Search Results for: julie andrews

Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton on The Great American Mousical — Interview

49 Comments / Emma Walton Hamilton, In The Spotlight, Interviews, Music for Kids, Theatre for Kids, Waiting in the Wings Wednesdays / By

I am honored and delighted to present this interview with both Emma Walton Hamilton and her mother, Julie Andrews. What a gift they have given us all in agreeing to this interview! As those of you who are regular readers of my blog know, my Wednesday focus this fall is the upcoming musical production, The Great American Mousical: A Musical Love Letter to Broadway, at the Norma Terris Theatre in November (full details below). Julie and Emma collaborated on the original book, which was published in 2006. Now, Julie will direct the stage production, and so is hard at work with rehearsals at this very moment. I deeply appreciate them taking the time to answer my questions in such depth. Julie Andrews is known around the world for her stage, screen, and singing career. Rather than mention the movies she usually is linked with in biographical information, I want to highlight my favorites, which are among her lesser-known works, but which I believe deserve equal billing. The Americanization of Emily (1964), That’s Life (1986), Duet for One (1986), and Our Sons (made for television, 1991) are some of her finest work, and I highly recommend them. Julie is also a prolific author, who began writing for children in the early 1970s. Her first two books, Mandy and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, are still in print, still in demand, which says a great deal about the quality of Julie’s writing. For the past 15 years or so, she has collaborated with her daughter Emma, and together they have written many delightful picture books and middle grade novels. Julie is also a passionate advocate for the arts, and for children’s literacy. For further biographical information, please see the website of the Julie Andrews Collection. Emma Walton Hamilton got her start in theatre, and is now an author, freelance editor, educator (in both the arts and in writing for children), speaker, and advocate for the arts and literacy. With her mother she has written many picture books and middle grade novels. She is also the author of the excellent literacy resource Raising Bookworms: Getting Kids Reading for Pleasure and Empowerment. Emma is the director of the writing program for middle grade and high school students, YAWP (Young American Writers Project); she teaches Children’s Literature at the Stony Brook Southampton University campus; she has developed an online/home study course in picture book writing, Just Write for Kids; she is the founder and driving force behind the fantastic resource and educational online site, The Children’s Book Hub; and Emma and I co-administer the Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group. For further biographical information, please see Emma’s website. And now, let’s find out what Julie and Emma have to say about taking The Great American Mousical from page to stage…

August Augmented Fifths — 3/5 — Dragon: Hound of Honor by Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton

14 Comments / Just Want to Say / By

It’s an August Friday, one-fifth of the Fridays in August 2012, and that means that I’m sharing with you an “augmented fifth” middle grade novel — a book that has augmented my life, has enriched my life, and that I am happy to recommend to others. Since my Monday post this week talked about writing and the ways writers can improve their craft, and since Emma Walton Hamilton has been instrumental in helping me grow and learn as a writer, I have chosen to highlight one of the books she and her mother have written. I have shared many books written by this pair over the time I’ve been blogging about books, both here and on my old blog, elizabethannewrites. With this book, Julie and Emma have moved out of their usual “comfort zone” and have produced a mystery based on a medieval French legend, a story that is both well-researched and completely captivating.

Julie Andrews Collection of Poems, Songs and Lullabies

8 Comments / In The Spotlight, Just Want to Say, Starred Books / By

  A wonderful way to encourage children’s enjoyment of reading and being read to is to share poetry with them from an early age. My mother and I loved to recite poetry to and with each other, and we shared poetry together until her last days. In the last couple of years of her life, one of the books we turned to most often was this anthology, which has something for everyone.

Julie Hedlund is FOR WRITERS!

12x12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, Complete Picture Book Submission System, For Writers!, Julie Foster Hedlund, Picture Book Summit, Twelve Days of Christmas for Writers, Writers' Resources / By

I am so grateful for Julie Hedlund – for who she is as a person, as well as for all she does for writers. She is funny, knowledgeable, supportive, wise. And she knows what writers need to help them SHINE! I first got to know Julie through Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo 2011 (more about Tara next week). At the end of PiBoIdMo that year, Julie asked if anyone would like to join her in an accountability-type challenge in which we’d try to write 12 first drafts of picture books over the course of the coming year. She called it 12×12 in 2012 – 12 drafts in 12 months in 2012. As she says in this blog interview I did with her as the challenge progressed, “I initially envisioned the challenge as a personal one that I would do on my own. Then, toward the end of PiBoIdMo last year, I decided it would be nice to have company. I expected maybe 30-50 of my most faithful blog followers who were also picture book writers to join me. I NEVER could have imagined we’d end up 400 strong!” That was then. Now there are 1000+ participants each year from all over the world, and 12×12 has become firmly lodged in the KidLit world as an excellent way to learn, to practice craft, to form community – even to have submission opportunities (at the Gold Level.) There is a cost involved, but it is well worth every penny. But don’t take my word for it. Check out all the glowing testimonials on the 12×12 website (and while you’re there, learn more about the challenge.) I was a member of 12×12 for the first three years, then, because my focus had changed to middle grade novels, I reluctantly gave up my membership. Still, I recommend it HIGHLY to anyone who writes picture books or is thinking of writing picture books. You will learn so much, in an incredibly supportive community. Julie is also one of the founding members of the Picture Book Summit, an online one-day conference for picture book creators, which was online before online conferences were cool. Julie and the other founders, Emma Walton Hamilton, Katie Davis, and Laura Backes Bard, along with Jon Bard (founder and emcee) and Kelli Panique (fixer of all things) bring the picture book world an amazing learning experience each October (the first Saturday of October), with keynotes from preeminent people in the picture book world, workshops from founders and others, often an agents and editors panel – and submission opportunities. It is not to be missed. Julie and Emma are the driving forces behind the Complete Picture Book Submission System, which has helped many writers hone their submissions so that agents take notice. Somehow, Julie finds time to write, and recently her delightfully funny picture book, OVER, BEAR! UNDER, WHERE? was released. (I attended the online launch party, and the book is great fun.) It’s illustrated by Michael Slack, and is chock-full of puns and wordplay (a couple of my favorite things.) In 2023, Little Bee Books will release Julie’s picture book biography of the wonderful Julie Andrews, illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati, and I can hardly wait! And at this time of year… (drum roll worthy of the little drummer boy…) for the past several years, Julie has hosted the TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS FOR WRITERS, an opportunity to look back at the past year, celebrate successes, own the non-successes, and build on these learnings for the new year. It is something I look forward to all year, often thinking “I can add that to my successes” or “what is the learning from this oops?” She hasn’t announced it yet for this year, but when she does, I will do a Heads Up post here on this blog. You can learn more about Julie at her website, there’s more about 12×12 at the 12×12 website, and you’ll find info about Picture Book Summit at the PBSummit website. You can find my two interviews with Julie here: first interview, and second interview. Thanks, Julie! I appreciate so much all you do FOR WRITERS!

Julie’s Greenroom

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_accordion use_border_color=”off” _builder_version=”3.3.1″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”INTRODUCTION TO JULIE’S GREENROOM” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] Julie’s Greenroom is a delightful new Netflix series, developed by Julie Andrews, her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton, Judy Rothman Rofé and a host of others, in conjunction with Lisa Henson (daughter of the late Jim Henson) and The Jim Henson Company. The series introduces the performing arts to young kids, specifically five young children — actually Henson puppets —  known as “Greenies,” who attend a performing arts workshop led by Ms. Julie, the character played by Ms. Andrews. Her co-star, Guillian Yao Gioiello, plays Gus, the stage manager. A host of performance luminaries guest star as former Greenies come back to teach master classes to the current batch of kids. The series champions the arts while teaching viewers all the elements that go into making a stage production. I highly recommend it. It’s available on Netflix worldwide. The links in this accordion will tell you more. [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”NETFLIX TRAILER” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] The trailer will give you an enticing taste of the program. Click here and enjoy! [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”MY BLOG POST ABOUT THE SERIES” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] Originally posted on February 27, 2017 as On Stage, Everyone! On With the Show! — Julie’s Greenroom The curtain is about to open on an exciting new offering from Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, Lisa Henson and a whole host of others, including brand new Henson puppets! It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids (and not-kids) to learn stagecraft and to experience all that the arts has to offer in a person’s life. Julie’s Greenroom is a new Netflix series (13-parts for this debut season) ostensibly for preschoolers, but I think all ages of kids — and even teens and adults — will enjoy, benefit from, and learn from the series and the many guest stars who will be teaching various elements of stagecraft. The premise is that Miss Julie (the fictional character played by Julie Andrews) and her assistant Gus (played by Giullian Yao Gioiello) run a center for the performing arts. They interact with a group of kids (and a duck) collectively called Greenies (played by Henson puppets). In each episode there is a guest star who teaches some aspect of the craft, such as Alec Baldwin teaching about acting, Joshua Bell teaching about orchestras, and so on. The kids (and the duck) are, as I mentioned, Henson puppets and were created specifically for this series. I have seen the puppets in clips on television spots that Ms. Andrews and Emma have done, and they are absolutely delightful. It is also delightful to see Ms. Andrews interact with the puppets as if they were really kids. (And I can hardly wait to see the duck in action!) The series debuts on Netflix on Friday, March 17, and will be on Netflix International so those of us not in the United States don’t need to worry about being left out. You can see the official trailer here. Read an excellent article in the New Yorker based on an interview with Emma Walton Hamilton and Lisa Henson here. See the press release from the Jim Henson Company here. And here’s a review (why yes, I *did* choose it because it mentions the duck). [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”DIVERSITY ON JULIE’S GREENROOM” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] The puppets in the series portray an amazingly diverse group of kids, showing that there is a place for everyone in the arts. This review celebrates this diversity, even suggesting that the series “might be the most diverse children’s show ever.” [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”From the New York Times: JULIE ANDREWS & EMMA WALTON HAMILTON on GREENROOM” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] Leah Rozen of The New York Times met up with Emma Walton Hamilton and her mother, Julie Andrews, in the Henson Company’s Creature Shop in February, and this article was posted on March 10, 2017. [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”From the New Yorker: EMMA WALTON HAMILTON & LISA HENSON TALK GREENROOM” _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] Both grew up as daughters of famous people, both are extremely talented in their own right, both are celebrating the arts through Julie’s Greenroom. The New Yorker magazine talked with Emma Walton Hamilton and Lisa Henson about the project, and the article appeared on February 27, 2017. [/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”From RogerEbert.com %22WHAT JULIE’S GREENROOM TEACHES US%22″ _builder_version=”3.3.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” background_size=”cover” background_position=”center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport=”on” text_shadow_style=”none” box_shadow_style=”none”] The review of Julie’s Greenroom on the RogerEbert.com website is excellent. Notably, it shows the timeliness and deep importance of the series and its message, saying, “there may not be a better defense for saving the National Endowment for the Arts than this program, which has coincidentally arrived during a period in which the President of the United States has proposed cutting it for the first time in history.” You can read the review in its entirety here. [/et_pb_accordion_item][/et_pb_accordion][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

On Stage, Everyone! On With the Show! — Julie’s Greenroom

Ad-Lib Mondays, Coming Attractions, Creativity, Emma Walton Hamilton, Empowerment, In The Spotlight, Music for Kids, Theatre for Kids / By

The curtain is about to open on an exciting new offering from Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, Lisa Henson and a whole host of others, including brand new Henson puppets! It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids (and not-kids) to learn stagecraft and to experience all that the arts has to offer in a person’s life. Julie’s Greenroom is a new Netflix series (13-parts for this debut season) ostensibly for preschoolers, but I think all ages of kids — and even teens and adults — will enjoy, benefit from, and learn from the series and the many guest stars who will be teaching various elements of stagecraft. The premise is that Miss Julie (the fictional character played by Julie Andrews) and her assistant Gus (played by Giullian Yao Gioiello) run a center for the performing arts. They interact with a group of kids (and a duck) collectively called Greenies (played by Henson puppets). In each episode there is a guest star who teaches some aspect of the craft, such as Alec Baldwin teaching about acting, Joshua Bell teaching about orchestras, and so on. The kids (and the duck) are, as I mentioned, Henson puppets and were created specifically for this series. I have seen the puppets in clips on television spots that Ms. Andrews and Emma have done, and they are absolutely delightful. It is also delightful to see Ms. Andrews interact with the puppets as if they were really kids. (And I can hardly wait to see the duck in action!) The series debuts on Netflix on Friday, March 17, and will be on Netflix International so those of us not in the United States don’t need to worry about being left out. You can see the official trailer here. Read an excellent article in the New Yorker based on an interview with Emma Walton Hamilton and Lisa Henson here. See the press release from the Jim Henson Company here. And here’s a review (why yes, I *did* choose it because it mentions the duck). O this week stands for On stage, On with the show, Offering, Opportunity, and the Ovation I suspect viewers will want to give after they watch the Opening episode. Oh — it also stands for Ornithological wonders (that’s the only way I could think of to get O to stand for Duck. 😉 )

Interviews

Hearing directly from someone helps us all gain insights and inspiration — I enjoy hosting interviews and guest posts on By Word of Beth, and have been honored by the presence of many amazing people (via the written word, at least). I look forward to hosting many more in the future. Click on the information bars to access links to the posts. Over the years, I’ve conducted many interviews here — I thank all who have participated in interviews here on By Word of Beth! I invite you all to be inspired by these amazing people, as I have been. Just click their names (they’re in alphabetical order) to read the original blog post/interview. Below the list of interviews, there are also links to some special interviews and guest posts. Aubrey and her blog filled with wonder Ashley Franklin (post-launch interview with debut picture book author) Beverley Brenna (author — the first interview) Beverley Brenna (on her books Wild Orchid and Waiting for No One) Beverley Brenna (on her Printz Honor Book The White Bicycle) Brian Sibley (British broadcaster, journalist, writer, etc.) D. Detective D. (with Susanna Leonard Hill. One of the characters in her delightful picture book Alphabedtime) Diane Tulloch (writer and blogger at The Patient Dreamer) Donna Martin (and her History’s Mysteries middle grade series) Emma Walton Hamilton (author, editor, educator) Emma Walton Hamilton (a “Just Write” interview about her writing courses) Emma Walton Hamilton (with her mother, Julie Andrews, on the new musical based on their book The Great American Mousical) Erik (The Kid Who Reviews Books) and his sister Josie Geraldine, The Very Fairy Princess (picture book character) Imogen Ragone (Alexander Technique practitioner) Jay Fishman (Minnesota Sinfonia’s Music in the Schools program) Jim McMullan (artist/illustrator/writer extraordinaire) Joanna Marple (writer and blogger at Miss Marple’s Musings) Jonathan Lopes (LEGO artist) Julie Andrews (with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, on the new musical based on their book The Great American Mousical) Julie Hedlund (founder of 12×12 picture book challenge and community) Julie Hedlund (second interview) Lydia Lukidis (author of No Bears Allowed) Marcie Colleen (mini-interview about her Super Happy Party Bears chapter book series) Marcie Colleen (about her expertise in creating teacher’s guides for books) Meg Miller (the force behind ReviMo) Patricia Jensen (crafter of Fairy Princess wands) Patricia Tilton (writer and blogger at Children’s Books Heal) Renee LaTulippe (poet and teacher of Lyrical Language Lab and more) Robin King (artist) Stephanissima (photographer) Susan Verde (author) Susanna Leonard Hill (author, founder of Perfect Picture Book Friday) In January 2013, I did an extended interview of my friend and colleague Emma Walton Hamilton, founder of the Children’s Book Hub, and my co-admin on the Children’s Book Hub Facebook Group, for the Hub’s Expert Interviews series (Emma was the Expert for a change, instead of the Interviewer). Emma graciously allowed me to serialize the transcript of this oral interview. The links are below: Emma Walton Hamilton, 1 — her passion for helping children’s writers Emma Walton Hamilton, 2 — the books that were meaningful to her as a child Emma Walton Hamilton, 3 — her background and training in theatre Emma Walton Hamilton, 4 — her work as an editor Emma Walton Hamilton, 5 — her work as an educator, particularly her Just Write for Kids course Emma Walton Hamilton, 6 — the Children’s Book Hub Emma Walton Hamilton, 7 — the Stony Brook Southampton Children’s Literature Conference Emma Walton Hamilton, 8 — highlights of her career thus far and her hopes for the future MAKING A PICTURE BOOK SERIES Julie Gribble is a media specialist who is now making her mark in the world of children’s writing as the founder of KidLit TV. Lori Hanson is an illustrator. Julie and Lori independently published their first picture book, Bubblegum Princess in July 2013. In this series of guest posts, they took us through the process in fascinating and enlightening detail. Most of the posts were written by Julie, with Lori contributing posts occasionally. Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 1, introduction) Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 2, choosing your author/choosing your illustrator) Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 3a, story development) Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 3b, story development, part 2) Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 3c, story development, part 3) Lori Hanson (How to Make a Picture Book, part 3d, character development through illustrations) Lori Hanson (How to Make a Picture Book, part 3e, character development through illustrations, part 2) Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 4, creating a picture book dummy) Julie Gribble (How to Make a Picture Book, part 5, tips on sharing your picture book dummy) There have also been a few guest posts on By Word of Beth. I hope to host other guests in the future.  Debbie Ohi (author and illustrator) Jennifer Kirkeby (writer, playwright, actor, arts advocate)

Two Books to Help Develop an Attitude of Gratitude!

1 Comment / Book Recommendations, From the Archives, Gratitude / By

This was first posted on my Starborn Revue blog in 2016. I wanted to share these two books with you here. It’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a day in which to remember what you’re grateful for in your life. These two books help us think about gratitude in a fun but meaningful way. Title: The Very Fairy Princess: Attitude of Gratitude Authors: Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton Illustrator: Christine Davenier Publisher: New York, Boston: Little Brown & Co, 2016 Genre: Picture book fiction Audience Age: 4 and up Themes/Topics: Giving thanks, gratitude, coping with setbacks Opening Sentences: Hooray! It’s Gratitude Day! At school, we’ll be practicing an Attitude of Gratitude by showing kindness and appreciation all day long! Well…NO ONE has a fuller heart or is more appreciative than a fairy princess. That’s me! Gerry, the VERY fairy princess. Synopsis: Gerry is looking forward to Gratitude Day at school, and plans to be the most grateful, appreciative, kind and caring kid (oops, fairy princess) that anyone could hope for. But things start to go wrong as soon as she gets on the school bus. Her best friend is sick, and won’t be at school. She has to work to maintain her Gratitude Attitude when she has to sit beside Connor on the bus instead. Things just keep getting worse and worse. It gets harder and harder to have an attitude even CLOSE to gratitude, until it’s practically impossible. However, fairy princesses never give up. Gerry has to find a way to get that Gratitude back. How she does it demonstrates resilience, imagination, and of course a LOT of SPARKLE. (Fairy princesses excel at SPARKLING in the face of adversity.) I’m sure you’ll find this book delightful – and if you read it to a younger sibling or cousin, they’re sure to feel an attitude of gratitude toward you! And just for fun, here’s a link to an interview with the authors! Click here. ~ ~ ~ Title: Grateful: A Song of Giving Thanks Author: John Bucchino Illustrator: Anna-Liisa Hakkarainen Publisher: New York: HarperCollins, 2003 Genre: Picture book, song lyrics Audience Age: Any age at all! Theme/Topic: Gratitude Opening Sentences: I’ve got a roof over my head. I’ve got a warm place to sleep. Some nights I lie awake counting gifts instead of counting sheep. Synopsis: Through his gentle lyrics, John Bucchino celebrates the gift of gratitude, remembering all the things there are to be grateful for, including having “a heart that can love” and “a mind that can think.” He also acknowledges that there are times when gratitude is difficult, but somehow remembering the things there are to be grateful for, like people and friends around him. That helps lift his spirits up and make him even more grateful! And there is a bonus – a CD at the back of the book that features Art Garfunkel singing this lovely song. (John Bucchino wrote both words and music.) Activities/Resources to help develop an attitude of gratitude: Make a poster or collage (using old magazines for pictures) of things to be grateful for. Do something for someone else – Gerry, the Very Fairy Princess in the book above, gave things to the food bank. Some families help serve Thanksgiving dinner (or some other holiday meal) at a homeless shelter. Learn to sing John Bucchino’s song. The music and lyrics are at the back of the book, as well as the CD. Maybe sing it around the table when you’re gathered with your family. Talk about things you’re grateful for – I bet someone is grateful for YOU! Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Scroll to Top