Monday, May 25, 2009

I Can Make a Rhyme Any Old Time


While reading my books to a kindergarten class last week, one of the children blurted out with amazement, "Hey! That rhymes!" "Yes" I said, "All of my books rhyme." At the end of the visit, another child wanted to know just why I make my stories rhyme. I really had to think about that. My thoughts took me back to my favorite childhood books, with Dr. Seuss leading the pack. I have to credit him with my love for rhyming books.

Rhymes make stories easy for young children to remember and repeat, which helps them with their reading and language skills. Rhymes also keep the reader’s attention. One activity that children love is when you read one line, then pause at the end of the next line to allow the children to fill in the rhyming word.

I'm not sure what this says about me, however I often find myself thinking in rhyme. Does this mean that I have the mentality of a child? I hope so. Children are wondrously imaginative. Yes, when I do grow up, I want to be just like a child!

http://bestfairybooks.com

Monday, May 18, 2009

Children Think You Are OLD!


If you've ever asked a child how old he or she thinks you are, you may have been shocked. To children of any age, any adult is ancient. To kids, people are either old or young - nothing in between. We're in the same category as covered wagons, radios, or even dinosaurs. When my husband (a school principal) was in his fifties, he made the dreaded mistake. He asked a group of middle school children how old they thought he was. Only one thought he knew the answer immediately. His serious answer was "Eighty-four!" I recently showed my new book cover (pictured above) to a group of kindergarten children. One surprised little boy immediately shouted "Hey! She looks just like you!"

Be smart. Just don't ask!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Please Don't Call Me a Liar


I've always been a daydreamer. As far back as elementary school, I loved to make up stories. Most of my stories were about elves and fairies. I would tell my family and friends about the fairies that visited my garden in the early morning, and the fairies that flittered around my room at night. It's no surprise that in the real world, no one believed me. My mother thought I would outgrow my storytelling tendencies. My friends were not as kind. They called me a liar. Guess what they call me today??? A writer!

Keep on writing and keep on believing!