Friday, November 14, 2014

PPBF: This Land Is Your Land

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Book and Cd by Woody Guthrie and Kathy Jakobsen

This Land Is Your Land
Written by Woody Guthrie
Illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen
Little Brown, 1998
ages 4 and up


Themes:
Music, Patriotism, Activism, Biography, Folk Art




Opening:
As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway.


Synopsis:
Produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woody Guthrie's famous song, this picture book features the complete lyrics to "This Land Is Your Land", a CD with nine of Guthrie's songs for children, and select lyrics to more than a dozen additional songs.  The forward by his daughter, Nora, details the making of the book. The afterward by Pete Seeger chronicles the history of the song itself. Folk Artist Kathy Jakobsen includes people and places which played an important role in Woody Guthrie's life. The last spread is a tri-fold pull-out  with a two page biography of the singer / songwriter.


What I Love:
This book goes beyond the obvious images evoked by this famous folk song, delving into the history of both the country and the singer.  It provides a splendid opportunity to talk about the dust bowl, the activism of the 60s, the civil rights movement, folk art, patriotism, the Great Depression, community service, immigration, and much more.

I love how the publisher chose a modern folk artist to illustrate the lyrics, and how she brought so much depth to the book, making it a biography instead of solely a tribute. My favorite detail is the use of tramp art motifs on the page borders. And, hey . . . fold-outs and a CD? What's not to love!



Memories of the Veteran,
by Nick Quijano Torres
Bonus:
1. Visit the Woody Guthrie Archives, online or in person.
2. Folk Art Revealed offers terrific lesson plans for grades K - 12.
3. For more art exposure, visit the American Folk Art Museum in New York.
4. Lesson Plans.com has some suggestions for children to compose their own music.
5. Bill Moyers examines the history of migrant workers in America on PBS.
6. Learn more about America's dust bowl from the History Channel online.
7. Find an overview of the Great Depression on Digital History's website.
8. Make a difference in your community. Volunteer at a local charity, or find your cause at VolunteerMatch.
9. The U. S. Department of Education has selected a list of books which will make children better citizens, including This Land Is Your Land.
10. I couldn't possibly list all the Perfect Picture Books which could be used as companions to this book. I've chosen a few about American geography, music, and folk artists. Check them out at your local library.

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Reviewed by Joanna
Reviewed by Kirsten
Reviewed by Salaamu


book and CD about
musical composition
and the orchestra
Reviewed by Barbara

Reviewed by Julie



Reviewed by Erik



Reviewed by Clar

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for November 14, 2014 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Eating Write Recipes, Day 11-17

Ready for More Writers' Menu 2014?

Below you'll find the meals for next week. 
I hope the planning I've put in
helps you fulfill your family's needs
and your picture book dreams. 

Courtesy Wayne Pollard
If this is your first visit, you'll find tips and instructions on How Not To Starve During PiBoIdMo. 
You'll find past make-ahead meals and shopping lists here.
All the ingredients needed for this list can be found on Thursday's post. Oops. I forgot to mention sandwich buns for the pulled pork on Day 15. We eat it on a plate, but if you want sandwiches - pick up a package of your favorite rolls.
Just a reminder that many recipes can be found in their original states on my Writers' Menu Pinterest Board.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or constructive comments.
Note: The numbers in [brackets] correspond to the dates on the meal planning calendar.
I've made a printable version of the information below, in case you don't want to keep referring back to this post.
Thanks for reading!



Writers' Recipes November 11-17

[11] Ham and Rice Casserole
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups chopped cooked ham
8 oz water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 oz pimentos, drained
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
  • I use substitutions every time I make this casserole. If you like, use something with a bit of crunch instead of the water chestnuts, and something a bit tangy instead of the pimentos. Throw in a veggie, too, if you want. See my suggestions on the shopping list.
  • Saute green pepper in butter. 
  • Stir in flour until thickened and bubbly.
  • Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. 
  • Boil. Cook 2 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to low. Add mayonnaise. Mix well.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Heat through, stirring often.
Complete the meal:
Steam cauliflower and broccoli florets, season and serve.

Note: If using fresh, steam additional cup of broccoli for Day 16 and refrigerate or freeze. Thaw the unstuffed shells in the refrigerator overnight.



[12] Unstuffed Shells, courtesy OnceAMonthMeals.
Ingredients:
If you didn't freeze this meal ahead, you can make it today. Here's the recipe post.

Directions:
Bake at 375 degree F covered, 40-50 minutes or until heated through, uncovering after 30 minutes.

Complete the meal:
Serve with fresh bread.

Note: Don't forget to start the slow cooker first thing tomorrow morning.



[13] Nicole's Corn Chowder, courtesy TheCrockin'Girls.
Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 Can cream corn
1 Can whole kernel corn
2 Cups chicken broth
8 Oz diced ham
1 Cup diced onions
1/4 Cup butter
2 Cups half and half

Directions:
  • Place potatoes, both cans of corn, chicken broth, ham, and onions in the slow cooker.
  • Cook on low 7-8 hours.
  • Mash the mixture to desired consistency, then add butter and half & half.. 
  • Cook on high additional 30 minutes.
Complete the meal:
Serve with a Spinach Salad even picky eaters will love.

  1. Start with 5 oz of spinach leaves per person. (You can break off the little stems and rip in half if you like.)
  2. Wash and hull strawberries. Slice and add to spinach.
  3. Clean fresh mushrooms with dry paper towel. Slice and add.
  4. For a twist, top with any leftover walnuts or cheeses.
  5. Tastes best with Balsamic, Strawberry, or poppy seed dressing, but you can serve with Italian or plain oil and vinegar, too. 
Note:
Tomorrow's slow cooker meal takes 3-4 hours.



[14] Chicken with Stuffing, courtesy StockpilingMoms.
(Ingredients represent double the original recipe to serve 6-8)
Ingredients:
8 boneless chicken breasts
2 boxes Cornbread Stuffing Mix (6oz ea)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water

Directions:
  • Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Pour stuffing mixes on top.
  • In a medium size bowl combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream and water; mix well.
  • Pour on top of stuffing mix.
  • Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours (check it at 3 hours).
  • Fluff and serve
Complete the meal:
Serve with Brussels sprouts or mixed veggies and a side of peaches.

Note: Remember to thaw tomorrow's pork shoulder in the refrigerator overnight. Start crock pot first thing in the morning.



[15] Pulled Pork, courtesy 100DaysofRealFood.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt (if desired, you can cut back on the salt by only using 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired, you can cut back on the pepper by only using ½ teaspoon of cayenne, or none)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half

Directions:
  • In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
  • Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
  • Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker and top it with the 2 pieces of pork. 
  • Pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
  • Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat can be shredded with a fork.
Complete the meal:
Serve with coleslaw, baked beans and pickles. You can top the pork with relish or hot sauce. Add pork to a bun for sandwiches.  Also makes great tacos. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

Note: Hard boil 6 eggs for tomorrow's salad.




[16] Crustless Quiche
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup half & half
1/4 cup diced onion
leftover diced mushrooms, opt.
1 cup diced ham
1 cup diced broccoli, frozen or cooked from Day 11
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
8 oz shredded cheese

Directions:
  • Whisk eggs and half & half.
  • Whisk in onion, mushroom, ham, broccoli, salt, pepper, dill, and Parmesan.
  • Gently stir in shredded cheese.
  • Pour into pie plate.
  • Bake 375 degrees F for 40 minutes or until center is set, not watery.
  • Serve hot or cold.
Complete the meal:
Try a Caesar salad for a change.
Toss Romaine or mixed greens with sliced hard cooked egg, croutons, sliced onion, and a few dried cranberries. Top with Caesar dressing and dash of Parmesan.


Note: If you are making tomorrow's tomato soup from scratch, gather your ingredients and try one of the recipes on my Pinterest board.



[17] Tomato soup and Grilled Cheese.
Ingredients:
canned tomato soup
water
sandwich bread
butter or margarine
Sliced havarti
Sliced cheddar

Directions:
  • Mix canned tomato soup with water.
  • Heat and serve. Add leftover croutons as an option.
  • Meanwhile, spread sandwich bread with butter. 
  • Grill half the slices butter side down in skillet. 
  • Top with 1 slice havarti and 1 slice cheddar.
  • Top with addition slices of bread. (butter side out)
  • Flip and grill until golden brown.
Note: Thaw the pot roast in the refrigerator overnight and start in the slow cooker early tomorrow morning.

Congratulations! You've made it through another week. And are saved you from becoming a starving artist.


Joanne Roberts, SkADaMo sketch at the Barn
Joanne Roberts, SkADaMo

Stay tuned. The next shopping list will appear late next week, and you'll have the next set of recipes by Saturday. Until then, see you on the PiBoIdMo FB page and be sure to follow the sketchers on #SkADaMo.

Friday, November 7, 2014

PPBF: Clever Jack Takes the Cake

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Clever Jack Takes the Cake,
by Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas

Clever Jack Takes the Cake
Written by Candace Fleming
Illustrated by G. Brian Karas
Schwartz & Wade, 2010
Grades 1-3, Reading Level AD600L
40 pp, 1384 words



Themes:
Friendship, Folk Tale, Birthday





Opening:
One summer morning long ago, a poor boy named Jack found an invitation slipped beneath his cottage door. It read:

His Majesty the King 
cordially invites 
all the children of the Realm
 to 
the Princess's Tenth Birthday 
Party
tomorrow afternoon
in the Castle Courtyard


Synopsis:
Lowly Jack is invited to the princess's birthday, but he has no present to bring. Selling his few possessions, resourceful Jack gathers the ingredients he needs to make the perfect birthday cake. On his way to the castle, poor Jack and his cake are menaced by an assortment of characters, from four-and-twenty blackbirds to a greedy troll. Disappointed Jack must eventually face the princess empty-handed. It will take all his cleverness to keep the party from being a total loss.

What I Love:
What can Candy write that we will not adore? Not much. Here is a new tale, traditionally told, which satisfies the ache for fairy tales in a refreshing way. The author twists in the familiar in this subtractive tale (the opposite of cumulative?), but she ends up with a story which is anything but ordinary: A story about resourcefulness and the charming ability children have to bear up under adversity and to build friendship in unlikely ways.

Brian proves he is a superlative illustrator with his deceptively simple art. He transports us to a time and place with the sparest of details. He captures the characters emotions with a flick of the pen. From Jack to the dancing bear, I just want to hug them all! Adorable, without being cutesy!

Bonus:
1. I hope you don't have to sell your possessions to cook up Paula Deen's Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake.
2. TeachingBooks lists some lesson plan ideas for this book on their site.
3. The sound quality on this you tube clip is poor, but this young man's performance of Clever Jack is almost as much fun as reading the book!
4. Jules interviews Candace about Clever Jack right after its initial publication, and an gives an overview of Brian's career on 7 Imp.
5. I recently learned about the Appalachian Jack Tales heritage from E Dulemba. Learn more about Jack in traditional folklore or read the Dance Among Thorns, the original Jack tale. Candy's book has a more European flavor, but it definitely carries on the Jack Tale tradition.
6. Color a traditional Jack and the Beanstalk coloring page from Super Coloring Pages.
7. Here's an  eclectic mix of Perfect Picture Books which would be fun to read together. Find them at your local library.

A resourceful heroine
Reviewed by Jennifer

Elizabeth O. Dulemba's
bilingual Jack Tale
Reviewed by Julie

Crazy folktale adaptations
Reviewed by Clarike


Another birthday story
Reviewed by Beth





A journey book
Reviewed by Miss Marple







Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for November 7, 2014, available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Shopping List for Writers' Menu Days 11-17

Oops, not sure why this didn't show up first thing this morning. Sorry for the inconvenience.

How are your idea notebooks coming along? I love my new notebook which holds quotes from Picture Book Month, ideas during Picture Book Idea Month, and drawings for Sketch-A-Day Month. It's filling up fast. How about yours?

On to the 2014 Writers' Menu

View the calendar or full menu
Late to the party? Start here. You can still have your writing time and eat, too.

Assuming you're following the full menu, I've compiled a shopping list for days 11-17. You'll need to get these items by Tuesday at the latest. Double check the kitchen staples listed on How Not To Starve During PiBoIdMo, if you need to.

If you haven't prepped the Unstuffed Shells for Day 12, you'll find the recipe here.

Again, the numbers in brackets following the grocery item tell you which day the ingredient will be needed. Use the numbers if you make several small trips during the week, or if you've deviated from the Writers' Menu selections.

Places where I use convenience foods:
Day 14, I use frozen veggies and canned peaches on the side.
Day 15, I buy coleslaw at the deli. Mine never tastes as good as my mom's homemade. And I use canned baked beans because the crock pot is already occupied for the day.
Day 17, I opt for canned tomato soup. I haven't had the time to try the recipes on my Pinboard, but you can if you are feeling adventurous.
Day 20, I use Tyson frozen chicken fingers, but I love the freezable recipe from America's Test Kitchen.
On Day 21 I have chosen to use a bottled stir fry sauce. Leave your favorite sauce recipe in the comments. I'd love to hear about it.

Places where I cook from scratch:
I prefer cooking raw vegetables instead of frozen. Substitute frozen vegetables as sides on the appropriate days, if you like.
Day 24 calls for the pancake recipe handed down from my grandmother. It's easier than you think. Make a note to buy mix if you opt out.
Day 28 calls for homemade French bread pizza. I'll never go back to frozen.


Directions and links for the second week of November will be posted tomorrow. Thanks for following along!

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Isn't It Always Picture Book Month?

Thanks to Dianne de Las Casas
November is the month we set aside to celebrate the picture book as art form, teaching tool, muse, and BFF. Check the posts each day to hear from a new Picture Book Month Ambassador.

More than that, I hope you will take the time to read to someone special in your life. It doesn't always have to be a child. For more on the power of picture books, read Margie Myers-Culver's heart-warming account on Writing for Kids While Raising Them.