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

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. 

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.

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. 

 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.

So many writing opportunities:

1. Write a letter to a fairy tale character
2. Write a report about the elements/characteristics of a fairy tale.
3. Write a comparison between two versions of a fairy tale.
4. Rewrite the ending of a fairy tale.
5. Blend two fairy tales.
6. Write a fairy tale where the roles are reversed (ie. there's a prince in distress and a brave peasant girl rescues him, etc.)
7. Make a list of questions you could ask a magic mirror besides who's the fairest of them all.
8. If you were the fairy godmother, write about 3 wishes you'd like to have come true and why.
9. Rewrite Little Red Riding Hood with a wolf who is "little and good" in a big bad world.
10. Write a recipe/how-to guide for a poisoned apple or a gingerbread cottage.
11.  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.
12. Write a poem called "Once upon a time" or "Happily Ever After"
13. Change the word happily to another adverb and write a fairy tale with this ending.
14. My Favorite fairy tale is _________________ because. . . . .
15. Do you like fairy tales? Why/why not?
16. If you could be any fairy tale character, who would you choose to be and why?

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)

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).

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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. 

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
​

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.

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.