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Spotlighting
picture books (PB)
with
musical hooks (Jamz)

PBJamz!

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SONG AFTER SONG: THE MUSICAL LIFE OF JULIE ANDREWS

9/14/2023

Congratulations, Jany Campana! You are the winner of a prize pack from Molly Ruttan! You'll receive a copy of the beautiful book and some super-fun swag to go with the awesome, wild book! I know you'll enjoy the prize! Thanks, Molly, for your generosity and thanks, Jany, for your support of PBJamz!

A Musical, Writerly discussion with Julie Hedlund

Come join Julie Hedlund and me as we have a fun conversation about the power of music, the power of revision, and the power of perseverance. We chat about the writing process and the musical connections, as well as a sneak peek at what's coming next for Julie Hedlund. If you're a Julie Andrews fan or a Julie Hedlund fan, you do not want to miss this conversation!

SONG AFTER SONG: THE MUSICAL LIFE OF JULIE ANDREWS

From the opening spread to the last lines, Julie Hedlund weaves a musical story of a musical life. Word after word, line after line, page after page she spins a web of story, capturing Andrews' struggles and triumphs in beautiful language that matches Julie Andrews' beautiful voice and indomitable spirit. The illustrator, Ilaria Urbinati, adds beautiful strands that complement the story! Shiny silhouettes and a reflective "undies" illustration are just two of the artistic highlights in this gorgeous book! As a fan, I found myself with tears in my eyes in a couple places, and closed the book with even more love and appreciation for Julie Andrews and her phenomenal and multi-stranded career.
Author: Julie Hedlund
Illustrator: Ilaria Urbinati
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Publication Date: September 5, 2023

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Since PBJamz is all about musical connections, I think this is the perfect music video to feature! It's a wonderful video for music teachers to use to integrate pitch, solfege, and would also work beautifully to use with bells, boomwhackers or other color coded instruments for young students. If this one isn't what you need there are lots more videos on the YouTube playlist -- performances, movie music, music activities, and more. Peruse the list and I'm sure you'll find something suitable for your situation.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

I've been using this book in my music classroom this week. The kids have enjoyed learning about her. and there are lots of follow-up ideas/topics/lessons you could teach from this book. I'll highlight a few here, and there are more on the Pinterest board in the links section, and in the YouTube playlist as well.

There are other biographies about Julie Andrews, so it would be interesting to compare the styles of writing OR the information they chose to include or not.
Julie has written a number of books in conjunction with her daughter, so it would be a prime opportunity to do an author study on Julie and Emma.
They have written a series surrounding a "very fairy princess", so that would be another avenue to study.
You also could do an author study on Julie Hedlund, the author of this book and 3 others : read, compare, discuss, etc.
A life study of Julie Andrews would be perfect for any time, but especially for March (Women's History Month) or October (her birthday month).
Social studies connections:
- England
  - (specifically maybe the differences in village life and London life -- Chim Chim Cheree would be a good musical/movie tie-in for this)
  - The book mentions singing for the Queen of England, so that's a great tidbit you could explore more in lots of different ways. In that performance, Julie sang the English national anthem, which would be a possibility for further study too.
- World War II (Bombing, using underground train stations as bomb shelters, etc)
- Languages (This discussion came up in my music class when I showed a clip of her singing at 12 in French "Why can't we hear what she's saying?" Most kids don't really understand languages and why they are different. Dialects would be another possible discussion.
- History of photography, film, movies, etc. -- early photos/videos in black and white -- why? (This question also came up in my music classes this week).
Math connections
- Timeline (back matter) -- Crossover with Social Studies
- Story problems with timeline and facts in the book. (ie. If Julie Andrews was born in 1935, what year was it when she sang with Ted. What year did she sing for the Queen? How long was it from the time she sang for the first time until she sang for the last time? etc. . . .
Arts
- Differences in on-stage and onscreen
- Various roles of Julie
- The music of Julie Andrews
SEL
- Accepting responsibility at a young age
- Using music to deal with big feelings
- Difficulties of war
- Challenges of separated parents
ELA
- Timelines (Crossover with Social Studies and Math) a feature of text in NF -- part of backmatter
- Author techniques
  - Repetition
  - Alliteration
  - Lyrical language
  - Figurative language (similes, metaphors, personification, etc.)
- Discuss features of the art -- how does it help convey meaning? What details are left out by the author and supplied by the illustrator? What details in the text are supported by the illustrator?
- There are lots of forms of several verbs in this book, particularly sing (sings, sang, singing, song, etc.), so it would provide lots of practice with tenses and verb conjugation. Also, in the timeline the verbs are all in present tense, while in the book most of them are past tense, so it's an opportunity to compare the two tenses and when you would use each.
- strum(med) and hum(med) would provide an opportunity to point out doubling consonants in short vowel words that end with one consonant.
- voice voices vocal would be an opportunity to talk about roots and how to look for familiar parts of words -- maybe create a list of related words voice, voices, voiced, voicing, etc. (also the fact that voice can be a noun or a verb)
- The book is full of music vocabulary and other rich vocabulary which could extend students' working lexicon.
Science
- Vocal chords and how they work
- Pitch (highness and lowness of sounds)

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Survey of Julie Andrews' vocal performances (My students have been fascinated by her operatic performance when she was 12, and have loved the Spoonful of Sugar snippet from Mary Poppins.) There are so many amazing musical performances you could choose. She sang with so many artists, too, The sky is the limit for this one. Check out the YouTube playlist to start.
Pitch -- Lots of ways you could feature pitch. The video clip with her singing at 12yo in operatic style is full of pitch variation. You could also use DoReMi for pitch exploration.
The video featured above has color coded pitch changes which would pair beautifully with using Boomwhackers or bells. (I also added color-coded dots to correlate on my piano, keyboard and barred instruments to add variety and give more students opportunities to play.)
Solfege is a natural fit with Do-Re-Mi as well. There's a video in the YouTube playlist that has the solfege signs along with that song which works really well, and I really like it because it has the lyrics with the different spellings of ie re vs ray, etc. I think it's good for students to be able to see different ways those sounds can be spelled as well.
You could do a whole spin-off lesson or even a unit on Kites. You could play Let's Go Fly a Kite, and do all sorts of fun musical things with that song. Easily create kite vocal exploration posters or slides following the path of the kite. You could use kites visually to represent a measure with 4 beats in the 4 sections of the kites or create a fun music center where students match tails to the kite (note names, note values, solfege,etc, -- anything you could create a matching game. There are lots of kite ideas on the Pinterest board. It would be a great partner unit with the art teacher so they could make beautiful artistic kites. (Or with a science/STEAM teacher to make kites that really fly. Fabulous interdisciplinary unit!
The book is full of musical vocabulary that you could pull for a word wall, do a musical word study, reinforce vocabulary that you've taught, etc.:
- melody
- timbre
- music
- rhythm
- whistle
- symphony
- piano
- hum (med)
- sang
- voice
- singer
- harmony
- steady
- staccato
- guitar
- strum(med)
- sing
- practiced
- singing
- note
- scales
- vocal
- songs
- stage
- audience
- applause
- spotlight
- concert halls
- accolades
- programs
- performances
- measure
- variety show
- crescendo

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write about a time you had to give up something that was important to you. How did that make you feel? How did you deal with it?
The author says that Julie used singing to express all the emotions that she had. What do you do to express big or hard emotions? How do you handle those big feelings?
Julie's mother played piano, Ted played guitar and Julie sang. If you could choose one of those talents, which would you choose, and why?
Julie's family was in danger during WWII during the bombings. Have you ever been in danger? What did you do and where did you go to stay safe?
Listen to at least 5 of Julie's songs. Write about which one was your favorite and why you liked it the best.
Use the title SONG AFTER SONG and write your own story that matches that title.
The beginning and ending line are almost the same. Write a poem or a story where the beginning line and the ending line are the same.
Read the first line (first spread) of the book. It tells you a lot about Julie and where she grew up. If someone was writing your biography, what would the first line be? Make it as beautiful and full of detail as you can.
Julie didn't enjoy singing until she changed teachers. Has there ever been something you didn't love and later you learned to love it? What made the difference for you?
Julie's vocal teacher taught her lots of important things. Write a letter to a teacher who made a big difference for you or taught you some really important things.
Write a letter from Julie to her vocal teacher, Madame Lillian.
Write an acrostic poem using Julie's name and writing things you learned about Julie for each letter.
Have you ever performed on stage for an audience? How did it make you feel? Would you want to do it again? Why or Why not?
What does it mean when it says she wrapped her voice around the world like a hug?

Writing Tips from Julie

Three tips for aspiring writers:

1. READ way more picture books than you think you need to. Make sure most of them were published within the last 5 years so you'll understand the modern market for picture books. Certainly read the kind of books you want to write, but read beyond that, too. I only decided I wanted to write a PB biography after I read a bunch and fell in love with them.

2. WRITE way more picture books than you want to. (Notice the subtle change in the advice there?) Most beginners have an idea or maybe two that they're passionate about getting published, but the truth is, you have to write a LOT in order to get good enough to get published in today's market. And it's not enough to be working on the same 1 or 2 manuscripts (trust me, I've been there). The whole reason I started the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge is because I knew I needed to write lots more to find my voice and build a body of work.

3. FIND a writing community. Preferably one with other picture book creators. Nobody publishes books alone. You need people in your corner who can give you objective critiques of your work and know what the writing life is like. They'll be the ones to celebrate your successes and lift you up when the going gets tough. I'm going to squeeze in a 4th tip here too, which is to PERSEVERE. You WILL get published if you don't give up and have patience and joy in the process. A writing community helps immensely to keep things fun and joyful.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of great music, performances, music activities, and more.

Pinterest board with many activities, music, and tons of teaching ideas and fun connections.

PBJamz Snack

For a PBJ snack as sweet, delectable, rich, and full of complexity as Julie Andrews' voice, talent, personality, and career, look no further than this decadent salty-sweet treat, which will look equally at home at the tea table and in the school lunchbox. Give it a try and find lots of other great recipes at www.shugarysweet.com

Guest Links and Giveaways

Website
12 x 12 website
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok

Simon and Schuster link for SONG AFTER SONG

To purchase SONG AFTER SONG:
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

To order signed copies of SONG AFTER SONG:
https://shop.secondstartotherightbooks.com/personalized-pre-order-song-after-song-musical-life-julie-andrews

7 Comments

SOMETHING WILD by Molly Ruttan

9/2/2023

1 Comment

A "wild" conversation with Molly

Join Molly and me as we discuss inspiration, process, and lots of music. Stage fright and other wild things that can build resilience if we let them. Such a great conversation full of fun and inspiration!

SOMETHING WILD by Molly Ruttan

This book is so beautiful and full of heart. If you've ever struggled with stage fright -- or really any fear or need to build some resilience, this book is for you. If your child or student has ever struggled with the "what-ifs" this book is for them. The illustrations are whimsical and full of beauty and the pacing is just right to leave you feeling fully satisfied at the end of the story. Molly's words and pictures come together to create something beautifully wonderfully wild!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

I'm featuring here a young girl on violin to match the protagonist in SOMETHING WILD. However, there are other videos on the YouTube playlist that focus on the violin as an instrument, discuss stage fright, or long violin videos for ambience. There are also additional child-performances on violin as well, so there is plenty to choose from if this jam is not what you're looking for to go along with this precious book.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

SOMETHING WILD is a perfect book to use in the music classroom or the regular classroom. If you are working with kids , this is a great book. It's fabulous for dealing with stage fright -- whether that's reading in front of the class, being on a little stage or a big one. Here are some other ways to use it in the classroom:

Wild changes meaning from the beginning to the end. At least the connotation changes, which makes for great discussion fodder.
- Did something wild happen? Were the results what she expected? How did it change from beginning to end.
Since it is a very musical book, this would be a great opportunity to collaborate with the music teacher on a unit about the violin or the string family.
- Sound study in science -- strings, vibration, sound formation, etc.
- Violin -- reading comprehension (Pinterest board has an example)
Molly Ruttan was the author and the illustrator, so compare the illustrations with the text. Discuss how they interact.
Author/illustrator study on Molly Ruttan. Check her website for other books she wrote, as well as ones she illustrated.
Molly has a great musical bio page. Discuss why she may have written this book based on that.
Do a character study of Hannah, the protagonist. Inside/outside characteristics would make sense for this one. (Pinterest board has some examples)
Find examples of how the author showed Hannah's feelings, instead of just telling us

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

This book, SOMETHING WILD, is a music teacher's dream, as it deals with something every performer usually struggles with at some point -- stage fright. The young protagonist learns one way to deal with it. Molly and I talk about some additional ways in our conversation. I also linked up some additional helpful videos on pushing through stage fright in the YouTube playlist. The book is a great segue to talking about performances, audiences, stage fright and other performance related ideas. I'm planning to read this book to each grade level this year just before their performance to help them get rid of their jitters.

However, you might prefer to focus on the violin aspect of this book, and so, on the playlist I've included lots of violin music, as well as videos that introduce the violin and teach young students about it. You could extend that to discussing the string family (In that case, I'd recommend you use this YouTube playlist.

Three main topics accessible through this book are:

Stage fright/what-ifs/performance jitters
Violin
String family

You also could talk about the author, Molly Ruttan. She is author, illustrator, but also a musician in her own right. We talk about stage fright in our interview above, so you might wish to isolate parts of our conversation to share with your students. You can also access Molly's webpage, where she has a page that shares her musical journey, including her battle with stage fright. You can access that page here.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write about a time you experienced stage fright.
Write about how the word "wild" changed in this book from beginning to end.
Write about how the pictures in this book help you understand the story better.
Write a compare/contrast with you and Hannah. How are you alike? different?
Write about a time you were afraid of something, but it turned out better than you thought it would.
Write about something you love to do. How does it make you feel. See if you can show, instead of tell.
How did Hannah feel about playing the violin? How do we know?
Write a factual report on the violin. Write everything you know or can find out about the violin.
What do the last two pictures tell us that are not in the text.
When Hannah is on stage, the text says something wild happened. By using the text and pictures, what happened?

Writing Tips from Molly

Here are some additional thoughts that have really helped me in profound ways, so I am passing them on to you!

1. It’s never too late! You never retire from being an artist, of any kind.
2. Use your emotions and anxieties to inspire new ideas.
3. Don’t underestimate the power of visualization.
4. Create or join a kid lit group such as a critique and/or writing group. No one can see your light if you keep it hidden - not even you!

Also join SCBWI, and participate.
Also, my favorite quote from Maya Angelou (for books and life):
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said; people will forget what you did; but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

And a fun quote from Albert Einstein:
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board full of character analysis, violin activities, videos, and more
Molly's musical bio page
Coloring pages to go along with SOMETHING WILD
YouTube playlist, full of kids playing violin, stage fright videos, violin info, ambient music, practice tips, etc.
Check out this episode of PBJamz for resources for the string family specifically if you'd like to dig into that more.

PBJamz Snack

Since Hannah and her family are eating pizza after the recital, this is the perfect recipe to share to go along with this book! PBJ Sugar Cookie Pizza! I can't imagine a more delicious dessert after a stressful, wild, and wonderful recital! You can find the recipe here and make your own PBJ pizza -- post-recital, after school, or any time.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Molly Ruttan's website
Instagram www.instagram.com/mollyillo/
FB www.facebook.com/mollyruttanillustration
Twitter/X twitter.com/molly_ruttan

Molly has graciously offered a SOMETHING WILD prize pack with a copy of the book and some awesome swag! To be entered for the giveaway, leave a comment below by Wednesday, Sept 13 at 11:59 PM EST.

Be sure to leave a review (Amazon, GoodReads, B&N) if you enjoy her book, share on socials, pass your recommendation on to others who might enjoy the book, follow her on social mediam put in a library request, etc.!

1 Comment

FRACTURED: FAIRY TALES REMIXED by Tara Trudel

8/19/2023

6 Comments

Congratulations to Nadia Ali! You are the winner of a copy of C is for CARNIVAL! by Yolanda Marshall. Thanks for supporting PBJamz!

A musical, literary, teaching discussion full of fun with Tara Trudel

Conversations with Tara are always a load of fun -- in part because we have lots in common. I'm so excited to share this interview surrounding her first full-length album for kids: FRACTURED: FAIRY TALES REMIXED. I love how she used the musical term in the title "remix" which is what they call it when they do a new version of something usually mixed with the old -- new tempo, new genre, new instrumentation over an old base. And that's exactly what fractured fairy tales do as well: take familiar characters, problems, plots, and overlay them with new settings, new points of view, new questions, unknown bits about the characters. We see it often in picture books, so this album is a perfect complement to many of the fractured fairy tale books widely available. It also makes this album extremely versatile: perfect for story time, classroom, bedtime read-alouds, the music classroom and more! It is such. a. fun. album! Which song is her favorite? How did revision create a stronger album? What connections are there between writing songs and writing stories? Listen up! Then check out all the links, resources, reading, writing, teaching and musicking tips, writing prompts and more below. Be sure to leave a comment ON THIS BLOG POST by Aug. 30 at 11:59 PM EST to be entered in the drawing for a brand new book by Jessica Kulekjian, illustrated by Zoe Si, with another fun song by Tara Trudel.

Fractured: Fairy Tales REmixed by Tara Trudel

This delightful album for kids is sure to create some curiosity, spark some questions, and inspire some stories in kids and adults of all ages. It's a great complement to many fractured fairy tale stories and books that are available, and creates perfect opportunities for anyone to create their own version of some of these stories, to consider alternate points-of-view, to compare and contrast characters and plot, and lots more! Tara has found clever ways to re-explore these familiar stories and characters. Check out the YouTube playlist and the Pinterest board for lots of resources to help you use this book with your homeschool, story time, classroom, music class, summer camp, and so much more. Also, links below for where to listen to the full album and to enjoy Tara's other music as well. There are some real earworms on the album, too. So don't be surprised if you find yourself singing some of these refrains over and over in your mind. For me, "once upon a time -- whoo-oo" keeps replaying. Let us know in the comments which song or phrase stood out to you.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Not only is this the opener for the album that sets the stage -- literally. It's also the earworm that has been replaying in my head. (Consider yourself forewarned ;-)). It's perfect for the classroom, great for a discussion about whether or not narrators are reliable, point of view, and what questions do storytellers leave unanswered. It also reinforces some of the hallmarks of fairy tales with "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after" Parents, your kiddos are going to want to put this one on repeat. But don't stop here. . . go enjoy the whole album.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

First of all, this album is a MUST if you are doing a unit on fairy tales!
Overall the album can be used to teach and/or reinforce the characteristics of fairy tales.
It can also help with character analysis.
Teaching point of view and how to look at things from various characters POV.
Creating empathy for characters who have been maligned (transferable to creating empathy. period.)
Helping students understand that there is more than one way of telling a story.
This would make a fabulous anchor piece for a unit of study on fairy tales. If I were using it in a classroom, I would pull a selection of books for each song. Read/ask questions of the characters, analyze them, "interview" them, read various versions from various points of view, maybe vote on which version does the best job presenting the "truth" or a "balanced" approach. Listen, read, talk, find text evidence.
It would be super fun to have several groups and hold mock trials for the wolf, the witch, the stepmother, etc. and the "lawyers" must use text evidence to clear or convict their assigned character. The class would become the jury. Lots of content in that project, and it would be fun for the kids.
Compare/contrast THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG, "Little and Good" and other versions to determine which is the most fun, most believable, most difficult to believe, etc.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

I wish I'd had this album last year, as it would have fit in beautifully with my yearly theme in the music room: Nursery Rhymes, Folk Tales, and Fairy Tales. I planned lots of lessons, programs, and activities around this theme throughout the year. This album would have been a perfect addition. (See the links section for some of the pieces I used for lessons and programming for my programs and last year's theme.)

Magic Mirror song would be fun to give kids safety mirrors (unbreakable) and let them design a creative routine to go with. You could even make mirrors with aluminum foil and cardstock, etc. (check the Pinterest board)
"What's the Story" -- strong rhythm! Great for steady beat exercises, discussions/practice of beat vs. rhythm
"Little and Good" -- great percussion song -- Create a simple bucket drum routine, cardio drumming, body percussion, percussion play-along. One thing I did for my program was assigned each row a different instrument and a different rhythm so that we could all play along at once without having to remember where to start/stop, etc. You could do that same thing with this song. One group could have steady beat on one instrument. Another group, different instrument straight eighth notes. Another group ti-ti- ta, ti-ti ta, etc.
"The People in the Town" -- fun hip-hop beat. Let students design their own dance routine (individually or in groups).
"Fairy Godmother" would make a really sweet scarf routine (Either you design or let the kids freestyle or give them a few minutes each week for 3-4 weeks and then everyone performs either simultaneously or individually or you can have groups design a routine). You also could make magic wands and let them use them as props or give each student one rhythm stick and a partner. They could use their one stick as a magic wand and decide on places in the song where they would tap their sticks together in various rhythms to match the song.
"Not a Villain Song" -- strong beat, "girl power" "strong/powerful vs. evil" Could be a good percussion or rhythm piece or would be fun to create a dance routine or use some fun props for movement activities.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

So many writing opportunities:

Write a letter to a fairy tale character
Write a report about the elements/characteristics of a fairy tale.
Write a comparison between two versions of a fairy tale.
Rewrite the ending of a fairy tale.
Blend two fairy tales.
Write a fairy tale where the roles are reversed (ie. there's a prince in distress and a brave peasant girl rescues him, etc.)
Make a list of questions you could ask a magic mirror besides who's the fairest of them all.
If you were the fairy godmother, write about 3 wishes you'd like to have come true and why.
Rewrite Little Red Riding Hood with a wolf who is "little and good" in a big bad world.
Write a recipe/how-to guide for a poisoned apple or a gingerbread cottage.
Complete a fairy tale "roll-a-story" (Here's a free version on Teachers Pay Teachers. There are lots more online or you can create your own.
Write a poem called "Once upon a time" or "Happily Ever After"
Change the word happily to another adverb and write a fairy tale with this ending.
My Favorite fairy tale is _________________ because. . . . .
Do you like fairy tales? Why/why not?
If you could be any fairy tale character, who would you choose to be and why?

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist PBJamz Fractured Fairy Tales Remixed
YouTube playlist I used for my second grade program "Happily Ever AFter" -- full of fairy tale connections you could use in conjunction with stories and Tara's album for music lessons, programs or more.
YouTube playlist I used for first grade's program "A Tale of Threes" -- these are songs about the number three, the Three Bears, the Three Billy Goats Gruff,
The Three Little Pigs, Three Blind Mice, etc.
Pinterest Board: PBJAMZ FRACTURED FAIRY TALES REMIXED
Pinterest Board: Fairy Tales
Pinterest Board: Music Fairy Tales (songs and music activities related to fairy tales)

PBJamz Snack --

Well, if we're talking fairy tales, there's gotta be an apple, right? Check out this tasty lower-in-carbs PBJ snack. This one is for sure not poisonous! So you can enjoy it without worrying about being put into a glass case or being gawked at by seven dwarves. Get the recipe here or use your imagination ;-) Find lots more sweet (and savory) recipes at One Sweet Appetite (www.onesweetappetite.com).

Guest Links and Giveaways

Use the links below to follow and support Tara and her music.

Tara's website

Tara's social media
Instagram
Linktree

For her music:
Spotify
YouTube
SoundCloud

Shout-out on her socials if you love her music or send her a message via her website to let her know you are enjoying it. Share it with friends who would love it too. Check out all her other music at the music sites linked above. Listen and purchase from your favorite music site.

Tara is generously offering a pre-order of KABOOM: A VOLCANO ERUPTS by Jessica Kulekjian and Zoe Si, for which Tara also wrote a song! To be eligible for the giveaway, leave a comment below by Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST A winner will be drawn at random from the comments, with winner receiving a free copy of KABOOM by mail when it is released on Sept. 5.

6 Comments

C is for Carnival with Yolanda Marshall

8/3/2023

7 Comments

Congratulations to the winners of Alice Faye Duncan's THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY:
Michele Ziemke
Steena Hernandez
Kari Ann Gonzalez

Thanks so much for tuning in to PBJamz! I appreciate your support! Thanks, Alice Faye Duncan for your generosity! I know you all will love this beautiful book! If you do, please leave a review for Alice and share with others who will love it too!

Talking food, music, Carnival energy, and writing with Yolanda Marshall

What a fun energetic conversation with Yolanda Marshall, author of C IS FOR CARNIVAL, MY SOCA BIRTHDAY PARTY and more! We chat about her inspiration and process for writing, and also about Calypso and Soca music, steel pan drums, Caribbean food, the energy of Carnival, Afro-Caribbean culture as a Canadian, why representation matters, and more! Yolanda was a joy to talk to and I hope you enJOY our convo, too!

C IS FOR CARNIVAL by Yolanda Marshall

Various versions of this beautiful, energetic book are available depending upon where you live/hail from. Written by Yolanda T. Marshall, and illustrated by Darla Lavrova, Chalkboard Publishing has put our a beautifully energetic alphabet book which shares the beauty, energy, food, music and all the essentials of Carnival -- a celebration of Caribbean culture, emancipation from slavery, and the freedom and joy available to people of Caribbean heritage now. The illustrations are beautiful and joyful to match the text. The two come together to present a glorious picture of what it might be like to be at Carnival in various cities around the world. There is even a recipe in the back. This book will make you want to put on some Calypso or Soca music, make some Roti and other delicious Caribbean food and dance the day away.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This song has many of the phrases and ideas that Yolanda talked about, so I'm including it here! Super-fun, great soca beat, and this one shows the lyrics. If you don't love this version, there is a SocaKidz version in the YouTube playlist in the links section, along with lots of other Calypso, Soca, steel pans, and more!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

This book is a perfect segue to any Caribbean Carnival celebration near you. It's a great way to bring in multicultural education in really fun ways. Be sure to check out the links section below with lots of ways to use the book and fun ways to enhance various aspects of Afro-Caribbean culture.

First of all this art is beautiful and celebratory and you could certainly discuss the mood/tone of the book. Look at the pictures and then at the words. What emotions are conveyed? Find text evidence!
Obviously, this is an alphabet book, so there's a layer to tap into for sure! Letter sounds, letter formation, beginning sounds, etc.
Vocabulary!! This book is replete with vocabulary that many of our students may be unfamiliar with. Discuss, look at the pictures and use your best vocabulary strategies to enhance their learning of these new words and terms.
Social studies connections -- culture: food, music, costumes, etc are all talked about within the book and would be perfect elements to bring out in the classroom.
Rhyme/rhythm are natural pull-outs for this book as well. Not all the phrases are true rhyme, so it might be a fun activity (depending on the age level) to discuss the difference and maybe do a sorting activity for true rhyme/near rhyme/etc.
Such a fun book to read aloud, so be sure to read it out loud. Maybe let kids take turns reading it out loud in a station, record themselves and listen back, etc.
Since Yolanda has several books out relative to Afro-Caribbean culture, an author study would be a fun way to tackle that.
You could compare any of Yolanda's books with BIG TUNE: RISE OF THE DANCEHALL PRINCE by Alliah Agostini, since they both speak about the Afro-Caribbean experience in different ways. Venn diagram, anyone? ;-). There are lots of other ways you could work them together as well. To access the PBJamz episode with BIG TUNE, click here.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

The YouTube playlist linked up below is a great place to start!

This book (and others by Yolanda Marshall, as well as BIG TUNE, RISE OF THE DANCEHALL PRINCE, and others) are fabulous ways to introduce Afro-Caribbean forms of music: soca, steel pan, dancehall and more!
Compare different versions of Afro-Caribbean music (on steel pans, with other instruments, with vocals, without vocals, etc.)
If you have access to steel drums/steel pans have students play simple tunes or just experiment with the sounds.
Looking at the I (iron) page you could pull out triangles, bring pots and pans, grab your little cymbals and have a Carnival jam session (with or without steel drums.
Have your own carnival parade. Make flags and/or headdresses, etc. and parade around the school and let students pretend to be masqueraders. (within school dress code ;-)
Listen/play along/explore/compare calypso music and soca music
My local university has a steel drum ensemble -- maybe yours does too and they could come play for your students?
There are lots of fun dance videos and rhythm play-alongs/body percussion activities in the YouTube list and more activities in the Pinterest board, so be sure to check that out.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

Write your own ABC book about your favorite music or a special celebration your family/culture have. It doesn't have to rhyme -- or even have sentences. Write a word for each letter. Write a phrase. Write a sentence. Whatever works.
Listen to Soca music and write about how it makes you feel. What emotions? How does it feel in your body? Do the same with calypso.
Write the ABCs of YOU!
Write about Carnival. Would you like to go? Why/why not? What do you think would be your favorite part? What part do you think you wouldn't like?
Make a Venn diagram or T-chart comparing what you learned about Carnival with a celebration you enjoy. How are they alike and different? Write one paragraph about how they're alike, and one paragraph about how they're different.
Read the recipe for Roti. Have you ever tried it? Does it remind you of something you have eaten? Do you think you would like it?
Make Roti at home with help from a grown-up. Did you like it? Why/why not?
What is YOUR favorite celebration food? Write about it. Can you write a recipe for it?
Have you ever walked on stilts like a Moko Jumbie? Did you enjoy it? What made it hard or easy or fun? Would you like to do that for Carnival? Why/why not?
Why is it important to celebrate freedom/emancipation?

Writing Tips from Yolanda Marshall

- Be patient with your process, it can sometimes take a long time to complete your manuscript, but it will be worth it.
- The first sentence of your story sets the tone- make it good enough to reel your readers in.
- Do as much research as you can on your audience- it strengthens your knowledge about who you are writing for and will market your book to.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist full of soca, calypso, steel pan, interviews and read-alouds from Yolanda and more!
Pinterest board with lots of resources to teach and share related to C is for Carnival
Yolanda's C is for Carnival playlist on Spotify

PBJamz Snack -- Peanut Butter Energy Balls

All that dancing for Carnival requires loads of energy. These protein balls are a great quick breakfast, an on-the-go snack, a perfect treat for Carnival or any time. Find the recipe here.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Yolanda's website (purchase books, download, subscribe, check out her latest news and interviews, etc.)
Yolanda's YouTube channel
Connect with Yolanda on:
LinkTree
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter/X
Caribbean Storytime with Yolanda Marshall (Apple podcasts)

To buy C is for Carnival at
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Yolanda is giving away 1 copy of C is for Carnival! To be eligible, leave a comment below by 11:59 PM EST on Aug. 16, 2023. We'll draw one lucky winner from those who leave a comment.

7 Comments

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY w/Alice Faye Duncan

7/20/2023

6 Comments

Congratulations . . . Anna Ouchy! You are the winner of a copy of THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS!

And the two ARCS of DANCE LIKE A PEACOCK go to:
LuAnn Johnston
and
Julie Hauswirth

Thanks, Rekha, for your generosity, and thanks to everyone who tuned in for this episode of PBJamz! Keep watching, reading and commenting for more chances to win great books below!

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY: a Conversation with Alice Faye Duncan

All aboard for a train bound for glory! Hop on for a great conversation with author, Alice Faye Duncan. We talk black spirituals, Rosetta Tharpe, writing inspiration, interactive books, teaching tips, writing tips, and more! Alice Faye is a delight: full of energy, very knowledgeable, and generous! You don't want to miss out -- on the train or the conversation! All aboard!

THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY by Alice Faye Duncan

From Waterbrook Publishing comes this beautifully and vibrantly illustrated ride on the Glory Express. Alice Faye Duncan adapts lyrics of an old black spiritual of the same name, THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY, made popular by Rosetta Tharpe and also performed by myriad other performers. The illustrations are bright and welcoming and each passenger finds a way into the song -- and onto the train. The overarching feeling of this book is a deep-seated joy, regardless of the struggles some of the passengers have obviously dealt with. I love the diversity of all the people on board, and my favorite spread is one where they are having an all-out jam session on the train. Beautiful! There are some guiding questions at the end, a challenge to create your own verses to keep the song going, and a study guide on Alice's website. The book is bright, beautiful and it takes the old black spiritual up a few notches, turning it into an invitation for the ride of a lifetime.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Alice Faye and I mention her in the interview. . .) did an incredible rendition of THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY. In fact, there are a few different versions of her doing it, as well as other musicians. For other versions, check out the YouTube playlist in the links section. Also there is another episode of #PBJamz where we highlighted the book LITTLE ROSETTA AND THE TALKING GUITAR by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. You can catch it here. This is a great piece for highlighting Rosetta's amazing electric guitar skills, her gritty vocals, and her sense of humor. Since this is a spiritual, it speaks of Jesus, holiness, and things not allowed on the "train for glory."

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

I LOVE Alice's description of the train and conductor at the beginning! If you're in a setting where it's appropriate, I believe a rich discussion could ensue about how we normally think of death vs. how the author and illustrator portray it in this book.
Definitely I would discuss the color palette and illustration style and how that affects the tone of the book.
At the end, the author invites readers to create their own verses for the song based on what brings them hope, joy, and love. Brainstorming as a class would be a great way to help students activate those ideas.
This book lends itself well to discussing parts of speech. There are lots of adjectives, but also other ways of describing as well. It's a perfect mentor text for writing descriptively.
Lots of onomatopoeia! Great opportunity to point that out, have students find sound words, and use those same words in their own writing, or add to a list in their journal, etc.
Also, lots of strong verbs in this book. Would make for a great list of strong verbs in their writing journal -- or a discussion about strong verbs vs. weak verbs.
Question for discussion: Why do you think the illustrator included a red caboose on this train?
You could compare the traditional lyrics for "This Train" and the lyrics the author uses -- and even further, the lyrics the students compose. How are they alike/different, etc.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Music history (black spirituals, civil rights)
Biographical study of Rosetta Tharpe
Black spirituals unit study
Compare various versions of THIS TRAIN
Write your own verses (per Alice Faye's recommendations in the back of the book)
(for older students, grades 3 and up) there is a cups routine (in the youtube playlist and on the Pinterest board) which would be superfun!
The author and illustrator integrate a number of musical instruments throughout the book. Students could point out and name all the instruments, sort them by family, choose their favorite and write about it, etc.
If I were using this book, I would probably combine it with the biography of Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. You can access the PBJamz episode here. I would use the two together to talk about the black spirituals, civil rights, and the role music played, as well as musicians who were prominent at that time. (It might be worth noting that in the performance highlighted above, most, if not all the audience members were white.)

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

(per Alice Faye Duncan's recommendation) Write additional verses to the song
What does it mean this train is "bound for glory" and what would you most look forward to about "glory"
Make a list of things you notice in the illustrations.
Find your favorite illustration and write about it.
Choose one of the characters on the train and write their story.
Write about whether you could ride the glory train or not and why.
Why do you think the illustrator chose the color palette, and is it effective? Why or why not?
Compare Sister Rosetta Tharpe's performance of THIS TRAIN and THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE. How are they alike? How are they different?
Have you ever ridden a train? Write about that experience.
If you could take a train anywhere IN THE WORLD, where would you go? Why?

Writing Tips from Alice Faye Duncan

Three writing tips for THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY

1. For craft, read and study lyrics to your favorite traditional and contemporary songs.
2. For practical work, purchase writing pens and notebooks that are aesthetically pleasing to you.
3. For inspiration, visit local art and history museums

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Teachers' guide for THIS TRAIN on Alice's website
Pinterest board with lots of train activities, various versions of THIS TRAIN, historical info about black spirituals, etc.
YouTube playlist has the cups routine, music by Rosetta Tharpe, various version of THIS TRAIN, plus additional train music and more!
Lyrics and more

PBJamz Snack

If you're riding the train, you need a snack that's not going to be a drippy droppy mess. These peanut butter and jelly oatmeal bars seem to fit the bill. Hearty, a bit nutritious and a lot delicious! Perfect for a train trip -- to Glory, across the country or to the next town over. Wherever you're traveling, bake a batch and take them with you, but you might want to make enough to share! You can find the recipe here, along with lots of others (as well as fashion, holiday tips, and tons more) from Real Housemoms!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Alice's website
Purchase THIS TRAIN from Amazon here.
Alice on Facebook
Alice on Twitter
THIS TRAIN page on Alice's website

Alice is generously offering 3 copies of THIS TRAIN IS BOUND FOR GLORY to 3 lucky winners. To be entered into the drawing, leave a comment below by August 2, 2023 at 11:59 PM. I will draw 3 winners from the comments! Good luck and enjoy this fabulous book, interview and episode!

6 Comments

THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS with Rekha Rajan!

7/6/2023

12 Comments

Congratulations, Debi Boccanfuso! You are last episode's winner of a Lupe Lopez book signed by Pat Z Miller and e.E. Charlton-Trujillo! Thanks for checking out PBJamz and thanks to Pat & e for their generosity!

Three Times Lucky with Rekha Rajan and THIS IS MUSIC!

I LOVE what I do here at PBJamz! I have been blessed with learning about so many lovely books that integrate music in such amazing and interesting ways. But I also have made some fabulous friends along the way. This is Rekha's third PBJamz visit, as we are chatting about the third installment of her board book series THIS IS MUSIC. I thoroughly enjoy talking with Rekha each time and hope that someday we get to meet live and in person. Not only is she a great friend, but a fantastic author, musician, professor and more! We love chatting -- talking music, teaching, writing, publishing, read alouds, and more. You get just a little piece of our conversation here, but I think you'll find it a great way to spend 30 minutes of your time. Check out all the cool content below and be sure to leave us a comment to be entered for 3 generous book giveaways! Keep reading to find out more!

THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS by Rekha Rajan

This third installment picks up where the other ones left off -- we've kept a beat and we blew our horns. Now, we learn about strings. Two of the things I love about this series is that Rehka does a wonderful job of introducing kids to multicultural instruments, AND she integrates great musical vocabulary throughout the series. There's a lot to love though -- these beautiful and colorful illustrations (by Tania Yakunova), the interactive element of the book, the rhythm and musicality of the text. Rekha packs a lot into a little board book. By the way, just because it's a board book doesn't mean it's JUST for little kids. Sure, it's perfect for them, and how wonderful to introduce infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to lots of musical content at a young age, but these books are also fabulous for introducing primary students to musical concepts: how sound is made/what vibrates to create sound, families of instruments/ways to group sounds, musical vocabulary, the concepts that music is all around us and that you can create music yourself using everyday objects! Because of that, they're equally wonderful at home, in a preschool/daycare setting, and in primary school! There's a lot to love in these little board books!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This song is better suited to the littles, but it's a lot of fun and goes through several different string instruments. One thing that might be fun after the book is to make a list of all the string instruments you can think of and then sing them into this song. If this is not right for you, there are lots more pieces below in the YouTube playlist and on the Pinterest board. Check the links section.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

There are lots of ways you could use this book at home, in a daycare setting, or in a primary school setting.

You could use it as an introduction to sound -- how it's formed, different ways to make it, how to create instruments of their own, etc. (I would suggest using this in conjunction with the other books in the series.)
Because Rekha does a great job of showing different kinds of strings, you could use the book to talk about different strings and different string instruments
You could use these books as a precursor to a sorting activity: how do these things make sounds
As a read-aloud, they are perfect with rhythmic text, rich vocabulary and opportunities for interaction.
Check out the YouTube playlist and Pinterest board in the links section for even more ways to enhance and expand ways to use this book.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

For music teachers, there are even more ways to use THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS.

You can also use it to introduce a sound unit, or a unit on the various musical families, based on how sound is made
- Tap, beat, pat (keep a steady beat (Drums)
- Blow (Horns)
- Use the strings (Strings)
There are a number of traditional and non-traditional string instruments that you could highlight.
You could do a strings around the world after sharing this book and highlight string instruments from each continent
Add these vocabulary words to your word wall
Read aloud and listen for rhythm.
Use this book (or the series) to introduce a project where kids make their own instruments from recycled materials
Listen to samples of music from the various string instruments mentioned + more
AFter doing that with all three books and do a little listening quiz to determine if students can recognize percussion, wind, or string instruments.
Experiment with the vibrations of various "strings" -- this would be a great discovery lesson to provide strings, rubber bands, boxes, etc. along with various string instruments to find out more about pitch based on how the strings move. (STEAM)
Use jump ropes or spring toys to demonstrate sound waves; talk about the differences in the vibrations of the ropes/toys.
Together research the Earth Harp and divide students into teams to invent their own string instrument. (STEAM)
Use a canjo/diddley bow to explore pitch based on length of string.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

If you could play any string instrument, which would you play and why?
Write a story from the perspective of a string on an instrument.
Write a story about an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar.
Research an unusual string instrument. Listen to samples. Write what you learned about the instrument and whether you like it or not and why.
Write a story where a drum, a horn, and a string instrument have to work together to accomplish something.
Write a story about someone who plays a sitar.
Write step-by-step directions for how to make a jar lid guitar or a tissue box guitar.
Would you rather play cello or sitar? Why?
In your own words, write what it means to pluck, bow, strum, and glide.
Which is better: canjo or banjo. Justify your answer.
Write about a time when you heard a string instrument.
Listen to a piece of string music and write about how it makes you feel.

Writing Tips from Rekha

Try to find time to write everyday
Share your ideas with others to get feedback - we all see things in different ways
Step away from your drafts - it's good to take a break and come back with a fresh perspective
If you get frustrated - play an instrument :)

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with videos about strings as a family, specific instruments, songs, demonstrations, and lots more! These are perfect complements to THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS

Pinterest board with over 50 teaching ideas, photos of instruments, DIY instruments and various activities

PBJamz Snack -- PBJabobs

These little PBJ kabobs remind me of treats on a string, which seems appropriate for this episode. I found this on Pinterest, attributed to happinessishomemade.net. I couldn't find the recipe on their site, but thankfully it looks pretty simple:
Cut a PBJ sandwich into small squares and layer on skewers with fruits of your choice (pictured are bananas, strawberries, and grapes it looks like. You could vary this one in many ways depending on what you have on hand! What a fun string of yums!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Check out Rekha's links, visit her website, order her books (Review them and request them from your library as well!!). Visit and follow her on socials and see how and where you can connect! Make sure you leave a comment below so you're eligible for her giveaways!

Rekha's website
To buy THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS from Amazon
Rekha's Twitter
Rehka's Amazon page (with all her books)
Rehka's Goodreads page

Rekha has graciously offered up a copy of THIS IS MUSIC: STRINGS & a couple of ARCs (Advance reading copies) of her up-and-coming book DANCE LIKE A PEACOCK! That means this episode will have 3 winners! All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment below! Good luck!

12 Comments

Rock Out with Lupe Lopez (and e.E Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Z. Miller

6/19/2023

7 Comments

MARTHA MERRITT, Congratulations! You are the winner for Ashley Belote's book LISTEN UP LOUELLA! Thanks for following along with PBJamz! Be sure to review Ashley's book if you love it, (and I KNOW you will, because it is PRECIOUS FUN!) and share PBJamz with your teacher friends and author friends! Thank you Ashley for your generosity!

A Rockin' Conversation with authors e.E. Trujillo & Pat Zietlow Miller

What a fun conversation with E and Pat! We cover everything from KISS to Macy's balloons -- and that's a lot of ground to cover! :-).They share their inspiration, their process and so much more! Lupe is definitely a larger-than-life character who deserves to be on your shelves (and maybe one day in the Macy's parade, who knows?) In book one, she tackled school rules as she started kindergarten and in book 2, she learns to read as a first grader. Check out the interview for an exciting spoiler alert, too!

LUPE LOPEZ (Rock Star Rules and Reading Rock Star)

Both of these books feature larger-than-life primary student, Lupe Lopez. As a beginning kindergartener, Lupe struggles with rules, since she is obviously a "rock star". In Rock Star Rules, she learns to adapt to a new environment and how rules change from one place to another. She also learns some valuable lessons about friendship and teamwork! In Reading Rock Star, Lupe is now a first grader and tackles learning to read, which she is sure to "rock" -- except she doesn't -- at least at first. Read both of these books to see how Lupe learns to be a rock start problem-solver and more! These books will appeal to all the little rock stars in your world. With vibrant, star-studded illustrations, by Joe Cepeda, Lupe Lopez will leap right off the page and into your heart!

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This little ditty is also perfect for kid rockers who like to "bend the rules". It's fun to dance to, sing along, or just listen. If you're in a classroom setting, you could maybe use this as a challenge for students to create their own "flipgrid" video (or other platform) to share the rules of the classroom in a fun way. Or it could simply be a great opener for a discussion about the rules. However you listen or use it, it's sure to "bring the house down." If this song isn't your style, there are lots more on the YouTube playlist I created for Lupe Lopez. Check out the rest of the list down in the links section!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Lupe is a perfect book to use for the beginning of school as you are discussing rules and procedures, and she is sure to make it lots of fun! If you teach in a primary school, these books would make a great addition to any rockin' classroom! I've got loads of decor ideas pinned if you want to rock out your decor and go full-on rock 'n' roll for the year! Both of these books lend themselves so beautifully to the classroom, since they are set in school and deal with school issues!

Other topics you could tackle with Lupe Lopez:

Geography (Texas, of course!). There are all sorts of Texas-sized ideas in the links section. You could go as simple as pointing Texas out on the map or use this as a jumping-off point to learn lots more about The Lone Star State, including the flag, nickname, motto, capital, etc.
Figurative language/creative use of language These books lend themselves to talking about language. From word play to figurative language there are lots of examples to explore.
Explore musicality of language While these books don't rhyme, they are full of onomatopoeia, rhythm, alliteration and other tactics that make these stories sing! Point them out, discuss them, have kids illustrate them, make a list . . .find the music in the story!
Rock Star Rules is a perfect book to introduce and explain rules: why we have them, why they're important, how they help us, etc.
Lupe is a larger-than-life character! Which makes this book perfect for talking about character. Since Lupe dresses very specifically, this book would be great to talk about what characters are like on the outside vs. on the inside.
Lupe wants fans and ends up with friends. This would segue beautifully into a discussion of friendship:
- What makes a good friend?
- Should friends always agree with you?
- What is the difference in friends/fans?
- Would you rather have fans or friends?
Lupe also learns in this first story to be a creative problem-solver. Another great discussion topic
Stories like this always lend themselves well to creating math problems if you'd like to apply the book in math class as well. Some items for your story problems might include:
- Pencils/drumsticks
- Drums
- Number of rules
- Number of friends
- People who attend concert
- Kids in the class
Check out the writing prompts section and the music concepts area for more ways to use these books in the classroom!
Do you have other ideas or fun ways you've brought Lupe into your classroom? Please share in the comments!

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

The music room is a perfect place for a rockin' themed classroom -- and lots of rockin' picture books! Check out the Pinterest board in the links section if you want to deck out the classroom or find lots of ways to integrate Lupe and music!

Here are some possibilities for integrating Lupe themes into the music room:

Texas songs (state song, songs that mention Texas, or famous Texas musicians)
Percussion! Since Lupe is a rockin' little percussionist, drums and percussion instruments would be a perfect focus! Your students could learn about and explore various percussion instruments, make their own percussion instruments, or explore famous percussionists.
Drums! Specifically Lupe loves drumming! Kids love drumming too! You could dig into a unit or a lesson on various types of drums, integrate lots of bucket drumming, desk drumming, cardio drumming, hand drums or whatever else you have on hand they could use -- pencils with duct tape maybe? ;-) Coffee cans, oatmeal canisters, etc. make for nice drums if you don't have enough "fancy"/store-bought drums. Kids can drum on anything!
Rhythms This book is a great one to introduce rhythms! There's lots of onomatopoeia in the book to represent rhythms. You can talk about how to tap those out or assign words from the story based on the notes you want to practice:
- Drum = quarter note=1 beat
- Lupe = two eighth notes = 1 beat etc.
Rock 'n' roll as a genre of music: characteristics, history, artists, etc.
Collection of rock 'n' roll picture books:
- Pete the Cat
- Rock Star Recess
- How to be a RockStar
- Lupe Lopez
  - (Talk about similarities and differences in the books, common conceptions of rock stars, etc.)

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

What does it mean to be a rock star?
Do rock stars have to follow rules? Why/why not?
Who is your favorite rock star? Why?
If you were a rock star, how would you dress and what instrument would you want to play?
Which is better: friends or fans? Explain.
Have you ever had trouble following the rules? Why was it hard? How did you learn to follow the rules better?
Write Lupe a letter explaining why she should/should not follow the rules at school.
Are rules the same everywhere you go? Explain your thinking.
Help Lupe out. Make a T-chart of places she: Can play drums/Cannot play drums.
Write your own onomatopoeia for drum sounds.
Do you think Lupe is really a rock star? Why/why not?
Would you want to be friends with Lupe? Explain.
Make a list of things Lupe can try to help her not drum when she shouldn't.
Write a poem about your favorite instrument or playing music

Writing Tips from e.E. and Pat

1. Read picture books published in the last five years. Lots and lots of them.
2. Write a lot of drafts of picture books. Don't pin all your hopes and dreams on one story.
3. Set your stories aside and then come back in a month or so and revise. Read more picture books and write more stories while you wait.
4. Get feedback from other writers you trust. (Your family and friends love you and will probably love your books, but they likely don't know what makes a successful picture book.)
5. Read THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S BOOKS by Harold Underdown. You aren't an idiot, but this will answer practically any question you have.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with lots of fun songs and music to go along with Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules, along with interviews and read alouds.

Pinterest board with tons of decor ideas for a rock star classroom, school activities, Texas lessons/activities, musical fun and more!

Teaching Books page for Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules

Making Friends lesson from University of Colorado

PBJamz Snack -- Peanut butter fries!

Egg roll wrappers smeared with peanut butter? Deep fried until golden? Sprinkled with powdered sugar? Served in a cup with a pool of jelly at the bottom? Oh my, and yes, please! What a fabulous snack for after a rule-following day of school! Or a snack with friends! Or a rockin' snack for a rock 'n' roll concert! Wherever you eat them, these are sure to please! Get the recipe here.

Guest Links and Giveaways

To purchase Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules
To purchase Lupe Lopez: Reading Rock Star

For e.E Charlton-Trujillo's website

For Pat Z. Miller's website

e.E and Pat have graciously signed a copy of Lupe Lopez to give away to one lucky winner during this episode. To be eligible to win, leave a comment below on the blog by 11:59 PM on July 5! Winner will be announced on the next episode and on Twitter!

7 Comments

Ashley Belote and LISTEN UP, LOUELLA

4/29/2023

5 Comments

Congratulations to Sandra F. Coliny! You won the copy of BIG TUNE from Alliah Agostini! You're going to LOVE it! So fun and full of rhythm and rhyme -- sure to have you ready to "bust a move"! Enjoy! Thanks, Alliah, for your generosity and thanks, Sandra for tuning in!

Ashley Belote and I chat art, music, and more!

Ashley is a delight and we had a a GREAT conversation! Come on in and join us as we chat! Her book, LISTEN UP LOUELLA is precious! It's so full of fun, so don't skip it!

LISTEN UP LOUELLA

LOUELLA is an elephant -- with a big personality! She gets her feelings hurt when she gets left out, but in the end she realizes that much of it is in her control. She learns the power of being a good listener and a good friend after quite a few MISadventures. Music shows up in a few places in this super fun summer camp story, and when it does, it adds to the color and fun of the book! The illustrations and colors are full of camp fun, and this cast of characters will make you wish for summer days again! LouElla is relatable for kids, and this story has an SEL component that will have kids learning as they're laughing.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

While this song doesn't talk specifically about listening, it does talk about friendship and it has the colorful summer camp vibe of LISTEN UP, LOUELLA. It's got a great beat if you'd like to use it in music class. Check out the playlist for more fun music to use in your classroom. And take a look at the tips for the classroom and music classroom for more fun things to do with this book in your classes.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Ashley's book is full of great topics for teachers and there are many ways to use it in your classroom! It's full of great layers and a super-strong SEL connection! If I were using it in the regular classroom, here are some ways I would consider:

It's a great birthday book if you read aloud books for kids' birthdays or if you do a monthly celebration or do anything with birthdays. . .
It would be a perfect book for the beginning of the year, since it talks about being a good listener, playing well with others, waiting your turn, apologizing, working and playing together, and cheering each other on! A perfect way to introduce some of those classroom rules, procedures, and expectations.
It would be great at the end of the year, too, as kids are getting ready for their own summer camp experiences. If you prefer to use it at the beginning of the year, you could recap any summer camp experiences they'd had.
If you're doing a friendship unit, this would be a great addition to that as well, as all the SEL components are characteristics that distinguish good friends.

So those are some times/ways I would personally use this book. As a teacher, there are a few topics/themes that scream at me that would be great to highlight in the classroom.

Character analysis is one that jumps out at me for sure! LouElla is so FULL of personality! She would be a great one to discuss and analyze. But you also have Tarantula, who is the opposite of LouElla in so many ways, so it would be fun to compare and contrast the two of them as well.
SEL connections are another huge presence in this book. Some of the topics you could work on in your classroom are:
- Playing well with others
- Waiting in line/waiting your turn
- Being a good listener
- Cheering each other on
- Apologizing
- Working/Playing together
- How to be a good friend
If you want to give your students a camp experience, this book would be perfect for that and then perhaps you could do some of the activities that appear in the book, like painting, making music, building forts, playing badminton, tug of war, basketball, etc.
- From that perspective, too, it's the perfect book for the beginning of school, since it talks about several things that are probably Encore/Specials classes (painting, music, gym) so you could read it before taking a tour (especially like for kindergarten or pre-K and point out the places where those things would happen.)
You also could do a compare/contrast between camp/school.
This book could also be a great introduction to a unit on spiders or Tarantulas or a unit on elephants if you want to integrate it with science or to do a paired text activity. SCURRY: THE TRUTH ABOUT SPIDERS by Annette Whipple or I'M TRYING TO LOVE SPIDERS by Bethany Barton would be excellent for spiders or SHE LEADS by June Smalls for elephants would be fabulous!

*There are lots of great ideas on the Pinterest board and additional ones in the YouTube playlist for specific songs, lessons, and activities to these ends, so be sure to check out the links section below for lots of resources on these topics.

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

While the music content is not as prominent in this story as some of the others I've featured on PBJamz, there are lots of ways you could integrate this book into a successful music lesson or even a unit.

The most prominent appearance of music is of course the talent show, so you could have your own musical talent show -- allowing kids to sing, dance, play an instrument, etc. This, too, would be a great way to end the year and there are many ways you could do this. The easiest would be class by class as each class comes to you, the students who wish to participate share their talent in the class setting. If you wanted to go bigger, you could do grade level talent show and set up a time for each grade level to perform. (If you wanted to keep in during the school day, you would arrange the schedule accordingly. For instance, when my kids are doing a performance, we do combined Encore classes so I can practice with the whole grade level. You'd have to work within your schedule's confines.) Or you could do a schoolwide talent show and do an evening; maybe even make it a fundraiser for your school/music dept., etc.
The book mentions making music as part of the camp experience, so this is a perfect opportunity to teach some camp songs, folk songs, etc. There are some lovely campfire videos on YouTube that I've often used to create camp ambience. What a fun lesson to do music around the campfire and teach them some old favorites (maybe even have a S'More-related snack)
The music room is a perfect place to discuss and sing about the SEL connections. Again, it would be perfect for the beginning of the year, as you're introducing rules, procedures and expectations in the music room -- waiting in line, being a good listener, playing well with others, etc. would make great components for BOY lessons.
Also, if you'd like to do a lesson/unit on Being a Good Friend, this book has some great takeaways for that, including being a good listener, working/playing together, and cheering each other -- great skills to teach in the music room, as there are wonderful songs about those topics, and it's such an important life skill that certainly crosses into musical territory.
Additionally, if you do anything with birthdays, this is a fun read-aloud with a birthday component. (Tarantula's birthday)

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

If you could choose any of the activities LouElla did at camp (paint pictures, make music, build forts, go canoeing, participate in a talent show, play tug of "roar", play basketball, enjoy water play, go to the gym, play badminton, or go to a birthday party) which one would you MOST want to do and why?
Write a paragraph describing LouElla as a character. Remember to talk about her inside characteristics as well as her outside characteristics.
Write about a time you had a camp experience.
Write an apology letter to someone that you wronged.
Write another story that takes place at a camp in the summer.
Write this story from Tarantula's point of view.
Write 4 paragraphs: one describing LouElla, one describing Tarantula, one telling how they're alike and the last telling how they're different.
What do you think Tarantula's birthday invitation looked like -- Draw and write your version of his invitation.
Write a birthday song to Tarantula.
Write an article explaining how to be a good friend.
If you were Tarantula, what kind of cake would you like for your birthday. Write a fun recipe for that cake.
Write a sensory poem about LouElla's camp experience.
Write a list of 10 facts about elephants or tarantulas.
Create a Venn diagram comparing spiders and elephants.

Writing/Illustrating Tips from Ashley

1. Let your environment do the talking! Always keep an open mind, wherever you are. Ideas can strike when you least expect them! Always have a notebook around (especially if you're an illustrator), because you'll need somewhere to jot down ideas!
2. Don't edit yourself in your head. Sometimes we think of an idea and immediately say, "That won't work." This is not the right way to create. We must always give our ideas a chance. Yes, they could turn out to be amazing, but sometimes they can lead to other ideas. Regardless of what path they take, they are working toward your success.
3. Exaggerate. When actors are on stage, they are often told to make their movements more exaggerated than they would normally because part of acting is exaggerating. Art is the same way. If you are drawing a character reaching up to get something, exaggerate it more. Stretch the arms longer, squish objects to the point of them breaking, elongate things, twist, turn, etc! Every time I make a drawing, I revise and exaggerate the movement just a bit more and it always makes me feel better. We need to create energetic, active, and entertaining scenes, and one way to do this is through the linework in our art.
eek, check back for writing tips

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

Pinterest board with lots of fun links to resources and activities to go along with LISTEN UP LOUELLA
YouTube playlist with camp songs, listening songs/activities, read-aloud and art activity from Ashley and more!
Activity kit to go along with LISTEN UP LOUELLA -- Earn Roar Scout badges, color, draw, go on a scavenger hunt and more!

PBJamz Snack

A perfect camp snack or breakfast, these PBJ granola bars are easy to whip up, simple to serve and a perfect summer PBJ recipe!

Guest Links and Giveaways

Ashley Belote is the illustrator of FRANKENSLIME (Feiwel & Friends, 2021) and VALENSLIME (Feiwel & Friends, 2021). She is the author-illustrator of her solo debut early reader THE ME TREE (Penguin Workshop, 2021) and her solo debut picture book LISTEN UP, LOUELLA (Feiwel & Friends, 2022).

She studied traditional animation under the direction of Don Bluth. Ashley is a West Virginia native, and earned her BA from Alderson Broaddus University. She earned her MA in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky. Her graduate study included a children’s literature and illustration course, The Whole Book Approach, through Simmons College at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. She also serves as the Illustrator Coordinator for the Carolinas chapter of SCBWI. Ashley is represented by Moe Ferrara of BookEnds Literary Agency.
Check out her links below:
Ashley's website

Twitter

Instagram

FB

YouTube

GoodReads

If you'd like to order signed copies of Ashley's books, order through Main Street Books in Davidson, NC.

Speaking of books, Ashley is giving away a signed copy of LISTEN UP, LOUELLA. Simply comment below to be entered into a drawing to win!

5 Comments

Alliah Agostini and BIG TUNE

4/8/2023

2 Comments

CONGRATULATIONS to . . . .Steena Hernandez!!! You are the lucky winner of Ellen Leventhal's prize!!! Your choice of:
A Zoom visit (AMA or a classroom visit) OR
A copy of DEBBIE'S SONG

Thanks, Ellen, for your generosity, and thank you, Steena, for your support of PBJamz and our visiting authors!

A FUN CONVERSATION WITH ALLIAH AGOSTINI

Grab a Ting and pull up a chair! Alliah and I had a great conversation that ranged from BIG TUNE, her inspiration, her family, her writing process, the role of music in her life and in the book, teaching and education and their role in her life as well as her family's life, and all the upcoming things. Come laugh along with us as we talk culture, childhood, and books.

BIG TUNE: RISE OF THE DANCEHALL PRINCE

From end paper to end paper (both covered with cassette tape images), this book is full of music, fun, dancing, and more. It follows shy Shane, who secretly wants to dance, but isn't quite ready to bust a move in public. Family gatherings, Jamerican style, complete with delicious Jamaican food and drink center and ground the book, with "Soul Food Sunday"-esque vibes. When Shane is alone, though, the moves and song burst forth. He becomes the hero of his own story, but to see if he gets brave enough to share his love of music and dance, you'll have to read the book. Beautiful paper collage illustrations crown this fun music-centered, food-loving, culture-sharing book. The bright, bold color scheme is perfect for telling this colorful tale! Oh, and consider yourself warned: Check your spice cabinet or have Uber-Eats on speed dial, because you're definitely going to want some Jerk something after reading! I've had jerk chicken, jerk pork chops, Jamaican peas and rice, Jamaican cabbage, fried plantains, and tropical salsa since reading . . . . oh, it's a vibe you're going to want to give in to . . . As a matter of fact, here's the link to my Caribbean foods Pinterest board (you know, just. in. case. ;-)

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

If you want to try your hand at some of the Jamaican dancehall moves, here's a quick run-through of a bunch. This video was made to go along with another book about Jamaican dance: “Back to Basics: A-Z of Dancehall” by Latoya Wakefield. It would be an excellent accompaniment book to BIG TUNE! So learn to bust a move -- or 26! Share them with your children, your students, etc. and get your groove on together. You can be your own dancehall king, queen, prince, or princess!
For more dancehall music, singing, dancing, etc., be sure to check out the links section below for the YouTube playlist!

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

This book has some very natural multidisciplinary segues into a classroom.

Geography/culture
- New Jersey
  - Maps, etc.
  - Jamaican connections "Jamerican"
- Jamaica
  - Dancehall/bashments
  - Jamaican food
  - Music
Math
- Money
  - Naming/Counting coins (K-2);
  - Adding bills/money amounts (grades 2-5)
  - Coin sets -- <>=
  - Story problems involving related to the story (appropriate for the grade level.)
    - ie. Shane was collecting cans -- he collected 25 cans. He got 5 cents each for the cans. How much money did he earn?
    - Shane needed $70 to buy new kicks. He earned $35.00 for the cans he found. How much more does he need to be able to buy his new shoes?
    - Shane spent $90 for the new speaker. The family and friends collected $115. After they paid Shane back, how much money was left.
    - etc.
  - Making change
ELA
- Rhyme
  - Scavenger hunt -- Find the rhymes
  - Rhyming couplets
- Verb endings
- Jamaican verbage, vocabulary, dialect

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Jamerican dancehall dance moves
Dancehall musicians
Music history -- Jamaican music : reggae,
Record/playing formats: record/turntable, selector, cassettes, digital, mixing board, speakers, music tech
Using rhyming couplets to create song lyrics

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

The author repeats the refrain, "Brown skin shines with black light's glow." What does that mean to you and why do you think she repeats the phrase?
Why did the author call Shane the dancehall prince?
Do you enjoy dancing? Why/why not?
I'd like to/not like to visit Jamaica (or New Jersey) because . . .
Write a comparison between New Jersey and Jamaica.
Have you ever tasted Ting or jerk pork or other Jamaican-style food? Write about the experience. How did you like it? What was your favorite/least favorite? etc.
Write a research paper about one of the musicians in the author's note.
Write a letter to Shane telling him what you thought/how you felt about what he did for the bashment.
Write a rhyming couplet about your favorite dance move.
See if you can write a story using rhyming couplets.

Writing Tips from Alliah L. Agostini

Have no inspiration? Are you sure? You may have all the inspiration you need inside.

Perhaps you think you're the most uninteresting, most typical person in the world. With the most typical childhood experiences. WRONG. What is typical? Nothing.
Your story and your experiences are unique to you, but they may be fascinating to somebody else. Besides, you may never know who may find your experiences or interests relatable or comforting.
Start digging into that memory bank when you need inspiration. There's a reason people say 'write what you know'.

Write in rhyme if you feel it's appropriate. But if you want it acquired, you better make it excellent.

We always hear 'don't write in rhyme, editors don't like it.' That's not true. While all editors don't acquire rhyme, editors don't like bad rhyme. Reading some of my old rhyming work triggers a serious cringefest. No wonder it's nowhere but my computer right now.

If you find yourself:
-rhyming for rhyme's sake
-using odd sentence construction for the sake of rhyme
-letting the rhyme lead the story rather than the story leading the rhyme
-writing in uneven meter...

Then stop. Take a beat. Consider if you need to continue down this path, and if you do, keep working. Good rhyme takes time (that was a total coincidence, by the way). If not- consider another way to tell your story.

-Bottom Line: Write the stories you want to read.

I don't know how many times I've heard and said 'Be the change you want to see.' I believe it. You feel like there's a story you really want to read? Don't be passive - do it yourself. It's easy to feel like you need to write to fit a trend, but trends change quickly and publishing is slow. By the time you've completed, let alone published that trendy manuscript, that ship may have sailed.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist with lots of teachable content mentioned in the teaching section above

Pinterest board with teaching ideas about Jamaica, food, money, and dancehall music and more.

Spotify instrumental school-safe playlist created by Alliah!

PBJamz Snack-Peanut Butter 'n Jamaican Honey on Hardo Bread

I love to connect my PBJamz snack to the episode when I can, so I asked Alliah about Jamaican versions of PBJ. She said her kids really enjoy peanut butter with Jamaican ("decadent smoky, floral flavor)" honey on Jamaican hard dough (hardo) bread. She called this a Jamerican recipe. I'm linking up the recipe for the Hardo bread, and trusting you to put whatever you want on it. :-). It's a slight departure from the PBJ, but it sounds delicious! As for myself, I ordered up some Jamaican honey. It's supposed to be from a farm in Jamaica. We'll see. I might have to bake up some hardo too to finish out my Jamaican feasting. I may not have traveled to Jamaica over Spring Break, but between reading Alliah's book, listening to the music and eating the food, I've had a Jamaican staycation for sure! (photo credit and recipe from Winsome Murphy at Jamaicans.com

Guest Links and Giveaways

Meet Alliah -- on her website

To order a copy of BIG TUNE from Amazon

To find Alliah on Twitter

Alliah on Instagram

Link to her books page on her website

And, Alliah is offering a copy of BIG TUNE to one lucky winner during this episode! To be eligible, simply leave a comment below and you'll be entered into a drawing!

2 Comments

DEBBIE'S SONG by Ellen Leventhal

3/29/2023

3 Comments

CONGRATULATIONS Jennifer Cowan!!! You are the winner of a copy of THE NOTE WHO FACED THE MUSIC by Lindsay Bonilla! Thanks for tuning in to PBJamz!

Ellen Levanthal and I talk music, books, writing, and more!

Join Ellen and I as we talk legacy, light, persecution, music, and writing, among other things. We had a lovely conversation! We invite you to learn more about Debbie Friedman and how she changed jewish music. Also, Ellen and I talk about her writing process, and what's coming next for her,

DEBBIE'S SONG: The Debbie Friedman Story by Ellen Leventhal, illustrated by Natalia Grebtsova

Ellen's words and Natalia Grebtsova's beautiful illustrations bring Debbie Friedman to life -- her superpower of music, her passion for creating worship music that was engaging, her commitment to her life's work, her perseverance in the face of adversity. With strong and beautiful language, Debbie's voice is heard again through the pages of this gorgeous book. Her heart shines in each line. Published by Kar-Ben publishing.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

This Jewish (Hebrew) alphabet song by Debbie is a great way to introduce to kids that, not only are there different languages, but some of those languages use different alphabets. It's a fun song with lots of uses in the classroom or with your family or homeschool.

Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics

Learn more about Hebrew and Jewish culture
- Highlight and focus on the Jewish/Hebrew vocabulary.
- Discuss Judaism and its basic tenants
- Discuss Jewish culture and their major holidays
- Use the Hebrew alphabet song to learn the Hebrew alphabet
- Learn a few Hebrew words (colors, counting, etc.)
Similes -- Find and discuss the similes in the book. Why did the authors choose those similes.
Debbie tried to create music to include all kinds of people, but some people didn't like that. Why? What did they do and say to show they were unhappy? How did Debbie show determination/perseverance?
Features of text (bold print, font style and size, layout of text, etc.)
Strong verbs (bubbled, rumbled, tumbled, etc.)
- Scavenger hunt for strong verbs
- Write sentences with strong verbs
- Add strong verbs to students' own writing

Tips and Topics for Music Teachers

Compare traditional Jewish songs with Debbie Friedman's Jewish songs.
Use Debbie's Aleph-Bet song to learn the Hebrew alphabet.
Tap out steady beat or create a rhythm activity to go along with one of her songs.
Hanukkah unit: "The Latke Song" "Light the Menorah" "The Driedel Song" etc. Explore Hanukkah through Debbie's music.
Compare various versions of Debbie's songs (ie, Miriam's Song has been done by a number of artists.) Compare/contrast different versions (instruments, tempo, vocals, style, etc.)
Use scarves for artistic interpretation for one of her songs or divide students into groups and give each one a different Debbie Friedman song to come up with a scarf routine.

Writing Prompts from Tonnye

The book talks about Music as Debbie's superpower.
1. Do you agree with that statement? Give text evidence to support your answer.
2. If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
Debbie loved singing with her bubbe (grandmother)
1. Write about something you enjoy doing with one of your grandparents.
2. Write a letter from Debbie to her bubbe, telling her how much she enjoyed making music with her.
If you've ever moved far away from a life you loved, write about how that felt.
Write about a musical experience that made you happy/brought you joy.
Write about a worship experience you've had (synagogue, mass, etc.) and how it felt to be part of it.
"That didn't stop her." appears several times.
1. Write about a time when you were determined and didn't let challenges stop you.
2. Write about someone in your life with great determination.
3. Write about a time you should have been MORE determined.
4. Write a letter to Debbie explaining how much you admire her determination.
Why does the author compare Debbie's experience with a roller coaster?
Debbie turned prayers into songs. Write about whether you think that's a good idea.
Write the five most interesting facts you learned about Debbie Friedman.

Writing Tips from Ellen Leventhal

Find a critique group (or two) with people you know are there to help you. The advice of critique buddies is invaluable.
Read A LOT of books in your genre, take advice from critique partners, but develop your own voice.
Don’t be afraid to change your story. Sometimes the best things come when you look at your story from a different angle.
Enjoy the process. The road to publication is super rocky for many of us (for me, for sure!), but don’t let the business of publication suck the joy of writing and storytelling out of you.
Step back when you need to.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

A YouTube playlist full of Debbie Friedman's music and more
A Pinterest board with many songs, quotes, facts about Jewish holidays & celebrations, basic Hebrew alphabet & colors, etc.
Kiddle page -- facts for kids about Debbie Friedman

PBJamz Snack --

These lovely hamentaschen are a snack for Purim, related to the biblical story of Esther. You can find the recipe here. (MELISSA KAYE APTER on the blog https://jamiegeller.com/)
And you can find out more about the history and significance of the hamestaschen here.

Guest Links and Giveaways

Ellen Leventhal is an educator and writer in Houston, Texas.
She taught in a Jewish school where Debbie Friedman’s music could
be heard as she walked down the hallways. Ellen is the author
of several picture books as well as short stories and poetry. Her
favorite thing to do is visit schools and share her love of literacy
and the importance of having a dream. To learn more about Ellen,
go to www.EllenLeventhal.com.

Ellen Leventhal's website --
FB
Instagram
Twitter

To purchase DEBBIE'S SONG from Amazon

Ellen has graciously agreed to give the winner of this giveaway a choice of:

A Zoom visit (school visit or Ask Me Anything session for a pre-published author)
A copy of DEBBIE'S SONG

Leave a comment below to be entered into a drawing.

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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!

Spotlightingpicture books (PB)withmusical hooks (Jamz)

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Ashley Belote and I chat art, music, and more!

LISTEN UP LOUELLA

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Spotlighting
picture books (PB)
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A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

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Writing Prompts from Tonnye