© 2012 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

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1. Readers can instantly relate to the characters.
2. The book has an original plot and flows from page to page.
3. The story is written in a way that shows what is happening rather than telling.
4. The story reads well out loud.
5. The illustrations are vibrant, unique and full of action.
6. The illustrations tell the story – even without the words.
7. The story appeals to a broad audience.
8. The story is humorous or presents an important message without hitting the reader over the head with it.
9. The story requires interaction of some kind with the reader.
10. Children want to read it over and over again.

© 2012 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here for last week’s comic.

Today is World Water Day, which focuses on preserving our precious water resources. With the world’s population increasing and our water supplies dwindling, we are faced with challenges that simply cannot be ignored.  What can you do right now to help this cause?

• Educate yourself and your family about our water situation.
• Waste less water by turning off faucets while washing dishes and brushing your teeth.
• Stop wasting food; producing food uses a lot of our water supply.
• Use leftover water creatively (to feed your plants, give your pet a drink, etc.)
• Take shorter showers and less baths.
• Don’t pollute our water supplies.
• Don’t plant water guzzling plants in your garden, unless you are producing food for yourself.
• Don’t let waiters continue to fill your glass with water in restaurants, when you know you won’t be able to finish drinking it.
• Be smart about your washing machine and dishwasher  – wash full loads and use shorter cycles.
• If you have a swimming pool with a leak, fix it.
• Don’t wash your car excessively or waste water when you do wash it.
• Fix all leaky facets in your house.

I painted these eggs with a solid color first and then just painted designs with a small brush in another contrasting color. (I used acrylic craft paint) They’re simple, and they look great when grouped together,

This morning I found more than 25 hornworms on my tomato plants! One hungry hornworm can devour a plant in no time at all.

My best friend, Darwin (AKA Dardie)

© 2012 by Debbie Glade, Smart Poodle Publishing. All rights reserved.

Click here for last week’s comic.

http://www.clipartpal.com

Encyclopedia Britannica announced that after 250 years, they will no longer be publishing a print edition of their volumes, however it will be published online. While, due to the nostalgia of it all, this is sad news, it also makes a lot of sense. In a world of instant cyber updates, printing 32 volumes of information is not the best way to keep up with the online competition. No one can dispute that Britannica paved the way for the many other encyclopedias that have popped up over the years, both in print and online. But times are changing.

This announcement is really a wake-up call for the publishing business. Ten years ago, who would have imagined that printed books would so quickly start to become obsolete?

My hope is that children’s books stick around for a long time. Children need to hold a book in their laps and manually turn the pages, feel the paper and study the illustrations. I will always prefer to read a printed book rather than an e-book, but it’s looking more and more like, soon, that may no longer be an option.

After interviewing the extraordinary illustrator, Eric Velasquez, last month on Good Reads with Ronna, I couldn’t wait to buy two books he wrote and illustrated.

Grandma’s Records (2004) is a heart warming book about a boy and the time he spent with his grandmother. The story is based upon the author’s real life and the love of music he shared with her every summer at her apartment in Spanish Harlem. Grandma plays records and dances and sings with her grandson; she even covers her hand over her heart when a certain song is played from her homeland of Puerto Rico. One day, Grandma’s nephew comes to the house with several members of his band from Puerto Rico to give Grandma and the boy tickets to their concert in New York. The story, as told through the eyes of the boy really gives the reader a sense of how much joy he felt being with his grandma that special summer. What I love about this book is that it shows young readers how special a relationship can be between a child and a grandparent. I particularly related to this story, because I too loved spending time at my grandmother’s house as a child. The story also introduces kids to the power of music and how it can bring people together. The oil painted illustrations in this book are truly incredible, as are all of Eric Velasquez’ illustrations. You simply must take the time to look at all the detail on every vibrant page. The book was published 8 years ago but is still available on Amazon.

Grandma’s Gift (2010) is a companion book to Grandma’s Records. It deservedly won the Pura Belpré Award, which is given to writers/illustrators whose work best portrays Latino culture. It is essentially another chapter in the author’s life as he spends his winter break with his grandma. When his grandma picks her grandson up from the last day of school before the break, his teacher tells Grandma that the boy needs to be taken to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see a new painting as part of a homework assignment. Grandma tells the boy that if he helps her shop for the ingredients to make pasteles, she will take him to the museum. The story takes the reader through the markets of Spanish Harlem, complete with all the sights, sounds and smells of fresh food. Grandma takes the boy home and makes this traditional Puerto Rican dish with so much love, the reader feels how much this tradition means to the boy and his family. When she takes him to the museum, they discover a unique painting that inspires both of them.  Later at home she gives him a gift that helps to shape his future destiny as an artist. I love this book as much as Grandma’s Records for all the same reasons and more. It is wonderful to learn about the cuisine of other cultures and observe the shared appreciation of art between the boy and his grandmother. Of course, the illustrations are above and beyond spectacular and really make this story come to life.

What an extra special gift these 2 books would be from a grandma to her grandchild!  I love these books, and so will you.