Monday, February 28, 2011

Rain, Rain, Rain

Dear Parents,

It rained Sunday, most of the day, and it was very windy.
Children like to walk in the rain, step in puddles and catch raindrops in
their mouths. They also like the wind blowing in their faces.

You can have children read about the rain and the wind. You can discuss
with them the different activities they can do outside, as well as inside.

Questions you can ask are: Why does it rain? What happens in a thunderstorm?
What is rain good for? Why do we have wind? How many gusts of wind does it take for it to be a hurricane or tornado? Do you like the rain? Do you like the wind?
Why do we have tornadoes, hurricanes, and thunderstorms? This is a lead-in to the 4 seasons and the types of weather they have. Books on these topics would be non-fiction.

Your child can go to the library and find interesting facts about the rain, wind, hurricanes, thunderstorms and tornadoes. Just motivate him to do so.

YOU can also ask: In what country does it rain the most, have the most hurricanes, thunderstorms and tornadoes? Do you know what city is called "The Windy City?

The following picture books are worth reading:

1. My Red Umbrella- written by Robert Bright, published in 1988 by Doubleday.
Summary: A little girl's umbrella grows so that everyone who wants to can get under it. (Recommended for PS-1)

2. Seven Diving Ducks- written by Margaret Friskey, illustrated by Jean Morey and published in 1965. This story is about a frightened little duck who conquers his fear of the water. (Recommended for 1-3)

3. Will it Rain? - written by Holly Keller and published by Greenwillow , in 1084.
This is the story of a rainstorm as seen through the eyes of various animals. (Recommended for PS- 2)


It doesn't matter what type of picture book your child reads--fiction or non-fiction- just get him to READ.

Respected parents- Make reading enjoyable for your child. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

GOD BLESS.

Sincerely,

Ravenous Reader (a.k.a. Frankie )




Thursday, February 17, 2011

Family, Celebrations, t.v. programs

Dear Readers,

We celebrated my Mom's 84th Birthday yesterday. She blew out all the candles on her favorite cake, cheesecake. She seemed so happy that the family was there.

On February 12fth, my Dad was discharged after being in the hospital for almost three weeks. He was so thrilled to come home. Mom's eyes lit up when she saw him.
I think my grandmother, Maria, is watched over my Dad. She came to America from Italy on the same day, with my Mom who was 2 years old.

WE cannot forget Valentine's Day. My wife, Anna and I celebrated the holiday the next day, since I was scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy that day.

February and March are months for celebration for our family. My wife's birthday, my brother's birthday, my birthday, and my Dad's birthday, all follow one another.


Parents, you can have your children look up St. Valentine, holidays, celebrations, birthdays. Do your children know who your ancestors are? Where did they come from? You can help them research this. A Mom and Dad working with their children goes a long way.

Today, instead of books, I'm listing a few educational t.v. programs.

1. Clifford, the Big Red Dog
2. Dora the Explora
3. Maya and Miguel
4. Angelina the Ballerina
5. Blue's Clues

Please have your children read. I can't stress enough how important this is. Read to your child aloud. Let your child read to you aloud. Discuss the pictures.


Along with reading, goes writing. Have your child write about the shows they watch. Limit your child's t.v. watching, too.


God bless.

Sincerely,

(Ravenous Reader, a.k. a. Frankie)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

MT. OLYMPUS, BEST FRIENDS, AND 4 BOOKS.

Dear Readers,

My wife, Anna, and I have been blessed w ith friends we've had over a quarter of a century.

If you been reading my blog, you would know who they are.

On Monday, we had our monthly lunch at Mt. Olympus, off Central Avenue, with our special friends--Sabra and Jerry, Tony, Kathy and Connie--all retired teachers--like me. We all worked in the same school. Georgine is also part of our group, and she will make the March luncheon. She's enjoying the warm weather in Florida.

WE ate, talked and exchanged Christmas and Valentine gifts. This truly was a wonderful get-together.


One of our friends, Sabra and Jerry, will be celebrating their 40th anniversary on Feb. 13th.

Through the years, all of us have gotten close. "That's what friends are for," say the lyrics.


What does this story have to do with picture books? You can brainstorm Luncheon, Christmas,
Valentine's Day and Friends And Anniversary. You can read books on these topics to them. Children can draw pictures. Doing all these activities helps them read. And that's what you want.

I want it too. So, here are a few good titles of picture books you can read to your child, or he can read to you:


1. BABY BEAR'S BIG DREAMS-BY JANE YOLEN, ILLUSTRATED BY MELISSA SWEET AND
PUBLISHED BY HARCOURT, IN 2007.


2. I AM TOO ABSOLUTELY SMALL FOR SCHOOL-BY LAUREN CHILD, PUBLISHED BY

CANDLEWICK PRESS, AGES 3-6.


3. THE FEELINGS BOOK-BY TODD PARR, PUBLISHED BY LITTLE BROWN AND
COMPANY, IN 2OOO. THIS IS A BOARD BOOK.
4. I WAS SO MAD-BY MERCER MAYER, RANDOM HOUSE, PUBLISHED IN 1983.



ARE YOU READING TO YOUR CHILD? IS HE READING TO YOU?


READ, READ, READ. START WITH COMIC BOOKS, IF YOU CAN.

GOD BLESS YOU.

SINCERELY,

(RAVENOUS READER,) A.K.A. FRANKIE

Monday, January 24, 2011

Publishers, editors and agents, I'm here.

Dear Readers,

Publishers, publishers, where are you?
I have written something new.

Editors, editors, look at my picture book,
Bianca, the cow, is in trouble. That's the hook.

Agents, agents, I know you are out there,
Pigs, sheep and horses give Bianca a scare.

Publishers, editors and agents, please read, please read, my book,
Children can read about how everyone becomes friends in their nook.


I'm a member of S.C.B.W.I. I'm a retired junior high school English teacher, and 4 of my poems have been published in separate anthologies.

I've taught for 22 years, and I've been writing childrens' picture books for 14 years, now.

I want to write for children, and I will work hard at it. Give me a chance. Give me a chance.

God bless.

Sincerely,
Ravenous Reader(A. K. A. Frankie )

Snow, videos and books on snow

Dear Readers,

"Snow, snow, snow," is the song Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney sing in the movie, WHITE CHRISTMAS. If the snow and this wintry weather get you down, rent the movie and see it. You would feel better afterwards.

My wife and I are tired of the snow, too. Another good movie to rent is IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, starring Henry Fonda and Donna Reed. This is a feel-good movie. Get it, if you don't have it already.

"A SNOWY DAY," written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats and published by Viking,
in 1962, is a good book to read to your child. Most likely, your child can look at the illustrations, understand them and read on his own. That's what we want for our children---WE WANT THEM TO READ ON THEIR OWN.

Just to let you know, I've been working months on writing a children's picture book. I started with the title, BIANCA, THE COW, and now I changed it to "TROUBLE IN THE BARN." I feel like I don't have the story completely right, yet. It's a story about the pigs, sheep and horses bullying Bianca, the cow, in the barn, her reactions to it and how she solves the problem.


I'm still not finished, and I am still revising. My deadline is Thursday night, since I'm attending the S.C.B.W.I. convention on Friday and Saturday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, in N.Y. Publishers, editors and agents will be there to hear my story, as well as other writers, teachers, etc, from all over the country in a round-robin session. There are two sessions where you can read your story, and it is critiqued by ten writers and a publisher or agent or editor, each time.

Fourteen years, you read correctly, fourteen years, I've been writing different picture books and submitting them out to publishers, and I know that someday soon, I shall have my story published.

Have your child read books about the seasons, and have them write about topics that are familiar to them and that they are interested in.

They can write about WHITE CHRISTMAS, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, or A SNOWY DAY.

When you go shopping, do you have your child read the labels on the packages, or cereal boxes? This is reading, too.

Your child can also compare prices on items to be bought.

When you're crossing the street, have your child read the traffic signs.


I'll be working all this week on my story. Say a prayer for me.

Thanking you in advance,

God bless you.

Sincerely,
(Ravenous Reader- A.K.A. Frankie)

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Special Friends Continued.

Dear Readers,

In my last blog, I wrote about friends and family. I omitted one special friend, Sheila. We taught together in a new school, and we were inseparable.

To this day, we are friends. We each take turns calling one another on the phone,
and we laugh from beginning to end.

Sheila is charming, sociable, outgoing, very friendly, and she has a pleasant personality. She is well-educated, well-informed, and she has a confident presence about her.

We now also have e-mail to keep in touch with each other.


Sheila is a true friend, just like my other friends I mentioned earlier.



I shall summarize two more books next week. In the meantime, READ, READ, READ.

You can read about Friendships, Families, Your Classmates, Your best friend, and you can write about all the Activities you, your friends and family participate in.

Children, have a great day tomorrow. Have fun in the snow.

God bless you.


Sincerely,

Ravenous Reader ( a.k.a. Frankie )











Friday, January 7, 2011

Happy New Year.

Dear Readers,

Hope you had a wonderful and healthy and happy New Year. Do you have any traditions for the New Year? My family and I do. We open our doors to let the New Year in and the Old Year out, at midnight, we throw dishes and cups out the window, we make a lot of noise by blowing our horns and whistles as we stroll through the house, and our Aunt Olimpia and Uncle Domenico come, playing the accordion and blowing the horn.
Before we do all this, we sit and talk with each other at the family table, and we have cold cut sandwiches, nuts, cakes(fruitcake, etc.) and soda or champagne at midnight. Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Severino also come to join in the festivities.

Do you do anything special on New Year's Day? Besides picking up the broken dishes and cups from the night before, we eat a dish of Lentil Soup which is supposed to make you Rich in the New Year.

I feel I am already Rich. I am Blessed with a caring, loving and supportive wife named Anna, (we've been married 26 years, and last year, on our 25th, we took a
Perillo tour of Italy. We felt like we were on a second honeymoon.

I am also blessed to have my parents, Lucy and Silverio. Their outpouring of love to me made me what I am today---- A retired teacher and a children's picture book writer.

I am blessed to have a great brother, Vincent, who would do anything for me. So would my Aunt Susie. I call her the "brains` of the family."

Cousins- I have an overabundance of cousins-- Lucia and Joe, with their three children, Chelsea, Claudia and Cinthia; Madalene and Gerard, with their daughter Valerie; Olimpia and Vincenzo, with their children, Olivia, and Vincenzo, Jr.; and cousin, Gelsomina, a physical therapist, and a damn good one.

I also have Frankie, Silvio, Mima, Larry Sr., and their three children---Larry Jr.,
Nicholas, and Christopher. I've tutored Nicholas when he was in the second grade. Now, Larry Jr. and Nicholas have graduated from college and have good salaries. Christopher is doing very well in high school.


Anna and I Babysit for Olimpia's two children,
Olivia and Vincenzo, Jr. WE also
Babysit for the newest baby in our family----Gianni, 2 years old, and son of Maryann and Christopher. Gianni gives us so much joy.

We are a close-knit family.

We are also blessed with so many friends through the years--our teacher friends, Sabra and Jerry from Nanuet, Tony from Pelham Parkway, Kathy from Connecticut, Connie from Riverdale, Sal and Fran from Goshen. These have been our friends for the past 30 years. I also have a friend from Freehold, New Jersey and his name is David. We went to college together, became teachers together, and then we taught in different schools. He left teaching to go into the Computer field, and he has been very successful. We've been friends now for 41 years. His wife, Susan, is a primary school teacher.

These friends mentioned are True friends. You only need 1 friend, but we've been fortunate to have so many.

A dear childhood friend of mine is Joanie. WE sort of grew up together, enjoyed the same things--movies, theatre, tennis, bowling, television award ceremonies like the Oscars, classic movies, going to restaurants, etc. Sometimes, we'd go to see 2 movies and squeeze in a play in one day. We enjoyed dancing and going to weddings. When I married Anna, Joanie and Anna became good friends, too. Joanie and Michel are good friends, and we are now Michel's friends.

Do you keep in touch with your friends from grammar school? I do. I
went to Our Lady of Pity School(now closed), and I keep in touch with several friends, Denise and Mike, Phyllis, Lorraine, Ralph, Carmela, RoseAnn and Vinny.


Dear Readers,
Your children can read about almost anything---- New Year, tradition, family,
friends, school, brothers and sisters, tutoring, Mom, Dad, cousins, babies, college,
computers, vacation and favorite activities.


The
two books I recommend for this week are:

1. Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day- Jamie Lee Curtis.
It is illustrated by Laura Cornell, and it is published by Joanna
Cotler Books, 1998, and it is recommended for children, ages 4-8.

This story is about the different moods children experience in their lives. Moods somehow change the day.

The story is in Rhyme, and the illustrations are huge and colorful.


Here's two lines from the book:

Today I'm excited there's so much to do,
I'm going to sell cookies and lemonade too.

The book is fun to read. Each page covers a variety of moods, and there is so much activity going on each page.


The second book I recommend is: Subway-Anastasia Suen.

It is illustrated by Karen Katz, published by Viking in 2004, and it is recommended for children, ages 3 and up.

The pictures are huge and colorful. The sights and sounds of the Subway give your child a good idea of what it is like to travel on a subway.

Here are four lines from the book:

tickets in
turnstiles spin
walk, walk, walk
to the subway


Happy and Healthy and Blessed New Year to Everyone.

God bless.

Sincerely,
Ravenous Reader ( a.k.a. Frankie )