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

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THIS IS MUSIC: DRUMS!

8/18/2022

5 Comments

 
Congratulations to Steena Hernandez!!!! You're the winner of a signed copy of HOW TO BE A ROCKSTAR by Lisa Tolin.  I'll send you messages to get you connected. Steena, I know you and your kids are going to love it so much! If you could do a. review after reading I know Lisa will appreciate it!

Interview with Rekha Rajan

Join Rekha Rajan (musician, educator, advocate, and author) as we talk about her brand new book (the first in a series of 4) THIS IS MUSIC: DRUMS. We discuss the origins of the series, her heart as an educator, the importance of music AND reading in early childhood and so much more. Thanks to the limitations of Zoom our little drum experience at the end didn't work out, so I trimmed that out, but it's super easy face-face to do your own call and response, allow children/students to keep that steady beat and so much more! ​

PB (Picture Book Tasting)

Picture
While this is a board book, it is NOT limited to Littles.  Sure, it's perfect for toddlers and preschool, but you can also use it with school-age kids, in your family, homeschool, and in the larger school setting!  My philosophy is picture books (including board books) are for everybody! It's a compact little nugget full of lots of ideas for drumming fun!  For even more drumming fun, check out the jam below, and all the teacher tips linked up in those sections as well as in the links section.  There is so much fun to be had.  The words were written by Rekha, the pictures by the talented Tania Yakunova and the book was published by RISExPenguin Workshop.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This fun little ditty matches beautifully with the refrain in this book KEEP THE BEAT!  It's perfect for singing along, playing along,  and practicing that steady beat. The call-and-response makes it super easy for Littles, and it gives them many ways to feel the beat.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

There are several things you could highlight from this book in the general ed classroom.

1. Features of text -- There is bold print, different fonts, all caps, and different sizes of text in this book.  It would be wonderful for teaching those aspects of features of text.

2. Onomatopoeia -- lots of sound words throughout the text.

3. Types of sentences -- Because this book is relatively short, and contains multiple examples of different sentence types, that would be a great mini-lesson.  You'll find questions (interrogative sentences), exclamations (exclamatory sentences), and commands (imperative sentences) and even interjections.

Music Vocabulary

  • djembe
  • snare drum
  • tabla
  • bongos
  • timpani
  • tambourine
  • steel drum
  • drum kit
  • drum
  • drumsticks
  • strike
  • cymbals
  • beat
  • marching band

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Well, obviously, this book is all about drums, so that's the most obvious choice!
Drums/Percussion -- as a musical instrument group. Definition of percussion: instruments that you shake, tap, or scrub. Defining and classifying what are percussion instruments and which category do they belong to would be a great topic to match this book.

There are some different directions you could take the discussion: identifying different drums/percussion instruments and/or various cultures and their various percussion instruments.

Keeping a steady beat.  That is a big focus in the book, so that's a natural direction.  Practice with a variety of percussion instruments, body percussion, and more.  There are so many ways to keep a steady beat and the more children practice, the more adept they'll be in the long run. 

Tips for authors from Rekha 

Short, sweet, and super-important, here are Rekha's tips for authors:
​
1. Make a plan to write every day, even if it just one sentence or gathering ideas
2. Find colleagues, friends, avid readers and get feedback (not just from people who love you - like me asking my Mom to read everything and she loves it) but individuals who can help you shape and hone your craft
3. Never give up!

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

1.  Write a story about  the ____________ drum (biggest, loudest, most unusual . . .)
2.  Write a story with the three different kinds of percussion: things you strike, scrub/rub, and shake.
3.  Write about a drummer that couldn't keep a steady beat.
4.  Listen around you for steady beat -- keep a list of things that make a steady beat.
5.  Write an acrostic poem using using  DRUM, PERCUSSION or STEADY BEAT.
6. Write a poem with a steady beat.
7.  Write about your favorite kind of drum/percussion.
8. Write about a kid who finds a drum in an unusual place.
9. Write about keeping a beat on something very unusual.
10. Write about keeping the beat in the bathtub.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

  • Make your own drum -- use a coffee can, oatmeal canister, a tin can, etc. 
  • Check out this Pinterest board full of tons of amazing activities
  • YouTube has lots of fabulous play-alongs, videos to help you make your own drum, information about different kinds of drums and more!
  • Listen for steady beat everywhere you go!
  • Turn the radio on and tap, snap, clap, or march to the beat of the music.

PBJamz Snack

Picture
Well, a cake may not be a drum, but it would be the perfect snack to go along with this book!  This one is full of delicious peanut butter and jelly (PBJ) yumminess!  You can find the recipe here and make your own drum-shaped, but not a drum PBJ cake!  I haven't yet, but it's definitely on my list to try!

​Guest Links and Giveaways

Rekha has generously offered to do 2 giveaways:
1. a signed copy of THIS IS MUSIC: DRUMS
2. a PB critique (around 500-ish words or less)

To be eligible for the giveaway, leave a comment below and let me know your preference (critique or book).  I'll do two random drawings on Wed., Aug. 31 -- one for a book, and one for a critique.
 


Here are all the pertinent links for Rekha and her book:
Rekha's Twitter page 
Website 
Bring Me a Book site

Here is the Penguin-Random House site with purchase information
​If you prefer to buy from Amazon, here's that link

Reminder:  If you enjoy these books and authors, please support them by:
1.  Purchasing their books
2. Recommending them to friends, coworkers, educators, etc.
3. Requesting their books at your local library
4. Leaving positive reviews (just 50 reviews on Amazon bumps a book up to recommended status.) If you'd rather not support Amazon,  review the books on Barnes and Noble or Goodreads.

​

5 Comments

HOW TO BE A ROCKSTAR with author Lisa Tolin

8/3/2022

6 Comments

 
Congratulations to Cathy Sheafor!  ​You are the winner of a critique from Megan Hoyt!  Congratulations and best of luck with your manuscript! Please tell your friends about PBJamz and come back any time to find out more about picture books with musical connections and leave a comment.  

Everyone stay tuned and come back next week for part 2 -- tons of teacher tips for general education, music education, homeschool, preschool, and family fun!  Tips, a Pinterest board and a YouTube playlist full of amazing ways to use this superfun book!

Interview with Lisa Tolin where we discuss the book, musical connections, perseverance and not having all the answers!

Lisa and I talk about all the musical connections, parenting, teaching, how to foster creativity, how important it is to learn from our children and students just like they learn from us!  It's important to keep on going, but also important to be willing to be vulnerable and admit that you don't have all the answers.  It's a rich, deep conversation ! 

PB (Picture Book Tasting)

This book is part instruction manual, part ode to rock 'n roll, part treaty to persevere, and part plain family fun!  Have you ever been in a family band?  Come join this family with siblings who would like to rock the house together.
Picture

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind) Rockin' the Alphabet by Mr. Al

Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, or any age that enjoys a rockin' edge on their alphabet!   Mr. Al actually has a whole CD of cool rockin' music called "Kids Wanna Rock".  Superfun, and I used it all the time with my second graders when I was in the regular classroom! Here's a link if you'd like to purchase the CD -- lots of old rock standards modified for a kid audience. https://melodyhousemusic.com/shop/music/mr-al-music/kids-wanna-rock/?v=ed5e635ddcfb  I especially like Kids Wanna Rock and I Want Candy.  This song below is awesome too -- a rockin' version of the ABC song.  One thing I especially like about this one is that LMNOP don't get all clumped together in this version.  There are lots of ways you could use it in the classroom (in addition to the obvious way of learning the alphabet). Accompany it with instruments, have kids hold up pictures of things that begin with that letter as he sings.  Use it as an opener/attention-getter for ABC order activity or any alphabet related activity.  Be sure to check out the YouTube playlist in next week's additions to this episode down in the links section.  You'll find more songs and more ways to integrate rock into your regular or music classroom!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

  • Check out the writing prompts below
  • Information from pics that are not in text
    • how text and illustrations work together
    • how to use clues from illustrations to better understand text (picture clues)
  • Sequencing
  • Writing a how-to story
  • Understanding and using speech bubbles
  • Character analysis

Music Vocabulary

  • microphone
  • rock star
  • backup singers
  • instruments
  • electric guitar
  • bass
  • drum kit
  • encore
  • reunion concert
  • heavy metal
  • punk 
  • pop
  • audience

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

  • Instruments of focus: electric guitar, bass, drums
  • Discuss rock as a genre:  Characteristics, history, etc.
  • This book would be such fun paired with ROCK STAR RECESS (Access that episode here)
    • You could compare/contrast  
    • read both as part of a unit on rock 'n roll
  • Focus on sub-genres of rock
    • Heavy/hard rock
    • Punk rock
    • Metal rock
    • Pop rock
  • Rock n' roll dance moves (focus on those pages from the book); show examples; let them practice
  • Famous rock bands
  • Band break-ups/reunion concerts

Tips for authors from Lisa!

1. Silence your inner critic.
You’ll face a lot of criticism and rejection as a writer. You don’t need to join that chorus. Personally, I find running, meditating and free writing help my brain get to a more creative place.

​
2. Play.
For me, the best writing comes from a place of joy. Sometimes that means capturing something meaningful or joyful to you on the page. Sometimes that means stepping away for a while and filling your well with non-writing joy.
3. Take a bow.
​Try to celebrate small wins. Even if you get an agent or a book deal, those achievements are infrequent, not in your control, and can take years. Plus they’re usually bookended by rejection. Celebrate finishing a draft or figuring out a revision. Supply your own applause - or drop me a line and I’ll clap for you anytime!

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

1.  What cool band name would you choose?  Why?
2.  Which is cooler?  Electric guitar, Bass, or Drums?  Explain.
3.  Create a concert poster for your band.
4. Which rock sub-genre is best and why?
5. Where would you MOST like to perform?
6 What does it mean "Always leave your audience wanting more."?
7. Write another "how to" story.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

  • DIY Microphone (some ideas on the Pinterest board
  • Cardboard box tour bus (check out the illustrations as an example and create your own. There are some tips on the Pinterest board.)
  • Pinterest board chock full of fun ideas for home, preschool, classroom, homeschool, music classroom and more!
  • YouTube playlist with music and more fabulous connections and activities to go along!
  • Create your own Family Band (check out the videos on YouTube of Colt Clark and the Quarantine Kids!). How fun!
  • Host a concert night -- Create your own YouTube playlist of your family's favorite rock songs and make it a concert night -- Have pizza and snacks and enjoy time as a family!
  • Have a karaoke night with the fam!  YouTube has quite a few karaoke tunes.  Find your faves, crank it up, grab a hairbrush, pretend microphone (or something else) and belt them out!
  • Elvis is a personal favorite of my family, so last summer, we did a BIG trip -- through Tupelo and visited his birthplace, Memphis and toured Graceland and back through Nashville, where we visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and Studio B where Elvis recorded many of his hits! Create your own favorite rocker tour!  If you can't go in person, create a "Rock 'n Roll Staycation" and put together a virtual visit of important places to your fave, some concert moments, etc. 

PBJamz Snack

Well, this is a FIRST, and I LOVE it!  When Lisa and I were chatting, she said, "Oh, BTW, I have a great peanut butter and jelly cookie recipe if you want it. . . IF I WANT IT. . . .LOL . . . so this week, a special treat -- a PBJ snack recipe from the author herself!


Lisa Tolin’s PB&J thumbprint cookies (about 30 cookies)
I love this recipe because it’s easy and gluten-free, and it’s now my kids’ favorite!

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
16.3 -oz container smooth peanut butter
2/3 cup jelly

​Heat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, vanilla and salt for a few minutes until smooth. (You can use a mixer for this, but it’s not necessary.) Add peanut butter and combine until smooth. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets. Stick your thumb in the center to create a little thumbprint well (or use a rounded teaspoon bottom). Bake for 6 minutes, then pull out the sheet and add about a teaspoon of jelly to each thumbprint. Stick the cookies back in, rotating the sheets, for another 6-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Lisa is offering a signed copy of her book HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR to one lucky winner.  To be eligible, simply leave a comment below!  I'll choose a winner at random before the next episode airs.  You'll have until 11:59 on 8/17 to leave a comment and get in the running for this great prize!

If you'd like to order a copy of HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR, here is a link for you

Lisa's socials/contact info:
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6 Comments

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