Fox with Swiss Chard

 

Book Review: The Elephants Come Home

 

The Elephants Come Home: A True Story of Seven Elephants, Two People and One Extraordinary Friendship written by Kim Tomsic and published by Chronicle Books is a beautiful story about love and elephants. Seven wild, African elephants cause big problems until Lawrence Anthony and Francoise Malby-Anthony provide a solution. Hadley Hooper composes her bright and engaging illustrations using watercolor, ink, printmaking and software. The words and illustrations produce a touching story about conservation and humans. As always Ms. Tomsic includes a collection of sources, facts and photos in the end papers.

One Question Interview with Kim Tomsic:

You write both fiction and nonfiction books, which speakers were most helpful to your writing career?

Your question is fantastic. I have studied craft books and attended writing conferences and classes for 12 years now. I am certain that I will be a forever learner — in fact, I'm currently working on my Master's Degree in Children's Literature (a two-year program at Hamline University --I graduate in January 2022). That said, I love learning everything from structure, character arcs, turning a scene, the hero's journey, etc. down to the nitty gritty tips and tricks writers use. Some of the most influential lectures I've attended were given by:  Sara Pennypacker, Elana K. Arnold, Swati Avasthi, Richard Peck, Erin Entrada Kelly, Denise Vega, Sherri L. Smith, and Jean Reidy. The most influential audio lecture I listened to was given by the team of Michael Hague and Christopher Vogler. And the most influential books I read on craft were written by Lisa Cron (Wired for Story, and Story Genius), and Blake Snyder (Save the Cat).

… and “editor Melissa Manlove being a key one.”

Thank you for the answers and Congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

Previous posts about Kim Tomsic: Guitar Genius 

Visit Kim Tomsic 

Visit Hadley Hooper

Learn more about elephants here: San Diego Zoo 

Visit The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop

Book Review: Tad Lincoln's Restless Wriggle

 

Turkey pardons, began with Tad Lincoln. Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle: Pandemonium and Patience in the President’s House written by Beth Anderson and published by Calkins Creek covers this fact, learning disability, and love. S.D. Schindler’s ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations convey humor and delightful chaos while taking the reader back to 1863 and a much more rural President’s House as the White House was formerly known. As always Ms. Anderson includes a collection of facts, photos and primary and secondary sources in the end papers. This book brought a smile to my face.

One Question Interview with Beth Anderson:

Which workshops were most helpful to your writing career?

Workshops and retreats where you get to spend real time working on practical ideas and moving your works in progress forward are, to me, the best ways to spend professional development dollars. The decision to attend a retreat for nonfiction kid lit writers in 2016 made all the difference for me. I met so many writers I now call friends and rely on as critique partners. I also met professionals that generously shared the “how” that I desperately needed to push forward and break through. That’s where I heard Barb Rosenstock talk about her “so what?” concept, and I also learned from Jill Esbaum, Linda Skeers, Lisa Amstutz, and many more amazing writers, agents and editors. In 2019 I attended a retreat for nonfiction kid lit sponsored by Edit and Get It with Candace Fleming, Jen Swanson, Neal Porter, and again, so many more fantastic editors, agents, and creators. I had done some webinars with Candace Fleming previously, and had been trying to get my head around her “vital idea” concept for years. Every time I get to hear her, I soak up more, and my understanding goes deeper. Her workshops have been key to what I’ve been able to do, and I’m extremely grateful for her generosity and teaching. 

Previous posts about Beth Anderson:"Smelly Kelly" and His Super Senses and An Inconvenient Alphabet

Visit Beth Anderson 

Visit S.D. Schindler

Learn  more about the Presidents of the United States

The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop 

 

Book Review: Lizzie Demands a Seat!

 

 

Lizzie Demands a Seat! Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights written by Beth Anderson and published by Calkins Creek is a seldom told, historic civil rights story.  Ms. Anderson describes Elizabeth Jennings fight, both physical and legal, for equal access to a streetcar in New York City. A young Chester Arthur, who became the 21st president of the United States, represented Elizabeth Jennings in court. E.B. Lewis paints with lavender and lilac watercolors to evoke beautiful albeit quite serious mid 1800’s scenes. As always Ms. Anderson includes a collection of facts, primary and additional sources as well as historic photos in this award-winning story.

One Question Interview with Beth Anderson:

Which speakers were most helpful to your writing career?

I have enjoyed so many inspirational speakers on writing for children over the past eight years that I can’t begin to name them all. The ones that stick in my mind are the ones that have provided valuable hands-on tips about writing. Two wonderful women I’ve followed for years are Barb Rosenstock and Candace Fleming. They always have great insights and have guided me in shaping a story to make it meaningful for kids. My editor for An Inconvenient Alphabet, Sylvie Frank, provided many fabulous sessions about the publishing process for SCBWI-RMC members when she lived here. I really value any opportunity to listen to editors and agents as they provide a view that may be difficult for authors and illustrators to see.

Previous Posts about Beth Anderson

Learn more about Beth Anderson 

Learn more about E.B. Lewis

Learn more about the New York Transit Museum

The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop 

Book Review: I'm a Hare So There!

 

 

Julie Rowan-Zoch has written and illustrated a delightful romp through a North American desert with her picture book, I’m a Hare So There! published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The bold title does not disappoint; the hare spiritedly discusses identifying names and characteristics with his desert friend. A predator stalks the friends to a climax. Ms. Rowan-Zoch includes a collection of facts and a find and seek game in the end papers. The illustrations and language are so colorful and fun that one might not even notice that one is learning.

Learn more about Julie Rowan-Zoch

Learn more about Colorado lagomorphs, rabbits and hares, here: Colorado's Small Mammals

Support your local bookstore The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop

If the seek and find proves illusive, please contact Ms. Rowan-Zoch.

Oatmeal Pear Scone

 

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3 Tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup of butter or 4 Tablespoons butter

4 pears, peeled and sliced

2 eggs

1/3 cup cream

Directions: Mix together all the dry ingredients, stirring to mix. Cut in butter. Cut pears into pieces and add to mixture, including any additional juice. Break eggs into a separate bowl. Add cream to eggs. Mix with a fork. Add the egg and cream mixture to the oatmeal pear mixture. Grease a 9.5-inch pie pan with butter and dust with flour. Pour mixture into the greased and floured pie pan. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Scone will be golden brown; let cool so that juices may be reabsorbed.

Serves 6-8 people.

Notes: This is a nice way to use late summer produce. 

Chunky Garden Tomato Soup

 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic

5 medium slicing tomatoes

2 cherry tomatoes

4 inches dried baguette

4 Tablespoons grate mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

Directions: Pour olive oil into smaller sauce pan. Slice garlic and add to olive oil. Sauté until golden. Slice tomatoes into chunks and add to the olive oil and garlic. Stir and cook until hot or just boiling. Remove from heat. Add pepper. Tomatoes and cheese are naturally salty so it is fine to omit salt. Slice dried baguette into chunks and divide into bowls. Ladle soup over bread and then top with cheese.

Serves 2 people or 4 servings as a side or cup.

Notes: Thank you to the brother and sister-in-law for the garden tomatoes.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

2 medium slicing tomatoes, approximately 8 ounces

8 ounces of mozzarella, approximately

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Lavender Pepper

Directions: Slice the tomatoes into cubes. Slice the mozzarella into small cubes. Combine the tomatoes and mozzarella in a bowl. Toss. Add the olive oil and toss again. Both tomatoes and mozzarella are naturally salty so it is not necessary to salt the salad. A couple of grinds of lavender pepper, make the mixture delicious. The measures in this salad are estimates. The ratio of tomatoes to mozzarella is roughly 1 to 1.

Serves 4 people

Notes: Thank you to the brother-in-law for the gift of garden tomatoes.

Parsley Salad with Red Onion and Mandarin Dressing

 

1 bunch of Italian or flat leaf parsley

3 cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 fresh sweet mandarin or tangerine

Salt and pepper

Directions: Wash parsley in cold water and pat dry. Using a sharp knife cut the leaves from the stems, until you have approximately 2 cups of parsley leaves. Reserve the stems for another use. It is not necessary to dice the leaves as they are in bite size portions. Wash cherry tomatoes and dry. Slice the tomatoes. Place parsley and tomatoes in a salad bowl and toss.

Red onion and mandarin dressing

If onion is recently from the ground wash and remove outer skin; otherwise simply remove the outer skin. Dice onion. Place olive oil and onion in small pan and sauté. Cut the mandarin in half. When onion is limp, squeeze the mandarin juice into the onion and olive oil. Stir and cook for a minute longer; cool slightly and pour on greens and tomatoes.

Serves 2 people.

Notes: This is a refreshing summer salad.

Cake visual

Happy Birthday to one and all!

This cake was drawn in response to the prompt, parma purple from Colour Collective

Cheers!

 

Summer Turkey Sandwich

 

8 slices pumpernickel bread

12-16 ounces turkey, grilled, smoked or roasted

Sprig of fresh dill

Sprig of fresh parsley

Mayonnaise

Dijon mustard

Directions: Wash and pat dry the dill and parsley. Remove softer dill leaves from the fibrous main stem. Then, assemble the above ingredients into four sandwiches. Do keep the mayonnaise refrigerated as well as all the other ingredients.

Serves 4 people.

Notes: The fresh parsley and dill make this one of the finest turkey sandwiches. It is especially important to keep anything with mayonnaise well chilled.

Hummingbird Nectar

 

¼ cup white sugar

1 cup water

Directions: Pour water and sugar together in a small pan; stir over heat until sugar dissolves; continue to heat until just boiling. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool completely.

Pour sugar water into a very clean hummingbird feeder. Hang the feeder outside. Change the nectar or sugar water every couple of days. Please do not add dye or food coloring to the water.

Hummingbirds will also eat gnats and fruit flies which they can find on their own.

Enjoy the feathered friends.

Please see below for additional information on hummingbirds:

Backyard hummingbirds in the Rockies

Hummingbird habitat in Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota This is an informative booklet from the USDA with information on plants for hummingbirds and interesting facts such as the male calliope weighs as much as a penny and is the smallest bird in North America.

Audubon

Smithsonian National Zoo 

Grilled Cheese with Olive Tapenade

 

1 slice wheat bread

Jarred olive tapenade or a chopped olive condiment

1 slice Provolone cheese

Directions: Spread olive mixture on wheat bread. Top with slice of Provolone cheese. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Serves 1 person

Notes: Grilled cheese variation 5

The Provencal, South of France, word for capers is tapenas. Tapenade refers to a mixture of chopped or pureed olives, olive oil and capers with additional possible ingredients or different main ingredients. 

 Learn more about tapenade here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapenade