BLUE RIDGE BABIES: 1,2,3 (A Counting Book) by Laura Sperry Gardner

Congratulations to Brian and Steena Hernandez for winning copies of BUILDING AN ORCHESTRA OF HOPE by Carmen Oliver!  I know you will both enjoy this amazing book!  If you do enjoy it, please consider leaving reviews, requesting it at your local libraries, and sharing by word of mouth with people who might also enjoy it..

An interview with Laura Sperry Gardner, author of BLUE RIDGE BABIES, 1,2,3

Laura Sperry Gardner's debut picture book is charming and beautiful and multi-layered. It takes a traditional children's song and changes the setting and the animals, fills it full of vocabulary, content, and combines all of that with beautiful illustrations, charm and sweet animals that kids are going to love.  As a bonus, some of the animals will be new to them, and children's interest will be sparked to learn even more!  

In this interview, Laura shares freely about her process.  It's a fabulous interview for anyone who hasn't gotten their "yes" yet.  There are so many wonderful tips for aspiring authors!  It's a goldmine of excellent advice!

BLUE RIDGE BABIES: 1,2,3

This book is beautiful, sweet, multi-layered, and a refreshing change from the well-used "Over in the Meadow" song and books.   This book uses gorgeous, strong vocabulary, with a nice mix of words kids will know and words for kids to learn. The counting aspect is a nice layer.  Laura uses lots of  great words to discuss the homes of the various animals.  Kids will love all the animals, and throw in the fact that it is singable and the book is well-worth the money you'll pay for it!  Pick up a copy from the links below or at your favorite bookseller. If you read it an enjoy it, please consider leaving a review for the book on your favorite site.  It is a beautiful way to help authors out! You can review even if you don't purchase the book.  Check it out from your library if you prefer, and then leave Laura a review.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

I already loved the book, but hearing this sweet musical version sung by Nikki made me love it even more! Perfect for teachers to use in their classrooms before or after reading the book!
​But also perfect for families, preschool teachers, daycare workers, music teachers and more!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Math

• ​Preschool/kinder -- counting to 10

Science

• Life cycles
  • Comparing and contrasting
    • Mammals
    • fish
    • birds
    • amphibians
• Animal behavior

ELA

• Lots of vocabulary
  • place words (homes for animals)
  • baby animal names
  • collective nouns
• Sequencing

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Since this book is based on a song, it makes perfect sense to use it in a music classroom.  There are lots of ways you could do so:

• Read the book; then sing it.
  • Tap a steady beat (Tap it on your lap, play it on rhythm sticks, etc)
  • Create a simple percussion play-along
• Sing it and have students act it out, draw it, or respond to it in another way
• Compare different versions of "over in the meadow" and "over in the blue ridge"
• sing songs about the various animals you might find in the Blue Ridge
• For preschool and kinder, you could include this with other counting to 10 songs
• Integrate with science/social studies and focus on baby animal names; pull in other songs that relate to baby animals.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

1. Write about your favorite baby animal.
   
2. If you've ever visited the Blue Ridge, write about the experience.
3. Write your own version of the lyrics of "Over in the Meadow" with animals from where you live.
4. Write about your experience of learning and growing.  What impact did your mom have on that?  OR If you're a mom, how did you try to encourage your child(ren) to learn and grow?
5. Write your own counting book.  
6. This book is replete with "juicy words" (strong, interesting vocabulary)

Writing Tips from Laura Sperry Gardner

1. Look for new books at your library that are similar to what you’re trying to get published. Analyze and pick them apart to see how they’re structured, how many words, reading level, etc. Getting a sense of what is out and there and what works is essential to creating a publishable work.
2. Simpler, smaller. How small can you make a story? For picture books, there is a trend toward shorter and shorter texts. Practice conciseness to encapsulate the heart of the story.
3. Remember that your query is a sample of your writing too. Make every detail just right to convey your “brand” and marketability.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with several teaching activities, book review, interview with Laura and more!
Pinterest board of wildlife in the Blue Ridge Mountains
​Pinterest board with items related to the book: Blue Ridge animals, teaching activities, other versions of the song and more!

PBJamz Snack

When I think about BLUE RIDGE BABIES, I think about camping, since the Blue Ridge Mountains are one of our favorite places to go camping!  And when I think about camping, I think about S'Mores, so the perfect PBJamz recipe for this week is this one for these delightful-looking PBJ S'Mores!  The next time you find yourself around the campfire -- or the fire pit, give these a try, and then check out all the other yums available at PureWow.com  

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Guest Links and Giveaways

Laura is generously giving away a signed copy of this delightful book. To be eligible to win, leave a comment on this blog post by Wednesday, 11/9 by 11:59 PM EST. I will do a random drawing from the comments.  Don't miss out!  You definitely want a copy of this book!

Laura's Twitter

​Laura's website

To purchase BLUE RIDGE BABIES 1,2,3 from
Amazon
​Barnes and Noble