Book Review: Gulf Islands Alphabet by Bronwyn Preece

I first travelled past the Gulf Islands on a BC Ferry as a mere tot, 18 months old, sailing through Active Pass on the way to Vancouver Island. Now I’ve had the pleasure of taking my two boys on the same sailing, and they are both just as captivated by the wild beauty of the Gulf Islands as I am.

Even though I’ve been on those ferries probably a hundred times, travelling past (and throughout) the Gulf Islands still takes my breath away…I think anyone who ever visits never truly wants to leave.

Today I am reviewing the lovely picture book, Gulf Islands Alphabet (Simply Read Books 2012), written by Bronwyn Preece with illustrations by Alex Walton.

Opening: “Around,

Amongst

And Amidst the Gulf Islands of

Amazing British Columbia, we…

Arrive through Active Pass, sighting

Anchors being set by sailors,

As we Admire

Arbutus Trees

And Anemones Along…”

Why we love it:

1) My boys love seeing familiar places in the stories that they read, and even though this is regionally specific, it would be a good addition to any Canadian library or as a keepsake for people who visit this area.

2) The illustrations are great…my boys like pointing out all of the wildlife in the pictures and the text also serves to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the geographic and natural environment (e.g.”orcas and octopi, oysters and otters”)

3) I personally think there are far too many boring and mundane alphabet books out there that dumb down language and are not challenging enough for children. I appreciate how the writer does not restrict herself to using nouns to demonstrate letters of the alphabet, but also uses descriptive adjectives, verbs, adverbs, etc.

4)It’s lyrical, beautifully illustrated, and the ‘alphabet book’ is also a Gulf Islands narrative…one that flows through each letter of the alphabet.

illustration by alex walton

I love to tell the story

Over these last few months I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reading about stories. It seems there is quite a bit of chatter about stories and storytelling in both academic and social circles and how important they are..how they inform our lives, our identity.

Just think of all the stories that have influenced your life.

Your birth story.

The story of your family. Your ancestors.

The stories of race and gender and ability.

The stories that you learned in school.

The stories of the age in which you live.

The stories of the songs you listen to.

The stories of the earth and your environment.

The stories that are a part of the community you live in, the country that you make home.

The stories of your close circle of friends.

The stories of random strangers you meet.

The stories of your teen years.

The stories your parents and grandparents tell you.

The stories ‘religion’ tells you.

The stories of your workaday life.

The stories you hear from the media.

The stories that you have read or others have read to you.

The stories that your culture screams at you.

The stories of history. Of your government.

The stories of your peers and your elders.

The stories that you tell.

The stories that you don’t tell.

The stories people tell about you.

Yet so many of the stories that influence us, shape us, and in a way, create us, are not complete. Or they are ugly. Or painful. Or untrue. Or unfair. Or hopeless. Or dark.

I have come to realize that we have a tendency to believe stories people tell about us or that we tell about ourselves even if they are untrue. Even if they are damaging.We hold them closely whether we know it or not.

I used to believe the stories that I was responsible for someone’s death in a horrific car accident. That the people who called me a loser in high school might be right. That God didn’t like me or that he had it out for me. That I would never be ‘good enough’ to please Him.

Oh wait. Actually, that last one? That’s actually a story that’s true. I will never be able to be ‘good enough’ to please Him. That is the ugly yet profound truth. NEVER. Not on my own.

(for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God)

BUT. There is this story I heard. When I was about 7 or 8. Good news is what they called it, and it’s true, it is good news…I’ll never forget it and it’s a story that changed my life. That’s still changing my life.

A Story to end all stories. Or rather, begin.

One in which God himself wrote.

One of new life, a new identity, a new story, one of forgiveness and redemption, joy unspeakable…a life where I don’t have to strive, where I am forgiven

every day,

and even though I stumble, though I am not perfect, though I still struggle with sin and doubts and fears, though there is still pain and suffering and heartache,

He accepts me. Just as I am. With what little faith I have.

And He loves me. Not because of anything I have done to earn it, but because of who He is and what He has done.

And He invites me (and you) to share in his Story. To live it. Life to the full.

He is a Redeemer of stories. And His Story is one I want with me till the day I die.

Cuz guess what? It doesn’t end there. It’s neverending. And I’ve never heard of a story like that before.

On Pitches and Writer’s Itches

This summer I had the opportunity to throw out a first pitch at a baseball game!

It was tons of fun, and though I was nervous, according to my dad I threw a perfect pitch…I had practised all week with him, bought a brand new ball from Canadian Tire, and had visions of “A League Of Their Own” dancing through my head.

I had always dreamed of being a major league baseball player, but where I lived, as much to my knowledge, softball was for girls, baseball was for boys. I didn’t know any girls who played baseball, and even though I longed to play baseball and learn to be a pitcher, I never looked into it. I think things have changed in that regard, but it was still a dream come true for me to stand on the mound!

This summer I also sent out my ‘first pitch’ to some publishing houses, and let’s just say, it was no strike out. I am disappointed with my ability to pitch stories that I think children would love, but I’ll keep trying and see what happens.

I’ve also been experiencing ‘writer’s itch’, which is kind of the opposite of writer’s block. Stories and poems are bursting to come out. I continue to send manuscripts to various magazines for children, as that has been where my initial acceptances have been. If you are interested in writing for children’s magazines, I suggest checking out Evelyn Christensen’s e-zine. It has loads of information and overviews of magazines which I’ve found very helpful.

Hope you are all enjoying this Labour Day. Here on the west coast the sun is still shining, though a bit of a nip in the air, my garden is in its last stages of bloom, and I’m gearing up for my first ever parent/teacher meeting tomorrow! A new season, indeed. September always feels like the beginning of a new year to me, more so than in January. Rest well. Begin well.

I’ll sign off by sharing a quote by someone I “follow”:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Once Upon a Time…

“Once Upon a Time” filming in Steveston, B.C.

…I visited our little village of Steveston, B.C. and was transported to Storybrooke, Maine. It was delightful and enchanting.

The Cannery Café, where I’ve met friends for lunch, had become Granny’s Diner.

The toy shop, Splash, where I often buy presents for myself my kids, had become Neighbour’s Five and Dime.

And Romania Country Bread, the place where I long to challenge the owner to a game of chess, had become Storybrooke Country Bread.

As I happily went my merry way, envisioning myself in all my Snow White glory, I was taken aback by the scene that had unfolded before me. Something disastrous had happened here.

I fretted, and wondered what would happen to our beloved Storybrooke? What would happen to me?

And then, just as I was about to text Pinocchio… I saw him.

“Prince Charming” Josh Dallas (July 25, 2012)

Prince Charming. Running to my rescue.

There were others standing around…looking as if it was all “for some TV show”, but I knew the truth. Prince Charming was there to save my day and he gave me a smile while doing it. Ok, maybe he gave her a smile, but let’s just say it was for me.

Photos © G. Poon 2012

 

 

Write on the Beach and giveaway winner…

If you’re a writer or aspiring writer and live in the lower mainland area, The Federation of BC Writers is hosting “Write on the Beach” on Sunday, June 10, 2012 from 9:15-5. It looks like they have a great line up of speakers with opportunities for networking and Q & A’s as well. FBCW also hosts the Literary Write Competition for B.C. writers, with the deadline being July 31st this year. For more information about the FBCW or Write on the Beach click here.

And now for the giveaway winner (drawn at random) of Night Boy by Anne Laurel Carter….(drumroll please)… Andrea F.! Thanks for stopping by, everyone. Be sure to check out Anne’s website to learn more about her books…and perhaps I’ll see you at the writer’s conference!

Peonies, Mary Oliver, and Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day! This year, our peonies decided to bloom on Mother’s Day…I love them! So fragrant and textured and beautiful…kinda like me!

“the flowers bend their bright bodies,
and tip their fragrance to the air,
and rise,
their red stems holding

all that dampness and recklessness
gladly and lightly,
and there it is again–
beauty the brave, the exemplary,

blazing open.” (from Mary Oliver’s “Peonies”)

Mary Oliver’s poetry is enchanting. Here’s a video of her reading “Peonies” (skip ahead to 3:16)

My children made me some nice cards and helped bring me breakfast in bed which was a nice treat…I was also given a book to share with them: 

It was written by children and has really cute illustrations of various animal mothers and their babies. One of my boys I call Bunny and the other is Panda, so it really was a good choice!

We had a great weekend of bike rides, beach fun, kite flying and hugs. And DQ for ice cream with my mom. I’m SO thankful for my loving Mommy, my dear boys, and my husband. The swan was a nice bonus…

“Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden,
and softly,
and exclaiming of their dearness,
fill your arms with the white and pink flowers,

with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling,
their eagerness
to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are
nothing, forever?”

Vancouver Children’s Festival/Granville Island Market

The Vancouver International Children’s Festival is a-happening soon at one of my favourite places: Granville Island. This will be the 35th annual event, and will run from May 29th to June 3rd (2012), featuring theatre performers, puppetry, dancers, singers, storytellers and authors from around the world. This video gives a good taste of what it’ll be like:

There will also be a bunch of interactive activities for children of all ages and only costs 6 dollars. If you buy tickets to one of the shows, then activities price is included. For more information about the festival, click here.

I’m thinking of taking my son to one of the Pete the Cat shows…He’s a big favourite in our house and Eric Litwin’s performances look fun.

I’ll leave you with some photos of Granville Island…Some people like the market for its fresh produce, savoury meats and sweet treats, not to mention candies, cakes, and beautiful flowers. Others hit up one of the many theatres, art galleries, or restaurants. And Kids Market is the place to be with lots of fun and unique toy stores. Be sure to visit it if you’re ever in Vancouver!

Aquabus taking us to Granville Island

Granville Island Public Market

flowers at Granville Market

Burrard Street Bridge from Granville Island

Haida totem pole recently carved by Clarence Mills out of fallen 800 year old cedar tree

Kites and Puppets store at Kids Market, Granville Island. Love this place!

’nuff said.

Writing for Children’s Magazines: Owlkids

Anyone else watch OWL/TV in the 80′s? It was a Canadian kids show that focused on science and nature, based on the popular OWL magazines. Does anyone remember the name of the creepy talking skeleton?

I often watched it and can still remember the theme song…if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic for it, here it is:

While the show ran from 1985-1994, the magazines are still going strong. These award winning magazines, published monthly, cover a variety of topics, from science, nature, animals, current events, and culture, to puzzles, activities, stories, comics, and more. Packed with illustrations and photos, these magazines are very popular with Canadian children.

Chirp, chickaDEE and Owl Magazines are all part of Owlkids, Each magazine is geared toward a different age group: Chirp for ages 3-6, chickDEE ages 6-9, and Owl for ages 9-12.

chirp magazine for ages 3-6

Submissions Guidelines (as of 2012):

“Currently we are looking for primarily non-fiction writers for science, culture, animals, and current event topics. If you are interested in writing for the magazines, please send us a resume with recent clippings or writing samples, and a brief description of your proposed work. Please specify which magazine you are interested in writing for. Chirp, chickaDEE and OWL Magazines do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.”

chickaDEE magazine for ages 6-9

Owlkids also publishes books, and for more information about submission guidelines please contact them here. I do know that as with other Canadian magazines, they do not accept manuscripts from outside of Canada.

This is my second in a series of writing for children’s magazines. To read about REAL The Canadian Kids Magazine, check out my post from March 2012.

Cherry Blossoms and Haiku contest

Spring is here and it’s cherry blossom time again in Vancouver! I love them. There’s something whimsical about being rained on by pretty pink blossoms. 

Since 2005, our city has hosted the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival to celebrate the gifting of over 37,000 cherry blossom trees from Japan to the city of Vancouver in the 1930′s. Along with various activities there is also a poetry contest, the Haiku Invitational, open to anyone! The theme this year is ”share the joy of cherry blossoms” and the deadline for submission is June 4, 2012. There is no entry fee and haiku can be submitted on the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival website here.

Steveston Cherry Blossoms, 2011

With five main categories (Youth, B.C., Canada, United States, and International) the top poems will also appear on TransLink SkyTrains and buses all over Metro Vancouver, receive celebrity readings and be featured in creative ways during the next festival in 2013. 

My photos don’t do justice to the beauty of these trees. Whole streets are lined with them, and it’s breathtaking! Best wishes in the contest! I don’t know if I’ll enter, but I hope to do the Bike the Blossoms tour this year…sounds fun!

A Tale of Two Stones/ Palm Sunday and April Fool’s Day

Palm fronds, Hosanna’s, a donkey, and a King. The story of the triumphal entry of Christ to Jerusalem, or Palm Sunday, as it is known by many, was celebrated today by Christians all around the world. It marks the time Jesus entered Jerusalem one week before the Resurrection.

This year (2012), it also happened to fall on April Fool’s Day.

This morning I directed and took part in a puppet play that I had written about five years ago, entitled “A Tale of Two Stones.” Essentially, it is the story about Palm Sunday, only told from the perspective of stones.

Yep, stones. What do they have to do with Palm Sunday?

Well, when the crowds were welcoming Jesus, laying down before Him their cloaks and palm leaves, singing Hosanna, there were others who didn’t approve. The Pharisees. One of them even told Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke these disciples!”

Jesus was not the Messiah they had in mind.

He was a rather unlikely King, who came “gentle and riding on a donkey” fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah.

But Jesus replied to the Pharisee: “I tell you”, he said, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40).

I love that he said that.

And how does this relate to April Fool’s? Well, I think it is easy for people to say that Jesus was showing the Pharisees that they were fools. That they couldn’t see what was plain to the rest of the crowd. That because of their religiosity, their spiritual blindness, they couldn’t accept him as the son of God.

But I think also, the crowds were fools too. Some of the same people who were praising him, would probably be involved in calling for his crucifixion later in the week.

But Christ didn’t call them out as fools. He had compassion on them, and loved them.

I’ve been a fool too.

But it’s good to know that this King, my King, loves me anyway.

 

P.S. My friend Nicky also made some connections between Palm Sunday and April Fool’s Day…check out her blog here!