Happy September, everyone! I hope all is well with you and yours, and you are enjoying the end of summer. Part of me is a little shocked that school started and we will be planning the holidays before you know it. We won’t miss this weather though as we are going through our third heat wave this summer.
Why I named this month’s blog title, “Tiptoeing into September 2026?” Hopefully, we will have a nice, relaxing month with no hiccups, which I will mention later.
Meanwhile, let’s get started.
What you will find in this month’s post:
*New Logo
*Celebrating August and September Book Birthdays
*What’s to Come?
*Books I’ve Read and Reviewed
*Interview with Kathy J. Perry
*Reflecting on Dolly Parton
New Logo
I’m excited to show you my new logo! Our grandson made this and I love just it.
He is getting very proficient in his digital media projects. I’m looking forward for more to come from him.
Oh, and he helped me make this one, too! It was ► Moonshadow Mae‘s 8th book birthday and we couldn’t miss that, right? Everyone loves little Miss Mae!
Speaking of Book Birthdays, here are a few more we recently celebrated.
Celebrating August and September Book Birthdays
► “Sherman the Shopping Cart: A Search and Find”
Book Birthday, August 26, 2017
What’s it About?
Meet Sherman the Shopping Cart! Join him as he guides you on this journey of his life as a shopping cart. Have fun searching for over a hundred items. He has picture finds for non-readers and word finds for readers. Enjoy the fun activities in the back of this book.
Believe it or not, this book is based on a real story. Ask me about it if you are curious. 🙂
► “Writing with Stella and Friends: A Coloring and Activity Book”
Book Birthday – August 22, 2023
What’s it About?
This coloring and activity book is a companion book to, “Storytime with Stella and Friends.”
Enjoy learning how to write stories with the suggested prompts. Once you have practiced, you will be ready to create your very own stories.
Have fun with the extra pages in the back of this book for more activities and games.
Happy Writing!
► “Stella and the Four Seasons”
Book Birthday – September 27, 2021
What’s it About?
Using beautiful acrostic poems, Stella shares her love of the four seasons.
Young readers will enjoysearching for Stella’s favorite things.
Fun facts and learning activitiesare included in the back of this book.
What’s to Come?
Since you last heard from me, you know I’ve been busy recovering lost materials for my next book. I found most of the images I had in mind, now I need to create them once again. Yes, daily, I’m saving them in our black box for backup. Phew! This is why I’m “tiptoeing” into this month with fingers crossed, hoping for a smooooth and relaxing month! I’m up to page 25 as I type this. Yay! I’ll keep you posted. 🙂
(I’m going to imagine myself sitting on this park bench to cherish the end of summer and getting caught up on drawing a few illustrations on my ipad.) 🙂
The good news is that I also was able to recover two very old apps I have used for the last twelve years. Sure, I have new apps, but these two mean the world me. One is my Wacom drawing pad and a drawing program I had the CDs for. (Yes, I use a lot of apps and programs to complete the images you see in my books.) I hope they will continue to work, at least long enough for me to finish this next project and more.
Books I’ve Read and Reviewed
Okay, so these first two may not be “children’s books,” but they are very important for them, and all of us, for that matter…Storytelling and Art. 🙂
These books have received 5 shining stars from me! 🙂
“Storytelling with Children,” by Nancy Mellon
What’s It About?
“Telling stories awakens wonder and creates special occasions with children, whether it is bedtime, around the fire or on rainy days. Encouraging you to spin golden tales, Nancy Mellon shows how you can become a confident storyteller and enrich your family with the power of story.
Children love family storytelling and parents can learn this practical, magical art. Here are methods, tips and resources to enable you to:
- Create a listening space
- Use the day’s events and rhythms to make stories
- Transform old stories and make up new ones
- Bring your personal and family stories to life
- Learn stories by heart using pictures, inner theatre, walk-about, singing the story and other methods
- Find the tale you want from Nancy’s rich story-cupboard.”
My Review:
I had the wonderful opportunity to hear a group of Storytellers years ago. I’ve never forgotten them and watching the children’s faces who listened to their amazing tales.
If you have ever considered doing some storytelling of your own, this one is a must read! I even tried it out recently and my little listener was enthralled. I have a lot more practicing to do, but oh what fun it was to follow the tips in this book. You don’t have to do every one of the suggestions, just pick what’s best for you and your child, group, etc. If you try this out, please let me know how it goes.
“Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives,” by Daisy Fancourt
What’s It About?
“A groundbreaking exposé showing how the arts—alongside diet, sleep, exercise and nature—are the forgotten fifth pillar of health
From cradle to grave, engaging in the arts has remarkable effects on our health and well-being. Music supports the architectural development of children’s brains. Artistic hobbies help our brains to stay resilient against dementia. Dance and magic tricks build new neural pathways for people with brain injuries. Arts and music act just like drugs to decrease depression, stress, and pain, reducing our dependence on medication. Going to live music events, museums, exhibitions, and the theater decreases our risk of future loneliness and frailty. Engaging in the arts improves the functioning of every major organ system in the body, even helping us to live longer.
This isn’t sensationalism, it’s the results of decades of studies gathering data from neuroimaging, molecular biomarkers, wearable sensors, cognitive assessments, and electronic health records. From Professor Daisy Fancourt, an award-winning scientist and science communicator and director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health, this book will fundamentally change the way you value and engage with the arts in your daily life and give you the tools to optimize how, when, and what arts you engage in to achieve your health goals. The arts are not a luxury in our lives. They are essential.”
My Review:
“Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives,” by Daisy Fancourt is a book I wish everyone will read. It’s filled with awesome stories how the arts of every kind can change our well-being in so many ways. There are a few arts that readers will find not to be so healthy: certain styles of music, which makes sense. Another one mentioned was “Binge Art.” I have to disagree a little with that one, but I do kind of understand what she is trying to convey. She suggests having at least one of the arts on your daily menu which is really not that hard to do. Music for example is an easy one. Now, “hands on art” are harder to do every day unless you are a crafter for your own business.
Anyway, if you love the arts of any kind, you will enjoy this book and find it interesting. I enjoyed it a lot. 🙂
“This Book Just Ate My Dog!” by Richard Byrne
What’s It About?
When her dog disappears into the gutter of the book, Bella calls for help. But when the helpers disappear too, Bella realizes it will take more than a tug on the leash to put things right. Cleverly using the physicality of the book, This book just ate my dog! is inventive, ingenious, and just pure kid-friendly fun!
My Review:
I was looking for humorous books for kids, and I found many by this author, Richard Byrne. I know I will be reading more of his stories.
Readers will love this easy to read, interactive book!
Interview with Kathy J. Perry
If you remember my August post, I read author Kathy J. Perry’s book, Whispers Across the Prairie. Here is the interview with her on how this book evolved. Enjoy! ► Welcome Kathy J. Perry!
Reflecting On Dolly Parton
The world lost a legend. I think we will always remember where we were and how we felt when singer, author, actress, songwriter, and well known as, “The Book Lady,” Dolly Parton passed away.
Her Imagination Library to promote early literacy will be cherished in honor of her father.
I could spend all day writing about her as she was one of my favorite entertainers. It was her spirit of how she became who she was is what I admired the most. What she gave back to the world and each community will forever be remembered.
I’m so thankful I lived in a time to watch her career grow, starting publicly in 1969, as she was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
I’ve read many posts that 9-25-206 will be a day to honor Dolly. How perfect is that? (For those who may not know, it’s a reference to her “9 to 5” movie.) 🙂
If we all could be just a little more like Dolly, this world be a better place.
We will always love you, Dolly Parton! ♪ ❤️ ♪
That’s all I have for this month.
What plans do you have for this month? Any news you’d like to share? How about any new projects you have been working on?
Thanks for stopping by, and as always,
Happy Reading!
Rosie
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