Tonnye Fletcher

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

PBJamz!

Logo by Allison Strick

Series Finale THIS IS MUSIC: VOICE with Rekha Rajan

11/8/2023

Congratulations Shaunda and Jany! You are the winners of YELLOW DOG BLUES by Alice Faye Duncan! Thanks Alice for your generosity, and thank you Shaunda and Jany for supporting PBJamz!

Around the world through Music with Rekha

Rekha Rajan and I chat about the fourth and final book in her board book series THIS IS MUSIC: VOICE. Our conversation runs from her inspiration and process for this book and the series, to marketing and the power of music in so many areas. We talk about representation and multiculturalism, and tons more! It's always a delight to talk with Rekha, and these books are the perfect gift for your young musical reader as the holidays approach.

THIS IS MUSIC: VOICE by Rekha Rajan

The fourth and final installment of Rekha Rajan's board book series focuses on Voice, and like the others, this small but mighty book packs a powerful punch for the young musician in your life. While it is a board book, don't be fooled. It is chock full of musical content and vocabulary for your young musicians. Featuring vibrant and familiar illustrations by Tania Yakunova, the entire series is colorful, informative, musical, fun, and interactive. This set of four books would make a great gift for the young soon-to-be-reader, preschool music-lover, teacher, parent, or more.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

One of the things Rekha and I point out in our conversation is that Tania included sign language in the illustration of the chorus. This song is literally about singing, which is a perfect tie-in for VOICE, but it also is fabulous for helping kids identify/recognize colors. Colors are super-easy to sign in ASL. Here's one example. This is a lovely way to bring some of these ideas together.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Perfect science tie-in:
How does our voice work? You could do the simplest version of this where students touch their throat gently to feel their vocal cords vibrate and talk about vibrations creating sound or you could get much more technical for older students. Check out the links section for some resources.

Social Studies:

What does it mean to "use your voice" or "lose your voice" for a social/cultural/ political/educational cause? Discuss the differences in a literal interpretation of your voice and the more figurative interpretation.
Discuss how some historic figures used their voice for change.
Do deaf people have a voice? Does a voice have to be audible? How can people without an audible voice have their voice heard?

Companion reads:
DECIBELLA AND HER 6-INCH VOICE

Sign language

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Different styles of using your voice to make music:
1. Opera
2. Rap
3. Yodeling
How the voice works
How to care for your voice appropriately
Vocal warm-ups
A cappela (singing without the use of musical instruments)
1. Various a capella groups:
  1. Pentatonix
  2. HomeFree
  3. VoicePlay
Solfege/vocal scale singing
Comparison between Indian solfege and western solfege (syllabic note singing)
Vocal exploration exercises (check the YouTube playlist in the links section)
Different vocal ranges: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, etc.
Pitch
Mouth shapes/vocalizations/etc. (partner with speech therapist/reading teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write about using your voice
Write a poem titled "My Voice"
Does everyone's voice matter? Why? How can we make sure every voice is heard?
I can use my voice for _______________ (good, change, helping, kindness, etc.) Fill in the blank and then give good details and examples.
Write a story titled, "The Singer Who Lost Their Voice"
What would you do if you woke up one day without a voice?
Write a funny story about a bear with a mouse's voice.
If I woke up with the voice of an animal, I would want the voice of a _______ because ______. (Add lots of details. What would be good, hard, scary, exciting . . . if you switched voices with that animal.)
Title: When Ant Found His Voice
Would you rather use your voice for opera, rap, yodeling or another style of singing? Why?
Write a step-by-step plan for taking care of your voice.
Would you rather? Have the voice of a dolphin or a dragon? Why?
Write about a historical person who used their voice to change the world.
Write about a deaf person who discovers their "voice" and learns to make a difference without an audible voice.
Write about a great big animal with a teeny tiny voice OR write about a teeny tiny animal with a great big voice. What if they were best friends? Write that story.

Writing Tips from Rekha

Read the types of books you want to write. When I was working on a nonfiction, picture book biography, I read as many as I could.
Find time to write everyday - even if it is just one paragraph.
Step away from your projects. We get so invested in what we write that sometimes, leaving them for a day or week helps to read with new eyes.
Don't give up!

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with vocal exercises, fun songs, solfege, voice care tips and more!

Pinterest boardpin.it/KXPs5pI with lots of teaching tips and ideas, voice care, vocal exercises, information about how the voice works, etc.

PBJamz Snack

While Rekha and I were chatting, she shared that she ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for lunch for years. Now that her palate is more refined ;-), I'm thinking this peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be right up her alley now. It's more of an idea and a technique that you could personalize with your favorite bread, your favorite jam/jelly, your favorite nut butter, etc. and then apply this technique. Bring on the Boysenberry jam, Rekha, and give this a try :-)

Guest Links and Giveaways

Rekha's website
Twitter/X
Instagram

To buy THIS IS MUSIC: VOICE

Rekha is offering a TRIPLE giveaway for this episode!!! Comment below for your chance to win:
1. A PB critique (subject to Rekha's exclusions on word count, etc.)
2. A signed copy of THIS IS MUSIC: VOICE
3. A virtual OR in-person school visit with Rekha!

Three winners will be chosen! Leave us a comment to be entered!

4 Comments

YELLOW DOG BLUES with Alice Faye Duncan

10/25/2023

3 Comments

Steena Hernandez! Congratulations! You are the winner for Jen Fier Jasinski's episode! You'll be able to choose your prize: a PB critique, a signed copy of MY PIANO, or a Zoom session with Jen! Thanks to Jen and Steena for your support of PBJamz!

A delicious road trip chat with Alice Faye Duncan

Join Alice and me again as we talk geography, racism, revision, and more! This conversation is packed as full of goodness as a Hicks tamale! Alice's vivacious personality shines through, and she shares some real gems that she's discovered along the way! This book is absolutely beautiful! Chris Rashka's multi-media illustrations of embroidery and collage are so cool.

YELLOW DOG BLUES

YELLOW DOG BLUES is a beautiful and bright book, written by Alice Faye Duncan, and illustrated by Chris Raschka. Published by Eerdmans, YDB follows a yellow dog along the blues hwy and stops us at various landmarks and introduces us to some musical characters, and lots of musical fun!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This video seemed the perfect accompaniment to this episode, as it's a Memphis Blues Band and showing some of the landmarks significant to the Delta Blues. A 1922 recording that should give students an idea of the feel and sound of time and place for the Delta Blues. And of course, the piece of music itself is "Yellow Dog Blues" If you are using it with students, you might have youngest students march or clap or tap their lap to maintain a steady beat. Older students might listen for various rhythmic pattern or the timbre of certain instruments. Listening for form might be another activity. Feel free to leave a comment about how you used the piece.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

This book is a perfect tie-in for history/social studies. You could use it in many different ways:
- Maps/trails
- Civil rights
- Black history
- Geography
- Music History
Art teachers (or other interested teachers) could focus in on the art techniques employed by Chris Raschka in this book. You could further compare with his other art and turn it into an illustrator study.
You could also do an author study of Alice Faye Duncan. She has written several books relative to civil rights and the black experience.
This book would be a great addition to your "Black History Month" activities.
SEL component -- How do we deal with it when important people in our lives don't stay (like Yellow Dog)?
Setting is a perfect story element to bring out in this book as well since it plays a huge role in the book.
Character would be another natural story element on which to focus, since we learn a lot about Yellow Dog. (inside/outside character map, etc.).
You might find other interesting activities to use on this Pinterest board

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Musical genre spotlight: Blues (specifically Delta blues)
- You could also spin off from this and compare various blues formats and how they are alike and different.
Music history of the Blues (where did it come from, how and why did it morph, how does it sound today, etc.)
Timeline of the Blues
The Blues Trail -- So many fun ways you could do this, including if you're so inclined. . . ) and lots more resources on The Mississipi Blues Trail website.
Various version of the song "Yellow Dog Blues" (be sure to preview content in light of the ages you teach; not all lyrics may be appropriate for all ages.
12-bar blues -- what does that mean? Explore the construction of blues music.
Write your own blues song -- several tutorials online, as well as the back of the book. I particularly like this YouTube video tutorial.
Explore form based on the blues writing experience.
Learn more about some of the Blues superheroes (There are quite a few ideas in the Pinterest board in the links section)
Explore the questions surrounding blues, like did all modern music descend from the blues? Why/why not, etc.?
There are lots more ways you could explore this book and its related content in the music room. This book, in particular, could skew much older as a stepping stone into the blues.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

1. Write your own blues music! There's an activity in the back of the book, along with a couple more on the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest board. Pick whichever one works best for you and write the blues!
2. Write about a time when you had "the blues". What made you feel sad? What helped you deal with your sadness and eventually not feel so sad?
3. Research one of the blues superheroes and write your own story about them!
4. In the end, yellow dog doesn't stay in one place. The author says some things just aren't made to live that way. Have you had an experience with a "yellow dog" in your own life? Write about that.
5. Based on the information in the book, which blues landmark would you most like to visit and why?
6. Listen to the instrumental version of "Yellow Dog Blues" song above and write about how it makes you feel? Why?
7. Listen to the instrumental version and a version with lyrics of Yellow Dog Blues. Which do you prefer? Why? How are they alike? Different?
8. Have you ever visited any of the landmarks in the book? If so, write about that experience.
9. Hicks Tamales is one of the stops on the blues trail. Have you ever eaten tamales? Or made tamales? Write about that experience.
10. Write your own version of "Yellow Dog Blues" -- what does that title make YOU think of? Will yours have a literal yellow dog?
11. Why is this type of music called Delta Blues? Find some text evidence for your answer and add it. Then do some more research on Delta Blues and add more to your report.
12. Draw a map and write about the trail of {your life}. What would be the landmarks? Where would the trail travel?
13. Write about a special pet that you've had, whether a yellow dog or a black cat or a color-changing chameleon.
14.Why do you think it's important to learn about blues music?

Writing Tips from Alice

1. For craft, read fairytales and folktales to study story structures.
2. For practical work, write in clothes that serve you comfort and/or make you feel writerly.
3. For inspiration, take a daily walk or hit the treadmill to be in communion with your imagination.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Here is a great little YouTube playlist with lots of Delta blues music, including several versions of Yellow Dog Blues, along with musicians in the book, and lessons for kids to create their own blues music!

This Pinterest board is full of all kinds of amazing activities, from other pbs that focus on blues music, to activities for writing your own blues song to history lessons for older students about the blues, playlists, and so much more!

Alice's page for YELLOW DOG BLUES also has an activity guide that you may find helpful!

PBJamz Snack

In honor of Hicks Tamales, our PBJ snack today is a PBJ sweet tamale. This recipe calls for raisins. I would replace those with a couple tablespoons of your favorite jam or jelly. These are not traditional to Mexico or to Hicks. They're a fun play on traditional sweet tamales. If you try them and like them, let us know.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Alice's website
Purchase YELLOW DOG BLUES from Amazon here.
Alice on Facebook
Alice on Twitter
YELLOW DOG BLUES page on Alice's website (with teaching guide)

Alice is giving away 2 copies of YELLOW DOG BLUES! Leave a comment below to enter the giveaway! Good luck!

3 Comments

MY PIANO with Jen Fier Jasinski Layers of Music and Fun!

10/10/2023

12 Comments

Jany Campana!!! Congratulations! You are the winner of either a PB critique OR a Zoom visit from Lisa Rogers! Thanks for your constant support of PBJamz! And thanks, Lisa, for your generosity! I'll put the two of you in touch to make arrangements! :-)

A Fully Packed Chat with Jen Fier Jasinski

Jen's book is fully packed with layers and so is this conversation! Join us as we chat writing, process, rhyme, inspiration, peanut butter and jelly recipes, and more! Such a fun conversation with a delightful author about an amazing book. MY PIANO is beautiful in words and illustrations! And by the way, we double-checked with Anita about the pronunciation of her name "it's pronounced Bahg-dee/Bawg-dee... the "a" makes a sound like like that in "claw" or "paw", not "bag" like the container."

MY PIANO by Jen Fier Jasinski

MY PIANO is written by Jen Fier Jasinski and illustrated by Anita Bagdi. Published by Gnome Road Publishing, this book has more layers than Grandma's chocolate cake!Rhyme, cumulative structure, parts of a piano, and SEL tips for how to handle recital jitters? Check, check, check, and check! It's beautifully written and beautifully illustrated and full of so much goodness! It's a fabulous introduction to the piano, a helpful treatise on how to deal with stage fright and recital nerves, and a wonderfully fun read-aloud. Both author and illustrator have outdone themselves and the results are this fabulous picture book. It's perfect for little pianists, little music-lovers, little recitalists, little readers, little writers -- and big ones, too. It's a perfect reminder that picture books are truly for everyone!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This was Umi Garrett's first television appearance. on the Ellen Degeneres Show as a young child. She does some amazing piano tricks and plays beautifully!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Be sure to also check out the resources section below. The Pinterest boards, YouTube playlist and the educator Guide from Gnome Road are all there with tons of ideas for how to use this book in your classroom, at home, or in your music room.

On that first page, I would read the first line, let students look at the picture and make some predictions. What do you think is happening? Where is she? Why? What do you think this book is going to be about?
This book is the perfect book to talk about setting. We get the setting from the first spread, but students will have to use their inferring skills to determine where they are. A great conversation starter about who has been on stage before? Where? Why? How did you feel at the beginning? How about at the end? Set the stage (pun intended ;-) for how our young protagonist may be feeling.
Prepositional phrases are a natural fit for this book as well. "under the soundboard" "to the frame" "in the case" etc. (For younger students positional words and games: in, on, under, through, over, etc. There are some fun songs on YouTube -- I'll try to link one or two in the playlist.)
Rhyme, of course, is a perfect thing to delve into as well. For young learners, perhaps just recognizing the rhyme (pause and let them fill in the repetitive rhymes or make a guess at the rhyming word if it's one they should be familiar with.) For older learners, generating a rhyming list with some of the words that are used, or simply asking for 3 words that rhyme with base, etc.
When you get to the page with "Soon the recital is going to start. . . " how does the book change here? What is this young girl feeling? Why? What can she do to help herself? Have you ever been in that situation? What helped you?
When the author says the audience is gone, what does she mean? Did the audience really disappear?
What did the pianist do to push through her nervousness? (SEL)
On the spread, that reads, "And this is the show. . . SWELL, RIPPLE, FLOW . . ." why do you think the illustrator chose to put some of the words in the illustration?
How does the author show how the music affects the listeners? How does the illustrator show the same thing? Does it help having words and pictures showing it in different ways? Why do you think so?
Did the audience enjoy her performance? How do you know? Cite text evidence that shows how they felt.
Math -- you could take the pattern of the white and black keys and have students create another pattern that matches the keyboard pattern
Science/STEAM -- Lots of science possibilities with how sound is formed, how it travels, how it's affected by the various pedals, etc. This would be a great study in conjunction with your music teacher if you and they are willing.
After reading, there are a couple of good videos in the YouTube playlist with close-up tour of a piano. If you have a piano at home or in the school setting, take kids there and let them see and experience the different parts of the piano.
As a follow-up activity, labeling a piano worksheet (Pinterest board has a couple) or "show me" game if you're standing in front of a real piano. (Show me the strings. Show me the pedals, etc.)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

This book is chock full of musical vocabulary. You could preteach some of the vocabulary or use it as a review, or you could create motions (or sounds) for students to do every time they hear the word ______ (Ex strings, they could pretend to hold a violin; keys, they could pretend to play an invisible keyboard, pedals, they could tap their foot, soundboard, they could put their hand to their ear, etc.)
Fabulous way to introduce the piano. For older students, you might do a lesson on the history of the piano and how it changed. Or other keyboard instruments and compare/contrast
Simple piano lessons (Some on the YouTube playlist)
A great way to introduce the keyboard pattern of white keys and black and how they're the same, whether you're on a grand piano, upright or keyboard. There are also some worksheets and activities for beginning to learn the letter names of the keys on the Pinterest board.
After reading, there are a couple of good videos in the YouTube playlist with close-up tour of a piano. If you have a piano at home or in the school setting, take kids there and let them see and experience the different parts of the piano. The back matter of the book is stellar for this and the next suggestion.
As a follow-up activity, labeling a piano worksheet (Pinterest board has a couple) or "show me" game if you're standing in front of a real piano. (Show me the strings. Show me the pedals, etc.)
The back matter of the book has a fabulous section on how to prepare for a recital/performance that would be very helpful leading up to a performance. (There's also an excellent TED talk in the YouTube playlist).
There are some stellar performances by very young kids on the YouTube playlist that would be a great addition to the book.
Particularly interesting might be to show videos of Umi Garrett on the Ellen Show, and then subsequent performances after that as she gets older. What changes? What stays the same?

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

This book is patterned after another story that's been around a long time, THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. A song that uses the cumulative structure is The Twelve Days of Christmas. Try your hand at writing a cumulative story where the parts are repeated and one gets added each time.
Choose your favorite musical instrument and try writing about all the parts of your instrument and how they work together to make sound.
Write a letter to the young girl with your tips for helping her to push through her nerves and do a great job anyway.
Choose 5 of the musical words from the story to write your own story.
In your own words, write what you learned about a piano from the text.
Listen to a piece of piano music and write about how it makes you feel and why.
If you've ever performed in front of a lot of people, write about how you felt at the beginning and how you felt at the end.
The audience in the book felt _____________ when she played. I know because. . . .(cite 3 examples of text evidence.)
Write a poem about the piano using some of the things you learned.
Write an ACROSTIC poem titled PIANO.
Draw a picture of a piano and label the parts.
Use at least 5 sentences to write about how a piano makes sound.
Write about whether you like piano music or not and explain why.
Write a letter from this young student to her teacher. What do you think she would say to them? How would she sign her letter?
Make a poster for her recital. What would need to go on the poster?
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument? What was that like? What was hard? What did you enjoy?
Choose a word from the book. Make a list of as many rhyming words as you can.
When you are nervous (or have another big feeling) how do you handle it? Does that work for you? Is there anything you would change after reading this book?
Write a letter to the author or the illustrator telling them three things you liked about the book. (You could even mail or email it to them.)

Writing Tips from Jen

Read lots and lots of recently published picture books. Then read some more.
Connect to others in the kidlit community through courses, social media, critique groups, etc. The publishing industry is an emotional roller coaster and more fun with friends by your side.
Take your writing seriously and others will, too.
When writing feels too hard, take a break to go play.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board, full of diagrams, videos lessons, coloring sheets, piano-labeling sheets and so much more! Lots of things here for lessons So many great extensions and companions for the book!

YouTube playlist full of great music, piano lessons, recital tips, performances and more!

Pinterest board with piano lessons, tips, etc. for learning to play.

Educator Guide from Gnome Road Publishing

MY PIANO page from Gnome Road Publishing (word search, coloring page, and more)

PBJamz Snack

I had cute little thumbprint cookies and their recipe ready, as I thought that would be a lovely post-recital reception treat. Then I was back on Jen's blog and saw that her birthday is Pi Day and I thought about changing to pie, but if you look at the picture below carefully, you'll see "cake" in the background. and her info says her favorite days include cake, so . . . I changed my mind and I'm posting this beautiful and decadent PBJ cake in honor of MY PIANO's (slightly belated) book birthday! You can find the recipe here. It requires some effort, but looks to be totally worth it, and I certainly think that any day with this cake in it would be a very good day indeed, and it, too, would make a lovely post-recital reception offering. And, it's beautiful to look at as well. Whether you serve it at a recital reception, a birthday party or simply Sunday dinner, I wish you days of music and laughter to go along with it!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Jen is a dear fun-loving human being who is lovely to talk to, full of great ideas, and who has a great laugh. If you'd like to learn more about her, connect with her, or purchase her book, keep reading!

Jen's website

Instagram

FB

Twitter/X

To order Jen's book(s)

Jen has graciously offered a giveaway -- your choice of a picture book critique, a zoom session, a signed copy of MY PIANO if you are the winner!
To be eligible, leave a comment below, and I'll add your name to the drawing!

12 Comments

BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE MUSIC OF JOHN CAGE by Lisa Rogers

9/28/2023

9 Comments

Diane McBee! Congratulations! You are the winner of a copy of SONG AFTER SONG: THE MUSICAL LIFE OF JULIE ANDREWS! I'll be in touch for how to collect your prize! I know you will love this amazing book! Enjoy!

A Lovely Conversation with Lisa Rogers, author of BEAUTIFUL NOISE

Lisa and I had the loveliest conversation. She is beautiful and gracious and mellow and it was a delight to talk with her about books and music and writing process and art. The marriage of art and text . . . She gives you a little sneak peak read aloud of the first couple of spreads and a wonderful look at the amazing end papers. So cool! I could have talked with Lisa for hours! I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE MUSIC OF JOHN CAGE

A unique structure and a unique illustrative style are very well-suited to tell the story of a very unique composer and musician, John Cage. With a compelling if. . . then format, this book will draw readers in and insist that they make decisions about how they see the world -- and how they define music and whether or not they have some similarities to John Cage. Readers of all ages will close this book enlightened and challenged -- and introduced to some musical ideas they possibly have not encountered before.
October 10, 2023
by Lisa Rogers (Author), Il Sung Na (Illustrator)
Publisher
Anne Schwartz Books

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

I chose this piece from John Cage's compositions for a few reasons:
1. I try to keep these selections short so that they are of the most benefit in a classroom setting.
2. I think students will be intrigued by these sounds.
3. I really like how this video shows how the piano was "prepared" for this piece of music. I think they will find that fascinating.

There are additional compositions and performances on the YouTube playlist in the links section below.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Listening skills is s very natural content piece to pull from this book. The last line of the book is literally "Listen." Adapt that in any ways you see fit. (Listening to teachers, listening to nature, listening for directions, directed drawing, etc.)
What if. . . then . . .(Cause/effect; if/then relationships) Create if/then statements, look for cause/effect relationships in this book and others.
Asking "what if" questions -- embracing your curiosity.
4:33. Listen in silence for 4 minutes 33 seconds. Discuss what you heard during that time. Were those sounds music or noise? Why? How do you know?
Look up noise and music in several dictionaries. Discuss the similarities and differences. After talking about the comparisons, write your own definitions of noise and music.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Can I just purport that we thrown out age expectations of picture books? I always say picture books are for everyone, but some books, in particular, while being perfectly suited for younger audiences are at least as well-suited if not even better-suited for older audiences. I believe BEAUTIFUL NOISE is one such book. Yes, it's a picture book for young children, and it introduces John Cage in a very appropriate way for young kids, but it's also a very informative and easy-access way to get older kids interested in JOhn Cage and then do more of an in-depth study of him and his philosophies of music and sound.

Any activities that explore sound would be a perfect correlation: shaker eggs/boxes where students try to identify the contents or match up ones that are the same.
Pitch experiments with water glasses would be a great tie-in.
Modifying instruments in creative ways: Blending, adding, mixing,PLAY with the instruments.
Listen for "ordinary" sounds and really pay attention.
Found sound activities
STOMP! video performances (Found sound)
Go for a sound walk on the playground or around your school. Record or make a list of as many sounds as you can.
Do a sound scavenger hunt.
Listen to John Cage's music and discuss it. Talk about what is happening.
Any listening activities are appropriate. You can find additional listening activities on the lists/boards for LISTEN. UP LOUELLA by Ashley Belote and LISTEN by Shannon Stocker

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

John Cage's quote at the beginning of the book, "I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones." Write about your impressions of that quote. What does it mean? Where do you fall on that continuum? Why do you think some people are afraid of new ideas? Why do you think John Cage is afraid of old ideas?
Write an autobiography (or a biography of someone you know well) using Lisa Rogers' " What if . . . .Then . . . " structure.
Spend 4 minutes, 33 seconds listening in silence. Make a list of all the sounds you hear in the background. Write about that experience. What surprised you? What was hard? What was your favorite sound? What will you listen more carefully for now?
Why is listening important?
How can you tell if someone is really listening to you? How will that help you be a good listener to someone else?
What is your favorite kind of music to listen to? Why?
What sounds are hard for you to listen to? Why?
Listen to one of John Cage's compositions and write about the experience.
Write about what you think the difference is in music and noise, if there is one.
Where does the title BEAUTIFUL NOISE come from? Do you agree with the idea?
Write a story about a child who didn't listen to their parents.
Write a story about a child who loved noise and an adult who didn't.
Write a story about 2 friends: one who was like John Cage and thought noise was beautiful music and another friend who had a very strong idea about what music is.
Write a poem using at least 5 of the onomatopoeia you heard during your 4 minute 33 second listening adventure.
Choose 5 sounds that most people think are "noise". Listen to each one carefully and see if you can find any beauty in it. Write about each of the sounds in that way.
What is your favorite sound that most people would probably not think of as music.
Write a story about two characters: Noise and Music.

Writing Tips from Lisa

1. First, it’s essential to read widely in the genre in which you’re writing. Be
sure to read recently-published books, say, within the last five years, and
carefully study them. When you find ones you love, take a closer look. See
how the author sets up the story, notice any special techniques, such as
rhyme, repetition, or lyrical language, notice whether the ending reflects
the beginning…whatever resonates with you. See if you can identify the
heart of the story—the reason why the author wrote the book.
To find books, use the new books section of your library, subscribe to book
bloggers’ posts, read Publishers’ Weekly season previews—new and
exciting books are everywhere!

2. Read your work out loud. After more than 20 years of reading all day, every
day with children, I can make almost anything sound fantastic. But I’m not
always able to hear when my own writing doesn’t work. When I set it aside
for a week or so and then read it out loud, it’s easier to identify the clunky
parts, what I might be able to cut, or whether the story lacks that
emotional core that is required to not only sell the book but have readers
want to explore it again and again.

3. Share your work with critique partners. It can be hard to hear questions
and criticism about something you’ve poured your heart into. But if your
partners identify a hole in your work or have a question, young readers will
too. How to know when you need to rework something? If two or more
readers make similar observations, it’s time to take another look at your
manuscript. Every revision brings your work closer, because you’re thinking
of possibilities and trying them out.

4. Write not to trends, which likely will be outdated by the time your story
becomes published, but to what’s in your heart. It’s hard to find a new idea.
Yet once you develop your own unique response to that idea, your take
could be the key to writing something that holds meaning to you and
resonates with others—including agents and editors.

5. Unplug and spend time observing the world around you. Meditate on your
work in progress. Let your mind float. Keep something near you on which to
write and record any words, phrases, bits of story, or even the essential
heart of the story you’re working on. My best work often comes when I’m
not trying so hard to wrestle words on the page. Instead, I’m thinking about
why I’m writing the story and digging deep into its emotional core. I’ve
written words in the sand and scribbled on the backs of envelopes, and
sometimes, those scribbles become stories.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

A spectacular resource book: Russell, Barry. “Everything we do is music:” Cross-curricular experiments in
sound based on the music of John Cage. Henmar Press/C.F. Peters, 2016.

An excellent article on John Cage and his influence (not written for kids; more to inform us as adults who may be teaching kids).

John Cage's Credo from his book Silence -- interesting reading to get "into his head" and understand why he did some of the things he did.

Pinterest board with a few photos, quotes, musical notation, etc. related to John Cage

YouTube playlist of John Cage music

PBJamz Snack

While we're talking about unique perspectives and unusual presentations, this seems like the perfect PBJ recipe for this episode -- Peanut butter and jelly bacon burger! You can find the recipe here or just begin somewhere and create your own version!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Lisa's website

Lisa's Twitter/X

Lisa's Instagram

To purchase BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE MUSIC OF JOHN CAGE (Out October 10, 2023); Preorders available here

Lisa has graciously and generously offered winner's choice of either:
1. A picture book critique
OR
2. A classroom Zoom visit
Leave a comment below to be eligible. A winner will be drawn from all comments entered here within the deadline (Between 9/28/23 and 10/12/23

9 Comments

SONG AFTER SONG: THE MUSICAL LIFE OF JULIE ANDREWS

9/14/2023

7 Comments

Congratulations, Jany Campana! You are the winner of a prize pack from Molly Ruttan! You'll receive a copy of the beautiful book and some super-fun swag to go with the awesome, wild book! I know you'll enjoy the prize! Thanks, Molly, for your generosity and thanks, Jany, for your support of PBJamz!

A Musical, Writerly discussion with Julie Hedlund

Come join Julie Hedlund and me as we have a fun conversation about the power of music, the power of revision, and the power of perseverance. We chat about the writing process and the musical connections, as well as a sneak peek at what's coming next for Julie Hedlund. If you're a Julie Andrews fan or a Julie Hedlund fan, you do not want to miss this conversation!

SONG AFTER SONG: THE MUSICAL LIFE OF JULIE ANDREWS

From the opening spread to the last lines, Julie Hedlund weaves a musical story of a musical life. Word after word, line after line, page after page she spins a web of story, capturing Andrews' struggles and triumphs in beautiful language that matches Julie Andrews' beautiful voice and indomitable spirit. The illustrator, Ilaria Urbinati, adds beautiful strands that complement the story! Shiny silhouettes and a reflective "undies" illustration are just two of the artistic highlights in this gorgeous book! As a fan, I found myself with tears in my eyes in a couple places, and closed the book with even more love and appreciation for Julie Andrews and her phenomenal and multi-stranded career.
Author: Julie Hedlund
Illustrator: Ilaria Urbinati
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Publication Date: September 5, 2023

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Since PBJamz is all about musical connections, I think this is the perfect music video to feature! It's a wonderful video for music teachers to use to integrate pitch, solfege, and would also work beautifully to use with bells, boomwhackers or other color coded instruments for young students. If this one isn't what you need there are lots more videos on the YouTube playlist -- performances, movie music, music activities, and more. Peruse the list and I'm sure you'll find something suitable for your situation.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

I've been using this book in my music classroom this week. The kids have enjoyed learning about her. and there are lots of follow-up ideas/topics/lessons you could teach from this book. I'll highlight a few here, and there are more on the Pinterest board in the links section, and in the YouTube playlist as well.

There are other biographies about Julie Andrews, so it would be interesting to compare the styles of writing OR the information they chose to include or not.
Julie has written a number of books in conjunction with her daughter, so it would be a prime opportunity to do an author study on Julie and Emma.
They have written a series surrounding a "very fairy princess", so that would be another avenue to study.
You also could do an author study on Julie Hedlund, the author of this book and 3 others : read, compare, discuss, etc.
A life study of Julie Andrews would be perfect for any time, but especially for March (Women's History Month) or October (her birthday month).
Social studies connections:
- England
  - (specifically maybe the differences in village life and London life -- Chim Chim Cheree would be a good musical/movie tie-in for this)
  - The book mentions singing for the Queen of England, so that's a great tidbit you could explore more in lots of different ways. In that performance, Julie sang the English national anthem, which would be a possibility for further study too.
- World War II (Bombing, using underground train stations as bomb shelters, etc)
- Languages (This discussion came up in my music class when I showed a clip of her singing at 12 in French "Why can't we hear what she's saying?" Most kids don't really understand languages and why they are different. Dialects would be another possible discussion.
- History of photography, film, movies, etc. -- early photos/videos in black and white -- why? (This question also came up in my music classes this week).
Math connections
- Timeline (back matter) -- Crossover with Social Studies
- Story problems with timeline and facts in the book. (ie. If Julie Andrews was born in 1935, what year was it when she sang with Ted. What year did she sing for the Queen? How long was it from the time she sang for the first time until she sang for the last time? etc. . . .
Arts
- Differences in on-stage and onscreen
- Various roles of Julie
- The music of Julie Andrews
SEL
- Accepting responsibility at a young age
- Using music to deal with big feelings
- Difficulties of war
- Challenges of separated parents
ELA
- Timelines (Crossover with Social Studies and Math) a feature of text in NF -- part of backmatter
- Author techniques
  - Repetition
  - Alliteration
  - Lyrical language
  - Figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification, etc.)
- Discuss features of the art -- how does it help convey meaning? What details are left out by the author and supplied by the illustrator? What details in the text are supported by the illustrator?
- There are lots of forms of several verbs in this book, particularly sing (sings, sang, singing, song, etc.), so it would provide lots of practice with tenses and verb conjugation. Also, in the timeline the verbs are all in present tense, while in the book most of them are past tense, so it's an opportunity to compare the two tenses and when you would use each.
- strum(med) and hum(med) would provide an opportunity to point out doubling consonants in short vowel words that end with one consonant.
- voice voices vocal would be an opportunity to talk about roots and how to look for familiar parts of words -- maybe create a list of related words voice, voices, voiced, voicing, etc. (also the fact that voice can be a noun or a verb)
- The book is full of music vocabulary and other rich vocabulary which could extend students' working lexicon.
Science
- Vocal chords and how they work
- Pitch (highness and lowness of sounds)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Survey of Julie Andrews' vocal performances (My students have been fascinated by her operatic performance when she was 12, and have loved the Spoonful of Sugar snippet from Mary Poppins.) There are so many amazing musical performances you could choose. She sang with so many artists, too, The sky is the limit for this one. Check out the YouTube playlist to start.
Pitch -- Lots of ways you could feature pitch. The video clip with her singing at 12yo in operatic style is full of pitch variation. You could also use DoReMi for pitch exploration.
The video featured above has color coded pitch changes which would pair beautifully with using Boomwhackers or bells. (I also added color-coded dots to correlate on my piano, keyboard and barred instruments to add variety and give more students opportunities to play.)
Solfege is a natural fit with Do-Re-Mi as well. There's a video in the YouTube playlist that has the solfege signs along with that song which works really well, and I really like it because it has the lyrics with the different spellings of ie re vs ray, etc. I think it's good for students to be able to see different ways those sounds can be spelled as well.
You could do a whole spin-off lesson or even a unit on Kites. You could play Let's Go Fly a Kite, and do all sorts of fun musical things with that song. Easily create kite vocal exploration posters or slides following the path of the kite. You could use kites visually to represent a measure with 4 beats in the 4 sections of the kites or create a fun music center where students match tails to the kite (note names, note values, solfege,etc, -- anything you could create a matching game. There are lots of kite ideas on the Pinterest board. It would be a great partner unit with the art teacher so they could make beautiful artistic kites. (Or with a science/STEAM teacher to make kites that really fly. Fabulous interdisciplinary unit!
The book is full of musical vocabulary that you could pull for a word wall, do a musical word study, reinforce vocabulary that you've taught, etc.:
- melody
- timbre
- music
- rhythm
- whistle
- symphony
- piano
- hum (med)
- sang
- voice
- singer
- harmony
- steady
- staccato
- guitar
- strum(med)
- sing
- practiced
- singing
- note
- scales
- vocal
- songs
- stage
- audience
- applause
- spotlight
- concert halls
- accolades
- programs
- performances
- measure
- variety show
- crescendo

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write about a time you had to give up something that was important to you. How did that make you feel? How did you deal with it?
The author says that Julie used singing to express all the emotions that she had. What do you do to express big or hard emotions? How do you handle those big feelings?
Julie's mother played piano, Ted played guitar and Julie sang. If you could choose one of those talents, which would you choose, and why?
Julie's family was in danger during WWII during the bombings. Have you ever been in danger? What did you do and where did you go to stay safe?
Listen to at least 5 of Julie's songs. Write about which one was your favorite and why you liked it the best.
Use the title SONG AFTER SONG and write your own story that matches that title.
The beginning and ending line are almost the same. Write a poem or a story where the beginning line and the ending line are the same.
Read the first line (first spread) of the book. It tells you a lot about Julie and where she grew up. If someone was writing your biography, what would the first line be? Make it as beautiful and full of detail as you can.
Julie didn't enjoy singing until she changed teachers. Has there ever been something you didn't love and later you learned to love it? What made the difference for you?
Julie's vocal teacher taught her lots of important things. Write a letter to a teacher who made a big difference for you or taught you some really important things.
Write a letter from Julie to her vocal teacher, Madame Lillian.
Write an acrostic poem using Julie's name and writing things you learned about Julie for each letter.
Have you ever performed on stage for an audience? How did it make you feel? Would you want to do it again? Why or Why not?
What does it mean when it says she wrapped her voice around the world like a hug?

Writing Tips from Julie

Three tips for aspiring writers:

1. READ way more picture books than you think you need to. Make sure most of them were published within the last 5 years so you'll understand the modern market for picture books. Certainly read the kind of books you want to write, but read beyond that, too. I only decided I wanted to write a PB biography after I read a bunch and fell in love with them.

2. WRITE way more picture books than you want to. (Notice the subtle change in the advice there?) Most beginners have an idea or maybe two that they're passionate about getting published, but the truth is, you have to write a LOT in order to get good enough to get published in today's market. And it's not enough to be working on the same 1 or 2 manuscripts (trust me, I've been there). The whole reason I started the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge is because I knew I needed to write lots more to find my voice and build a body of work.

3. FIND a writing community. Preferably one with other picture book creators. Nobody publishes books alone. You need people in your corner who can give you objective critiques of your work and know what the writing life is like. They'll be the ones to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the going gets tough. I'm going to squeeze in a 4th tip here too, which is to PERSEVERE. You WILL get published if you don't give up and have patience and joy in the process. A writing community helps immensely to keep things fun and joyful.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of great music, performances, music activities, and more.

Pinterest board with many activities, music, and tons of teaching ideas and fun connections.

PBJamz Snack

For a PBJ snack as sweet, delectable, rich, and full of complexity as Julie Andrews' voice, talent, personality, and career, look no further than this decadent salty-sweet treat, which will look equally at home at the tea table and in the school lunchbox. Give it a try and find lots of other great recipes at www.shugarysweet.com

Guest Links and Giveaways

Website
12 x 12 website
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok

Simon and Schuster link for SONG AFTER SONG

To purchase SONG AFTER SONG:
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

To order signed copies of SONG AFTER SONG:
https://shop.secondstartotherightbooks.com/personalized-pre-order-song-after-song-musical-life-julie-andrews

7 Comments

SOMETHING WILD by Molly Ruttan

9/2/2023

1 Comment

A "wild" conversation with Molly

Join Molly and me as we discuss inspiration, process, and lots of music. Stage fright and other wild things that can build resilience if we let them. Such a great conversation full of fun and inspiration!

SOMETHING WILD by Molly Ruttan

This book is so beautiful and full of heart. If you've ever struggled with stage fright -- or really any fear or need to build some resilience, this book is for you. If your child or student has ever struggled with the "what-ifs" this book is for them. The illustrations are whimsical and full of beauty and the pacing is just right to leave you feeling fully satisfied at the end of the story. Molly's words and pictures come together to create something beautifully wonderfully wild!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

I'm featuring here a young girl on violin to match the protagonist in SOMETHING WILD. However, there are other videos on the YouTube playlist that focus on the violin as an instrument, discuss stage fright, or long violin videos for ambience. There are also additional child-performances on violin as well, so there is plenty to choose from if this jam is not what you're looking for to go along with this precious book.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

SOMETHING WILD is a perfect book to use in the music classroom or the regular classroom. If you are working with kids , this is a great book. It's fabulous for dealing with stage fright -- whether that's reading in front of the class, being on a little stage or a big one. Here are some other ways to use it in the classroom:

Wild changes meaning from the beginning to the end. At least the connotation changes, which makes for great discussion fodder.
- Did something wild happen? Were the results what she expected? How did it change from beginning to end.
Since it is a very musical book, this would be a great opportunity to collaborate with the music teacher on a unit about the violin or the string family.
- Sound study in science -- strings, vibration, sound formation, etc.
- Violin -- reading comprehension (Pinterest board has an example)
Molly Ruttan was the author and the illustrator, so compare the illustrations with the text. Discuss how they interact.
Author/illustrator study on Molly Ruttan. Check her website for other books she wrote, as well as ones she illustrated.
Molly has a great musical bio page. Discuss why she may have written this book based on that.
Do a character study of Hannah, the protagonist. Inside/outside characteristics would make sense for this one. (Pinterest board has some examples)
Find examples of how the author showed Hannah's feelings, instead of just telling us

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

This book, SOMETHING WILD, is a music teacher's dream, as it deals with something every performer usually struggles with at some point -- stage fright. The young protagonist learns one way to deal with it. Molly and I talk about some additional ways in our conversation. I also linked up some additional helpful videos on pushing through stage fright in the YouTube playlist. The book is a great segue to talking about performances, audiences, stage fright and other performance related ideas. I'm planning to read this book to each grade level this year just before their performance to help them get rid of their jitters.

However, you might prefer to focus on the violin aspect of this book, and so, on the playlist I've included lots of violin music, as well as videos that introduce the violin and teach young students about it. You could extend that to discussing the string family (In that case, I'd recommend you use this YouTube playlist.

Three main topics accessible through this book are:

Stage fright/what-ifs/performance jitters
Violin
String family

You also could talk about the author, Molly Ruttan. She is author, illustrator, but also a musician in her own right. We talk about stage fright in our interview above, so you might wish to isolate parts of our conversation to share with your students. You can also access Molly's webpage, where she has a page that shares her musical journey, including her battle with stage fright. You can access that page here.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write about a time you experienced stage fright.
Write about how the word "wild" changed in this book from beginning to end.
Write about how the pictures in this book help you understand the story better.
Write a compare/contrast with you and Hannah. How are you alike? different?
Write about a time you were afraid of something, but it turned out better than you thought it would.
Write about something you love to do. How does it make you feel. See if you can show, instead of tell.
How did Hannah feel about playing the violin? How do we know?
Write a factual report on the violin. Write everything you know or can find out about the violin.
What do the last two pictures tell us that are not in the text.
When Hannah is on stage, the text says something wild happened. By using the text and pictures, what happened?

Writing Tips from Molly

Here are some additional thoughts that have really helped me in profound ways, so I am passing them on to you!

1. It’s never too late! You never retire from being an artist, of any kind.
2. Use your emotions and anxieties to inspire new ideas.
3. Don’t underestimate the power of visualization.
4. Create or join a kid lit group such as a critique and/or writing group. No one can see your light if you keep it hidden - not even you!

Also join SCBWI, and participate.
Also, my favorite quote from Maya Angelou (for books and life):
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said; people will forget what you did; but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

And a fun quote from Albert Einstein:
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board full of character analysis, violin activities, videos, and more
Molly's musical bio page
Coloring pages to go along with SOMETHING WILD
YouTube playlist, full of kids playing violin, stage fright videos, violin info, ambient music, practice tips, etc.
Check out this episode of PBJamz for resources for the string family specifically if you'd like to dig into that more.

PBJamz Snack

Since Hannah and her family are eating pizza after the recital, this is the perfect recipe to share to go along with this book! PBJ Sugar Cookie Pizza! I can't imagine a more delicious dessert after a stressful, wild, and wonderful recital! You can find the recipe here and make your own PBJ pizza -- post-recital, after school, or any time.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Molly Ruttan's website
Instagram www.instagram.com/mollyillo/
FB www.facebook.com/mollyruttanillustration
Twitter/X twitter.com/molly_ruttan

Molly has graciously offered a SOMETHING WILD prize pack with a copy of the book and some awesome swag! To be entered for the giveaway, leave a comment below by Wednesday, Sept 13 at 11:59 PM EST.

Be sure to leave a review (Amazon, GoodReads, B&N) if you enjoy her book, share on socials, pass your recommendation on to others who might enjoy the book, follow her on social mediam put in a library request, etc.!

1 Comment

FRACTURED: FAIRY TALES REMIXED by Tara Trudel

8/19/2023

6 Comments

Congratulations to Nadia Ali! You are the winner of a copy of C is for CARNIVAL! by Yolanda Marshall. Thanks for supporting PBJamz!

A musical, literary, teaching discussion full of fun with Tara Trudel

Conversations with Tara are always a load of fun -- in part because we have lots in common. I'm so excited to share this interview surrounding her first full-length album for kids: FRACTURED: FAIRY TALES REMIXED. I love how she used the musical term in the title "remix" which is what they call it when they do a new version of something usually mixed with the old -- new tempo, new genre, new instrumentation over an old base. And that's exactly what fractured fairy tales do as well: take familiar characters, problems, plots, and overlay them with new settings, new points of view, new questions, unknown bits about the characters. We see it often in picture books, so this album is a perfect complement to many of the fractured fairy tale books widely available. It also makes this album extremely versatile: perfect for story time, classroom, bedtime read-alouds, the music classroom and more! It is such. a. fun. album! Which song is her favorite? How did revision create a stronger album? What connections are there between writing songs and writing stories? Listen up! Then check out all the links, resources, reading, writing, teaching and musicking tips, writing prompts and more below. Be sure to leave a comment ON THIS BLOG POST by Aug. 30 at 11:59 PM EST to be entered in the drawing for a brand new book by Jessica Kulekjian, illustrated by Zoe Si, with another fun song by Tara Trudel.

Fractured: Fairy Tales REmixed by Tara Trudel

This delightful album for kids is sure to create some curiosity, spark some questions, and inspire some stories in kids and adults of all ages. It's a great complement to many fractured fairy tale stories and books that are available, and creates perfect opportunities for anyone to create their own version of some of these stories, to consider alternate points-of-view, to compare and contrast characters and plot, and lots more! Tara has found clever ways to re-explore these familiar stories and characters. Check out the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest board for lots of resources to help you use this book with your homeschool, story time, classroom, music class, summer camp, and so much more. Also, links below for where to listen to the full album and to enjoy Tara's other music as well. There are some real earworms on the album, too. So don't be surprised if you find yourself singing some of these refrains over and over in your mind. For me, "once upon a time -- whoo-oo" keeps replaying. Let us know in the comments which song or phrase stood out to you.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Not only is this the opener for the album that sets the stage -- literally. It's also the earworm that has been replaying in my head. (Consider yourself forewarned ;-)). It's perfect for the classroom, great for a discussion about whether or not narrators are reliable, point of view, and what questions do storytellers leave unanswered. It also reinforces some of the hallmarks of fairy tales with "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after" Parents, your kiddos are going to want to put this one on repeat. But don't stop here. . . go enjoy the whole album.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

First of all, this album is a MUST if you are doing a unit on fairy tales!
Overall the album can be used to teach and/or reinforce the characteristics of fairy tales.
It can also help with character analysis.
Teaching point of view and how to look at things from various characters POV.
Creating empathy for characters who have been maligned (transferable to creating empathy. period.)
Helping students understand that there is more than one way of telling a story.
This would make a fabulous anchor piece for a unit of study on fairy tales. If I were using it in a classroom, I would pull a selection of books for each song. Read/ask questions of the characters, analyze them, "interview" them, read various versions from various points of view, maybe vote on which version does the best job presenting the "truth" or a "balanced" approach. Listen, read, talk, find text evidence.
It would be super fun to have several groups and hold mock trials for the wolf, the witch, the stepmother, etc. and the "lawyers" must use text evidence to clear or convict their assigned character. The class would become the jury. Lots of content in that project, and it would be fun for the kids.
Compare/contrast THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG, "Little and Good" and other versions to determine which is the most fun, most believable, most difficult to believe, etc.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

I wish I'd had this album last year, as it would have fit in beautifully with my yearly theme in the music room: Nursery Rhymes, Folk Tales, and Fairy Tales. I planned lots of lessons, programs, and activities around this theme throughout the year. This album would have been a perfect addition. (See the links section for some of the pieces I used for lessons and programming for my programs and last year's theme.)

Magic Mirror song would be fun to give kids safety mirrors (unbreakable) and let them design a creative routine to go with. You could even make mirrors with aluminum foil and cardstock, etc. (check the Pinterest board)
"What's the Story" -- strong rhythm! Great for steady beat exercises, discussions/practice of beat vs. rhythm
"Little and Good" -- great percussion song -- Create a simple bucket drum routine, cardio drumming, body percussion, percussion play-along. One thing I did for my program was assigned each row a different instrument and a different rhythm so that we could all play along at once without having to remember where to start/stop, etc. You could do that same thing with this song. One group could have steady beat on one instrument. Another group, different instrument straight eighth notes. Another group ti-ti- ta, ti-ti ta, etc.
"The People in the Town" -- fun hip-hop beat. Let students design their own dance routine (individually or in groups).
"Fairy Godmother" would make a really sweet scarf routine (Either you design or let the kids freestyle or give them a few minutes each week for 3-4 weeks and then everyone performs either simultaneously or individually or you can have groups design a routine). You also could make magic wands and let them use them as props or give each student one rhythm stick and a partner. They could use their one stick as a magic wand and decide on places in the song where they would tap their sticks together in various rhythms to match the song.
"Not a Villain Song" -- strong beat, "girl power" "strong/powerful vs. evil" Could be a good percussion or rhythm piece or would be fun to create a dance routine or use some fun props for movement activities.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

So many writing opportunities:

Write a letter to a fairy tale character
Write a report about the elements/characteristics of a fairy tale.
Write a comparison between two versions of a fairy tale.
Rewrite the ending of a fairy tale.
Blend two fairy tales.
Write a fairy tale where the roles are reversed (ie. there's a prince in distress and a brave peasant girl rescues him, etc.)
Make a list of questions you could ask a magic mirror besides who's the fairest of them all.
If you were the fairy godmother, write about 3 wishes you'd like to have come true and why.
Rewrite Little Red Riding Hood with a wolf who is "little and good" in a big bad world.
Write a recipe/how-to guide for a poisoned apple or a gingerbread cottage.
Complete a fairy tale "roll-a-story" (Here's a free version on Teachers Pay Teachers. There are lots more online or you can create your own.
Write a poem called "Once upon a time" or "Happily Ever After"
Change the word happily to another adverb and write a fairy tale with this ending.
My Favorite fairy tale is _________________ because. . . . .
Do you like fairy tales? Why/why not?
If you could be any fairy tale character, who would you choose to be and why?

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist PBJamz Fractured Fairy Tales Remixed
YouTube playlist I used for my second grade program "Happily Ever AFter" -- full of fairy tale connections you could use in conjunction with stories and Tara's album for music lessons, programs or more.
YouTube playlist I used for first grade's program "A Tale of Threes" -- these are songs about the number three, the Three Bears, the Three Billy Goats Gruff,
The Three Little Pigs, Three Blind Mice, etc.
Pinterest Board: PBJAMZ FRACTURED FAIRY TALES REMIXED
Pinterest Board: Fairy Tales
Pinterest Board: Music Fairy Tales (songs and music activities related to fairy tales)

PBJamz Snack --

Well, if we're talking fairy tales, there's gotta be an apple, right? Check out this tasty lower-in-carbs PBJ snack. This one is for sure not poisonous! So you can enjoy it without worrying about being put into a glass case or being gawked at by seven dwarves. Get the recipe here or use your imagination ;-) Find lots more sweet (and savory) recipes at One Sweet Appetite (www.onesweetappetite.com).

Guest Links and Giveaways

Use the links below to follow and support Tara and her music.

Tara's website

Tara's social media
Instagram
Linktree

For her music:
Spotify
YouTube
SoundCloud

Shout-out on her socials if you love her music or send her a message via her website to let her know you are enjoying it. Share it with friends who would love it too. Check out all her other music at the music sites linked above. Listen and purchase from your favorite music site.

Tara is generously offering a pre-order of KABOOM: A VOLCANO ERUPTS by Jessica Kulekjian and Zoe Si, for which Tara also wrote a song! To be eligible for the giveaway, leave a comment below by Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST A winner will be drawn at random from the comments, with winner receiving a free copy of KABOOM by mail when it is released on Sept. 5.

6 Comments

C is for Carnival with Yolanda Marshall

8/3/2023

7 Comments

Congratulations to the winners of Alice Faye Duncan's THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY:
Michele Ziemke
Steena Hernandez
Kari Ann Gonzalez

Thanks so much for tuning in to PBJamz! I appreciate your support! Thanks, Alice Faye Duncan for your generosity! I know you all will love this beautiful book! If you do, please leave a review for Alice and share with others who will love it too!

Talking food, music, Carnival energy, and writing with Yolanda Marshall

What a fun energetic conversation with Yolanda Marshall, author of C IS FOR CARNIVAL, MY SOCA BIRTHDAY PARTY and more! We chat about her inspiration and process for writing, and also about Calypso and Soca music, steel pan drums, Caribbean food, the energy of Carnival, Afro-Caribbean culture as a Canadian, why representation matters, and more! Yolanda was a joy to talk to and I hope you enJOY our convo, too!

C IS FOR CARNIVAL by Yolanda Marshall

Various versions of this beautiful, energetic book are available depending upon where you live/hail from. Written by Yolanda T. Marshall, and illustrated by Darla Lavrova, Chalkboard Publishing has put our a beautifully energetic alphabet book which shares the beauty, energy, food, music and all the essentials of Carnival -- a celebration of Caribbean culture, emancipation from slavery, and the freedom and joy available to people of Caribbean heritage now. The illustrations are beautiful and joyful to match the text. The two come together to present a glorious picture of what it might be like to be at Carnival in various cities around the world. There is even a recipe in the back. This book will make you want to put on some Calypso or Soca music, make some Roti and other delicious Caribbean food and dance the day away.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This song has many of the phrases and ideas that Yolanda talked about, so I'm including it here! Super-fun, great soca beat, and this one shows the lyrics. If you don't love this version, there is a SocaKidz version in the YouTube playlist in the links section, along with lots of other Calypso, Soca, steel pans, and more!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

This book is a perfect segue to any Caribbean Carnival celebration near you. It's a great way to bring in multicultural education in really fun ways. Be sure to check out the links section below with lots of ways to use the book and fun ways to enhance various aspects of Afro-Caribbean culture.

First of all this art is beautiful and celebratory and you could certainly discuss the mood/tone of the book. Look at the pictures and then at the words. What emotions are conveyed? Find text evidence!
Obviously, this is an alphabet book, so there's a layer to tap into for sure! Letter sounds, letter formation, beginning sounds, etc.
Vocabulary!! This book is replete with vocabulary that many of our students may be unfamiliar with. Discuss, look at the pictures and use your best vocabulary strategies to enhance their learning of these new words and terms.
Social studies connections -- culture: food, music, costumes, etc are all talked about within the book and would be perfect elements to bring out in the classroom.
Rhyme/rhythm are natural pull-outs for this book as well. Not all the phrases are true rhyme, so it might be a fun activity (depending on the age level) to discuss the difference and maybe do a sorting activity for true rhyme/near rhyme/etc.
Such a fun book to read aloud, so be sure to read it out loud. Maybe let kids take turns reading it out loud in a station, record themselves and listen back, etc.
Since Yolanda has several books out relative to Afro-Caribbean culture, an author study would be a fun way to tackle that.
You could compare any of Yolanda's books with BIG TUNE: RISE OF THE DANCEHALL PRINCE by Alliah Agostini, since they both speak about the Afro-Caribbean experience in different ways. Venn diagram, anyone? ;-). There are lots of other ways you could work them together as well. To access the PBJamz episode with BIG TUNE, click here.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

The YouTube playlist linked up below is a great place to start!

This book (and others by Yolanda Marshall, as well as BIG TUNE, RISE OF THE DANCEHALL PRINCE, and others) are fabulous ways to introduce Afro-Caribbean forms of music: soca, steel pan, dancehall and more!
Compare different versions of Afro-Caribbean music (on steel pans, with other instruments, with vocals, without vocals, etc.)
If you have access to steel drums/steel pans have students play simple tunes or just experiment with the sounds.
Looking at the I (iron) page you could pull out triangles, bring pots and pans, grab your little cymbals and have a Carnival jam session (with or without steel drums.
Have your own carnival parade. Make flags and/or headdresses, etc. and parade around the school and let students pretend to be masqueraders. (within school dress code ;-)
Listen/play along/explore/compare calypso music and soca music
My local university has a steel drum ensemble -- maybe yours does too and they could come play for your students?
There are lots of fun dance videos and rhythm play-alongs/body percussion activities in the YouTube list and more activities in the Pinterest board, so be sure to check that out.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write your own ABC book about your favorite music or a special celebration your family/culture have. It doesn't have to rhyme -- or even have sentences. Write a word for each letter. Write a phrase. Write a sentence. Whatever works.
Listen to Soca music and write about how it makes you feel. What emotions? How does it feel in your body? Do the same with calypso.
Write the ABCs of YOU!
Write about Carnival. Would you like to go? Why/why not? What do you think would be your favorite part? What part do you think you wouldn't like?
Make a Venn diagram or T-chart comparing what you learned about Carnival with a celebration you enjoy. How are they alike and different? Write one paragraph about how they're alike, and one paragraph about how they're different.
Read the recipe for Roti. Have you ever tried it? Does it remind you of something you have eaten? Do you think you would like it?
Make Roti at home with help from a grown-up. Did you like it? Why/why not?
What is YOUR favorite celebration food? Write about it. Can you write a recipe for it?
Have you ever walked on stilts like a Moko Jumbie? Did you enjoy it? What made it hard or easy or fun? Would you like to do that for Carnival? Why/why not?
Why is it important to celebrate freedom/emancipation?

Writing Tips from Yolanda Marshall

- Be patient with your process, it can sometimes take a long time to complete your manuscript, but it will be worth it.
- The first sentence of your story sets the tone- make it good enough to reel your readers in.
- Do as much research as you can on your audience- it strengthens your knowledge about who you are writing for and will market your book to.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of soca, calypso, steel pan, interviews and read-alouds from Yolanda and more!
Pinterest board with lots of resources to teach and share related to C is for Carnival
Yolanda's C is for Carnival playlist on Spotify

PBJamz Snack -- Peanut Butter Energy Balls

All that dancing for Carnival requires loads of energy. These protein balls are a great quick breakfast, an on-the-go snack, a perfect treat for Carnival or any time. Find the recipe here.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Yolanda's website (purchase books, download, subscribe, check out her latest news and interviews, etc.)
Yolanda's YouTube channel
Connect with Yolanda on:
LinkTree
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter/X
Caribbean Storytime with Yolanda Marshall (Apple podcasts)

To buy C is for Carnival at
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Yolanda is giving away 1 copy of C is for Carnival! To be eligible, leave a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on Aug. 16, 2023. We'll draw one lucky winner from those who leave a comment.

7 Comments

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY w/Alice Faye Duncan

7/20/2023

6 Comments

Congratulations . . . Anna Ouchy! You are the winner of a copy of THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS!

And the two ARCS of DANCE LIKE A PEACOCK go to:
LuAnn Johnston
and
Julie Hauswirth

Thanks, Rekha, for your generosity, and thanks to everyone who tuned in for this episode of PBJamz! Keep watching, reading and commenting for more chances to win great books below!

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY: a Conversation with Alice Faye Duncan

All aboard for a train bound for glory! Hop on for a great conversation with author, Alice Faye Duncan. We talk black spirituals, Rosetta Tharpe, writing inspiration, interactive books, teaching tips, writing tips, and more! Alice Faye is a delight: full of energy, very knowledgeable, and generous! You don't want to miss out -- on the train or the conversation! All aboard!

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY by Alice Faye Duncan

From Waterbrook Publishing comes this beautifully and vibrantly illustrated ride on the Glory Express. Alice Faye Duncan adapts lyrics of an old black spiritual of the same name, THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY, made popular by Rosetta Tharpe and also performed by myriad other performers. The illustrations are bright and welcoming and each passenger finds a way into the song -- and onto the train. The overarching feeling of this book is a deep-seated joy, regardless of the struggles some of the passengers have obviously dealt with. I love the diversity of all the people on board, and my favorite spread is one where they are having an all-out jam session on the train. Beautiful! There are some guiding questions at the end, a challenge to create your own verses to keep the song going, and a study guide on Alice's website. The book is bright, beautiful and it takes the old black spiritual up a few notches, turning it into an invitation for the ride of a lifetime.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Alice Faye and I mention her in the interview. . .) did an incredible rendition of THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY. In fact, there are a few different versions of her doing it, as well as other musicians. For other versions, check out the YouTube playlist in the links section. Also there is another episode of #PBJamz where we highlighted the book LITTLE ROSETTA AND THE TALKING GUITAR by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. You can catch it here. This is a great piece for highlighting Rosetta's amazing electric guitar skills, her gritty vocals, and her sense of humor. Since this is a spiritual, it speaks of Jesus, holiness, and things not allowed on the "train for glory."

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

I LOVE Alice's description of the train and conductor at the beginning! If you're in a setting where it's appropriate, I believe a rich discussion could ensue about how we normally think of death vs. how the author and illustrator portray it in this book.
Definitely I would discuss the color palette and illustration style and how that affects the tone of the book.
At the end, the author invites readers to create their own verses for the song based on what brings them hope, joy, and love. Brainstorming as a class would be a great way to help students activate those ideas.
This book lends itself well to discussing parts of speech. There are lots of adjectives, but also other ways of describing as well. It's a perfect mentor text for writing descriptively.
Lots of onomatopoeia! Great opportunity to point that out, have students find sound words, and use those same words in their own writing, or add to a list in their journal, etc.
Also, lots of strong verbs in this book. Would make for a great list of strong verbs in their writing journal -- or a discussion about strong verbs vs. weak verbs.
Question for discussion: Why do you think the illustrator included a red caboose on this train?
You could compare the traditional lyrics for "This Train" and the lyrics the author uses -- and even further, the lyrics the students compose. How are they alike/different, etc.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Music history (black spirituals, civil rights)
Biographical study of Rosetta Tharpe
Black spirituals unit study
Compare various versions of THIS TRAIN
Write your own verses (per Alice Faye's recommendations in the back of the book)
(for older students, grades 3 and up) there is a cups routine (in the youtube playlist and on the Pinterest board) which would be superfun!
The author and illustrator integrate a number of musical instruments throughout the book. Students could point out and name all the instruments, sort them by family, choose their favorite and write about it, etc.
If I were using this book, I would probably combine it with the biography of Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. You can access the PBJamz episode here. I would use the two together to talk about the black spirituals, civil rights, and the role music played, as well as musicians who were prominent at that time. (It might be worth noting that in the performance highlighted above, most, if not all the audience members were white.)

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

(per Alice Faye Duncan's recommendation) Write additional verses to the song
What does it mean this train is "bound for glory" and what would you most look forward to about "glory"
Make a list of things you notice in the illustrations.
Find your favorite illustration and write about it.
Choose one of the characters on the train and write their story.
Write about whether you could ride the glory train or not and why.
Why do you think the illustrator chose the color palette, and is it effective? Why or why not?
Compare Sister Rosetta Tharpe's performance of THIS TRAIN and THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE. How are they alike? How are they different?
Have you ever ridden a train? Write about that experience.
If you could take a train anywhere IN THE WORLD, where would you go? Why?

Writing Tips from Alice Faye Duncan

Three writing tips for THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY

1. For craft, read and study lyrics to your favorite traditional and contemporary songs.
2. For practical work, purchase writing pens and notebooks that are aesthetically pleasing to you.
3. For inspiration, visit local art and history museums

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Teachers' guide for THIS TRAIN on Alice's website
Pinterest board with lots of train activities, various versions of THIS TRAIN, historical info about black spirituals, etc.
YouTube playlist has the cups routine, music by Rosetta Tharpe, various version of THIS TRAIN, plus additional train music and more!
Lyrics and more

PBJamz Snack

If you're riding the train, you need a snack that's not going to be a drippy droppy mess. These peanut butter and jelly oatmeal bars seem to fit the bill. Hearty, a bit nutritious and a lot delicious! Perfect for a train trip -- to Glory, across the country or to the next town over. Wherever you're traveling, bake a batch and take them with you, but you might want to make enough to share! You can find the recipe here, along with lots of others (as well as fashion, holiday tips, and tons more) from Real Housemoms!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Alice's website
Purchase THIS TRAIN from Amazon here.
Alice on Facebook
Alice on Twitter
THIS TRAIN page on Alice's website

Alice is generously offering 3 copies of THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY to 3 lucky winners. To be entered into the drawing, leave a comment below by August 2, 2023 at 11:59 PM. I will draw 3 winners from the comments! Good luck and enjoy this fabulous book, interview and episode!

6 Comments

THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS with Rekha Rajan!

7/6/2023

12 Comments

Congratulations, Debi Boccanfuso! You are last episode's winner of a Lupe Lopez book signed by Pat Z Miller and e.E. Charlton-Trujillo! Thanks for checking out PBJamz and thanks to Pat & e for their generosity!

Three Times Lucky with Rekha Rajan and THIS IS MUSIC!

I LOVE what I do here at PBJamz! I have been blessed with learning about so many lovely books that integrate music in such amazing and interesting ways. But I also have made some fabulous friends along the way. This is Rekha's third PBJamz visit, as we are chatting about the third installment of her board book series THIS IS MUSIC. I thoroughly enjoy talking with Rekha each time and hope that someday we get to meet live and in person. Not only is she a great friend, but a fantastic author, musician, professor and more! We love chatting -- talking music, teaching, writing, publishing, read alouds, and more. You get just a little piece of our conversation here, but I think you'll find it a great way to spend 30 minutes of your time. Check out all the cool content below and be sure to leave us a comment to be entered for 3 generous book giveaways! Keep reading to find out more!

THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS by Rekha Rajan

This third installment picks up where the other ones left off -- we've kept a beat and we blew our horns. Now, we learn about strings. Two of the things I love about this series is that Rehka does a wonderful job of introducing kids to multicultural instruments, AND she integrates great musical vocabulary throughout the series. There's a lot to love though -- these beautiful and colorful illustrations (by Tania Yakunova), the interactive element of the book, the rhythm and musicality of the text. Rekha packs a lot into a little board book. By the way, just because it's a board book doesn't mean it's JUST for little kids. Sure, it's perfect for them, and how wonderful to introduce infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to lots of musical content at a young age, but these books are also fabulous for introducing primary students to musical concepts: how sound is made/what vibrates to create sound, families of instruments/ways to group sounds, musical vocabulary, the concepts that music is all around us and that you can create music yourself using everyday objects! Because of that, they're equally wonderful at home, in a preschool/daycare setting, and in primary school! There's a lot to love in these little board books!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This song is better suited to the littles, but it's a lot of fun and goes through several different string instruments. One thing that might be fun after the book is to make a list of all the string instruments you can think of and then sing them into this song. If this is not right for you, there are lots more pieces below in the YouTube playlist and on the Pinterest board. Check the links section.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

There are lots of ways you could use this book at home, in a daycare setting, or in a primary school setting.

You could use it as an introduction to sound -- how it's formed, different ways to make it, how to create instruments of their own, etc. (I would suggest using this in conjunction with the other books in the series.)
Because Rekha does a great job of showing different kinds of strings, you could use the book to talk about different strings and different string instruments
You could use these books as a precursor to a sorting activity: how do these things make sounds
As a read-aloud, they are perfect with rhythmic text, rich vocabulary and opportunities for interaction.
Check out the YouTube playlist and Pinterest board in the links section for even more ways to enhance and expand ways to use this book.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

For music teachers, there are even more ways to use THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS.

You can also use it to introduce a sound unit, or a unit on the various musical families, based on how sound is made
- Tap, beat, pat (keep a steady beat (Drums)
- Blow (Horns)
- Use the strings (Strings)
There are a number of traditional and non-traditional string instruments that you could highlight.
You could do a strings around the world after sharing this book and highlight string instruments from each continent
Add these vocabulary words to your word wall
Read aloud and listen for rhythm.
Use this book (or the series) to introduce a project where kids make their own instruments from recycled materials
Listen to samples of music from the various string instruments mentioned + more
AFter doing that with all three books and do a little listening quiz to determine if students can recognize percussion, wind, or string instruments.
Experiment with the vibrations of various "strings" -- this would be a great discovery lesson to provide strings, rubber bands, boxes, etc. along with various string instruments to find out more about pitch based on how the strings move. (STEAM)
Use jump ropes or spring toys to demonstrate sound waves; talk about the differences in the vibrations of the ropes/toys.
Together research the Earth Harp and divide students into teams to invent their own string instrument. (STEAM)
Use a canjo/diddley bow to explore pitch based on length of string.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

If you could play any string instrument, which would you play and why?
Write a story from the perspective of a string on an instrument.
Write a story about an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar.
Research an unusual string instrument. Listen to samples. Write what you learned about the instrument and whether you like it or not and why.
Write a story where a drum, a horn, and a string instrument have to work together to accomplish something.
Write a story about someone who plays a sitar.
Write step-by-step directions for how to make a jar lid guitar or a tissue box guitar.
Would you rather play cello or sitar? Why?
In your own words, write what it means to pluck, bow, strum, and glide.
Which is better: canjo or banjo. Justify your answer.
Write about a time when you heard a string instrument.
Listen to a piece of string music and write about how it makes you feel.

Writing Tips from Rekha

Try to find time to write everyday
Share your ideas with others to get feedback - we all see things in different ways
Step away from your drafts - it's good to take a break and come back with a fresh perspective
If you get frustrated - play an instrument :)

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with videos about strings as a family, specific instruments, songs, demonstrations, and lots more! These are perfect complements to THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS

Pinterest board with over 50 teaching ideas, photos of instruments, DIY instruments and various activities

PBJamz Snack -- PBJabobs

These little PBJ kabobs remind me of treats on a string, which seems appropriate for this episode. I found this on Pinterest, attributed to happinessishomemade.net. I couldn't find the recipe on their site, but thankfully it looks pretty simple:
Cut a PBJ sandwich into small squares and layer on skewers with fruits of your choice (pictured are bananas, strawberries, and grapes it looks like. You could vary this one in many ways depending on what you have on hand! What a fun string of yums!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Check out Rekha's links, visit her website, order her books (Review them and request them from your library as well!!). Visit and follow her on socials and see how and where you can connect! Make sure you leave a comment below so you're eligible for her giveaways!

Rekha's website
To buy THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS from Amazon
Rekha's Twitter
Rehka's Amazon page (with all her books)
Rehka's Goodreads page

Rekha has graciously offered up a copy of THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS & a couple of ARCs (Advance reading copies) of her up-and-coming book DANCE LIKE A PEACOCK! That means this episode will have 3 winners! All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment below! Good luck!

12 Comments

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PBJamz

This page is the official space for PBJamz -- multimedia Jamorama celebrating all things PB (picture books) and Jamz (music), although we'll indulge in the other PBJ snacks where appropriate :-). Join us each Thursday for new content connecting picture books and music!

Spotlightingpicture books (PB)withmusical hooks (Jamz)

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Around the world through Music with Rekha

THIS IS MUSIC: VOICE by Rekha Rajan

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics ​

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers ​

Writing Prompts from Tonnye ​

Writing Tips from Rekha​

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

PBJamz Snack

Guest Links and Giveaways

A delicious road trip chat with Alice Faye Duncan

YELLOW DOG BLUES

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind) ​

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Alice

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

PBJamz Snack ​

Guest Links and Giveaways ​

A Fully Packed Chat with Jen Fier Jasinski

MY PIANO by Jen Fier Jasinski

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics ​

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers ​

Writing Prompts from Tonnye ​

Writing Tips from Jen​

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

PBJamz Snack ​

Guest Links and Giveaways ​

A Lovely Conversation with Lisa Rogers, author of BEAUTIFUL NOISE

BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE MUSIC OF JOHN CAGE

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Lisa

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

PBJamz Snack

Guest Links and Giveaways

A Musical, Writerly discussion with Julie Hedlund

SONG AFTER SONG: THE MUSICAL LIFE OF JULIE ANDREWS

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Julie

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

PBJamz Snack

Guest Links and Giveaways

A "wild" conversation with Molly

SOMETHING WILD by Molly Ruttan

​A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Molly

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

PBJamz Snack

​Guest Links and Giveaways

A musical, literary, teaching discussion full of fun with Tara Trudel

Fractured: Fairy Tales REmixed by Tara Trudel

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

PBJamz Snack --

Guest Links and Giveaways

Talking food, music, Carnival energy, and writing with Yolanda Marshall

C IS FOR CARNIVAL by Yolanda Marshall

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Yolanda Marshall

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Spotlighting
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musical hooks (Jamz)

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Rekha

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

PBJamz Snack

Guest Links and Giveaways

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Writing Tips from Jen

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

PBJamz Snack

Guest Links and Giveaways

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Guest Links and Giveaways