Congratulations Christal Benton!  You are the winner of a signed copy of BARNYARD BOOGIE by Tim McCanna.  Tim, thanks for your generosity and thanks to all the commenters, readers and watchers for your support of PBJamz

Shannon and I talk music, publishing, writing process, the amazing musicality and humanity of Evelyn Glennie, next steps, upcoming books, and more!  Shannon is a gracious woman of strength and vitality who pours heart and soul into her books.  Check out the chat below!

The illustrations send an invitation that the text enhances.  If you accept the invitation, prepare to be amazed and charmed.  This book is beautiful in every sense of the word!  The subject matter is intriguing and diverse.  The illustrations are welcoming, colorful and expansive.  The language is lyrical, cohesive, and enlightening.  If you are looking for a book full of science, music, heart, strength, and so much more, this is one for you!  If you want to take it a step further, check out the youtube playlist in the links section and watch Evelyn Glennie in action. Utterly amazing. Start to finish. 

Normally, I choose a little ditty that teachers can use in class in conjunction with the book and that kids will find engaging.  This episode, I've chosen slightly differently.  Firstly, of course, I was intrigued by "Peanut Butter Jam". As I began listening, I was further intrigued that Evelyn took the time to respond to a group of students who had written simple compositions.  That touches me.  Beyond that, this is a mini-master class in percussion.  It would be fabulous to use it as a precursor to a "found sound" music lesson, perfect for beginning percussionists in primary/elementary school to begin thinking about/paying attention to the various components of drumming (sticks/mallets/striking instruments, parts of the drum, dampeners, and so much more.  Lots of food for thought here.  Very cool!  I think kids would respond well to this and it gives them permission to play in some unusual ways and using some unusual items.  If this is not your jam ;-), there are lots more songs in the YouTube playlist in the links section. I'm sure you'll find at least one that will be appropriate for your setting!

So much you could teach, using this book as a springboard.  Here are some broad categories with a few ideas.  There are more ideas on the YouTube playlists and the Pinterest board.

1. Percussion as an instrument family
   1. What makes it percussion?
   2. How is percussion played?  
   3. What vibrates?
   4. Different instruments
2. Women in percussion
3. How sound is created/heard
   1. Vibration
   2. Sound waves
   3. pitch
   4. process of hearing (traditionally)
4. Deaf musicians
5. Scottish musicians
6. Percussion around the world
7. Rhythms/how they work together
8. Exploratory lesson on various materials and how they affect sound
9. A lesson/unit on creating your own percussion instrument
10. Lesson/unit on feeling vibrations (Noise-canceling headphones)  Where do you feel various sounds in your body?
11. Evelyn Glennie as a musician -- her life, her music . . 
12. Developing deep listening skills
13. Compare traditional drums of various cultures by sound, playing method, material, design, etc.
14. Onomatopoeia for music words/sounds

1) I know everyone says this…but BUTT. IN. CHAIR. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled with writer’s block because if I force myself to sit and type, eventually something will come out that I like. If you don’t know what to write, jot down foods that you like. Go to Walmart and then come back and describe people you saw…maybe even make up histories for them. Describe animals that you love, and pair them together with other unlikely critters. Just TYPE. 

2) Join SCBWI. And if you write picture books, join 12x12. Even if it’s not January, do StoryStorm. Follow other writers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Immerse yourself in the community. It’s a good one. :-)

3) Last (but DEFINITELY not least)…get critique partners (CPs). I cannot tell you how important this is. If you’re a beginning writer, don’t expect to join a group of established writers—find other newbies who have the same determination that you do, and ask them to exchange work with you. Private Facebook groups or group emails can work well for this. I know that may sound like it doesn’t make sense, but I promise it does. All my critique partners and I started off green and grew together. Those who were less serious eventually dropped out, while others would join along the way. You have to start somewhere, so open yourself up to forming new friendships and allow yourself to be vulnerable. When you find someone whose comments resonate with you, hold on tight! A good critique partner is GOLD. I feel so incredibly blessed to have as many as I do. And now, several years later, they are all so much more than critique partners. They are cheerleaders, therapists, and friends. They are family.

YouTube playlist (focused on Evelyn Glennie and LISTEN)
Pinterest board (focused on Evelyn Glennie and LISTEN -- photos, videos, activities)
Pinterest board (Sound Science -- focused on science activities for how sound is produced, how it travels, and how we hear)
​Pinterest board (focused on the percussion family of instruments.)
https://musiclibrarybox.com/subscription-box-blog/listen
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When I think about hand pies, I think of life "across the pond". Whether that's a reality or a stereotyped fantasy, I have no idea.  Scotland is on my bucket list, and I hope one day to be able to eat some authentic Scottish food.  In the meantime, I thought these hand pies to be the perfect accompaniment to this episode of Evelyn Glennie and the book LISTEN -- for a lot of reasons. 1.  Much percussion is played with hands, and so a hand-held treat seems apropos.  2.  There's the whole "across the pond" hand pie perceived connection. 3.  Evelyn Glennie was definitely "out of the box" and this qualifies as an "out of the box" idea for PB&J. Anyway, this is how this bizarre little brain works.  So, however I got here, I think this is a perfect recipe to share with you this week, and I hope if you give it a try, you'll give a shoutout to Heather Baird over at Sprinklebakes.com.  That's where I found this recipe, so head on over there and give them a try: ​https://www.sprinklebakes.com/2017/08/peanut-butter-and-jelly-hand-pies.html If you do, let me know in the comments how they were!  They look amazing and delicious and all the things you want the perfect PBJ snack to be!

Congratulations to Jany Campana!!!  You are the winner of a picture book critique by Diane Worthey!  I'll connect the two of you via Twitter and email to claim your prize!   Diane, thank you for your generosity and Jany, thank you for your support of PBJamz!

Join Tim and me as we chat farm animals, onomatopoeia and all things music and picture books and more! 
Writing process?  Yep 
Motivation?  Uh-Huh! 
How to get out of a creative rut?  Oh, yeah!
Goal-setting?  Yes!  We touch on that too!
​And a whole lot more! What a fun conversation!  Enjoy!

Check out this fun, rollicking rhyme set on a farm -- with a band, where the central problem is what in the world is the cow going to do?  Everyone has their instrument, but cow.  Kids will love the refrain, "What can cow do? Moooo?" Grab a copy to see what role cow plays in the barnyard band! You can pick it up as a picture book or a board book for your younger farm fans and band members! Check the links section below for ordering your very own copy.

Be sure to check out the links section next week for lots more songs and videos you can use to go along with this book! So much fun to be had! There are lots more versions of Old McDonald, along with other farm animal songs, the book trailer for BARNYARD BOOGIE, read alouds, and so much more!  I love the laid back acoustic sound of Music Travel Kids, the simple instrumentation and sweet harmonies.  I also like that they have video of real farm animals and a real farm!  I hope you and your students or family will enjoy this one, too!

Tips for aspiring authors:


1. Trust your instincts and write that first draft without judgement. However, be open to feedback from trusted colleagues and embrace the rewriting process with gusto!

2. Don't rush into submitting manuscripts to agents and editors. Practice your craft first. Write and rewrite dozens of different types of stories until your colleagues help you determine if your work is ready for publication.

3. When it comes to writing rhymers, always strive for straight-forward, natural language that locks into a consistent meter. Don't force your rhymes with wonky phrasing. 

4. If you want to write picture books, you have to read picture books. Count the words, listen to the rhythms, analyze the pacing, observe characters' emotional arcs, and watch how page turns contribute to the storytelling.

Barnyard Boogie YouTube playlist 

Barnyard Boogie Pinterest board

Farmers' Market story time ideas Pinterest board (Lots of crafts and other farm stories)

Farming is hard work!  It requires strength and agility.  It also requires early mornings and hearty breakfasts!  While I myself am not so good at the early mornings, I love a hearty breakfast.  One of my favorites is steel cut oats.  I like them myriad ways, but one of the simplest and best is PBJ steel cut oats.  I don't have any pictures right now (although I may add some later, because this is definitely a go-to for me!). I cook the oats according to package directions.  (BTW, you can use whatever style oats you like -- for me, steel cut oats are my fave for oatmeal...) Once they are cooked through, add in your favorite peanut butter and jelly.  Yes, really!  It's just that simple:  1-2 tablespoons of your favorite nut butter and your favorite jam/jelly to taste (support your local farm and get some fresh fruit and make your own for a truly decadent, but hearty experience.)  But whatever grape, strawberry, blackberry, etc. is your favorite will serve you well.  Stir it well.  Garnish with some roasted peanuts or fresh fruit if you want to make it truly impressive.  No bread needed, but you'll be full and ready to muck out stalls, survey the lower 40, pick cucumbers or strawberries or pumpkins, feed up, gather the eggs, milk the cows, or whatever tasks your morning holds! And, you'll have a yummy taste in your mouth while doing your "farm tasks"!  Enjoy, and if you've tried PBJ oatmeal, tell me your favorite flavor in the comments!