Childhood Experiences, Music, Memories and How it All Weaves TogetherGabriele, who is my agent-sister (Shout-out to our amazing agent, Joyce Sweeney of Seymour Agency!!!!) and I chat writing, publishing, childhood memories, gospel music, spirituals, jazz standards, some trombone-love, and much more! Join us for a fun conversation about how this beautiful book came to be and the music inside! OUR JOYFUL NOISE by Gabriele DavisOUR JOYFUL NOISE by Gabriele Davis, beautifully illustrated by Craig Stanley and published by Atheneum is chock-full of onomatopoeia that celebrates the music of everyday living as well as the music that tells the history of our lives. Music weaves its way through this family's days, weeks, and all the time they spend together. "Hidden" throughout the text are black spirituals, gospel songs, jazz standards, and more music. I especially love that the back matter includes a list and some historical information for each of those hidden gems. Trombonists will especially appreciate a little extra exposure in this musical journey through a family's time together. You'll be singing in your head and tapping your feet, too. A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)As I mention in the video, this is one of my favorite songs of all time. Louis' version especially makes me smile. The visuals in this video are sweet and perfect for kids to enjoy. There are several other versions if you'd prefer something different. Check out the YouTube playlist with much of the music, information about the trombone, and more. It's in the links section. Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics |
Gabriele's website Books page with testimonials, order links and more. Follow Gabriele and stay in touch: Twitter/X link GIVEAWAY ALERT!! Gabriele is giving away a copy of OUR JOYFUL NOISE! To be eligible, leave a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday October 30, and you will be entered in a drawing. (US only for the giveaway.) Please leave reviews for Gabriele's books on Goodreads, Amazon and B&N if you enjoy them. |
Full Circle, Encouraging Words, Music, Dance and Literacy!
LUPITA'S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS
A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)
- It has multiple ethnicities (although their ballet slippers are all colored to match their tutus.)
- It's an upbeat song I think kids would enjoy.
- You could use it in multiple ways: listening, sing along, movement activities.
Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
- Positions
- Vocabulary (French connections)
- Music
- History
- Basic steps
- Watch ballets
- Nutcracker
- Swan Lake
- Cinderella
- Sleeping Beauty
- Diversity and inclusion
- Historical exclusion/inclusion
- Partner with I SEE COLOR (by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew) for discussions about BIPOC representation
- Beginning/Middle/End
- Using quotation marks
- Similes
- Saving money/piggy banks
- Getting a job to earn money
- Savings accrual
- Pair with Kimberly Wilson books A PENNY'S WORTH, DOLLAR'S GRAND DREAM & CREDIT CARD TAKES CHARGE for more financial literacy bang for the buck!
- Feelings
- Standing up for oneself/Agency
- Self-portraits
- Skin-color matching
- Naming skin colors (not just black and white) Pair with I SEE COLOR by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew
Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
- Music for ballet
- Ballet vocabulary
- Watch ballets and discuss
- Learn about ballerinas of color
- Discuss gender stereotypes (Male ballet dancers are strong and athletic, etc.)
- Ballet composers (Tchaikovsky)
Writing Prompts from Tonnye
- Write about a time you felt left out or "othered" in some way.
- Write about a time you couldn't afford something you wanted. How did you handle that? Were you able to solve the problem?
- Write a list of jobs you could do to earn extra money.
- Write a story about a piggy bank.
- Write about a boy who wanted to dance ballet.
- Choose one of the other dancers in the story and write her story.
- If you have ever danced ballet, write about that experience.
- Have you ever attended a ballet or watched a ballet on video. What were your thoughts? What did you like? What was challenging to understand?
- Write a report about one of the dancers in the back matter. Tell their story.
- Write about Tchaicovsky and his ballets.
- In your own words, write about why it was important for Lupita to have ballet slippers that matched her skin tone.
- If you had ballet slippers to match your skin tone, what would they be called and why?
- Write a story titled EVERYONE DESERVES TO SHINE.
Writing Tips from Steena
-If I’m researching a topic, which I am now for a new PB draft, I like to keep a separate document going for citing online or book information. I can add it to the back matter of the draft later, once it’s organized.
-Find good, like-minded critique partners who write in the same age category to share your manuscripts.
-Take breaks when you need them!
Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
Pinterest board with lots of ballet-themed activities, money-saving sheets and activities, skin-color activities, and more.
PBJamz Snack
Guest Links and Giveaways
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Steena has offered up a signed copy of LUPITA'S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS as a PBJamz giveaway for this episode. To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 11:59 PM EST. I'll choose a lucky winner from the comments.
** Remember to support PBJamz authors through reviews, library requests, word of mouth, and any other way you can get the word out about their books.
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!
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