Review of Kathy Stemke’s pb Trouble on Earth Day

I’m happy to welcome Kathy Stemke to my blog today. Besides sharing the same publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing (who published my picture book, Fantastic Flight and Kathy’s Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep), we have another interest in common. And that is Earth Day. If you’ve read my novel, Wounds (published by MuseItUp), you might recall the character Nelson Ark. He was named in honor of the founder of Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson. Kathy’s book, Trouble on Earth Day, is published by Wild Planes Press. The book was honored with the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

The artist, Kurt Wilcken, illustrated the book. His amusing cartoons, er…Kurtoons, can be seen at: http://www.kurtoonsonline.com/

TROUBLE ON EARTH DAY

Trouble on Earth Day opens in the cozy home of the anthropomorphic squirrel family. The little girl squirrel, Shelby, excitedly enters with the news that her poster won the Earth Day Poster contest.

The poster shows a vibrant green and blue earth on a red background. Highlighted around the earth are three examples of Rethink, Reuse, and Recycle.

Shelby and Mom and Dad do some rethinking. They go through the house finding things suitable for recycling and reusing.

When Shelby hears crying outside, she goes to investigate. She finds TROUBLE. A sad bluebird is homeless because someone cut down the tree his nest was in. Shelby gathers reusable items—such as cut up newspaper strips and bright pink yarn—and helps the bluebird build a new nest. They situate the beautiful new nest up high in another tree so it can be seen for miles around.

And it seems that the bluebird is quite musical. Together, Shelby and Charlie, the bluebird, “Danced and sang ‘Chur-lee, chur-lee,’ all day.”

Here is what Kathy says about her book:

With Earth Day Approaching on April 22nd it’s time to focus on educating our children about conservation. Trouble on Earth Day would be a great resource for this purpose and a super addition to any school or home library.

Learning how each of us can take steps to protect our environment is important for children and adults alike. It will take all our efforts to help improve the environment for a healthier tomorrow. Trouble on Earth Day is a great start for children.

Here are examples of the games and songs found in the twenty-three pages of activities in the supplement.

Going Green Game

Have the children form a circle to represent the earth, then read each statement aloud.

If a statement is something good for the earth, the children jump up and down.

If the statement is something that will hurt the earth, the children squat down and touch the

floor, then shout out a better way. (ex: Sleep with your lights on will hurt the earth, children might yell out turn the lights off before you go to bed.)

Fix a leaky faucet.

Sleep with your lights on.

Join with your friends to collect trash in the neighborhood.

Throw the newspaper out every day.

Turn the lights off when you leave the room.

Catch rain in a bucket to water the garden.

Grow a garden.

Put a bird feeder in the yard.

Donate your toys to charity.

Let the water run when brushing your teeth.

Throw trash out of the car window.

Let your helium balloons fl oat into the sky.

Use both sides of the paper.

Throw your food away when you are full.

Plant a tree.

Throw your old clothes in the trash.

Fill your bath tub to the top.

Rethink, reuse, recycle.

The Fuzzy Squirrel

To the tune of I’m A Little Teapot

I’m a fuzzy squirrel, black and gray.

Watch me run around finding nuts today.

Won’t you help me look now, far and near?

We’ll find the big nuts, and hide them here

I’m a happy squirrel, big and strong.

Skip and jump with me, it won’t take long.

When the winter sneaks up, then you’ll see,

We’ll have some nuts for you and for me.

Another book by Kathy is Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep which is available through the publisher, http://guardianangelpublishing.com/shshsh.htm and through Amazon, B & N, and other online stores.

Trouble on Earth Day is available at a discounted price on Kathy’s blog: http://educationtipster.blogspot.com and through Amazon, B & N, and other online stores.

Author bio:

As a freelance writer and ghostwriter, Kathy Stemke has published over one hundred articles in directories, magazines and on websites. She is a reviewer for Sylvan Dell Publishing and a former editor for The National Writing for Children Center. As a retired teacher, Kathy has several activities published with Gryphon House Publishing. She is also part of the team at DKV Writing 4 U, a writing services company that includes ghostwriting, copywriting, editing, proofreading, critiquing, and resumes. http://www.dkvwriting4u.com

Award winning author, Kathy Stemke’s first children’s picture book, Moving Through All Seven Days, was published on Lulu. Her next two picture books, Sh, Sh, Sh Let the Baby Sleep, and Trouble on Earth Day were released in 2011. Both of these books have been awarded the Literary Classics Seal of Approval. Visit her book blog at http://shshshletthebabysleep.blogspot.com

Kathy offers great teaching tips and children’s book reviews as well as a monthly newsletter titled, MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM, on her blog. http://educationtipster.blogspot.com

Kathy Stemke
Award Winning Author/Educator/Freelance Writer