Springtime in Paris Handmade Card

Paris in Spring by Sara Teasdale
The city's all a-shining
Beneath a fickle sun,
A gay young wind's a-blowing,
The little shower is done.
But the rain-drops still are clinging
And falling one by one --
Oh it's Paris, it's Paris,
And spring-time has begun.

I know the Bois is twinkling
In a sort of hazy sheen,
And down the Champs the gray old arch
Stands cold and still between.
But the walk is flecked with sunlight
Where the great acacias lean,
Oh it's Paris, it's Paris,
And the leaves are growing green.

The sun's gone in, the sparkle's dead,
There falls a dash of rain,
But who would care when such an air
Comes blowing up the Seine?
And still Ninette sits sewing
Beside her window-pane,
When it's Paris, it's Paris,
And spring-time's come again.    

I made this collage-style greeting card to enter in the Michael's Springtime in Paris contest.   Wish me luck!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.                

Kindle Books For Kids: The Hungry Dump's Revenge

The Hungry Dump's Revenge ("The New Roald Dahl" Children's rhyming stories and poetry for ages 7 to 107!)

Author: Jason Hall

Publisher: Jason Hall

Date: July 20, 2011

Length: 15 Pages

 

 

About The Author

Jason Hall is an established writer and illustrator of children's rhyming stories and poetry. It first started with a poem for his daughter called "The Magic Watering Can".
He has performed many readings and poetry workshops in schools and libraries across London and Surrey. His rhyming stories are descriptive, imaginative, thrilling and funny - having audiences captivated from start to finish.

The School Built On A Trash Dump
Mr. Chisel, a dishonest builder, puts a new school right on top of an old trash dump. He has ignored all the rules just to save a few bucks.

The Head of the school tries to call Mr. Chisel when mold covers the entire building. Unfortunately, Mr. Chisel is always busy and does not plan to make things right at the school.

The old trash dump is angry because the people of the town never reused and were never thrifty. The dump decides that it wants to get revenge by eating a huge human snack. The dump wants boys, girls, teachers and even the Head of the school.

I won't spoil the ending, but I don't think Mr. Chisel will be building any other schools for a very long time.

My Thoughts
I love the recycling theme in this rhyming story. The story makes it clear that waste is everyone's problem and we should all reduce, recycle and reuse.
This book includes seven pictures that do a good job illustrating the story. The formatting could use some work but the print is clear enough to easily read.

"The Hungry Dump's Revenge" was written by an English author so there are a few words that might be unclear to American readers. This could be a good learning experience to compare the words used in England with words and expressions used in the United States.

Parents and children will enjoy the review questions and activities at the end of the story. This is a good way to teach a valuable science lesson while having fun and some good laughs. I recommend this ebook for children ages 7 and up.

My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ Today this ebook is offered as a FREE download on Amazon. If you want this book, please grab it NOW because these promotions only last a few days.

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The Soldier On Crutches by Edgar A Guest

I would like to wish you all a very happy 4th of July! Please remember those who are fighting for our freedom and their families. Freedom is not free.

I would like to honor Richard Thomas, my daughter's father-in-law. This is a picture of him receiving the Purple Heart in March, 1970. He lost both legs while serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.

The Soldier On Crutches
By Edgar A. Guest 

He came down the stairs on the laughter-filled grill
Where patriots were eating and drinking their fill,
The tap of his crutch on the marble of white
Caught my ear as I sat all alone there that night.
I turned—and a soldier my eyes fell upon,
He had fought for his country, and one leg was gone!

As he entered a silence fell over the place;
Every eye in the room was turned up to his face.
His head was up high and his eyes seemed aflame
With a wonderful light, and he laughed as he came.
He was young—not yet thirty—yet never he made
One sign of regret for the price he had paid.

One moment before this young soldier came in
I had caught bits of speech in the clatter and din
From the fine men about me in life's dress parade
Who were boasting the cash sacrifices they'd made;
And I'd thought of my own paltry service with pride,
When I turned and that hero of battle I spied.
I shall never forget the hot flushes of shame
That rushed to my cheeks as that young fellow came.
He was cheerful and smiling and clear-eyed and fine
And out of his face golden light seemed to shine.
And I thought as he passed me on crutches:"How small
Are the gifts that I make if I don't give my all."

Some day in the future in many a place
More soldiers just like him we'll all have to face.
We must sit with them, talk with them, laugh with them, too,
With the signs of their service forever in view
And this was my thought as I looked at him then—
Oh, God! make me worthy to stand with such men.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

The Flag On The Farm - Flag Day 2012

Today is flag day. We are proud to fly the flag of the United States of America on our property.

I would like to share this poem in honor of Flag Day, 2012.










The Flag On The Farm
A Poem by Edgar A. Guest

We've raised a flagpole on the farm
And flung Old Glory to the sky,
And it's another touch of charm
That seems to cheer the passer-by,
But more than that, no matter where
We're laboring in wood and field,
We turn and see it in the air,
Our promise of a greater yield.
It whispers to us all day long,
From dawn to dusk: "Be true, be strong;
Who falters now with plow or hoe
Gives comfort to his country's foe."

We've raised a flagpole on the farm
And flung Old Glory to the sky;
We're far removed from war's alarm,
But courage here is running high.
We're doing things we never dreamed
We'd ever find the time to do;
Deeds that impossible once seemed
Each morning now we hurry through.
The flag now waves above our toil
And sheds its glory on the soil,
And boy and man looks up to it
As if to say: "I'll do my bit!"

Please share your thoughts in the Coments Section below.

Memorial Day - A Poem by Edgar A. Guest

WWI Era Picture Postcard

Memorial Day

A Poem by Edgar A. Guest

From "Collected Verse of Edgar A. Guest"

Copyright 1934

The finest tribute we can pay

Unto our hero dead to-day,

Is not a rose wreath, white and red,

In memory of the blood they shed;

It is to stand beside each mound,

Each couch of consecrated ground,

And pledge ourselves as warriors true

Unto the work they died to do.

Into God's valleys where they lie
At rest, beneath the open sky,

Triumphant now, o'er every foe,

As living tributes let us go.

No wreath of rose or immortelles

Or spoken word or tolling bells

Will do to-day, unless we give

Our pledge that liberty shall live.

Our hearts must be the roses red

We place above our hero dead;

To-day beside their graves we must

Renew allegiance to their trust;

Must bare our heads and humbly say

We hold the Flag as dear as they,

And stand, as once they stood, to die

To keep the Stars and Stripes on high.

The finest tribute we can pay

Unto our hero dead to-day

Is not of speech or roses red,

But living, throbbing hearts instead

That shall renew the pledge they sealed

With death upon the battlefield:

That freedom's flag shall bear no stain

And free men wear no tyrant's chain.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

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Kindle Books For Kids: Little Library Mouse

A little white mouse explores the library in "The Library Mouse" by Stephanie Lisa Tara. Children will find this book charming and informative. The Library Mouse will have children begging to visit their local library and explore the many books that are housed there.



About The Author
Stephanie Lisa Tara believes that children's verse has the power to inspire a deep love of language and learning. Words tripping off the tongue in somersaults, rhymes that stick to your thoughts like taffy--that's the essence of her award-winning books.
Ms. Tara is the author of five children's picture books.

After The Library Closes
"Even when you are little, you can imagine big"....that is how this story begins. A little white mouse hears the key locking the library door after it closes for the day. The mouse and his friends explore the contents of many different kinds of library books and imagine that they are characters in the stories.

The story is written in a delightful rhyming prose that children will love. Each rhyme is written in five short sentences that include a wealth of book/library vocabulary words.

Alex Walton has done an amazing job illustrating this story. The pages alternate between simple line drawings and full-page elaborate color illustrations. The color illustrations show a white mouse in a purple suit becoming part of the library book that he is exploring. Children will be enchanted by the details in the color illustrations.

My Thoughts
When I was working as an elementary school librarian, I was always looking for books that encouraged children to visit the library. This is one of those books!
This book is an excellent resource for promoting the library to young children.

I really like the way the author incorporated many library/book vocabulary words in her rhymes. This book is a wonderful introduction to words like "page", "rhyme", "poems", "sentence", "glossy", "fable", "paragraph", "verse", "prose" and "images".

The color illustrations are outstanding. Children will be able to see much more in this story as they look at the pictures and use their imaginations.

This book was published as a print book in 2006 and released as a Kindle book in February, 2011. I read this book on my Kindle 3 (black and white illustrations) and on the Kindle for PC Application (color illustrations). I think the formatting for the Kindle is very good and children will enjoy reading the book on the small screens of a Kindle, iPad, iPhone, etc.
I think this is a wonderful selection for teachers and librarians to share with their entire class by using the Kindle for PC Application and a projector.

This book is an excellent selection for reading aloud or independent reading. I highly recommend this book for children, teachers, librarians and parents.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Facebook Ate My Life, And Other Poems

Is Facebook eating your life? Are you networked out?

John McDonnell offers a humorous look at the social networking craze in "Facebook Ate My Life, And Other Poems".  This 4-page ebook contains four original poems that reflect the author's outlook on life.


About the Author
John McDonnell has eight books on the Amazon Kindle. He has five collections of horror short stories, one collection of humorous stories about a space alien named Larry, a book of poetry, and a holiday book called "The Christmas Gift". He lives outside of Philadelphia, PA, with his wife and four children.

Four Poems
Mr. McDonnell has written four thought-provoking and entertaining poems for this ebook. The following poems are included in this collection;

• Facebook Ate My Life. The author expresses his reluctance to "connect" with some of the unpleasant people from his past.
• No Points For Neatness. Mr. McDonnell realizes that neatness is second to love when you have a houseful of children.
• Birthday Boy. The author decides to celebrate his life on the anniversary of his birth.
• The Phillies Have Won. Mr. McDonnell expresses joy after a long-awaited victory for his favorite baseball team.

Take Time For Poetry
Poetry like this is fun and entertaining. I don't claim to be an expert on poetry, but I enjoyed this ebook and it definitely brought a smile to my face. The author/poet has a talent for taking ordinary circumstances and expressing them in a poetic manner.

My only complaint is that the book ended too soon...I would like to read more. These four poems will wet your appetite and have you hoping that the author will soon publish more.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Kindle Books For Kids: Mortimer's Book of What-ifs?

What if I have to get glasses?
What if you forget your homework?
What if you decide to sell your sister?

"Mortimer's Book of What-ifs?", by Mandi Tillotson Williams, is a delightful collection of 19 rhyming poems for children. Children will also love to play the "Where's Mortimer?" game as they search for Mortimer's picture on each page.


About the Author
After experiencing a personal family tragedy-turned-miracle, Mandi Tillotson Williams has decided to pursue her lifelong dream of writing for children on top of having her own photography business and juggling three kids and their activities.
She is the author of another children's book ~ "Mortimer's Sweet Retreat".  Please click HERE to read my review of this book.

Questions That Will Delight and Entertain
This ebook is a collection of illustrated poetry for children. Each poem is based on a question that children might be curious about. These humorous questions are answered with a delightful rhyming poem.

The color illustrations are ink drawings that are colored-in with crayon/colored pencils. There is a tiny picture of Mortimer hidden in each illustration so children will have a blast trying to find the little picture of Mortimer on each page.

My Thoughts
I found this collection of children's poems reminiscent of the Jack Prelutsky books that I would read my classes when I worked as a school librarian. Ms. Williams has a wonderful understanding of the way children think. The humor in this collection is outstanding and the illustrations are excellent.

I viewed the book on my Kindle 3 (black-and-white pictures) and the Kindle for PC Application (color pictures). There is one color illustration on each page and most of  the poems contain 10 to 15 lines of text. I think the formatting for this book looks very good on the Kindle. The text is clear and readable on the small screen and the illustrations are clear and bright.
I can imagine a teacher or librarian using this book with their computer and a projector so a class could enjoy the poetry on a big screen.

This collection of poetry is great for independent reading or for reading aloud to younger children. This is a real gem!

My Rating: 5 Stars out of 5 Stars

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Pressing into Thin Places

Dr. Margaret Harrell Wills defines a "thin place" as the place where the veil that separates heaven and earth is nearly transparent. It is a place where we experience a deep sense of God's presence in our everyday world.

Pressing Into Thin Places; Encouraging the Heart Toward God is a collection of stories, experiences, and important lessons expressed through prose and poetry. Dr. Wills encourages readers to have eyes to see the gifts of thin places through their own experiences. This book tells personal stories of pain and heartache where great truths have emerged.


About The Author
Dr. Margaret Harrell Wills grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She received her undergraduate degree from John Brown University, a master's degree from Arizona State University, and a doctoral degree in higher education with a teaching field of history from the University of Arkansas.
A writer and a poet, Dr. Wills is dedicated to the ministry of encouragement and helping people experience hope, wisdom, and faith in their spiritual journey.

This Book Is A Real Keeper
Dr. Wills opens her heart and shares some of the most difficult times in her life.
The book is divided into the following sections;

• Thin Places
• No Other Stream
• Tearing Off The Mask
• The Fall
• Speaking In The Waves
• A Listening Heart
• Our Starting Place
• The Way To Your Door
• The Reality Of Living
• Beauty From Ashes
• Rebirth
• Amen

I especially liked the part of the book where the author uses a verse in 1 Samuel 30. In verse 6, it says, "And David strengthened himself in the Lord." How do we strengthen ourselves in the Lord? We can go into His presence and let Him guide our thinking. It is wonderful to know that the Lord can take our wrong thoughts and make them right. A change of thinking can make all the difference in the world.

Dr. Wills also shares the difficulty of watching her parents growing old and dying. This is something that most of us will have to deal with. She shares the poignant story of the things that daughters remember about their father. It is the little things. Life is made up of the little things within the pleasures and challenges of our daily living.

This book is a source of hope during difficult times. It is a real treasure and I will certainly be going back to read treasured passages over and over again.

Thank you to the fine folks at The B & B Media Group for sending me a complimentary copy of this book to read and review.
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

War

Today is Veteran's Day.  The picture above is a postcard that was issued during World War I.  This poem is dedicated to all who have served our country.

War

War is a performance staged by the "Angel of Sin"
When he opens his theater and invites everyone in;
The chief actors engaged are "Power" and "Greed"
Which have flourished for years on a poor people's need.

A great many characters must put on this play,
"Selfishness" first has a long prologue to say,
Then bold "Authority" rushes out to be shown
And "Hatred" springs up, by evil tongues sown.

In the tragedy, "Beauty" alone has no place,
And "Truth," despairing, stands hiding her face,
While "Hope," "Love" and "Charity" are striving, each one,
With the players to see that the "Right Thing" is done.

The scenery used is fair places laid waste,
Homes broken up in disaster and haste,
Children dying of hunger, mothers frantic with fears,
A background of sorrow, of blood and of tears.

The stage is the "World", and millions of men
Are engaged in the cast, and none can tell when
The performance will end, the curtain rung down
On the "Angel of Sin" with his reign overthrown.

Oh! May the time come and may it come soon,
That, the tragedy over, we are granted the boon
Of "Security" and "Peace" which "Victory" has won,
Then "Hope" will abide because "Justice" was done.

Poem by Lavina M. Bodley (Wandering And Wondering, 1932)

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me

When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not here to see;

If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears of me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,

While thinking of the many things we didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me, as much as I love you,

And each time you think of me I know you'll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,

That an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready in heaven's glorious land.

When I walked through heaven's gates, I felt so much at home.

When God smiled at me and said "This is eternity and all I've promised you.

Today your life on earth is past, here it starts anew".

"I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last,

And since each day's the same day, there's no longing for the past.

You have been so faithful, so trusting, and so true.

You have been forgiven and now at last you're free."

So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart.

For everytime you think of me, I'm right there in your heart.

This poem was read by Mrs. Virginia Walker at Debra Holton's memorial service. March 6, 2010