SILLY ME + Prize

by Jan Godown Annino

“There was a young woman said, ‘Howww..,”

my mother would sing in the kitchen.

My aunt would chime in with,

“can I flee from this horrible cowww?”

And my other aunt would trill,

“Shall I sit on a stile and continue to smile...”

so that my mother would finish,

“which would frighten the heart of the cowww?"

thereby completing their own particular cracked

take on Edward Lear’s rhyme.

Aunts Singing Chants

This trio left me in stitches, ladies in flowery ruffled kitchen aprons,

cutting up meat and veggies, cutting up in words and songs. (Not that

the gals couldn't argue stridently but that's a different genre of story...)

When at their best they performed Lear, Lewis Carroll, Gelette Burgess,

& the word of others with a knack for nonsense. Their making silly,  impromptu at 

holidays, directly lopes to my seeking out fun poems and hilarious picture books 

to read with BookPALS.

 If you want to read silly stories or create picture book laughs, as I attempt to, I’ve listed a few
p.b. titles & one beloved author to be daffy with. Most are newer - but not all. Beyond the books, find

resources here to explore writing with a punch line mind or,  a punch line in mind.

Silly Me Books

DUCK, DUCK, MOOSE written by Dave Horowitz (also DDM ON A PLANE)

DUCK, DUCK, MOOSE! written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen (artist, James Burke)

No, this is not a joke. Each DDM author has set up a giggle game very different

from the other. 

Quallen, who is the co-conspirator of the popular blog Nerdy Chicks Rule, with 

Kami Kinard, puts a birthday spin & unexpected moves in her inter-species story.

Horowitz sets his characters tripping from New England to Florida & hilarity hiccups 

down the coast, so each story leaves kids feeling duckie.

Titles in this genre are silly on their face. A trick of writers & artists of these sort of picture 

books is crafting the title. It’s so crackedly perfect, it sells the story. In this list when the author isn’t
the illustrator, the artist is indicated.  The list is unruly - in no order.  It is sooooo incomplete. A taste.

Silly Me Book Lists

Nonsense! He Yelled - Roger Eschbacher (artist Adrian Johnson)

I Know A Wee Pig – Kim Norman (artist, Henry Cole)

Scaredy Squirrel  – Melanie Watt (a silly series)

Double Trouble in Walla Walla –Andrew Clements (artist Salvatore Murdoca)
Say What? Angela DiTerlizzi (artist Joey Chou)

Barry The Fish With Fingers – Sue Hendra

Parts – Tedd Arnold

Silly Sally – Audrey Wood

abundant # of titles from Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr. Seuss

Cowboy Camp – Tami Sauer (artist Mike Reed)

Cook-A-Doode Doo! Janet Stevens/Susan Stevens Crummel (artist Janet Stevens)

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs – Mo Willems

The Bed Book - Sylvia Plath (yes, the adult poet) (artist Emily Arnold McCully)

Uncles and Antlers – Lisa Wheeler (artist Brian Floca)
Z is for Moose - Kelly Bingham (artist Paul O. Zelinsky)

Bad Kitty! - Nick Bruel (a silly series - I'm cracking up with kids over Bad Kitty! above)

The Quangle Wangle's Hat - Edward Lear (artist in this edition, Louise Voce)

The Monstore – Tara Lazar (artist James Burks)

These titles that tickled my tendons were pulled from my shelves, found in our public library, a school library, a bookstore, shared by Mandy Yates at TeacherPayTeachers who I was introduced to by Mira Reisburg & also, I turned to the resourceful blog of someone I think of as the Letter A Lady, Allison McDonald.

For emerging titles to tickle your tonsils, read Mallory McInnis on forthcoming ridiculously wonderful picture books of 2015. Bring 'em on!

If you poem-make as many of us are,  share silly titles such as Vile Verses or Really Bad Rhymes from Roald Dahl or Bruce Lansky's If Pigs Could Fly.  Illustrated poem collections in which a bug & jumping flea are medicine merit their own article, so I'll be back with that. And for chapter book & middle grade-novel writers, I'm all smiles while collecting a chuckle novels list - additions invited.

How To Do Humor?

If you would like to delve more into humor and children’s literature:

SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award  plus, read his books

Dr. Seuss Garden

Mark Twain House (sponsors a writing award & classes)

Kami Kinard "Humor Cells" article & "Tell Your Tale With Humor" (with links to the 2014 Greenhouse Funny prize - stay tuned for a 2015 contest post)

Tara Lazar's NJ-SCBWI humor writing report

Carol Hurst Children’s Literature Site

Jan (no relation) Fields “Spoonful of Humor” tips from the vault of the popular

Institute of Children’s Literature (verify editor/publisher details for current contacts)
List of funny words, thanks to Leigh Ann Jasheway/Writer's Digest Books

Hot topic: see Scholastic’s humor-preference graphic (thanks to Jen Robinson for my 1st alert to it.)

And not specifically about children's lit., but see the Erma Bombeck Writing Workshop/Contest.

Silly Me Prize + Update!

By midnight Tues Jan. 13, 2015 your comment below can win a funny book for your school, local library, family or your own humor-worthy bookshelf. If you aren't a frequent commenter here let me know how to reach you when you comment & save today's blog title & URL, to quickly return HERE the Jan. 7, 2015 post, on Wed. Jan. 14, 2015, to see if you won. Good Luck!

And please feel free to comment if you don't want a prize; just say so.

The great give-away picture book title is by Edward Lear, THE OWL & THE PUSSYCAT, a favorite of the cat below. This edition is exquisitely illustrated by Jan Brett.

Contest note: Winner to be selected randomly by Ginger, fuzzy Rafflecopter substitute (with back to camera, perfecting a selection technique) & yes, Ginger is male; that's another story.  Dogs not eligible to enter. Mice afforded top consideration.

Contest Update: Ginger promises to be back with results by Wed. Jan 15, if not tonite, Jan. 14, 2015 EST.  Other good news is that for those who comment between today & next Wed. Jan. 21, there is also a prize, to be announced on Thurs Jan 22, 2015. How cool (or hot) is that?

What is BookPALS? by Jan Godown Annino

More KIDLIT HEROES: BookPALS by Jan Godown Annino

 Open pages with the non-profit literacy group, BookPALS. 

This Q & A is with Natalie Rogers, my BookPALS coordinator. 
In 2013 BookPALS celebrated a grand 20^th anniversary. 
It is sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.

 Q: What or who is a BookPAL?

BookPALS are Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools. They are actors, performers, educators and community members who volunteer their time and talent reading aloud to public school children who need it most. BookPALS bring the magic of books to life, sparking children’s imaginations with their animated, engaging and fun delivery.

Q And what is a PencilPAL?

PencilPALS provide children firsthand experience with letter writing. Volunteers pair with elementary students and correspond by postal mail, reviving the lost art. Letters are exchanged on topics ranging from favorite books, authors and school happenings, to long term aspirations.  Reading, writing, and spelling skills improve when children write habitually in this way.  Children also gain a sense of pride in their own writing and in their own stories by sharing them with interested readers. Plus, research proves that the act of handwriting is far more beneficial than typing and texting, as it hones fine motor skills, improves memory and fosters more complex thinking processes.

Q How much does it cost the volunteer?

For BookPALS, it is simply the cost of gas to commute to a school. For PencilPALS, it is the cost of a stamp once or twice a month and perhaps some fun stationery. Books can be borrowed from public or school libraries. Book donations from organizations like First Book also help us arm our volunteers with literature that is read aloud and then donated to build classroom and home libraries.

Q Can anyone sign up?

The opportunity is open to anyone with experience in the performing arts or education. In addition to performers, retired teachers, children’s authors, film and theater majors, English and education majors also make up a vital component of our volunteer base.

Q Doesn’t the classroom teacher read to the children?

Yes, classroom teachers do read to children (or at least I hope they all do), but sadly, in this era of high stakes testing and accountability, they often aren’t allotted time to do the kind of reading BookPALS do, which is reading for pure pleasure. BookPALS don’t teach children how to read. We teach children how to LOVE to read. In doing so, we hope to create lifetime readers as opposed to just school time readers. Plus, BookPALS are trained to pull out all the stops—to do the voices, sound effects, bring in props, dress in costume when they can. Some teachers say that BookPALS teach them to be more animated readers! 

Q Example of BookPALS making a difference in communities?

 One 1st grader’s desk was situated in the back corner of the classroom, away from his classmates’ clusters of desks. He was not permitted to sit on the floor with the others during my readings. He sat alone at his desk, fuming, thumb twiddling, barely listening. During one reading, I caught his eye and smiled at him. He looked baffled. When I asked the class a question about the book, I looked him in the eye again, held his gaze, and silently encouraged him. He blurted out an answer. I acknowledged, gave another warm smile, and gently asked him to please raise his hand next time. A few visits later, he asked the teacher if he could sit on the floor, next to me. She hesitated, but agreed. Each visit thereafter, he sat right in front of me, listening intently, remembering to raise his hand, ever eager to share. Something magical happened to this marginalized student. He became an active member of our community of listeners, thinkers, questioners. With the help of some very clever authors, I had caught him . . . in the line of an imaginary book hook!

Q THAT is a splendiferous story, Natalie - congrats! And now, what is STORYLINE?

Storyline Online is a really fun, interactive, streaming video. The books are handpicked by the BookPALS National Director. Of course, the selections ultimately depend on securing publisher’s rights. But with the hope of giving children the best literature possible, Storyline Online strives to provide books from a wide range of topics that deal with the young minds of today. Visit www.storylineonline.net 

Q. How does a reader sign up?

Those interested in becoming a BookPAL or PencilPAL may sign up at www.bookpals.net We have chapters in 6 locations: Arizona, Florida, Los Angeles, New England, New York City, and San Francisco.  Simply choose your location and complete the online application. We promise you won’t regret it!

Group Blog: Thank you, Natalie Rogers
Thank YOU, Jan, for being one of our stellar BookPALS

Aww, back at you, & BookPALS.