Christmas time's a-comin' and Santa is getting ready to rock out! You'll want a front row seat for this charming conversation between Gayle and me about writing holiday books, her inspiration, rock and roll (of course!) and so much more. Grab the cookies and milk and get comfy as we chat all things ROCK STAR SANTA!

In this fun book, Santa's not just coming down the chimney, he's bringing down the house, with the help of his  rockin' reindeer.  With nods to KISS, and lots of rock star-studded word play, this book debuted a rock'n'roll Santa before he was Christmas Chronicles cool!  (Fans of the movie will LOVE this book).  Perfect for kids (and grandkids) of 80's rock star fans, or any rockstar fans.  Boogie down the chimney with Santa in this rollicking rhyming rocking book!

What a fun little song to get littles up and moving to the beat like Rock Star Santa!  You can have kiddos sing along, dance along, or come up with some fun musical activities to do alongside this fun groovin' ditty!  Check out lots of other musical connections in the YouTube playlist in the links section below!

I know that many of you are in disctricts that don't include Christmas in the curriculum or if you're in parochial schools, Santa might be taboo as well. I'm lucky to be in a place where most of us celebrate, so I've been using this story with my K-2 music students this week, and here are a few things I've been pointing out. There are additional activities in the YouTube playlist and on the Pinterest board. I will continue adding to those as I see things that match.

1. Sound effects to accompany stories/poems/dramatic readings.  This is a kinder objective in NC, but I find even my first and second graders need more opportunitites to hear and look for sound effect to match stories and poems.  We've been listening to a YouTube read aloud and talking about the different sound effects and how they match the story.
2. It's a great opportunity to talk about genres (and maybe stereotypes too,). If it's allowed in your district, some clips from The Christmas Chronicles would be great to go along with this book. Characteristics of rock 'n' roll, truth vs. myths about rock stars, etc.
   1. Instruments of rock and roll mentioned in the book
3. I've been pairing it with lots of Santa songs for body percussion, singing, rhythm practice and more. Check out the YouTube list for some of the pieces I've been using.
4. Gayle states that this version os Santa is a tribute to KISS, so if you have older kids and feel like it's appropriate, you could talk about them to whatever extent you feel it's okay. 
5. It would be a fun time to bring in other rock 'n' roll Christmas tunes: Run, Run Rudolph, etc. 
6. Also a good time to talk about audience behavior and how it changes based on the type of performance.

1. Write about another unexpected identity of Santa Claus: Santa dancing ballet? Cowboy Santa? Hip-Hop Santa? Santa from another country? Chef Santa?
2. Pretend you were at Santa's concert. Write a fan letter telling him how much you loved it. (Or not perhaps)
3. Write a description of Santa the way YOU think he looks.
4. Write a letter to Santa. Don't JUST ask for things. Be sure to tell him thank you for what he's already given you. Ask about Mrs. Claus, the elves, the reindeer.
5.  If you were a rock star, what would you want your name to be. Write about yourself as a rock star. What would you wear, what would you play or sing?
6.  If you could play or sing with any rock 'n' roll band, who would you join and why?
7. Write an essay about what makes something rock 'n' roll.
8. Research and do a written and/or oral report on the history of rock.
9. Write about another character as a rock 'n' roll star that we would not expect: Paul Bunyan? The Easter Bunny? Jack Frost? The Tooth Fairy? Mother Nature? etc.
10.  Write a poem of rhyming couplets about Santa.
11. Write a story with the title: "I Rocked with Santa"
12. Here's a first line: At the stroke of midnight, the guitar wailed.
13.  Write your own sensory Christmas poem. Use as many sensory details as you can.
14. Write an acrostic poem using Santa's name.

ROCK STAR SANTA was written in rhyme.  All my picture books, both published and pre-published are written in rhyme, and because I belonged to The Poetry Garage for six years my advice for new writers who aspire to write in rhyme is:
 
1.     Write your manuscript all the way through before you start to revise. Some writers tend to go back to the beginning to seemingly make it stronger when they are only halfway through. This is a bad idea for two reasons. 
a.) you lose your original cadence that you were writing in.
b.) the ending informs the beginning. If you never finish, how can you know if the ending reflects the beginning.
 
2.     When having your rhyming work reviewed or critiqued be sure the person you are seeking an opinion from is a bonafide rhymer. As Tonnye can attest to, there is a rhythm to rhyme and those who do not understand scansion will think your work is great just because the end words rhyme. The meter and accents are an important part of poetry.
 
3.     Try to break up your end rhymes with multisyllabic word choices in your rhyme scheme. And switch it up with internal rhyme, or better yet, use internal and end rhyme to make your rhyme more interesting.
 
ie. sample lines from Rock Star Santa (Scholastic 2008) that demonstrate multi-syllabic end rhyme.
 
Stomping joins the loud applause.
Rock the house for Santa Claus.
 
and
 
Snow-white hair in ponytail.
Santa’s ready. Watch him wail!
 
4.     When writing a rhyming manuscript keep the word count as low as possible. When editors say they want manuscripts under 1,000 words, they’re speaking of prose, not rhyme.
 
Long rhyming manuscripts get tedious to read and children lose their focus.
 
Rock Star Santa is 305 words.
 
Hope these tips help those of you who are considering writing your picture book in rhyme.

Pinterest board full of images, songs, and activities to enhance your enjoyment of ROCK STAR SANTA
​YouTube playlist full of fun music, ROCK STAR SANTA read-alouds and more!

Santa would LOVE to find these on Christmas Eve, and I'm pretty sure everyone else will enjoy them too!  If your mouth isn't watering from looking at the picture, it will be when you read the recipe!  Great for peanut butter lovers of all ages!  Don't just make them at Christmas; make them any time! 

Gayle's Books page (see all her books in one place; check out the synopses of each, and get the B&N link to purchase.). Reminder: If you want to purchase ROCK STAR SANTA, you'll have to purchase directly from Gayle.  Contact her via her website.

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Gayle is graciously offering a giveaway of a copy of ROCK STAR SANTA to one lucky winner!  To be eligible, simply leave a comment below by Sunday, Dec. 8 at 11:59 EST.  I'll pop your name in the Wheel of Names and choose one rockin' reader to receive their very own copy of ROCK STAR SANTA! (US only)

Gabriele, 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 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.

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.

When an idea comes, don’t wait. Get your thoughts down on paper before they slip away. Silence your internal editor and just write. Don’t worry about making sense or organizing. That can come later.

If you’re not already in a critique group, find one (or two)! Critique partners not only help improve your writing, they offer essential support during the challenging—and exciting—parts of this unpredictable journey.

Read, read, read. For mentor texts, but also to train your ear.  And because you never know when something you read will spark a new idea. 

Eliminate forms of “to be” as much as possible. Use active verbs and specific nouns. Use only a sprinkling of adjectives and adverbs—or none at all. Unless you’re doing it intentionally, avoid repetition. 

Have fun! If appropriate, try out word puns, playful phrases, repeating lines. Experiment with structure, point of view, tense. Use unexpected line breaks, to manipulate the rhythm.

Commit to the journey! Know it could take a while. Know that you’ll likely face rejection. Know that there’s A LOT of waiting (even when good stuff is happening). If you give up, you’ll never know what might have been.

This Pinterest board is full of ideas for classroom study, Bible class, music classroom, coloring sheets, crafts and more!

Spotify playlist, curated by Gabriele, with her favorite versions of the songs in the book!

YouTube playlist, curated by me, with tons of music perfect for teachers to share, but also information about the trombone and some of these "gems" performed on trombone, and lots more pieces to help you fully explore and experience this beautiful book.

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In this story, Mama stirs sweet berries into oatmeal for breakfast, so I thought this peanut butter berry oatmeal was the perfect PBJamz  recipe for this episode.  Find the link for the recipe here, along with options for more peanut butter and other ways to change it up.  Happy PB breakfasting!

I was so happy to be able to talk to Steena Hernandez for this episode!  Steena was one of the very earliest supporters of PBJamz -- back when she and I were in the query trenches together. Obviously, much has changed since then :-D. So, there are no words for how thrilled I am to be part of the team sharing Steena's beautiful book with my little part of the world!  Check out the conversation surrounding music, dance, encouraging words and more!

This beautiful book is a fictional account of a young girl named Lupita who longs for ballet slippers that match her beautiful brown skin to extend the lines of her dance.  But, they are uncommon, difficult to find, and expensive.  So, she gets creative, and she gets busy. There are so many positive messages in this story: acceptance, fairness, strong work ethic, tenacity, and more. But at it's heart, it's a beautiful story of a young girl who loves to dance. Absolutely beautiful!  Don't miss it!

I chose this piece to highlight for a few reasons:

1. It has multiple ethnicities (although their ballet slippers are all colored to match their tutus.)
2. It's an upbeat song I think kids would enjoy.
3. You could use it in multiple ways: listening, sing along, movement activities.

​If you don't love this one, there are lots more in the links section. There is lots of instrumental ballet music along with some fun songs like this one for your younger aspiring ballerinas.

Dance --Ballet

• Positions
• Vocabulary (French connections)
• Music
• History
• Basic steps
• Watch ballets 
  • Nutcracker
  • Swan Lake
  • Cinderella
  • Sleeping Beauty

Social Studies

• Diversity and inclusion
• Historical exclusion/inclusion
• Partner with I SEE COLOR (by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew) for discussions about BIPOC representation

Reading/Literacy

• Beginning/Middle/End
• Using quotation marks
• Similes

Financial Literacy/Math

• 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!

SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

• Feelings
• Standing up for oneself/Agency

Art

• Self-portraits
• Skin-color matching
• Naming skin colors (not just black and white) Pair with I SEE COLOR by Valerie Bolling and Kailei Pew

-I use the notes section on my phone to record ideas or phrases that come to mind if I'm out and about. I’ve written full first drafts on my phone and then I copy and paste them into a document when I’m ready.

-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! ​

YouTube playlist full of songs about ballet, ballerinas, music for aspiring ballerinas and more!

​Pinterest board with lots of ballet-themed activities, money-saving sheets and activities, skin-color activities, and more.

What better way to celebrate Latina ballerinas than with a yummy PBJ tortilla snack?  Easily customizable, super-tasty and sure to sustain your little dancer until practice is over.   Click the link and scroll down to number 4 to find the recipe for the PBJ ones .

Steena's website (Links to purchase LUPITA'S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS here too!)

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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.

If you're a nature-lover, a musician, a music-teacher, a reader, an author, a photographer you are going to want to listen in on this conversation with Buffy!  It's a perfect blend of music, nature and writing -- 3 of my favorite things. 

This lyrical nonfiction picture book is a beautiful blend of nature, music and writing.  Buffy walks us through a day in nature near a body of water. She points out many of the beautiful sounds of nature and then compares each to a musical instrument in the text. She also offers excellent back matter that explores those analogies in more detail.

This may not be our typical PBJam, but I think it would be fun to play some nature sounds for kids and let them explore mimicking animal sounds on a variety of classroom instruments.  This is one example of a video that shares pond animal sounds.  You can check out additional music/nature connections in the YouTube playlist in the links section.

1. Go to the library and check out the new book shelf often. Read and reread what is being published today, especially in the area that you are aiming to write for. Type out the manuscripts that resonate with you.

2. Finish that first draft! This is advice I need to take--it's so easy to get distracted by a zillion other things and not put in the writing time. A first draft is not going to be close to perfect. But once it's down on paper, you have something you can improve.

3. Let your first draft marinate. Return to it a week later, or a month later, or three months later. You will have a fresh perspective and be able to see what is and is not working in your manuscript. 

4. Revision is your friend! Don't be afraid to dig deep and try a new approach.

5. It's easier to hear the music of your language when it is read aloud than when you are reading it in your head. Listen while someone else reads your words. Does the reader stumble in some places? Does the reader's emphasis and rhythm differ from what you imagined? Picture books are short, so aim to make every word sing.

YouTube playlist full of great videos about animal sounds and instruments, pond songs, pond as habitat and more!

​Pinterest board full of pond activities, music activities, and more.

What else lives in the pond (although they are silent)?  Snails!  For this episode, I'm sharing some superfun PBJ snails perfect for a pond picnic, a lunchbox or anytime you're wanting a little slow-down PBJ time.  Take it slow and easy and have PBJ snails and enjoy listening to pond sounds or your favorite music or whatever you'd like. Find the steps here.

Find out more about Buffy, her books, her writing and more by visiting her website.

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Buffy's publisher is offering one free copy of STARLIGHT SYMPHONY to a lucky winner. To be eligible, simply leave a comment below and you'll be entered into the drawing.  Comment between Sunday 9.15.24 and Wednesday 9.25.24 (11:59 PM EST).

Karen and I had a lovely conversation about so many topics because that is the nature of her work -- it encompasses so many areas, and so much thought goes into her work -- whether it's creating puppets and doing puppet shows, writing, illustrating, making music, interviewing and creating videos, creating teacher guides. . . .and yes, a bit of ALL of that finds its way into our conversation -- and into Karen's book. CALLIOPE KATE AND THE VOICE OF THE RIVER is part tall tale, part puppet show, and full of musical connections and local flavor.  Please don't miss this interview -- it is so rich and multi-faceted, as is Karen!

Part tall tale, part puppet show, part love letter to the river culture of Louisiana and full of musical connections, CALLIOPE KATE AND THE VOICE OF THE RIVER is as fun as a riverboat cruise on a Louisiana steamboat and just as full of local lore and flavor.  The author has a companion video on YouTube where she interviewed the calliope player for the Steamboat Natchez, and a wonderful teacher's guide that will help students write their own tall tale.  This book checks so many boxes and offers so much.  A perfect gift for the teacher in your life, your favorite Louisianan, a puppeteer (or a wannabe), a musician, or anyone who appreciates any of those things.  So much effort and heart went into creating all the layers that are evident in this book! Kudos to Karen!  Well-done!

Karen interviewed Debbie, the calliope player of the Natchez riverboat and created this video for us on PBJamz!  I encouraged her to make it available to everyone on YouTube, and she did!  Karen and I both thought it was so important that you were able to show your students (and/or learn yourself) what a calliope looks like, how it works and how someone plays it!  So fascinating!  Thanks, Debbie, and Karen for this lovely video that gives great insight into calliopes!

Language arts --

1. Read aloud (obviously) -- talk about dialect/apostrophes for omitted letters/compare with the full versions of the words.
2. Tall tales -- perfect to integrate into a tall tale unit as an example of a modern tall tale
3. This story began as a puppet show and the illustrations are puppets. Discuss how it could be done as a puppet show; maybe adapt it for puppet stage/performance
4. Research Czech marionettes or different kinds of marionettes. Do a report or share the information in some sort of project
5. Discuss character/characteristics
6. Great story for talking about plot or beginning, middle, end of stories.
7. Setting is also very important to this story. Find out more about the setting and how it influenced the book.

Art --

1. Create various types of puppets
2. Read aloud without the pictures and let students illustrate
3. Draw  or create 3D models of riverboats

Drama --

1. Perform Calliope Kate and the Voice of the River as a puppet show
2. REwrite and perform it at a readers theater
3. Listen to and Practice various dialects

Social studies

1. Mississippi River
2. Louisiana
3. Karen Konnerth's "Sense of Place" lessons are a great merging of language arts and social studies.
4. History of riverboats

Science

1. Hurricanes -- research, characteristics, compare historical hurricanes
2. How does a steam calliope work?
3. Riverboats -- how do they work; create a miniature working riverboat

Math

1. Story problems with characters from the story matching the level /mathematical areas of your students.
2. Weight/measurement
3. Wind speed and distance (hurricanes/boats)

Calliope music -- listen to variety (discuss history; how did the calliope music change over time?)
Compare calliope to keyboard to piano -- discover likenesses/differences

• How are they "powered" (where does the energy come from?)
• Does pitch work the same with each?  How is it similar or different?

Practice music skills with calliope music:  rhythm practice play-along, keep a steady beat, etc.
Integrate it into a study of New Orleans music
Listen and study to various styles of music that was found on riverboats.

1. READ as much as possible in the genre you want to write.
I particularly love to find authors and illustrators from other countries to observe the differing approaches, sensibilities, design concepts, and use of illustration media.


2. FIND INSPIRATION in the immediate world around you. Calliope Kate was inspired by a sound I often heard because of where I lived. Use all your senses to observe the world you live in.


3. BE AWARE of the age child you are writing for and write for that child - in word count, in concept, in page turn suspense, in potential connection to their life.

Pinterest board with additional activities about steamboats, calliopes, puppets, and more


YouTube playlist with calliope music, tall tale songs and characteristics and videos about puppetry, especially Czech marionettes

​Teachers' Guide "Sense of Place" compiled and composed by Karen Konnerth
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Well, they're not beignets, but these super simple peanut butter and jelly donuts would be a fun take that are an easy breakfast or snack for your favorite PBJ lovers.  You can check out the recipe at Typical Mom and make your own tasty PBJ donuts.  And, if you were to fix a cup of chicory coffee, you might convince yourself that you're at Cafe DuMonde. Put on some Dixieland jazz and let your tastebuds and your imagination do the rest! 

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Karen has offered a WINNER'S CHOICE prize!  The winner may choose from:
1. A copy of Calliope Kate
2. A virtual school visit
3. A picture book critique

To be eligible for the drawing, simply leave a comment below before Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST, and if you are the winner, we will contact you!  

Check out this super-fun series of Latin dance board books for your youngest learners (and all the others, too!  "Picture books/board books are for everyone!"). Each book shares some fun Latin dance moves AND another concept:
1,2,3 CUMBIA focuses on Cumbia moves and bodily consent and manners in both Spanish and English!
1,2,3 SALSA shares some salsa dance moves and counting in English and Spanish!
1,2,3 MERENGUE teaches a bit about merengue moves, as well as lots of info about the instruments you might hear in merengue.

Each book follows a similar format and shares information in English and Spanish. Great bilingual resources for kids learning English or Spanish, while also sharing other fun and age appropriate content about Latin dance and other concepts for young children.

While these are perfect for littles (families, preschools, daycare centers, they would also transfer very nicely into ESL classrooms in primary/elementary schools, and for dance or music classes in the early grades as well.

Since I'm featuring all three books, I like this musical piece to showcase Latin music in general.  It's a bit long (about 6 minutes), but engaging for kids.  It would be fun to let littles just dance to the music.  Of course, you could also point out the instruments as you go or you could give them accompaniment instruments like guiros or maracas and let them play along.  Lots of ways to use this piece, but if you don't like this one, I have lots of others featuring the various dance styles, the instruments, kid-friendly Latin(ish) dances, counting in Spanish songs and videos and more! Check those out on the YouTube playlist.

Mult-disciplinary topics for teaching/sharing these books (There are lots of specific ideas on the Pinterest board and YouTube playlist in the links section below. Be sure to check them out!)

• ELA
  • 1,2,3 CUMBIA -- rhyme and repetition
  • (all) Spanish vocabulary
  • 1,2,3 CUMBIA -- questions/statements/exclamations
  • 1,2,3 MERENGUE -- commands/imperative
  • 1,2,3 MERENGUE -- onomatopoeia (Special note:  Very interesting to note that onomatopoeia are not the same from language to language. Look at the differences in the Spanish vs. English onomatopoeia.  Discuss that with your group.)
• Math
  • 1,2,3 SALSA Counting in English and Spanish (Check out the YouTube playlist below for some fun videos to use)
  •  (all) Number patterns (In music and dance, we count in sets of 4 or 8, so simple number patterns make perfect sense.)
• Social Studies
  • Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Latin Dance
  • Geography (Mexico and South America)/maps
• Spanish (language)
  • Side-by-side English/Spanish for learning and comparing.
  • Key Spanish vocabulary related to these three concepts
• Art
  • Analyze the art: color/form/lines etc.
  • Integrate with math: Draw 1 ______________, 2_______________, 3_____________, etc.
  • Draw musical instruments (some activities on YouTube and Pinterest boards linked below)
• Dance
  • 3 latin dances: merengue, salsa, and cumbia
  • Steps for these dances
• Science
  • How sound is formed in percussion instruments (maracas, marimba, drums, guiro)
  • Make-your-own Latin American instrument (Lots of activities on Pinterest board)
  • Explore sounds on classroom instruments or  DIY instruments
• Health/PE
  • Body autonomy
  • Use of dance as fitness
  • Manners/asking polite questions (please, thank you, polite ways to say no, etc.)
  • Left/right (distinguishing/stepping side-side, etc.)
• See below for Music tips 

YouTube playlist with music, lessons, examples, songs, and more to go along with these board books.

Pinterest board full of fun activities for drawing, dancing, singing, learning, and more that relate to the 1,2,3 Latin dance books!

Since this episode is sharing lots of Spanish language, Latin dance and music, I thought it only fitting that we feature another Latina mom who is putting a Latin American spin on a PBJ experience.  I give you PBJ Quesadillas!!!!  What a wonderful idea and I'm sure super-tasty for breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your littles (and for you if you're a PBJ fan like me. :-)  Here's the link to this delicious recipe from Joyce of My Stay at Home Adventures. Be sure to check out her other content while you're there, leave her a comment if you love her idea and let her know you found it here on PBjamz!

Pop in on our in-progress conversation where we discuss how we became writers in the first place, our mutual benefit from the 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge with Julie Hedlund, and all about her precious picture book all about musical genres.  It's a great introduction for littles to learn 10 basic musical genres..  Eva is charming and so much fun to chat with! Pull up a chair!

BUSY LITTLE FINGERS: MUSIC by Eva Wong Nava and illustrated by Eleonora Marton and published by Big Picture Press is a musical gem for teachers and young people who enjoy music. Check out this fabulous nonfiction book that introduces littles to 10 different genres of music: classical, opera, jazz, soul, blues, folk, country, rock, pop, and hip-hop. Lyrical text, rich vocabulary, fun interactive elements, and bright colorful illustrations characterize this  one-of-a-kind book that is so full of musical content it belongs on every music teacher's shelf, and in every musical home.  It's a great introduction for students to get a little glimpse of these ten musical genres. Used in conjunction with the resources we share below, kids will receive ten little gifts of music as they learn vital musical concepts in a fun and engaging way.

In the YouTube playlist (in the links section) there are LOTS of songs and videos about different genres of music that would be great companions to this episode's book. I really like this one because it allows the students to hear the various genres, but it also asks them to clap along in appropriate ways. It's a wonderful way to keep children engaged, and it works on genres and rhythm simultaneously!  Win-win!

• The very first thing that comes to mind is features of text.  The text is used very artistically, but purposefully in this book. Often when we teach features of text, with headings and bold text and highlights, it is in magazine style format with business fonts, etc.  This, still a NF book, but it really takes artistic license with subject headings (each genre) and uses features of text in creative ways that would be fabulous to expose your students to. Here is a Pinterest board with lots of ideas for teaching nonfiction books and features of text.
• Onomatopoeia is sprinkled throughout the text. Here's a Pinterest board for Onomatopoeia.
  
  • Do a scavenger hunt for these fun sound words in the text. 
  • Find the onomatopoeia together and discuss
    
  • Ask them before opening the book, "If you had to write this sound (play or sing a sound for them), how would you write it down?"  Discuss and THEN go into the book and talk about how the author chose to spell out those sounds.
• Adjectives are prolific in this book, and are often in a different size font/separate from the main text. 
  • Do a scavenger hunt for adjectives. Discuss
  • Check the Pinterest board for activities with the adjectives
  • Charades
  • Pictionary/Win, Lose, or Draw activities
  • Find synonyms for the adjectives in the book. What other adjectives could the author have used?
• Types of sentences **Note: When teaching the types of sentences, there are at least 5 things you need to teach: 1. Identifying 2. Differentiating 3. Punctuating 4. Reading with correct inflection/expression 5. Writing each type. Obviously you can choose ONE of those to work with in this book, but sometimes teachers leave out one or more components, so please at some point in your teaching, make sure you teach students how to read and write these sentences -- not just sort and punctuate. Here's a Pinterest board to help.
  • The author has included both declarative (telling) sentences and interrogative (asking) sentences, as well as excited (exclamatory) sentences.
  • Write/type out a few examples and play a game using a 3 column chart with  each type of sentence as a column head. Discuss. How do you know it's ___. What were the clues. Read it aloud.
  • There are also some commands (imperative sentences).  How do you distinguish those?
  • After reading, highlighting various sentence types, have students write their own examples -- or challenge level:  write a paragraph using at least one of each kind.
• Vocabulary!!! Here's a Pinterest board with lots of ideas for teaching vocabulary.
  • This book is full of rich vocabulary!  Music words, robust adjectives, and more!  Don't let the excellent verbage of this book pass you by!  It's a great opportunity to enhance students' vocabulary.

Of course, there's also a ton of Social Studies you could teach using this book, specifically geography, music/culture and history, but other opportunities are sprinkled throughout the book, too. Pay attention to the countries/regions that are mentioned, plot them on a map or point them out on a globe. (Each student could have their own paper copy as you read and discuss the book.)

The obvious connections here are styles/genres of music. Of course, there are many ways you could do it.  

1. Use the book as a guide for a 12-week unit. Week 1 as an intro to musical genres and read the intro in the book.  Then for 10 weeks, tackle each genre, reading that section of the book, sharing examples of that genre, maybe talking about the key artists or time periods, etc. and then week 12, do a wrap-up: read the conclusion, do some genre reviews/games/quizzes, etc.
2. Use the book as one component of your lessons for 12 weeks, using the same basic format as above, but just as a little "genre segment" of your class so you can keep the other pieces of your lessons following whatever scope and sequence you need to follow.
3. Read the book in 2-5 class periods, dividing up the genres, with limited examples of each genre/style.

Of course, all of this depends on how your music classes are set up, how much time, what grades, etc. and how your grading periods are designed.  I have 6 classes a day with 45-minute class periods, and I teach K-2 students.   I would probably use option 1 or 2 for first and second grades, but probably more the second way with kindergarten.  Also, with kindergarten I would choose songs they are familiar with that have been done in many of these styles (Think Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Old MacDonald.) and focus on that way and give them lots of interaction. 

The way I have my classes set up is this:
Entrance (Quiet music playing) 1-2 minutes
Kids enter and sit according to a seating chart (Printed grid and I write their names in pencil so I can move them if it becomes an issue.)
Meditation/Character Education 5-ish minutes
Video of some sort teaching a character education skill  or a meditation video giving them a chance to breathe, concentrate, do a body scan, stretch/do some yoga, etc.
"CopyCat Game" 7-15 minutes
Sometimes these are teacher-directed; sometimes video driven, but it's 7-15 minutes of rhythm practice, body percussion, steady beat,  pitch/vocal exploration, etc.
Mini-lesson 15-ish minutes
This is where I share a big musical conept, read a book, do the big musical focus for the day.
Boogies and Byes 2-10 minutes
A fun dance/work-out video to get all the wiggles out before they go back to class.

Having said that, I could make this my mini-lesson for 10-12 weeks, or I could break it up over the whole class time, where everything relates (our copycat game would be relative to the genre we're focusing on that week and I would try to find a dance/workout video that related if possible as well, and the music playing as they enter could be that genre. It would also depend on if genres/musical styles is something specific in your curriculum. If it's not, probably not something you'd want to devote 12 weeks to. :-/ But I think it's great to give kids a little taste of various musical styles.  That being the case, I might would use it as a short segment each week outside of my main lesson.

That is what would work for me in my schedule, but it could be different for yours.
Check out the YouTube playlist for lots of other genre/musical styles videos that you could use in conjunction. 

I also use these playlists in my classroom for a couple of genres:
Jazz

Rap/HipHop

You can also go back and search for Rock in the PBJamz archive and there are some great playlists embedded there.

So many things to write about!

1. What is your favorite genre/style of music and why?
2. Is there one of the styles you don't know much about?  After reading that section, what questions do you have? What else would you like to learn?
3. Write about the genre you DON'T like and why.
4. Has there ever been a piece of music you didn't like the first time you heard it but you later learned to like it? Write about that experience.
5. The author says, "Music is all around you." Do you agree/disagree. Why?
6. When you think about classical music, what comes to your mind?  
7. Write about a classical music experience you had.
8. Listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons (or part of it) and write a story, poem or song inspired by your listening.
9. Have you ever been to an opera or listened to opera music?  If so, did you like it or not, and why?
10. Practice singing the scale on the opera pages.  Is it easier for you to sing low or high?  How did that exercise feel to you?
11. Listen to some jazz music by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis or John Coltrane and write about the experience. Do you like Jazz? Why or why not?
12. Join with a partner and write a "call and response" song. 
13. What do you think the author means when she says, "The world has soul."?
14. The Blues is made up of songs, often written when people are sad. Write about a time when you were sad OR write a sad story.
15. Folk is "music for the people" and every culture has their own folk music.  What country/group of people would you like to learn more about their culture and their music?  Why?  After you write down what you want to learn and why, look it up online or check out a book and learn!
16. Have you ever listened to country music or attended a barn dance or a hoedown? How did that music make you feel?  
17. Country music is all about everyday life. Write a song about something that happened to you today or this week.
18. If you had a rock and roll band, what would they be called? Describe their costumes/outfits.
19. Pop is short for popular music -- the music playing right now that everyone enjoys.  What is your favorite pop song or who is your favorite pop singer?
20. Have you ever tried rapping or beatboxing?  How did it feel?
21. The author says "Make some noise. Make some music." Do you think music and noise are the same or different?  Why?
22. Write about two friends who like two different kinds of music. What problems could happen?  How would they solve them?
23. Write about someone who only likes ONE kind of music, but finally they try a different kind -- and they LIKE it!
24. Write about a kid who likes different styles of music than their parents.
25. Write about an animal who only likes one genre of music. 

Keep making music and keep writing

YouTube playlist with lots of videos, songs, games and activities for musical genres.

Pinterest boardpin.it/37NRuDidw full of teaching activities, facts, graphic organizers, musical pieces, videos, and more to go beautifully with this book.

I thought since Eva gave us 10 musical genres, I could offer 10 PBJ tips.  While this isn't a recipe per se, Happy Healthy Mama gives 10 tips for making healthier PBJ sandwiches, and if your kid is a PBJ kid, or if you're a PBJ lover yourself, these tips may leave you singing for your supper or breakfast or lunch.  You'll be hitting the high notes of health while satisfying that PBJ craving!  Check out the tips here.

Photo credit: Rebecca Cresta

Check out Eva's links and book-buying options below:

Eva's website

To buy the book: https://evawongnava.com/busy-little-fingers-music/ 
FB 

Twitter/X

Instagram

Eva's Giveaway: a signed copy of the first edition of Busy Little Fingers Music. 
To be entered into the drawing, simply make a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on 7/17/24.

Becca and I are agent sisters, and when she reached out to all the Sweeney Siblings to see who might want an ARC to do a review, I was happy to read and review. (Hello, I need to be reading a plethora of PBs anyway, so I might as well review them and help out the author as well! You can do this, too!) But . . . when I read Grecia's story and how singing was a through line, I thought this would be an unusual, but perfect PBJamz book, so I invited her for a chat.  Join us as we talk about Grecia, her lovely book, the power of song, engineering and the journey of picture books.  ​

Becca McMurdie invites us to join her in Costa Rica in this lovely book about the cruelty -- and the kindness of humans.  It's a wonderful reminder that, while bad exists in the world, there is more than enough good to counteract it.  It's also a testament to the power of song to express all the emotions and all the things that happen to us.  And it does all that, plus help us learn about toucans and prosthetics -- wrapped up in a STEAM package full of engineering concepts and ideas.  This one is sweet, smart, and sciency in all the best ways! ​

Topics and activities: (*Be sure to check the links section for even more activities and ideas for teaching using this book!)
Social Studies: Costa Rica

• Geography
• wildlife
• culture
• music
• history
• Timelines

Science:

• Engineering
• 3D printing
• Beak purposes/adaptations/experiments
• Bird characteristics/body parts
• Ecosystem
• Importance of toucan's beak
• Different types of toucans
• Life cycle of toucans
• Toucans 
• Measurement/scientific drawing

Art

• So many toucan art projects!
• rainforest activities
• color exploration

Reading

• Strong verbs (Verb scavenger hunt, discussion of how the choice of verbs affect the story. "What other verb could the author have used?  How would that change the story?" etc.)
• Sequencing (life cycle, events in story, which came first,  timeline in back matter, etc,)
• Different meanings of the word "sang"/different connotations in the book

Math

• Measurement (beak drawings/pictures, creating/drawing beaks to certain measurements, etc.)
• Timeline/numberline connection
• Story problems using characters/info from the story for whatever content is appropriate for your students.

Musical connections:

• Rainforest songs
• Rainforest sounds
• Toucan sounds/variations of their "songs"
• Songs about toucans
• Rainforest rhythms
• Using and/or creating rainsticks
• Create rhythmic patterns/compose rhythms using the words "toucan" "beak" "avocado" "rainforest" etc.
• Discuss different meanings/examples of sing/sang. How we can use the word differently.  Grecia sang. The people sang for Grecia, etc.

1. Whenever a critique partner emails and asks you if you can look over a few MSs or a revision on short notice, because they just got a full request from an agent or an R&R from a publisher, always say yes! Even if you’re busy. Even if you have pressing deadlines for your day job, or your personal life is crazy. Just do it. Because trust me, karma is real, and when you get those same requests, you’ll need those favors in return! 

2. Let every rejection be an invite to keep writing. Keep going. You’re probably closer than you think. 

Here's a YouTube playlist full of fun songs, art activities, STEAM activities, and loads of info about toucans.


​Here's a PInterest board full of arts and crafts, info about Costa Rica, toucan facts, STEAM activities, and so much more!

Classroom guide from Page Street

What a cute book that takes naptime on a rockin' road trip tour!  Be a napping groupie for a meant-to-be PBJamz!  The perfect book for your budding rockstar, your non-napping little, your performer-in-training . . . the humorous word play and adult Easter eggs (rock'n'roll style) make this fun tome a perfect read for the whole family.  Besides the PBJamz mention, the playlist at the back is one of my favorite parts!  ;-)

Nothing like an oldie, but goodie. Everyone loves this old favorite that is mentioned right in the book.  This is a live performance by Bill Haley and His Comets from 1954. If you want to enjoy some additional musical Easter eggs from the book, check out the two playlists in the links section below. One has lots of music for teachers and families to use in conjunction with the book, and the other is a straight playlist of Jimmy's Jams. (Please be aware that Jimmy's Jams are the actual rock'n'roll songs, and not edited for language or content, so make sure that you preview songs to make sure they meet YOUR standards before sharing them with littles.)

ELA (English/Language arts) (**You can tell from the vocabulary  and the puns/word play used in this book that, while the character is VERY young, the vocabulary and the content will also appeal to older kids, and the comprehension involves deciphering multi-meaning words, so this books is excellent for primary/elementary for the content, while younger children will enjoy the read-alouds and will probably enjoy some of the humor.)

• Puns/word play!  They are dominant in this book.  There are many ways you could integrate this into your classroom.
  • Search for the examples; make a list
  • Write a paragraph about what the pun really means. (ie. When the author says Jimmy dropped a number two hit that left everyone gasping, what he really means is that Jimmy did a number two bathroom accident. He pooped.  It must have been a bad one based on the art on that page.  The yucky green color tells you it was terrible and the expressions on the other shoppers' faces verify that.) This is great for using text evidence, too.
  • Use a different topic (or the same one. . .) and try to create your own list of puns/word play.
• Use the writing prompts below for writing connections.
• Talk about how the illustrations support and enhance the text.
• Lots of rockin' vocabulary: 
  • star
  • righteous wail
  • reviews
  • rock
  • heavy metal
  • jam
  • grunge
  • rock opera
  • fan
  • show
  • on the road
  • solos
  • encores
  • ballads
  • superstar
  • number 2 hit
  • fame
  • life on the road
  • wardrobe
  • tune
  • washed-up
  • spinning out of control
  • wrong side of the law
  • graffiti
  • paparazzi
  • showtime
  • rock bottom
  • performance
  • classic hits
  • crowd
  • shredded
  • power chord
  • stage dive

Art

• Check the Pinterest board in the links section for lots of rockin' art projects related to the book.

Science

• STEM activity -- make a speaker or a microphone

Math

• Create story problems using characters/items from the book.
• Use the grocery store as a kick-off point and talk about money
• "Rock around the Clock" to tell time to the hour

#1.  Write in as many different ways as possible. We are creatures of habit, and many of us have one spot and one style when it comes to our writing, but different approaches use different parts of your brain. Write your story in pencil, draw it (stick figures are okay!) type it out, use voice to text. Write it forwards and backwards. You never know what part of your brain the answers are hiding in, so engage as much of it as possible. 

#2.  Read it aloud, and ask others to read it to you. Something that may sound great in your head may not match up when read aloud. Read your story aloud as you go, and once you feel it is in a good place, ask others to read it to you. Listen for places where they stumble, for what parts seem exciting to them. 
​
#3.  Use mentor text with post it notes. Write your story on post it notes, then stick them in your mentor text and read it aloud. I used Mustache Baby when writing Rock Stars Don't Nap. 

YouTube playlist "Jimmy's Jams" -- Warning:  Some songs contain language and adult content. Please preview before sharing with kids and especially before showing in a school setting.

YouTube playlist PBJamz: ROCK STARS DON'T NAP A list of songs and musical activities that go well with the book.  *These should be safe for school settings, but always preview before showing content to be sure it is appropriate for your context.

Pinterest board with images, videos, activities, etc. (I'll keep adding to this.)

The perfect snack for little rock'n'rollers  is a peanut butter and jelly roll-up. Rock up and roll up and eat up!  The recipe is here. Enjoy!

Website

Twitter/X

To purchase ROCK STARS DON'T NAP on Amazon



​For a giveaway, Jason has generously offered a critique of a humorous picture book manuscript to one lucky winner! Simply leave a comment below no later than 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, May 29, to be entered. For an extra entry, copy and paste the link for your Amazon review for ROCK STARS DON'T NAP. Let's try to help Jason get those 50 reviews!

This lovely little tome is a perfect gift for every piano lover in your world -- especially if they are also a music teacher!  It will have a special place on their shelf and in their hearts!  Pianos have feelings  -- and wishes . . . or at least if they did, this is maybe what it would be like.  Piano has a special friendship with Amy as she learns to play Piano. Eventually they make beautiful music together, but as she grows up and gets busy, Piano gets left behind.  Enter Rupert, the little brother. With his high energy and booger-covered fingers, Piano is not fond of the music they make together. What Piano didn't know was that their wish would come true in a most beautiful way.  I get a bit teary at the end every time I read it because it's so sweet and so perfect!

Since this song is loosely referenced in the text, it's a perfect companion. Kids will be captivated by the movement, but there are also some lovely musical elements to focus on here to use it as a teaching tool.  A great piece for calming kids down too, when they get wound up. Use it for deep breathing, stretching, or your favorite calming method. Just having students watch the mesmerizing video may help calm them down. Check the YouTube playlist coming in part 2 of the episode (links section) for more lovely piano music referenced in the book as well as more piano fun for kids.

The most obvious teaching topics for music class from this book are piano skills and activities and scales.  There are many ways to integrate those into class. Check out the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest board in the links section for other ideas and specific ways to use them. 

1. Practice scales on written keyboard worksheets or whiteboards
2. Label piano worksheets or fun labeling activities.
3. Sing scales or play scales.
4. Introduce Solfege and hand signs

You can also pull out music mentioned in the book and do activities with the musical pieces/composers:

1. Beethoven (Moonlight Sonata, Ode to Joy)
2. Ellington (Daydreams)

​The book also mentions adagios and boogie-woogies, so that would be another direction you could go.

There is also lots of musical vocabulary:

1. scales
2. adagios
3. boogie-woogie
4. sharps
5. flats
6. melodies
7. keyboard
8. keys
9. notes
10. strings

Another direction you could go using this book is to talk about careers in music represented in this book:
Piano teacher
Piano tuner
Elementary music teacher
(Those are specifically mentioned, but you could use it to talk about other careers in music as well.)

Pinterest board with piano lessons, motivational thoughts, etc.

YouTube playlist full of piano pieces, lessons, teaching activities and lots more.

MY PIANO by Jen Fier Jasinski is a perfect companion book to this one.  You can find the PBJamz episode here
*Be sure to check out the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest boards for that episode too, since there are lots of crossovers.

Peanut butter and jelly cheesecake bars are delicious enough to help you or your young one power through the most grueling piano practice session, but elegant enough to serve at a celebratory recital -- or anything in between.  Protein, tanginess, sweetness -- these bars have it all.  Wanna make some of your own?  Find the recipe here.

Below, find all of Colleen's socials and contact info.
If you'd like to purchase PIANO WANTS TO PLAY,  here's the Amazon link, but if you have an indie bookstore nearby, we'd love for you to purchase from them.
Website: https://ckongsavage.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kongsavage/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kongsavage.bsky.social

Colleen has kindly offered a copy of PIANO WANTS TO PLAY along with some SWAG and a signed bookplate to one lucky winner!  To be entered, simply leave a comment below.