We had a five and a half hour flight yesterday from Fort Lauderdale to Long Beach, CA to get to the Book Expo America. I have to say that I don’t do very well on long flights, because it is hard for me to sit still that long. I actually feel like I’m crawling out of my skin after a while. But what made me relax was observing the most adorable 2-year-old boy sitting across the aisle from me with his Mom and older brother. During the 5.5 hours, this kid never cried, whined or moaned. He played with a few toys, giggled a lot and smiled at me. Keep in mind that it was way past this little guy’s bed time. (By the time we landed it was 11 pm EST). Yet he still had a smile on his face after 5 and a half hours of sitting! Not only was he an angel, but when I got up to use the facilities I realized there were 4 other toddlers on that flight who were also remarkably well behaved.

I’d like to say that it is a combination of excellent parenting and a whole of luck that kept these kids happy for that length of time. (I noticed the Mom did a great job of rotating toys for him to play with, and she loved him up a lot.) It is not surprising to find well behaved toddlers, as I know many are. But to sit quietly on a cramped airplane for that many hours with no crying is outstanding. In fact, it really put me in my place, as I squirmed around in my seat for the entire flight. I need to learn more from kids how to behave properly!

Grandma Nellie and Lilly P Badilly (in costume!) are off to Los Angeles today to attend the Book Expo America. What is the Book Expo, you ask? It is an annual gathering and networking of people who have anything to do with books. Authors, illustrators, photographers, publishers, literary agents, book reviewers, journalists, printers, distributors, wholesalers, book buyers, book sellers, teachers, librarians and more all attend this HUGE event. Last year, over 37,000 attended! We will be there to meet and greet as many people as possible to market The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badily: Costa Rica. We’ll be attending some seminars as well. We’ll let you know how it goes. And yes, we will take some photos!

Are you dreading that, “I’m bored!” comment you are sure to hear from your young ones this summer? If you plan ahead you can come up with dozens of ideas to keep them busy. Here are 15 of the many I have used in the past:

1. Color - Get a fresh coloring book and new HUGE box of crayons. Challenge your kids to color the entire book, page by page. If you have 2 kids, they can each take a page and do this together.

2. Blow Bubbles – Put together a basket of really fun bubble toys. They are inexpensive and can really go a long way to entertain kids.

3. Sprinkler Fun – Get a funky sprinkler and watch your kids have the time of their lives with friends. My daughter, at age 15, will still do this with her best friend, Molly, this summer and the dog! They can be out there for hours. Don’t forget the sunscreen. (Just keep in mind if there is a water shortage in your area, you will not want to waste water.)

4. Summer Olympics – Have the kids design their own games they can play with friends for a Summer Olympics. Ideas include hopscotch, basketball, ring toss, running, jump rope, hoola hoop, swimming and more. Participants can even make medals out of foil and ribbon for the winners.

5. Acting – Ask your kids to practice putting on a play for you. You may suggest they take their favorite book or movie for inspiration. Encourage them to get creative putting together costumes and props. I promise you will be thoroughly entertained with the results.

6. Board Game Marathon – Have the kids gather their 5 favorite games and suggest they play one after the other in a marathon. They will think this is fun, and it will take up a nice chunk of time.

7. Helping Others – Ask your kids to make cheerful cards for lonely senior citizens at a nursing home in your area. They can draw pictures and write silly jokes and tell them to just have a great day. It would be a double bonus if they could deliver them with you in person.

8. Toy Tidy – My daughter actually enjoyed doing this in the summer, and it was a big help for me. She would go through all her toys and art supplies and reorganize them. The exciting part of all this is that she would find toys she forgot she had, and old toys seemed new again.

9. Make a Time Capsule – This has to be one of the most exciting activities of all time for kids. Give them a plastic jar with a lid or a sturdy box. Have them fill it with little trinkets and notes that will remind them of the past year. Or pick a theme (like sports, books, travel, etc) and have them will the jar with treasures new and old. They can bury it somewhere in the yard and dig it up in next summer.

10. Make a Fort - This can be inside or out. My daughter used to make forts out of chairs and a sheet and play in it for hours with friends. You can serve lunch in there for them to really make it exciting.

11. Bug Adventure – Ask the kids to search the backyard for insects. They can use a magnifying glass to look at them and take pictures with a digital camera. Then ask them to go to the computer or look in a reference book to identify what type of creepy crawlies they have discovered. They can also read to learn more about the bugs they find.

12. Puppet Show – Have the kids practice putting on a puppet show for you. If you want to keep them really busy they can make their own puppets out of old socks or paper bags.

13. Car Wash – Ask your kids to wash your car. You can pay them a small amount or reward them with cookies.

14. Botanical Press – Encourage your kids to take a few flower and leaf samples from the yard or alley and press them in paper towels in a thick book. In a few weeks they can use the dried flowers to make a craft.

15. Recycle Crafts – Challenge your little ones to make some sort of craft out of items from your recycling bin, such as plastic bottles, cans or cartons. Make sure you clean the container before they use it.

Send me your ideas for fun summer activities!

Today our contest was listed on http://dallaschild.blogspot.com/. This website has fabulous information for parents and is not only well-written, but beautiful to look at. Please check it out!

We’re also on www.helium.com, www.kidsturncentral.com, www.contestalley.com and www.proofpositive.com.

 SO HURRY UP AND HAVE YOUR KIDS WRITE THEIR TRAVEL ADVENTURES SO THEY CAN ENTER THE CONTEST BEFORE THE DEADLINE!

I have enjoyed Memorial Day celebrations with friends and family for many years. I am embarrassed to admit that, in the past, I did not dedicate enough thought to our fallen soldiers on this special day. This year I decided to do a little research to learn more about what this American holiday really means, and I have vowed to recognize the true meaning of this day each and every year. Here are a few basic facts I learned:

1. When the official holiday began in 1868, it was called Decoration Day.
2. There are so many US towns that claim to have started this holiday, that no one really knows for certain exactly where it all began.
3. This holiday began to honor veterans of the fallen soldiers of the Civil War.
4. The tradition of placing flowers on the graves of soldiers began with the first Memorial Day at the Arlington National Cemetery.
5. Over time Memorial Day has come to include honoring fallen US soldiers from all our wars.
6. Veterans Day is meant to honor all those who have served in the armed forces, while Memorial Day is for those who lost their lives while serving.

I have always wished there were never a need for war, as most others do. But even so, I can and will truly respect our veterans and support our troops. By learning more about this significant American holiday, I am better equipped to honor those who have died while serving to protect the lives of all Americans.
I also believe we can all do a better job of educating our children about family members and ancestors who have served – both those who have and have not lost their lives while doing so. For me I will start by talking to my daughter about her paternal Grandfather, who was a combat soldier during World War II.
While learning all you can about your own family members’ service, it really encourages you think about the strength and dedication so many Americans have had to protect our great land and its people. It really puts everything into perspective, giving us gratitude for our freedom to continue to live the way we do – including the privilege of enjoying delicious barbecues we have to celebrate this day every year!

My daughter’s last day of school is fast approaching. On May 29th, we will celebrate the end of another school year! That for me is the start of summer, although the official start date is a few weeks ahead. We live in boiling hot South Florida, so it has felt like summer here already for a few weeks. Despite the heat, here’s are 21 reasons why I love summer:

1. I don’t have to get up as early to drive my daughter to school.

2. I don’t have to drive to school for 10 weeks (11 miles each way)!!!

3. I will save $$$ on gas not driving as far!

4. My daughter will not have to study and will have plenty of time for fun (and helping me more around the house).

5. I will be able to spend more time with my family.

6. The days are longer, and I won’t feel like sleeping by 9 pm.

7. My family always takes a fun vacation.

8. I don’t feel as rushed.

9. It rains a lot here, and I love the rain.

10. There are less crowds in S FL during the summer, because visitors stay away during our hottest months.

11. July 4th is one of my favorite days of the year – celebrations AND the Twilight Zone Marathon is n Sci-Fi Channel!

12. There are more insects around here with the rain, and I love watching creepy crawlies like Lilly.

13. We can swim in the neighbor’s pool every day.

14. My allergies disappear here during the hot humid weather.

15. I love sitting in the sand on the breezy beach at night.

16. I enjoy visiting my elderly neighbor and chatting about life out on his patio at night.

17. There’s nothing better than laying on a blanket at night in the yard and looking up at the stars and clouds.

18. I love the abundance of corn on the cob in the grocery store and in my mouth.

19. I always have more energy in the summer.

20. I tend to get excited about Halloween, my favorite time of the year, toward the end of the summer.

21. We have a lot of birthdays (family and friends) to celebrate in the summer.

22. I have more time to read more books.

23. A long summer nap is the best kind of snooze.

24. I can find the best BBQ recipes in cooking magazines.

25. I can daydream about my summers as a kid, playing outside for hours and hours.

Have you been to the bookstore lately? I bet you have found, like me, the sheer number of choices of books to be overwhelming – both for adults and for kids. Sometimes I am unable to make a decision about where to even begin looking. Have you ever purchased a book for your children or students only to discover that while reading it, you are nearly bored to tears? Well, if you find it difficult to get through the book, so will the children. The truth is that, while reading to them, adults should be equally as entertained as kids.

Just because a book is available in the store for you to buy, does not mean it is worth the money. It’s hard not to notice just how HUGE book stores are these days. Shelves need to be stocked, and stores are always looking for new titles. Many books make excellent choices, but many more are merely mass marketed.

So how do you prevent wasting precious cash buying children’s books that are not going to thoroughly entertain you and young readers? The top methods for picking the right books are:

1.Ask Someone – The best way to choose a book is to ask others for a recommendation. Kids, parents, store clerks, librarians and teachers will be happy to tell you what they enjoy reading the most.
2. Get on the Internet – There are many great sites that review books for kids. My favorite are www.midwestbookreview.com, www.readerviews.com and www.thereadingtub.com.
3. Chose the Right Subject – Select a book with a topic you know will interest the reader.
4. If it is a picture book, make sure the illustrations are bright and fun to look at, and browse through the book to see if they actually tell the story on their own.

Once you find a good book, your children will want to read it over and over again. And a book like that is one of the best investments you can make.

Our Youngest Travel Writer Contest has been updated. 1st of all we have extended he deadline to Sept 1. The winners will be notified on Sept 15th. We have added cash prizes! $25 for each winner, plus an autographed copy of the book, plus the story published on this site!

From www.midwestbookreview.com

The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica
Debbie Glade
Smart Poodle Publishing
PO Box 817468, Hollywood, FL 33081
9780980030792, $22.95 www.smartpoodlepublishing.com www.lillybadilly.com

“The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica is a children’s book with accompanying audio CD following the adventures of a tiny millipede with a talent for playing the piano. Along with her grandparents, the plucky millipede goes on a wondrous journey deep into the Costa Rican rainforest! The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly features a number of catchy songs sung by various creatures; these songs are played with music on the audio CD, making for a most enjoyable reading and listening experience. Simple yet colorful illustrations round out this surprisingly long and involved picturebook adventure. Highly recommended.”

It is the middle of May, and I felt compelled to write about our mystery pumpkin, we have named, “Cucurbita,” meaning “pumpkin” in Latin. For those of you who do not live in South Florida, let me explain that it is hot and humid here most of the time. Pumpkins do not grow in the tropics, since they need cool temps to thrive. Generally when we buy a pumpkin in mid October, it is rotten before Halloween – even though we leave it indoors in the air conditioning and do not carve it. In prior years when we carved it, it molded over within 24 hours, and I do not even wish tell you about the critters that visit if we leave it outside overnight. For some reason this year, our pumpkin is still alive and well in our dining room, more than 7 months after we brought him home! And how it has stayed fresh this long remains a great mystery. If any of you can explain this, please let us know. And yes, we are 100% certain it is real and not plastic. We’ll update you later on the status of Cucurbita.