Category Archives: Uncategorized

Here Come the Humpbacks!

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Here Come the Humpbacks written by April Pulley Sayre illustrated by Jamie HoganHappy March, everyone! This month I’m sharing a terrific informational picture book about humpback whales and a fabulous, free activity guide that will have your students up and moving as they process information. For those Nature Smart students who’re fighting the winter blahs, this kind of reading will be especially meaningful.

Here Come the Humpbacks! written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Jamie Hogan is a nonfiction book detailing the migration of a humpback whale calf. Sayre gives us all the excitement of the treacherous journey that spans over 1,500 miles and doesn’t skimp on rich vocabulary or solid information.

After reading the book, your students can review what they’ve learned and “act out” the migration of a humpback. (Go, Key Ideas & Details!) Curious City has a wonderful, free humpback migration game you can download with step-by-step instructions and printables for 10 stations for students to visit. To add another layer of fun, go to YouTube and let kids hear the sounds that humpback whales make. (For more information about Curious City and its free children’s book engagement materials as well as book giveaways, please visit: curiouscitydpw.com. You’ll thank me later.)

I’ll be in New Jersey in April giving a seminar on early literacy skills for preschoolers and kindergartners. Please keep your fingers crossed that we’ll be enjoying tulip blossoms and not ice storms!

For more information about the author, please visit: aprilsayre.com.

For more information about the illustrator, please visit: jamiehogan.com

 

Free Books from ReaderKidZ!

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Princess Posey and the Christmas MagicMy recommendation for this week: go to ReaderKidZ.com where you can enter to win free books like Princess Posey and the Christmas Magic written by Stephanie Greene and illustrated by Stephanie Roth Sisson! December is Free Book Give-away Month on ReaderKidZ.com,  a wonderful free website with resources, book suggestions and ideas to foster a love of reading in kids, K-5. I’m a regular contributor to the ReaderKidZ Librarian’s Corner, and I use this site all the time when I need new book recommendations and ideas.

If you’re wondering why I’ve been so quiet these past few weeks (and quiet from me does cause most people to wonder), it’s because my sweet husband has been in and out of the hospital with a heart condition. Spending Thanksgiving in the hospital made me realize just how thankful I am for so many blessings in my life. If you are reading this newsletter or this post, please know that I am very grateful for you!

My First Author Gig

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Next week I am speaking to a group of elementary teachers about writing and publishing. It’s my first gig speaking as an author to a group of adults. I am 1/3 nervous, 1/3 excited, 1/6 fearful that I will be revealed as an imposter, and the leftover bits feel like I’ve been preparing for this for a long time.

And, according to the ancient documents I found while moving, I have been preparing for my place in the book world since at least second grade. The lesson here is to encourage your students’ passions because it may be the path of a future career. Tell students to save their work so they can look back one day on who they used to be. And most importantly, teach students to write daily affirmations like “I have a nice complexion.” These will come in handy during the tough teen years.

kkw

From Bright Idea to Bookshelf

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I had no idea when I started writing children’s books that it would take me more than twelve years to make my dream come true, or that the path to publication is rarely a straight line. So, on my new page “The Groundhog! From Bright Idea to Bookshelf”, I’m  sharing each phase in the life of my picture book To See or Not To See, starting with the “what if…” wonderings and ending with my announcements of the multiple awards it will win. (Writers like to dream…)

If you’ve ever wanted to see your own writing on a bookshelf, if you have students who want to be writers, if you love kids’ books and always wondered about the process, please check out my new page by clicking the tab at the top of the website. And don’t forget to let me know which Groundhog you’d like to see, or not to see!

My Book!

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Every week, I write about a terrific picture book to read aloud to students along with a lesson plan or an extension activity. I am jump-up-and-down, wave-my-arms-like-Kermit-the-Frog excited to finally be able to write about my picture book!

The title is To See Or Not To See. It’s the story of Groundhog and his dilemma on February 2nd. Half of his friends want him to see his shadow so that winter will last six more weeks. Half of his friends don’t want him to see his shadow so that spring will come early. What will Groundhog do? You’ll find out in the fall of 2015, when the book will be published by Charlesbridge!

Why such a long time to wait, you ask? I know, I wondered about that myself! But in the publishing world, two years is actually quick to make a picture book. My editor and I (my editor! Squeee!) will need to review my manuscript and decide what descriptions can be taken out because the art will show those details. An illustrator has to be chosen for the book – and I don’t get to do the choosing! In publishing, the author rarely has a say as to who will illustrate the book. It’s up to editors and art directors who know the business to match up the right art style with the words. So, an illustrator has to be picked and given time to work on the illustrations. Most illustrators (like my wonderful husband, Matt Faulkner) take months to make the art for a picture book. After that, the art and the words have to be printed together, ink colors made just right, decisions made about font and layout, marketing and promotional decisions have to be made… it’s quite a process!

I’ll be sharing the details here at kristenremenar.com if you’d like to follow along. I’m hoping to hear within a few weeks who my illustrator will be. I’d love it if my husband is chosen – but can’t imagine how I’d handle knowing that the art for my first book is being made up in my husband’s studio without constantly peeking in!

Thanks to all of you who’ve signed up for my newsletter and read my blog. I love sharing my good news with people who love children’s books as much as I do!

P.S. And, as a bit of glorious synchronicity, I got The Call from my editor about the sale of my first book, my Groundhog story, on my birthday, which is Groundhog’s Day. 🙂