LISTEN w/Shannon Stocker

Congratulations Christal Benton!  You are the winner of a signed copy of BARNYARD BOOGIE by Tim McCanna.  Tim, thanks for your generosity and thanks to all the commenters, readers and watchers for your support of PBJamz

Interview with Shannon Stocker, author of LISTEN 

Shannon and I talk music, publishing, writing process, the amazing musicality and humanity of Evelyn Glennie, next steps, upcoming books, and more!  Shannon is a gracious woman of strength and vitality who pours heart and soul into her books.  Check out the chat below!

Listen: ​How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion

The illustrations send an invitation that the text enhances.  If you accept the invitation, prepare to be amazed and charmed.  This book is beautiful in every sense of the word!  The subject matter is intriguing and diverse.  The illustrations are welcoming, colorful and expansive.  The language is lyrical, cohesive, and enlightening.  If you are looking for a book full of science, music, heart, strength, and so much more, this is one for you!  If you want to take it a step further, check out the youtube playlist in the links section and watch Evelyn Glennie in action. Utterly amazing. Start to finish. 

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Normally, I choose a little ditty that teachers can use in class in conjunction with the book and that kids will find engaging.  This episode, I've chosen slightly differently.  Firstly, of course, I was intrigued by "Peanut Butter Jam". As I began listening, I was further intrigued that Evelyn took the time to respond to a group of students who had written simple compositions.  That touches me.  Beyond that, this is a mini-master class in percussion.  It would be fabulous to use it as a precursor to a "found sound" music lesson, perfect for beginning percussionists in primary/elementary school to begin thinking about/paying attention to the various components of drumming (sticks/mallets/striking instruments, parts of the drum, dampeners, and so much more.  Lots of food for thought here.  Very cool!  I think kids would respond well to this and it gives them permission to play in some unusual ways and using some unusual items.  If this is not your jam ;-), there are lots more songs in the YouTube playlist in the links section. I'm sure you'll find at least one that will be appropriate for your setting!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

• Great science connection (2nd grade in many places) **Wonderful collaboration opportunity with your music teacher . . .
  • How sound is formed
  • How our ears hear
  • Pitch/vibration
  • Sound waves
• Listening skills/activities
• Sensory activities
  • Barefoot experience
  • sensory garden/pathway/experience
  • Sensory poems
• Poetic devices in the book
  • Internal rhyme
  • rhythm
  • onomatopoeia
  • alliteration
  • etc.
• Timelines
• Social studies connection -- Scotland
• Women's History

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

So much you could teach, using this book as a springboard.  Here are some broad categories with a few ideas.  There are more ideas on the YouTube playlists and the Pinterest board.

1. Percussion as an instrument family
   1. What makes it percussion?
   2. How is percussion played?  
   3. What vibrates?
   4. Different instruments
2. Women in percussion
3. How sound is created/heard
   1. Vibration
   2. Sound waves
   3. pitch
   4. process of hearing (traditionally)
4. Deaf musicians
5. Scottish musicians
6. Percussion around the world
7. Rhythms/how they work together
8. Exploratory lesson on various materials and how they affect sound
9. A lesson/unit on creating your own percussion instrument
10. Lesson/unit on feeling vibrations (Noise-canceling headphones)  Where do you feel various sounds in your body?
11. Evelyn Glennie as a musician -- her life, her music . . 
12. Developing deep listening skills
13. Compare traditional drums of various cultures by sound, playing method, material, design, etc.
14. Onomatopoeia for music words/sounds

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

• Write about how we "hear".  Contrast that with how Evelyn Glennie "hears".
• Evelyn Glennie usually plays music barefoot.  Write about how going barefoot helps her "hear" better.
• Write about something you like to do barefoot.
• If you lost your sense of hearing, what do you think you would miss the most, and why?
• If you had to give up one of your senses, which one would you choose, and why?
• Spend one hour barefoot and write about the experience.
• Watch one of Evelyn's performances and write a poem based on her performance.
• Write a fictional story about a drum and someone who cannot hear in the traditional sense.
• Interview someone who does use sign language about the differences in spoken language and sign language.
• Which is your favorite percussion instrument and why?
• Watch the video above and choose a phrase/line/sentence or word that Evelyn shares and write about that.
• Write about a time in your life when you faced a really big change.  What was it? What made it hard?  How did you handle it?  What did it teach you?
• Evelyn Glennie shattered some "glass ceilings".  Write about that and how it inspires you to make even more changes in our world.  What changes? Why? How could you go about making them? 
• Evelyn Glennie is from Scotland.  Research Scotland and write about the most fascinating fact you discover about Scotland.
• What is your favorite part of the book LISTEN and why?
• Why do you think the author titled the book LISTEN when it is about a deaf woman?
• Read the author's note and write about why you think Shannon Stocker was the right person to write this story about Evelyn Glennie.
• If you could play any percussion instrument, which would you play and why?
• Write a story about a percussion instrument that gets used in a way that is non-musical.  

Writing Tips from Shannon Stocker

1) I know everyone says this…but BUTT. IN. CHAIR. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled with writer’s block because if I force myself to sit and type, eventually something will come out that I like. If you don’t know what to write, jot down foods that you like. Go to Walmart and then come back and describe people you saw…maybe even make up histories for them. Describe animals that you love, and pair them together with other unlikely critters. Just TYPE. 

2) Join SCBWI. And if you write picture books, join 12x12. Even if it’s not January, do StoryStorm. Follow other writers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Immerse yourself in the community. It’s a good one. :-)

3) Last (but DEFINITELY not least)…get critique partners (CPs). I cannot tell you how important this is. If you’re a beginning writer, don’t expect to join a group of established writers—find other newbies who have the same determination that you do, and ask them to exchange work with you. Private Facebook groups or group emails can work well for this. I know that may sound like it doesn’t make sense, but I promise it does. All my critique partners and I started off green and grew together. Those who were less serious eventually dropped out, while others would join along the way. You have to start somewhere, so open yourself up to forming new friendships and allow yourself to be vulnerable. When you find someone whose comments resonate with you, hold on tight! A good critique partner is GOLD. I feel so incredibly blessed to have as many as I do. And now, several years later, they are all so much more than critique partners. They are cheerleaders, therapists, and friends. They are family.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist (focused on Evelyn Glennie and LISTEN)
Pinterest board (focused on Evelyn Glennie and LISTEN -- photos, videos, activities)
Pinterest board (Sound Science -- focused on science activities for how sound is produced, how it travels, and how we hear)
​Pinterest board (focused on the percussion family of instruments.)
https://musiclibrarybox.com/subscription-box-blog/listen
​

 PBJamz Snack -- PB&J Hand Pies

​

When I think about hand pies, I think of life "across the pond". Whether that's a reality or a stereotyped fantasy, I have no idea.  Scotland is on my bucket list, and I hope one day to be able to eat some authentic Scottish food.  In the meantime, I thought these hand pies to be the perfect accompaniment to this episode of Evelyn Glennie and the book LISTEN -- for a lot of reasons. 1.  Much percussion is played with hands, and so a hand-held treat seems apropos.  2.  There's the whole "across the pond" hand pie perceived connection. 3.  Evelyn Glennie was definitely "out of the box" and this qualifies as an "out of the box" idea for PB&J. Anyway, this is how this bizarre little brain works.  So, however I got here, I think this is a perfect recipe to share with you this week, and I hope if you give it a try, you'll give a shoutout to Heather Baird over at Sprinklebakes.com.  That's where I found this recipe, so head on over there and give them a try: ​https://www.sprinklebakes.com/2017/08/peanut-butter-and-jelly-hand-pies.html If you do, let me know in the comments how they were!  They look amazing and delicious and all the things you want the perfect PBJ snack to be!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Shannon is graciously giving away a copy of LISTEN. She will send a personalized bookplate sticker for the winner. You are eligible to win if you comment below.  Winner will be drawn no later than Thursday, Feb. 2, and will be announced on the next blogpost and on Twitter!

Here are links to purchase LISTEN:
​AMAZON link
​Carmichael's link
Barnes & Noble link

Shannon's socials/contacts:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
​
An interview with Shannon 

​Evelyn Glennie's website