Thank you Kim Smith for hosting me on your blogtalk radio show– Introducing Writers. I really enjoyed talking with you. I think your idea about bringing Booksicals books and programs to kids at ST. JUDE’S hospital in Memphis Tennessee is a fabulous one. I look forward to pursing this idea with you further. Thanks again for having me on your lovely show.
Listen to my interview with Kim Smith at http://budurl.com/blogradiochatwSusan.
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The magic that happens when actors bring to life something you have written is one of the exhubertly wonderful perks of a writer’s life. The Booksicals Repertory Company is about to debut the musical version of Too Many Visitors for One Little House at the Robertson Library in Los Angeles. Up until now it’s been more work than fun: getting the cast together, recruiting director/choreographer, coordinating rehearsals, making script changes, staging, choreographing, recording in the studio, endless tweaking and retweaking of the music tracks, getting props, and putting it all together. But last night at rehearsal we finally had a music run through. Let the joys begin! Yes theater is magical and oh so wonderful as it brings to life the delights of a children’s picture book .
If you are in Los Angeles. Join us at the Robertson Library at 4:30 on Tuesday June 2. Or look for upcoming Booksicals performances. See you soon!
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Quoting from the Scientific American Mind article by Melinda Wenner on play – “Free, imaginative play is crucial for normal social, emotional and cognitive development. It makes us better adjusted, smarter and less stressed…”
The article goes on to say that some studies show that a play deprived childhood disrupts normal social, emotional and congitive development in humans and animals.
If you have a chance to read the article in Scientific AMerican Mind February/March 2009, I highly recommend it.
As we book playdates, afterschool acitivities, karate, gymnastics, little league, piano lessons, homework, ballet, yoga class etc. lets remember to make time for our kids to just play with pots and pans, play in the yard, play dress up, play make believe, use their imaginations and simply just play.
And if we are worried about them getting into a good college? Well according to Scientific American Mind – play may just be the thing to puts our kids in the forefront of the competition!
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I went to a friend’s birthday gathering the other day. It turned out to be a spiritual experience. I thought I’d share:
John, whose birthday it was, went around to each person at the table and described why each friend in particular was a blessing in his life. He listed each friend’s traits and what they add to his life. He described the blessings in his life and the hope of being strengthened to continue to grow in the right direction. He shared with us the Jewish perspective on birthdays: Birthdays he said, come around once a year to allow a person to evaluate their lives. Is the soul and the body in sync? If not, what can we do to get them aligned? With each birthday we need to re-adjust slightly, take the steps necessary to fulfill the cravings of soul through our physical world. An simple concept, a difficult thing.
Birthdays, John continued, are the time to rejoice in the gift of life, to rejoice in the particular strengths and talents we were given. Birthdays are a time to access our lives, realign our life with the vision we have for it before we get too far off track. Birthdays are the time to ask ourselves: are we fulfilling our calling?
So I started to think…. What is my calling. Is my life on target?
I started to think of all the people in history I’ve admired, people who have changed the world… Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir and many more. They affected millions with their actions and decisions. What about me?
Then I started to think. Who have I affected and how do I change the world? Yes, I’ve raised three wonderful sons. But what impact have I made beyond that?
And then it came to me. What I do best . What do I love to do? I love to ignite the creative spark in others. I love to help people realize their passions, pursue their dreams, develop their creativity. I love to encourage people to take the leap, do what they are dreaming of doing. I like to brainstorm and help them find ways to move towards their dreams. Is that a calling? I think it is.
And then I realized that authors of children’s books have a great potential for sparking a child’s creativity, and imagination. Stories often help us unlock and undertstand our dreams, lead us to our calling. So what do you know? Thanks to John’s birthday– I discovered my calling.
Thanks John for an inspirational and uplifting day. Happy birthday to everyone!
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Surrounded by the beautiful Arizona mountains and blue skies I should have been relaxed and calm as I walked in to meet Mr. Yacov’s first grade class . It was my first time at King David School in Scottsdale and I was going to read Too Many Visitors for One Little House to the K-1 classes.
While waiting for the kids to arrive, my sister, Anne Grabois, spanish teacher and former music teacher at the King David School who was going to introduce me, whispered in my ear, “Are you nervous?” “I’m petrified,” I replied.
“Petrified of 5 and 6 year olds?” she asked.
“What if they hate the book? ” I quivered.
Then in walked a line of shining smiles and beaming faces. Some waved to me, some jumped up and down, some shyly smiled. Exchanging wide-eyed looks and smiles –we connected!
And suddenly the fear was gone and the magic took over. Bonding through story, colors and pictures we shared an unforgettable afternoon.
In my brain I logged the memory of the reading at Kind David under – Don’t Worry about Stage Fright.
Yes author readings can be scary, especially if your audience is a room full of bright-eyed, honest-to-a fault 4-6 years olds who expect nothing less than total truth. But when they feel your sincere passion they plug right in and author and reader are bonded forever.
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What a treat to share Too Many Visitors for One Little House with Ms. Lauren Grabois’ bright and creative 1st grade class at Palomino Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona.
The children were so excited to meet an author and share thoughts about how authors gets their ideas. Each and every one of children realized they had so many experiences – funny, sad, happy, even scary that could be turned into their own stories!
The highlight of the day for the kids was meeting in the flesh, the real live Grandma and Grandpa from the story. Grandma and Grandpa became instant stars as the kids gathered around with hugs and questions.
As the kids asked questions about the family and the dog from the story, we decided, then and there, to launch a DOG NAMING CONTEST.
Be on the look-out — teachers, librarians,parents and kids- for news about the Too Many Visitors for One Little House upcoming DOG NAMING CONTEST.
Thank you children for the beautiful pictures and thank-you notes you made for me. Thank you Ms. Grabois and Principal Dr. Ana Ramos for having me as a guest at your wonderful school.
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I have often experienced how imagination plays a major role in the way kids process, learn and acquire curiosity. When children experience something new they often internalize that experience by drawing, playing make-believe, creating games, or making up stories.
My middle son is a perfect example of this. After his first trip to the aquarium at about age 7 he ran into the house and began drawing. For days he drew pictures of sharks, whales and fish. I realized that drawing was his way of expanding his imagination and of connecting with the amazing world of the sea. The more he drew the more motivated he got to learn about sea creatures, read books about them and watch Discovery programs about them.
Another time, after a family trip to England, he started drawing castles, cathedrals and medieval knights. His imagination got so piqued that he begged me to take fencing lessons. (Today he is an star fencer on his college fencing team.)
Kids explore their world and deepen their curiosity by exercising their imagination. How can we use the power of their imagination to develop a love for reading? Deepen your child’s reading experience by incorporating reading as an extension of play. Encourage your kids to play make believe, put on skits, using characters and stories from books they read. Use books as substrate for arts and craft projects. Take your kids to the theater or movies related to books they read. Make books a part of your child’s imaginative life and surely that will help develop thier love for reading.
Anyone have their own thoughts and experiences about how to inspire kids with a love for reading? Please share.
Susan Chodakiewitz
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After writing, producing, composing and collaborating in the world of musical theater, I thought writing children’s books would be refreshingly simple. Reality … it is anything but simple, and it is extraordinarily fulfilling.
At a musical theater workshop that I attended with the famous Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd, West Side Story), Sondheim said: “God is in the details.” That has been my mantra as I have pursued my dream to publish my own line of children’s books.
As I launched my new company Booksicals in 2008 and found myself as author of my debut picture book Too Many Visitors for One Little House and also editor, design director, marketing manager and publisher, I kept Sondheim’s words prominently in my head.
First came the details of character development: the long conversations with illustrator Veronica Walsh, the multiple drafts of character illustrations with decisions about facial gestures, body positions, clothing worn, etc. And with every draft the ever-present doubts — will anyone really notice this detail? Will anyone really l care? Yet with Sondheim’s words reverberating in my head, I forged ahead revision after revision.
And now as I near the end of this wonderfully collaborative and creative process, once again I face the challenge of deciding when is the project finally done. As draft after draft from the printer comes back with a shade of a page too dark, a font that does not italicize nicely, an illustration slightly off center, and other endless details, I ask myself again — will anyone really notice? And just as I’m about to let something slide, I remind myself of Sondheim’s words: ” God is in the details.”
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