the story. "What other verb could the author have used?  How would that change the story?" etc.)
• Sequencing (life cycle, events in story, which came first,  timeline in back matter, etc,)
• Different meanings of the word "sang"/different connotations in the book

Math

• Measurement (beak drawings/pictures, creating/drawing beaks to certain measurements, etc.)
• Timeline/numberline connection
• Story problems using characters/info from the story for whatever content is appropriate for your students.

Musical connections:

• Rainforest songs
• Rainforest sounds
• Toucan sounds/variations of their "songs"
• Songs about toucans
• Rainforest rhythms
• Using and/or creating rainsticks
• Create rhythmic patterns/compose rhythms using the words "toucan" "beak" "avocado" "rainforest" etc.
• Discuss different meanings/examples of sing/sang. How we can use the word differently.  Grecia sang. The people sang for Grecia, etc.

1. Whenever a critique partner emails and asks you if you can look over a few MSs or a revision on short notice, because they just got a full request from an agent or an R&R from a publisher, always say yes! Even if you’re busy. Even if you have pressing deadlines for your day job, or your personal life is crazy. Just do it. Because trust me, karma is real, and when you get those same requests, you’ll need those favors in return! 

2. Let every rejection be an invite to keep writing. Keep going. You’re probably closer than you think. 

Here's a YouTube playlist full of fun songs, art activities, STEAM activities, and loads of info about toucans.


​Here's a PInterest board full of arts and crafts, info about Costa Rica, toucan facts, STEAM activities, and so much more!

Classroom guide from Page Street

What a cute book that takes naptime on a rockin' road trip tour!  Be a napping groupie for a meant-to-be PBJamz!  The perfect book for your budding rockstar, your non-napping little, your performer-in-training . . . the humorous word play and adult Easter eggs (rock'n'roll style) make this fun tome a perfect read for the whole family.  Besides the PBJamz mention, the playlist at the back is one of my favorite parts!  ;-)

Nothing like an oldie, but goodie. Everyone loves this old favorite that is mentioned right in the book.  This is a live performance by Bill Haley and His Comets from 1954. If you want to enjoy some additional musical Easter eggs from the book, check out the two playlists in the links section below. One has lots of music for teachers and families to use in conjunction with the book, and the other is a straight playlist of Jimmy's Jams. (Please be aware that Jimmy's Jams are the actual rock'n'roll songs, and not edited for language or content, so make sure that you preview songs to make sure they meet YOUR standards before sharing them with littles.)

ELA (English/Language arts) (**You can tell from the vocabulary  and the puns/word play used in this book that, while the character is VERY young, the vocabulary and the content will also appeal to older kids, and the comprehension involves deciphering multi-meaning words, so this books is excellent for primary/elementary for the content, while younger children will enjoy the read-alouds and will probably enjoy some of the humor.)

• Puns/word play!  They are dominant in this book.  There are many ways you could integrate this into your classroom.
  • Search for the examples; make a list
  • Write a paragraph about what the pun really means. (ie. When the author says Jimmy dropped a number two hit that left everyone gasping, what he really means is that Jimmy did a number two bathroom accident. He pooped.  It must have been a bad one based on the art on that page.  The yucky green color tells you it was terrible and the expressions on the other shoppers' faces verify that.) This is great for using text evidence, too.
  • Use a different topic (or the same one. . .) and try to create your own list of puns/word play.
• Use the writing prompts below for writing connections.
• Talk about how the illustrations support and enhance the text.
• Lots of rockin' vocabulary: 
  • star
  • righteous wail
  • reviews
  • rock
  • heavy metal
  • jam
  • grunge
  • rock opera
  • fan
  • show
  • on the road
  • solos
  • encores
  • ballads
  • superstar
  • number 2 hit
  • fame
  • life on the road
  • wardrobe
  • tune
  • washed-up
  • spinning out of control
  • wrong side of the law
  • graffiti
  • paparazzi
  • showtime
  • rock bottom
  • performance
  • classic hits
  • crowd
  • shredded
  • power chord
  • stage dive

Art

• Check the Pinterest board in the links section for lots of rockin' art projects related to the book.

Science

• STEM activity -- make a speaker or a microphone

Math

• Create story problems using characters/items from the book.
• Use the grocery store as a kick-off point and talk about money
• "Rock around the Clock" to tell time to the hour

#1.  Write in as many different ways as possible. We are creatures of habit, and many of us have one spot and one style when it comes to our writing, but different approaches use different parts of your brain. Write your story in pencil, draw it (stick figures are okay!) type it out, use voice to text. Write it forwards and backwards. You never know what part of your brain the answers are hiding in, so engage as much of it as possible. 

#2.  Read it aloud, and ask others to read it to you. Something that may sound great in your head may not match up when read aloud. Read your story aloud as you go, and once you feel it is in a good place, ask others to read it to you. Listen for places where they stumble, for what parts seem exciting to them. 
​
#3.  Use mentor text with post it notes. Write your story on post it notes, then stick them in your mentor text and read it aloud. I used Mustache Baby when writing Rock Stars Don't Nap. 

YouTube playlist "Jimmy's Jams" -- Warning:  Some songs contain language and adult content. Please preview before sharing with kids and especially before showing in a school setting.

YouTube playlist PBJamz: ROCK STARS DON'T NAP A list of songs and musical activities that go well with the book.  *These should be safe for school settings, but always preview before showing content to be sure it is appropriate for your context.

Pinterest board with images, videos, activities, etc. (I'll keep adding to this.)

The perfect snack for little rock'n'rollers  is a peanut butter and jelly roll-up. Rock up and roll up and eat up!  The recipe is here. Enjoy!

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To purchase ROCK STARS DON'T NAP on Amazon



​For a giveaway, Jason has generously offered a critique of a humorous picture book manuscript to one lucky winner! Simply leave a comment below no later than 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, May 29, to be entered. For an extra entry, copy and paste the link for your Amazon review for ROCK STARS DON'T NAP. Let's try to help Jason get those 50 reviews!

This lovely little tome is a perfect gift for every piano lover in your world -- especially if they are also a music teacher!  It will have a special place on their shelf and in their hearts!  Pianos have feelings  -- and wishes . . . or at least if they did, this is maybe what it would be like.  Piano has a special friendship with Amy as she learns to play Piano. Eventually they make beautiful music together, but as she grows up and gets busy, Piano gets left behind.  Enter Rupert, the little brother. With his high energy and booger-covered fingers, Piano is not fond of the music they make together. What Piano didn't know was that their wish would come true in a most beautiful way.  I get a bit teary at the end every time I read it because it's so sweet and so perfect!

Since this song is loosely referenced in the text, it's a perfect companion. Kids will be captivated by the movement, but there are also some lovely musical elements to focus on here to use it as a teaching tool.  A great piece for calming kids down too, when they get wound up. Use it for deep breathing, stretching, or your favorite calming method. Just having students watch the mesmerizing video may help calm them down. Check the YouTube playlist coming in part 2 of the episode (links section) for more lovely piano music referenced in the book as well as more piano fun for kids.

The most obvious teaching topics for music class from this book are piano skills and activities and scales.  There are many ways to integrate those into class. Check out the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest board in the links section for other ideas and specific ways to use them. 

1. Practice scales on written keyboard worksheets or whiteboards
2. Label piano worksheets or fun labeling activities.
3. Sing scales or play scales.
4. Introduce Solfege and hand signs

You can also pull out music mentioned in the book and do activities with the musical pieces/composers:

1. Beethoven (Moonlight Sonata, Ode to Joy)
2. Ellington (Daydreams)

​The book also mentions adagios and boogie-woogies, so that would be another direction you could go.

There is also lots of musical vocabulary:

1. scales
2. adagios
3. boogie-woogie
4. sharps
5. flats
6. melodies
7. keyboard
8. keys
9. notes
10. strings

Another direction you could go using this book is to talk about careers in music represented in this book:
Piano teacher
Piano tuner
Elementary music teacher
(Those are specifically mentioned, but you could use it to talk about other careers in music as well.)

Pinterest board with piano lessons, motivational thoughts, etc.

YouTube playlist full of piano pieces, lessons, teaching activities and lots more.

MY PIANO by Jen Fier Jasinski is a perfect companion book to this one.  You can find the PBJamz episode here
*Be sure to check out the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest boards for that episode too, since there are lots of crossovers.

Peanut butter and jelly cheesecake bars are delicious enough to help you or your young one power through the most grueling piano practice session, but elegant enough to serve at a celebratory recital -- or anything in between.  Protein, tanginess, sweetness -- these bars have it all.  Wanna make some of your own?  Find the recipe here.

Below, find all of Colleen's socials and contact info.
If you'd like to purchase PIANO WANTS TO PLAY,  here's the Amazon link, but if you have an indie bookstore nearby, we'd love for you to purchase from them.
Website: https://ckongsavage.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kongsavage/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kongsavage.bsky.social

Colleen has kindly offered a copy of PIANO WANTS TO PLAY along with some SWAG and a signed bookplate to one lucky winner!  To be entered, simply leave a comment below.

Joni's first book, inspired by her daughters' girl scout days.  From Bare Book to published, and award-wining, check out the interview to find out more about Joni's inspiration, writing process, and path to publication. Check out her website in the guest links section to purchase copies directly from her (and to see her other fabulous books and songs and plays.)

Check out Joni's very own song and the book trailer for RAINBOW OF FRIENDSHIP.  Be sure to check the guest links below for where to access all of Joni's music, as well as my YouTube playlist for more fun songs and musical activities related to RAINBOW OF FRIENDSHIP.

Pinterest board full of activities for rainbow science, friendship, interviews with Joni and more!

YouTube playlist with songs about colors, rainbows, friendship, along with interviews with Joni and more.

For this lovely book about friendship and rainbows, a rainbow of shortbread thumbprint cookies seems the perfect PBJamz snack for sharing.  Gather jams and jellies in a rainbow of colors and create your own delectable cookie rainbow and celebrate friendship with your besties! Get the recipe here.  

Social Links:
Joni’s Website: www.joniworld.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoniKleinHiggerBooks/
X: https://twitter.com/KleinHigger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonikleinhigger/

Links to Joni’s Books
Barnyard Bubbe’s Hanukkah:
Barnyard Bubbe's Hanukkah
amazon.com

Ten Tzedakah Pennies: 
Ten Tzedakah Pennies
amazon.com

Links to Joni Klein-Higger’s music:  Joni's music is available on Spotify and most online music stores including, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. 
Joni Klein-Higger
open.spotify.com

Joni Klein Higger
open.spotify.com

​

Joni is excited to share a copy of Barnyard Bubbe’s Hanukkah with one lucky winner. To be eligible to win, simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM (EST) on May 1, 2024.  Winner will be drawn at random from comments.

It's "Old MacDonald" with a twist. MacDonald isn't old, and it's  . . .a . . .girl!  And, she doesn't have lots of animals on her farm, but she does have lots of plants! E-I-E-I-GROW! This book is perfect for everyone who has a green thumb (or wishes they did); great for our youngest gardeners and farmers. Enjoy learning about plant life cycles and the farm to table experience in a fun, familiar and engaging way with this lovely female-forward version of a classic!

This instrumental version of "Old McDonald" is the perfect accompaniment to sing along with Kalee's version of MISS MCDONALD!  Grab your copy of the book, turn pages and sing along! You could also sing the traditional version of words or play one of the versions of Old MacDonald and compare/contrast.  Also you could have kids mix and match or write their own version of what they might find on farms in their geographical area. There are lots more musical pieces in the YouTube playlist in the links section for you to explore about all the themes in the book.

1. Critique partners. Need I say more?? Find some good ones who are actually critical (not just complementary) and just as invested as you in furthering their craft.
2. Stay on the bus. (I can't remember who coined this phrase for me, but I wrote it on a sticky note.) You never know when your YES will come. But you do know it will never come if you don’t ask for it. So participate in everything you are able, even if the little voice inside says “is this worth it?” Yes, it is always worth it.
3. "Keep it simple. Make it sing." Another sticky note mantra that I don't remember the origin of. Picture books are meant to be read aloud to children and this phrase helps me focus on that during revisions.

Pinterest board
Lots of ideas for resources to go along with MISS MACDONALD 
​
YouTube playlist full of various versions of Old MacDonald, songs about growing plants, the farm to table experience, and more!

​

When strawberries and milk come directly from farm to table, this milkshake will be even better!  Healthy, natural, and delicious! If you're growing (or buying from your local farmers' market) peaches or blueberries, etc., you can substitute those for the strawberries. You can find the base recipe here, and then have fun playing with it!

www.kaleegwarjanski.com


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Order at my local indy! Custom signing available

Miss MacDonald Has A Farm Picture Book Trailer
Website - Free Coloring Pages
Request a FREE custom signed bookplate
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Kalee has generously offered a winner's choice!  Will you choose a picture book manuscript critique or a classroom zoom for a GIVEAWAY if you win? To be eligible, simply leave a comment below.  One winner will be chosen on Thursday, April 18.  You have until 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 17 to comment and be eligible for the prize!