A Personal Story about HOW TO TIE A SHOE

I began this blog with liltle-to-no understanding of how to do it. But I knew I had something to say and decided to go for it. Some of my most personal and frequently viewed posts were from those early efforts, developed during a steep learning curve. 

That's pretty much me in a nutshell.

I seem to have been born with a determination to NOT be left behind, to learn everything I could, and to prove that I could do things I if I set out to do them. 

Don't confuse that with arrogance or ego.

I know my limits, and they are many. Even so, my youngest memories included an I CAN DO IT mindset that has, over the years, served me well, despite some spectacular face splats along the way.

Penny Candy Books, 2020

Here's a prime example:
As a youngest, then middle child, I was determined to do, to go, to copy everything my older brother and sister were doing. Picture those kid-dense neighborhoods of the fitties, playing outdoors from dawn-to-dusk. 
That's where and how we grew up, running in packs and playing in dirt lots, neighborhood parks, under lawn sprinklers, and pumping bike pedals. 
These were multi-aged kid-packs and the age-range was wide.  Upper-age kids would gradually peel off and younger ones would eventually tag along, keeping the population of the pack fairly stable. 
Even before kindergarten age, I was certain I belonged in that pack and tried to join daily. Depending on the activity, I might manage to chase the ice cream truck, to catch lightning bugs, or otherwise serve an apprenticeship to prove that I could keep up. 
I will never forget the day I sat on the top stoop of our front steps and called out to the gathering pack, "Wait for me, I'm coming." 
Someone older among them looked at the dangling laces on my sneakers and said, "You can't even tie your own shoes. You can't come."
My rage was such that I didn't think to ask for help, I shouted, "I CAN TOO TIE MY SHOES!"
Which I could not.
But I did. 
Right then and there.
And then I jumped up and ran after them, not pausing to wonder at what I had done or to wait for applause. 
I just did it. And I did it every day after that.

Ask any parent or kindergarten or preschool teacher how rare that result was. I credit not my manual dexterity but my determination and blind faith for my success.

Here's a short musical YOUTUBE clip that will remind  adults how tricky the process is, despite the clever and seemingly simple directions. There are also countless books and interactive toys allowing kids to practice the actual mechanism of tying shoes.

HOW TO TIE A SHOE & OTHER BIG ADVENTURES, created by SKIP HILL, takes a different approach. It's a HOW-TO book about building confidence, celebrating past success, and diving into daunting situations with both feet (and hands). The focus is on recognizing one's own agency and the exciting consequences of stepping forward into adventures. 

Interior spread: Penny Candy Books 2020

From the opening spread, it is clear that motivation and confidence can overcome even a massive serving of slippery spaghetti. Each page invites smiles, predictions about the direction of the text, and nods of recognition. 
The realistic black-and-white line drawings of diverse kids in a variety of settings connect young readers with memories of satisfying and successful experiences. 

This is not about the mechanics of tying shoes but about the mentality of making a stab at it. 
This is the first of a series of planned books and I look forward to reading the upcoming releases. 

Kirkus reviews gave it a well-earned star, and provided this quote:
"A quirky picture book that respects the intelligence of children."

Refugees? Immigrants? Assumptions and Stereotypes

My previous post (here)  focused on a recent picture book about the all-too-familiar condition of being a refugee: STORMY SEAS: Stories of Young Boat Refugees.The details of even a few people and events throughout history are heartbreaking and powerful. In many cases, the refugees depicted were also immigrants.
Words matter, and using them accurately matters even more.
Striving to understand and use words accurately can be an effective way to begin to understand ourselves and others.
So...let's explore these concepts, as you might with young readers.

Are REFUGEES and IMMIGRANTS the same? Are the words interchangeable?

Charlesbridge Publishing, 2015

In one important way they are all alike: 

Both refugees and immigrants are NEW.
That's why an ideal starting point is 
I'M NEW HERE, written and illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien.

There are countless ways in which REFUGEES and IMMIGRANTS are similar, and significant ways in which they are NOT the same. Rather than link to just any source, one  that might be considered biased or even political, let's take a look at the two terms linguistically, on THE GRAMMARIST.COM, here. What do wordsmiths have to say about the two terms.

 "A refugee is a person who is forced to leave his home and travel to another country in order to escape a natural disaster, war or persecution. ..."
whereas...
"An immigrant is a person who leaves his home and travels to another country in order to become a permanent member of the population. ..."

Not all refugees are choosing to "never return", and would, in fact, return to their homelands if it were safe to do so.
On the other hand, some have suffered to such a degree that they abandon any thoughts of returning to their homeland.
Not all immigrants are moving to a new homeland entirely by choice. Conditions may not be such that they must flee for their lives, but may include situations that limit their choices, hopes, and future.
On the other hand, some are eagerly seeking a new homeland despite leaving behind safe and loving people and comfortable settings. They may, in fact, face more struggles in the new land, but welcome the challenge and adventure of the move. 

A Venn Diagram of the two words would reveal many elements in common, but some that are critically different. Both are leaving behind homeland, family, and history. Both include a wide range of ages, health conditions, and educational levels. Both immigrants and refugees may travel illegally, while others travel legally.

Despite all of the commonalities, the distinction is:

REFUGEES = No CHOICE, running AWAY FROM danger, might return if they could

IMMIGRANTS = CHOICE, running TOWARD a new home, no plan to return

In fact, especially in recent times, this essential distinction has been blurred in the public consciousness. This confusion is compounded further by social attitudes toward poverty and dependence. 

Some refugees have multiple resources, but the ones who are destitute are the subject  of our opinions and public discussions.

Some immigrants have adequate financial means and social supports in place, but the ones who are destitute or struggling are more visible and are also the subjects of public discussions.

In debates (and rants) about refugees and immigrants, understanding the nuances of the terms (and the individuals) is worth the effort, especially when it comes to the next generation. In order to explore these confusions and assumptions, offering and discussing a wide selection of books provides many examples over the course of history and involving varied circumstances and ethnicities. Many outstanding picture books that are worth including are featured in the following blog posts, and I recommend them highly:

• Svenja's post on COLOURS OF US, a  blog devoted to multicultural children's books.
• Erica's post on WHAT DO WE DO ALL DAY? 
• Deborah Ellis's NYTimes review of recent refugee books.
• Laura Lambert's post on Brightly on immigrants.
• Lee & Low's recommended books involving immigration.
• Pragmatic Mom's post featuring immigration picture books.
• Finally,check out this entire site as a valuable resource: I'm Your Neighbor Books

Another New Release and Interview: Janet Halfmann

Janet Halfmann is a talented and prolific writer with a long career behind her and more ahead. Her bio includes: 

"Before becoming a children’s author, Janet was a daily newspaper reporter, children’s magazine editor, and a creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of four. When Janet isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, exploring nature, visiting living-history museums, and spending time with her family. She grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

Because I've met her several times, I'll add that she's a charming and energetic person. In presentations of her books with kids her preparation, enthusiasm, and relaxed manner allow them to engage fully in the stories she shares.

Guardian Angel Publishing, 2014

In her latest release, A RAINBOW OF BIRDS, illustrated by Jack Foster, she creates a bird legend about how the rainbow came to be. Creation stories are always a success with young readers, and this one is a vibrantly colorful story (literally, full of color). It provides numerous cues and opportunities for kids to chime in (chirp in?) with repeated readings. I see potential for an eager group to generate a script from it, culminating in a colorful rainbow display at its conclusion. For the very youngest it also encourages naming/pointing to colors, playing with sounds, and careful observation of nature.

Speaking of conclusions, this is another of the many titles Janet has written that offer instructional back matter related to the topic as well as crafts and suggested activities. 

I invited Janet to answer a few questions about this title and her writing in general. Thanks, Janet, for joining me. 

This story is a bit of a creation tale. Did you read an original rainbow-origins-tale that helped you develop your story? 

Janet: A Rainbow of Birds is an original bird legend. However, at the time I wrote the story, I was reading many legends, in hopes of retelling one. I can’t specifically remember reading any rainbow legends. I’ve always loved stories about how various things came to be. 

At the time, I also was doing research on birds for other stories that I was working on. So the legends and the birds came together to inspire me. 

One late summer afternoon, I noticed how excited the birds‘ singing sounded right after it stopped raining. What could the birds be so excited about? As it turned out, it was because they were creating a rainbow!  

l     Your language is charming and almost as colorful as the birds. Was its source strictly “writerly” or did you draw on nature for inspiration?

Janet: I love playing with words to find just the right one to describe something or to have a certain poetic sound. I also love nature, and had many hours of bird-watching, bird research, and listening to bird songs rumbling around in my brain when I wrote this story.

Like many of your other titles, the back matter offers many interactive options for young readers. How does that development play a part in your writing?

Janet: The back matter didn’t enter into the writing of the story. After Guardian Angel Publishing accepted the story, the publisher suggested that I add some activities at the back of the book. Since the book is out, I’ve had several parents and grandparents tell me they’re excited about doing some of the activities with their kids. They definitely see the activities as a bonus to the story.

Here's another bonus: You can read the story in the March issue of Guardian Angel Kids ezine: http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/

Thanks, Janet, for joining me here and congratulations on A RAINBOW OF BIRDS. I hope readers will check it out and also check out your other titles.

Many of Janet's picture books are about animals and nature. She also writes picture book biographies about little-known people of achievement. Recent titles include Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?; Home in the Cave; Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish; Good Night, Little Sea Otter; and Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story. Janet has written thirty-five fiction and nonfiction books for children.

Further information abut Janet, with links to her books, can be found on her website: http://janethalfmann.com