Friday, April 29, 2016

A TRUE STORY by Paul Villard


Click here to download the text file of this story
When I was quite young, my family had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished oak case fastened to the wall on the lower stair landing. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I even remembered the number - 105. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked into it. Once she lifted me up to speak to my father, who was away on business. Magic! Then I discovered that somewhere inside that wonderful device lived an amazing person - her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing that she did not know. My mother could ask her for anybody's number and when our clock ran down, Information Please immediately supplied the correct time.
My first personal experience with this genie-in-the-receiver came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the toolbench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be of much use crying because there was no one home to offer sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver and held it to my ear. "Information Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two, and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information." "I hurt my fingerrr-" I wailed into the phone. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience. "Isn't your mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's at home but me," I blubbered. "Are you bleeding?". "No", I replied. "I hit it with the hammer and it hurts". "Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could. "Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it on your finger. That will stop the hurt. Be careful when you use the ice pick," she admonished. "And don't cry. You'll be alright".
After that, I called Information Please for everything. I asked for help with my Geography and she told me where Philadelphia was, and the Orinco--the romantic river I was going to explore when I grew up. She helped me with my Arithmetic, and she told me that a pet chipmunk--I had caught him in the park just that day before--would eat fruits and nuts. And there was the time that Petey, our pet canary, died. I called Information Please and told her the sad story. She listened, then said the usual things grown-up say to soothe a child. But I was unconsoled. Why was it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to whole families, only to end as a heap of feathers feet up, on the bottom of a cage? She must have sensed my deep concern, for she quietly said, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow, I felt better.
Another day I was at the telephone. "Information," said the now familiar voice. "How do you spell fix?". F-I-X." At that instant my sister, who took unholy joy in scaring me, jumped off the stairs at me with a banshee shriek-"Yaaaaaaaaaa!" I fell off the stool, pulling the receiver out of the box by its roots. We were both terrified--Information Please was no longer there, and I was not at all sure that I hadn't hurt her when I pulled the receiver out. Minutes later, there was a man on the porch. "I'm a telephone repairman. I was working down the street and the operator said there might be some trouble at this number." He reached for the receiver in my hand. "What happened?" I told him. "Well, we can fix that in a minute or two." He opened the telephone box exposing a maze of wires and coils, and fiddled for a while with the end of the receiver cord, tightened things with a small screwdriver. He jiggled the hook up and down a few times, then spoke into the phone. "Hi, this is Pete. Everything's under control at 105. The kid's sister scared him and he pulled the cord out of the box." He hung up, smiled, gave me a pat on the head and walked out the door.
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Then, when I was nine years old, we moved across he country to Boston-and I missed my mentor acutely. Information Please belonged in that old wooden box back at home, and I somehow never thought if trying the tall, skinny new phone that sat on the small table in the hall. Yet, as I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversation never really left me; often in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had when I know that I could call Information Please and get the right answer. I appreciated now how very patient, understanding and kind she was to have wasted her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my way back to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an hour between plan connections, and I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister who lived there now, happily mellowed by marriage and motherhood. Then, really without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please." Miraculously, I heard again the small, clear voice that I know so well:"Information." I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you tell me, please, how to spell the word 'fix'?" There was a long pause. Then came the softly spoken answer. "I guess," said Information Please, "that your finger must have healed by now." I laughed. "So it's really still you. I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during all that time...." "I wonder," she replied, "if you know how much you meant to me? I never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls. Silly, wasn't it?" It didn't seem silly, but I didn't say so. Instead I told her how often I had thought of her over the years, and I asked if I could call her again when I come back to visit my sister when the semester was over. "Please do. Just ask for Sally." "Goodbye Sally." It sounded strange for Information Please to have a name. "If I run into any chipmunks, I'll tell them to eat fruits and nuts." "Do that," she said. "And I expect one of these days you'll be off for the Orinoco. Well, good-bye."
Just three months later, I was back again at the Seattle airport. A different voice answered, "Information," and I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" "Yes," I said. "An old friend." "Then I'm sorry to have to tell you. Sally had only been working part-time in the last few years because she was ill. She died five weeks ago." But before I could hung up, she said, "Wait a minute. Did you say your name was Villard?" "Yes." "Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down." "What was it?" I asked, almost knowing in advance what it would be. "Here it is, I'll read it-'Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean'"
I thanked her and hung up. I did know what Sally meant.
Paul Villard

 Never underestimate the impression you may make on others. Whose life have you touched today?

If you want to get noticed, you'll need a marketing plan. Children's authors Ally Nathaniel and Carole P. Roman share their tips.


Thursday, April 21, 2016

Picture Book Prize Pack Giveaway!


Enter to win autographed copies of Rocket-Bye and Can a Princess Be a Firefighter?, written by award-winning author Carole P. Roman and illustrated by Mateya Arkova. Plus, a bonus prize of author Eric Jay Cash’s debut picture book Cave Kiddos: A Sunny Day!

One (1) winner receives the grand prize:
  • A copy of Rocket-Bye autographed by Carole P. Roman
  • A copy of Can a Princess Be a Firefighter? autographed by Carole P. Roman
  • A copy of Cave Kiddos: A Sunny Day autographed by Eric Jay Cash
Three (3) winners receive:
  • A choice of either Rocket-Bye, Can a Princess Be a Firefighter?, or Cave Kiddos: A Sunny Day.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, April 8, 2016

Reader Views: LITERARY AWARDS FINALISTS FOR 2015-2016

Children – Early Reader, ages 6 to 8
A Flag For The Flying Dragon by Carole P. Roman, CreateSpace

Classics
Fribbet the Frog and the Tadpoles by Carole P. Roman, CreateSpace (2014)


For the complete list of finalists, click here

Mexico Worksheet # 2 MATCHING WORDS

Mexico Worksheet # 2    MATCHING WORDS


1- Location                                                                          a) Peso

2- Capital b) Fútbol

3- Boys Name c) Tamale

4- Girls Name d) La Escuela

5- Mommy e) Mexico City

6- Daddy f) Southern part of N.America

7- Currency g) La muñeca

8- Tourist Spot h) Des Cumbriento de America

9- Food i) Papá

10- Doll j) mamá

11- Soccer k) Alejandro

12- Holiday l) Isabella

13- School m) Chichen Itza

Mexico Worksheet # 5

Mexico Worksheet # 5


Days of the Week

Monday                       Lunes       (loo-nes)

Tuesday                      Martes     (mar-tes)

Wednesday                 Miercoles (Mee-air-col-lees)

Thursday                     Jueves     (wey-ves)

Friday                          Viernes    (V-air-nes)

Saturday                      Sabado   (sab-bad-dos)

Sunday                        Domingo (doe-ming-os)


NUMBERS

One                              Uno       (oo-no)

Two                              Dos       (dos)

Three                           Tres       (tres)

Four                             Quatro   (cuat-tro)

Five                              Cinco     (Cin-co)

Six                                Seis       (sees)

Seven                           Siete      (See-yet-tee)

Eight                             Ocho     (O-cho)

Nine                              Nueve   (Noo-way-ve)

Ten                                Diez      (dee-ez)

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Best Selling Kids Series | April 2016

What an honor to be listed at the top! A special thank you to The Children's Book Review and everyone that made this happen. Please visit this link if you are a fan and leave a comment!


Best Selling Books for Kids

This month’s best selling kids series from The Children’s Book Review’s affiliate store Captain No Beard, by award-winning author Carole P. Roman, is an imaginative picture book series loved by all. Our list of hand-selected series from the nationwide best selling Children’s Series list, as noted by The New York Times, features Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.

The Children’s Book Review’s Best Selling Kids Series

Captain No Beard CoverCaptain No Beard

Written by Carole P. Roman
Illustrated by Bonnie Lemaire
Captain No Beard and his pirate ship The Flying Dragon set sail for a voyage of the imagination with his fearless crew of four: First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbit the floppy frog. Normally a young boy named Alexander, his cousin Hallie, and three stuffed animals, once they board his bed their world is transformed into a magical vessel, sailing the seven seas on dangerous and exciting adventures! Captain No Beard – An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life named to Kirkus Reviews’ BEST OF 2012 for Children’s Indie Books, and garnered the star of remarkable merit! “Roman charms with an imaginative,whimsical picture book that will entertain even the oldest pirates.” Kirkus Review
Ages 4-8 | Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Nationwide Best Selling Kids Series Books

MissPeregrinesHomeForPeculiarPeopleMiss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children

Written by Ransom Riggs
Publisher’s Synopsis: It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience.
Ages 12-17 | Quirk Books

Harry Potter

Written by J. K. Rowling
The Harry Potter series has been hailed as “one for the ages” by Stephen King and “a spellbinding saga’ by USA Today. And most recently, The New York Times called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the “fastest selling book in history.”
Ages 10 and up | Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Big Nate: Great Minds Think Alike by Lincoln PierceBig Nate

Two heads are better than one, except when they’re crashing into each other! But that won’t prevent Big Nate and his pals from hatching great ideas for fun.

Nate Wright is a wisecracking 11-year-old who knows he’s destined for greatness. Nate is the star of Big Nate, the daily and Sunday comic strip that made its debut in 1991. Nate’s a sixth-grade chess prodigy, a self-described genius, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He’s often in hot water with his teachers and classmates, but Nate’s winning personality and can-do attitude always make him a big hit with readers.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Divergent

The Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance. A girl must prove her mettle in a dystopia divided into five factions.
Ages 14 and up | Publisher: HarperCollins

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of BooksDiary of a Wimpy Kid

An exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to.
Ages 9 to 12 | Publisher: Amulet Books
This information for the best selling books was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit www.nytimes.com for their most current and up-to-date list.
For more great kids series, check out our articles tagged with Kids Series Books. Nothing beats a good series when you have an avid reader on your hands!

Huge Giveaway! Pick The Next Country!!!

Enter to win a complete autographed set of the If You Were Me series, written by award-winning author Carole P. Roman and illustrated by Kelsea Wierenga; including If You Were Me and Lived in … Egypt: A Child’s Introduction to Culture Around the World! Plus, the grand prize winner will also get to pick the country for an upcoming book in the series!

http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2016/03/if-you-were-me-and-lived-in-egypt-by-carole-p-roman-book-giveaway.html/
Enter at The Children's Book Review!


Best Selling Books for Kids

This month’s best selling kids series from The Children’s Book Review’s affiliate store Captain No Beard, by award-winning author Carole P. Roman, is an imaginative picture book series loved by all. Our list of hand-selected series from the nationwide best selling Children’s Series list, as noted by The New York Times, features Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.

The Children’s Book Review’s Best Selling Kids Series

Friday, April 1, 2016

My book is up for YA Book of the Month on Long and Short Reviews! Please Vote!


Please help me win Book Of The Month!
YOU CAN VOTE HERE


Being a Captain is Hard Work by Carole P Roman
A Captain No Beard Story

Publisher: Red Feather Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: 31 pages
Age Recommendation: 4+
Rating: 4 stars
Review by: Honeysuckle
Captain No Beard is determined to travel to Dew Rite Volcano. He won’t listen when Mongo predicts a storm or Linus indicates they are headed in the wrong direction. He insists Polly cook in the galley even though the seas are getting rough. What’s a crew to do with a stubborn, know-it-all captain? Will they convince the captain he is barreling headlong into danger, or will Captain No Beard jeopardize both his safety and the crew’s with his single-minded determination to go where he wants?