Blueberry Pancake Publishing

Ready or Not... Here I Come Kindergarten Readiness Part 2 Your turn little ones: I know your mommy and daddy are probably reading this but that’s ok... it’s for them as well. Here’s a little list of things I would like you to work on over the summer before Kindergarten. You don’t need to work on all things listed every day... just a few things every day. Some of the things listed you may already know, others may be brand new. Just work on this list for about 15-20 minutes each day and have mommy or daddy read to you every night before bed. Sing the alphabet song. And practice making the sound each letter makes. Match upper case letters to the lower-case letters I’m thinking a game of match ... use index cards. Put all lower-case letters on each one and then the same for the upper class. Turn them upside down and play a memory game to match each letter. Also, you don’t have to do the whole alphabet at one time. A few letters at a time is great. Practice wri...

Ready or Not… Here I come! Kindergarten Readiness Part 1 Parents First: If you have a little one that is due to begin Kindergarten in the coming fall, a lot of excitement and joy is probably spreading throughout the family. But accompanied with that joy is a little fear and yes, tears. I’m not saying whose tears are flowing but yes, it’s normal for both the parents and the child to get a tad emotional. This is where the love begins. Kindergarten Round-up In my teaching years, I taught Kindergarten for many years. Usually in the spring before Kindergarten, there is a Kindergarten Round-up (well, that’s what they call it in Texas). This is an evening when parents of future Kindergartners are invited to come hear a talk about the upcoming year. An explanation of the school and Kindergarten program are explained. Teachers are introduced and parents are invited to ask questions. This is a great time for schools to get a rough number to indicate how many children to ex...

Author Crush Helen Beatrix Potter With Easter coming right around the corner, I thought I’d share another crush I have on a writer. The writer of many favorites but my all-time favorite… The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter. Born, Helen Beatrix Potter July 28, 1866~ December 22, 1943. The English writer, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist was best known for her children’s books that featured animals like Peter. Beatrix was born into money and was educated by governesses. She was usually secluded from other children and as such she spent a great deal of time outside learning about nature, loving the little woodland creatures, drawing and painting them. Reading, painting and nature were her passions beginning from an early age. Publishing The Tale of Peter Rabbit in her 30’s, she began perusing writing children’s books and illustrating full time. What I love about The Tale of Peter Rabbit is that he is a naughty little bunny. He is...

Kuplink, Kuplank, Kuplunk   My first author crush is…. Robert McCloskey September 14, 1914~ June 30, 2003 Books: Lentil ( 1940) Make Way for Ducklings (1941),  Caldecott Medal  winner Homer Price (1943) Blueberries for Sal (1948), a  Caldecott runner-up Centerburg Tales : More Adventures of Homer Price (1951); also issued as More Homer Price One Morning in Maine (1952), a  Caldecott runner-up Time of Wonder (1957),  Caldecott Medal winner Burt Dow, Deep-water Man (1963)  Kuplink, Kuplank, Kuplunk Whenever I think of my all-time favorite children’s book, Blueberries for Sal, I think of this line…. Kuplink, Kuplank, Kuplunk. Robert McCloskey, the author who wrote these 3 cherished words are forever embedded into my own childhood, my children’s childhood and many children I had the pleasure of teaching.  Brilliant is the story teller who can put 3 little made up words into a story and the reader knows just r...