BARNYARD BOOGIE with Tim McCanna

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!

Interview with Tim McCanna, author of BARNYARD BOOGIE

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!

BARNYARD BOOGIE

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.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

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!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

• Very Young Children (Toddlers, Preschool, Kinder, Primary)
  • Animal sounds
  • Farm unit 
  • Onomatopoeia
  • (Check out links below for lots of specific lessons, units, activities and more!)
• Primary/Elementary
  • Farm unit/farm animals
  • What comes from a farm?
  • Rhyming Couplets
  • Onomatopoeia (animal sounds and instrument sounds)
  • Who/Whoo
  • internal rhyme
  • alliteration
  • strong verbs
  • how illustrations support text
  • author study (Tim McCanna)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

• Name and discuss instruments in the book.
• Discuss the onomatopoeia words chosen.  Are they what you would think of?  How would YOU describe them?  How would you READ them to make it sound as realistic as possible?
• Identify instruments by sound.
• Listen to examples of various instruments.
• Discuss forte/piano -- which instruments/which animals are loud vs. quiet.  Combine with Music K8 video about Forte and Piano (in the links section) Such a cool connection since cow is the conductor in that video as well :-)
• So many fun things to do with Old McDonald (check the links section for LOTS)
• Variations of Old McDonald (different versions, vocals vs. instrumental, various styles/genres (Check links section -- lots of versions linked up in YouTube and Pinterest)
• Lots more fun farm songs

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

• Write about your favorite farm animal and why it's your favorite.
• Write about an unlikely animal/instrument duo (ducks playing string instruments, etc.)
• Write about another group of animals that forms a band.
• Write a playlist for the Barnyard Boogie Band.
• What if cow DID choose an instrument?  Write THAT story.
• Make a list of animals. How would YOU write their sounds as onomatopoeia?
• If YOU could choose to play one of the instruments, which would you choose and why?
• Write a review of a concert by the Barnyard Band.
• Do you think Cow will be a good conductor/director?  Why/why not?

Writing Tips from Tim McCanna

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.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Barnyard Boogie YouTube playlist 

Barnyard Boogie Pinterest board

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

PBJamz Snack -- PBJ Oatmeal (Steel Cut Oats)

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!

Guest Links and Giveaways

To connect with Tim via:
​Twitter

Website

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

To purchase any of Tim's books (including his new young reader graphic novels), check out the links here.

To be eligible for Tim's giveaway (a SIGNED copy of BARNYARD BOOGIE!!!), simply leave a comment below on this blogpost by 11:59 PM Wednesday, January 18, and I'll draw a winner and announce it on the next episode! 


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