Poetry for Children: Poetry 2010 Sneak Peek List

Poetry for Children: Poetry 2010 Sneak Peek List

for all those who love children's poetry and believe in the ability of poetry to get kids hooked into reading and literary creativity!

Stories for Sendai: Meet the Authors: J. R. McRae

Stories for Sendai: Meet the Authors: J. R. McRae: "Today's featured author is... J.R. McRae Brief Bio: J.R. McRae has been published in anthologies, journals, magazines and newspapers..."

Udderly Amazing! interview by Jesse Grayson of Channel 10, News at 5

I-Publishing - my first venture

My first venture into the world of i-publishing resulted in the publication of "At the Beach with Bucket and Spade" on the Apple iTunes App Store via i-publisher istorytime.com. The illustrations were done by Sarah E. Bash Gleason in a naive style in keeping with the theme, a family outing to the beach on summer vacation. The rhyming story is narrated by the children themselves.

ABOUT THIS STORY
Summer holidays from Manly to Maroubra, from Palm Springs to to Waikiki mean family fun in the sun! Part of the fun is looking for that special treasure to take back to class for Show and Tell! The children in this narrative poem, celebrate all that is best in a beach holiday outing. They play, they build, they share, they learn life's little lessons together and they find that something really special that happy memories are made of!

The illustrations have been tailored by Sarah E. Bash to fit the theme using the naive style of a child's holiday memories painted in class.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/at-beach-bucket-spade-istorytime/id408002107?mt=8

Reviews: [below]

see on Apple iTunes App Shop

Other Reviews

Well done

iPhonePapa Version: 1.0

Great playful book that really captures the spirit of young children.

http://www.appstorehq.com/atthebeachwithbucketandspade-istorytimekids-book-iphone-567718/app

Great story and artwork!

by Daddy_21

This story is great for children! The chalk-style artwork is very unique and very creative. My daughter especially likes this book.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/at-beach-bucket-spade-istorytime/id408002107?mt=8

“At The Beach With Bucket and Spade” by J.R. Poulter, Illustrated by Sarah E. Bash

Reviewed by Maya Lee

A peaceful, gentle book filled with all the warmth of childhood days at the beach. The book expresses the process of learning to prepare for the strong rays of the sun by putting on a sunhat as well as sun block. The illustrations are soft and dreamy, a use of color and gentle lines that feel like a cool dip in the ocean on a hot sunny day. Text that sweetly rhymes, yet at times breaks from rhyme in a barely noticeable way, keeping a beat of it’s own that is as natural feeling as a heartbeat.

At times the writing runs separately beside the illustrations; in white space, while other times over the illustrations, and at times the text is placed in a way that speaks of the pictures it runs across. The deviation away from a set pattern of organizing text and illustrations, or consistently rhyming or not rhyming, is part of the magic that reaches out. There is a natural talent at play here that creates poetry of its own kind.

Perhaps reflective of a mother and daughter creative compatibility that resulted in the making of this book, by JR Poulter, Author, and Sarah E. Bash, Illustrator. Poulter and Bash are both mothers with children who are able to share loving family moments captured in these wonderful illustrations and beautifully woven words. The message, if any were to be derived, beyond reading about a family day out, so simply and warmly conveyed, could be the joy of building spectacularly in life, enjoying various pleasures, accepting impermanence, inevitable loss, and giving focus to what there is to be grateful for in each moment. And to tell you anymore would give the story away. Read and enjoy this lovely book with your children!

This book is offered digitally through iTunes and www.istorytime.com

MIRROR by Jeannie Baker

Mirror by Jeannie Baker

In her new book, "Mirror", Jeannie celebrates the differences that makes up the diversity of world cultures and the elements that unite us, the bonds of family and the mundanities of every day life.

Even the presentation, as two books united within one cover, highlights 'same and different', but highlights it in a way that draws us closer to both families, the traditional Moroccan family and the modern Australian family.

Turning pages of each book simultaneously, reveals parallel aspects of the daily lives of these very different families. We see them with the intimacy and immediacy of a fly on the wall. They are at work, at meals, settling for the night, shopping and sharing. The colours are luminous and the details absorptive. Words are superfluous!

I have always been a fan of Jeannie Baker's beautiful, evocative, detailed collages. This latest book is a treasure!

"Mirror" by Jeannie Baker, Walker Books, ISBN 978-1-4063-0914-0.

View all my reviews

New Writing Competition coming up...

Watch this site folks!!! :))

http://writersandauthors.blogspot.com/2010/06/w-writing-contest-coming-soon.html

Reviews & Recommendations for Mending Lucille

"Mending Lucille" WINS CRICHTON AWARD!
Reviews for Dual Nominee for Crichton Award and Family Therapists' Award 2009

Jennifer Poulter has created an achingly beautiful story of love and loss, of breaking apart and putting back together. Sarah Davis has masterfully captured the little girl's sadness, and her use of color skillfully advances the narrative ... In every possible way, this book is breathtaking. "- Pick of the Month starred review in Sydney's Child, Melbourne's Child, Perth's Child, Brisbane's Child and Adelaide's Child magazines.

"J.R. Poulter's warm and gentle text is beautifully illustrated by Sarah Davis. The child's emotions are exquisitely captured throughout, and close-ups of hands are beautifully portrayed. Metaphors for healing run through the story, from the real wounded bird to the torn doll to the mending of hearts - often conveyed by images of sewing. First and last endpapers extend the story - the threatening, overshadowing bird image transformed by loving hands into simple stitches beside a now-mended, smiling Lucille. Recommended." - Magpies Vol.23 No.4 September 2008 p.30

"Mending Lucille is a precious and insightful picture book about one girl's loss of her mother... A picture book with stunning and evocative illustrations, which deals with the theme of grief and loss in a very sensitive way." - Femail Magazine

Best books of 2008

"For slightly older pre-schoolers, Mending Lucille (Lothian, $29.99) by JR Poulter and Sarah Davis is an unflinching yet deeply reassuring story about a mother’s [departure] and the father’s eventual remarriage. Simply told, beautifully illustrated, heartbreaking but never mawkish: this had me in tears." The NZ Listener, leading review journal New Zealand.

Children's Choice, Top Ten books of 2008 - New Zealand library district - Mending Lucille one of only three picturebooks chosen.

Recommended book for counselling and biblio-therapy by the Monash Medical Centre's Australian Centre for Grief Education in Victoria.

Recommended book - NSW Premier's Reading Challenge List 2009

Recommended book - Dr John Irvine talks about explaining death to children. Mending Lucille is one of his Top Ten recommended books for helping children deal with the concept of death and grieving.

Mending Lucille sold out its first print run in the first week after release.