Well, I decided I'm not the only one who feels that way. Life is crazy! :) So for today's Perfect Picture Book I chose some balm for the flibbertigibbeted soul :)
Written & Illustrated By: Lemniscates
Magination Press, March 2012, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 3-8
Themes/Topics: listening, taking time to notice yourself and your world
Opening: "In the silence I can hear the waves crashing and the wind playing with my kite."
Brief Synopsis: A child takes different moments of peace and quiet throughout the day, in different seasons, and in different locations, to see what the world has to say.
Links To Resources: I think the best activity for this book is to do exactly what it says: listen! What can you hear in the quiet of your room? What can you hear if you listen quietly outside? What do you notice when you take the time to absorb what's going on around you? Try just being quiet for a few minutes :)
Why I Like This Book: Let's face it - life is busy! Even for kids. This lovely, peaceful, quiet book reminds children and parents to pause for a few minutes, listen. and reflect. The book is filled with lovely lines like, "In Spring, I can hear the bees loving flowers" and "When I listen I can hear my feet when dancing my heart when running..." This book may be as close as you can get to meditating with the under 6 set :) I find it very peaceful :)
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
Since we're talking Perfect Picture Books today, let me just say that I'm pretty excited that the Perfect Picture Book book marks arrived this week! They turned out beautifully! I have the following packaged up and ready to send out to the wonderful people who are taking it upon themselves to help spread the word of our endeavors here:
Beth - 200
Vanessa - 100
Patricia N. - 100
Donna - 100
Darshana - 50
Kirsten - 50
Heather B. - 50
Laura M. - 50
Julie R-Z - 30
Kim Mac. - 30
Clar - 25
Penny - 25
Stacy - 25
Vivian - 25
Jennifer R. - 25
Joanna - 20
Pat - 15
Jarm - 15
Alison - 10
If you asked for book marks and don't see your name here, please let me know! Saba and Amy both said they would like some but I need to know how many. Vanessa, Patricia N,. and Donna - I'm happy to send you more if you need them - please let me know - but I only had 1000 to start. ONLY! I can't believe we used them ALL!
If anyone else would like book marks to pass around to local libraries, schools, teachers, parents, day care providers, preschools, etc., please let me know. If you email your address and let me know how many, I'm going to order some more and I'll send them along!
And now, a quick reminder before the weekend, when some people might be able to find a few spare minutes to work on it... The Halloweensie Contest is next week! - Wednesday October 31 to be exact!! - tons of fun and a great prize (as well as incredible fame should you happen to win :))!!! So whip up those 100 words! For complete details, please see HERE. And can I just say, I don't know what's up with the weather, but after saying I hoped we wouldn't get 2 feet of snow that knocks out the power and the internet like last year, would you believe we have a HUGE storm predicted for Tuesday into Wednesday? I am going to do my best to get the post written ahead (Stop that! I hear you rolling around on the floor laughing! I didn't promise, I said I'd TRY!) so that everyone will be able to add their links and such even if I can't get on to read. By planning ahead, I'm hoping to scare the storm away altogether. I am that powerful. But in case the worst happens, we will still have our contest whenever the power comes back on!
PPBF bloggers, please add your post-specific links to the list below. I can't wait to see what shows up this week! :)
Have a great weekend, everyone! :)
Wow....I can't believe I am the first to comment...probably because you got up VERY early...and I am going to bed VERY late!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your story, Susanna...silence...something we all need more of...adults and kids alike. :)
I'm excited about the bookmarks...I know when I ordered mine two years ago, I ordered 5000 :) and I only have one box of 1000 left. They are great handouts at all types of events or for putting into books when you mail them out.
The Halloweensie contest is going to be fun...I've also signed up for PiBoIdMo...and am just finishing the last week of Kathy Ellen's 31 in 31...YIKES...soon I will look like a picture book...not a bad thing, perhaps. :)
Hope the storm is not what they are predicting...stay safe, Susanna. :)
Oh what a lovely book!! The cover and the idea both. Even dogs like some silence now and then. i like the line about hearing my feet dancing. Thanks for this silent moment in the morning.
ReplyDeleteOh, the silent moments. To have a child be still and quiet long enough to appreciate them. Maybe I can use this for my kiddo lol!
ReplyDeleteBeing a huge fan of silence, I love the concept of this book! And I was just looking for a book to review for another project, so I'm putting this on the list too. Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteWith my three kids home today because of professional day, silence is the one thing I won't get around here. :(
ReplyDeleteWe had a big dump of snow this week. One year we had a blizzard on Halloween. Most parents were stuck in traffic and not many people were desperate enough to venture outside to trick or treat.
Wow, did I need this book suggestion today! It is only my library list!!! Maybe I can impart some wisdom to my 2 and 3 year olds? (Allow me a bit of wishful thinking :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this! I play the Quiet Game with my grandgirls. We sit on the bench swing and listen. Then we whisper what we hear in the quiet. Definitely will look for this book. Looking forward to the bookmarks.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the sound of this book! This is a great choice, Susanna.
ReplyDeleteSILENCE sounds a very soothing book!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all these bookmarks and stay safe and I would love it if you and Phyllis could work some weather wonders and keep that storm at bay!
Susanna, just looking at the cover of your PPBF choice today was enough to make me sigh. I didn't even need to read your lovely review to know I HAVE to get this book!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'd love PPBF bookmarks. Let me know if you have any left, otherwise I'll wait til the next round. :-)
Your book choice today sounds just perfect for a little calm before the storm. It also fits very nicely with my choice!
ReplyDeleteI hope hope HOPE that the storm isn't as bad as they're predicting. I'll be thinking of all my friends on the eastern seaboard.
And I've got to say I'm thoroughly excited about the bookmarks and am eager to start distributing them!
P.S. When I see the sign-in below the comments that says "Pick a Name" it makes me think, "Hmmmm... who shall I be today?" So far I've always decided to be me, which is likely the best choice! Although with my name, I could be like the nursery rhyme that starts "Elizabeth, Lizzy, Betsy and Bess ..."
Sounds like a peaceful book. Could use some of that around here.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the story, Vivian - it's very simple and peaceful! Your bookmarks are on their way :) So excited you're thinking about the Halloweensie Contest!!! We might have as many as three entries! :) I've been reading along with Kathy Ellen, but I knew I wouldn't keep up this month. I'm going to try for PiBoIdMo though! I bought candles today, so I'm pretty sure the storm will amount to nothing :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, Rhythm :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, silence is hard to come by with kids :) Good luck :)
ReplyDeleteIt's very simple... but so peaceful :)
ReplyDeleteI know it - silence is hard with kiddos :) We got 2 feet of surprise snow last October right before Halloween. Sounds like it's going to be rain and wind this time, but I bought candles today, so I'm pretty sure the storm won't happen now :)
ReplyDeleteWishful thinking granted :) This book is so quiet, simple, and peaceful, maybe it will earn you a minute or two of quiet time with them :)
ReplyDeleteAh, the sound of silence.... I can hear it now! This books looks fantastic for our peacemakers. Thanks! Oh, and I'd LOVE some bookmarks . . . how about 50?
ReplyDeleteHmm...I might have to get this book in hopes that it will inspire my children to take a moment of silence.
ReplyDeleteThis looks bee-U-tiful, Susanna! I need to look for this one. One thing my 8 year old needs to learn is to look beyond the obvious and to see the true beauty in every day things. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think I need this book, Susanna. It's been a crazy two days at a college preview weekend. So crazy that I must have forgotten to schedule my post...sorry about that! Quiet time will be we'll appreciated. I'm looking forward to the bookmarks!
ReplyDeleteSilence? Really? What's that?
ReplyDeleteSorry! I left in a hurry and when I got back it looked like it didn't post on your site so I pressed enter again - oops! Your book looks great, but I hope it isn't too much like one of my mss! I'll be checking it out asap!
ReplyDeleteI'm running to my library right now to check out Silence, in hopes that it increases the meditative moments in our home!
ReplyDeleteSilence looks amazing. I'll be getting it tomorrow as I am headed to the library tomorrow to follow both your and Ame Dyckman's suggestion to read tons and tons of picture books. I am planning to do PiBoIdMo in November.
ReplyDeleteI like it because the spareness of the writing encourages the kind of simplicity it suggests. I'm doing PiBoIdMo too :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that, Larissa :)
ReplyDeleteIt's probably not too much the same... you could have written a book about silence that's completely different! That's one of the great things about writing - it's rare for two people to tell the exact same story... although Kevin Henkes and I apparently both wrote Chrysanthemum :)
ReplyDeleteSilence is the lack of sound that Cupcake doesn't make when she want s treat or your attention :)
ReplyDeleteI think we ALL need some quiet time! :) Your book marks are on their way - went out this AM :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you both enjoy this one. Very simple, spare, leaving room for the quiet thoughts it suggests :)
ReplyDeleteLet me know how it works out for you :) I like this book because it makes me feel like I can take a deep breath... :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, I'm going to have to start counting again! Can you email me your address Barbara so I know where to send them? Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carrie! Sounds like maybe you had the kind of week I had :)
ReplyDeleteSoothing is the exact word for it, Joanna! I mailed your book marks out this morning, so hopefully you will get them before you depart for parts unknown :) As for the storm, Phyllis is eating strawberry jam out of the jar. I'm not sure how that helps, but she swears it does :)
ReplyDeleteThat is just exactly the effect the cover has on me, Julie! Of course you may have book marks - just tell me how many you want... and you'll probably have to send me your address again. I remember it's something pretty. Maybe this time I'll write it down :)
ReplyDeleteACK! I'm so behind! I haven't read yours yet today! But I will! I'm excited for you to get your book marks too, which will probably happen very soon after I actually mail them :) (Sorry - yours had to go into a box, and then I needed that customs form, so they are on my kitchen counter and will hopefully make it to the post office in the AM!) As for your name, Elizabeth does give you lots of choices if you feel like trying on something new. How about Liza? Or Betta? Or you could go all preppy and be Bitsy :)
ReplyDeleteMe too! :) Have a peaceful weekend :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I love your game of listening and whispering! A perfect complement to this book. I probably should have thought that a good book to read with it was The Quiet Book! Sent your book marks out this morning :)
ReplyDeleteSome day you will see me in person, and you will know that Bitsy is NOT appropriate. Back in my slender youth, perhaps, but not now. Actually, I tried being Liz Anne for a while, until my best friend corrupted it into Lasagna. Sigh. Looking forward to the bookmarks!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE lasagna! :)
ReplyDeleteBeth Stilborn (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
Some day you will see me in person, and you will know that Bitsy is NOT appropriate. Back in my slender youth, perhaps, but not now. Actually, I tried being Liz Anne for a while, until my best friend corrupted it into Lasagna. Sigh. Looking forward to the bookmarks!
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I'm so sorry Susanna, I thought I said how many *blushes* Can I have 50 pleeeeeeease :D
ReplyDeleteI was trying to be organized and get them sent out. I sent you 25. But of course you can have more! I am going to reorder and I'll send you another 25 :)
ReplyDeleteIf it is OK, I would love to have a some bookmarks to hand out in school and at our library. I will send you an email! Great pick! I like the idea of the quietness. I only hear the sounds of me typing. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe cat is snoring louder than my husband during their nap. I love the sound of Silence and your book pick.
ReplyDeleteWhen possible I would love twenty five or more book marks added to what you are sending me. I think it's a great way to spread the word. :)
Did you get my comment?
ReplyDeleteI love the book and sound of Silence as my cat snores louder than my husband.
ReplyDeletePlease send me an additional twenty five or more when you re order. Do you need help with the postage? let me know ok?
I love the idea of this book! Thank you for adding it to the list! It's midterms so I won't be participating this week in PPBF, but I will next week! :) Also, if you have any to spare, I would love to have some to give to our local librarian (who is also the school librarian). Maybe like 25? Or less. Whatever you can. I will email you my address. Do you need $ for postage? I will gladly send you some!
ReplyDeletePOSTED FOR TRACY at http://tracycampbell.net/blog/
ReplyDeleteSilence is golden.
That's what I listen for nothing, just peace and quiet!
This book should be a must read for children. They need to take time out and listen.
Silence IS golden - I like that :)
ReplyDeleteGreat choice. This is the kind of book I'd like to write. I'm glad to see there is a market for it. Will have to pick up a copy. In this busy world where we over schedule our kids, they no nothing of being silent.
ReplyDeleteI know, I really love books like this. But they are hard to sell! Precisely because of what you're saying, I think, Pat.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the book, Loni! And of course I will send you some bookmarks! I just have to get some more made :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha - I love that your cat snores louder than your husband! :) I'll send more when I get them - no worries about postage. Thanks for all you do! :)
ReplyDeleteI am very familiar with that typing sound! :) I'll send the bookmarks along when i have some more!
ReplyDelete