A Tribute to Rachel Carson
07 May 2012 6 Comments
in Book Reviews, Environment Tags: " Rachel Carson, "Silent Spring, WOUNDS
Why did I name an important character “Carson,” in my novel, Wounds?
It’s because I have a great admiration for Rachel Carson, the premier environmentalist of the 20th Century. And I use the word “premier” in its meanings of foremost in rank (as well as very-nearly first in occurrence).
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, the ecological wake-up call. This month’s issue of Audubon has an excellent article about Rachel Carson, “Carson and Camelot,” by Douglas Brinkley.
This cover shows what Spring should be like; musical with the songs of birds.
Brinkley quotes Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas in describing Silent Spring as “the most important chronicle of this century for the human race. This book is a call for immediate action and for effective control of all merchants of poison.”
This cover is more realistic.
Brinkley goes on to say, “The result [of the book] was a watershed event in Americans’ understanding of their impact on the environment. . . . her warnings about overconfidence in the efficacy and safety of agricultural chemicals kick-started the modern environmental movement . . .”
For children, Carson’s book, The Edge of the Sea, is both very imformative and beautifully written. Here is part of the first paragraph:
“The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place. All through the long history of Earth it has been an area of unrest where waves have broken heavily against the land, where the tides have pressed forward over the continents, receded, and then returned. . . . Always the edge of the sea remains an elusive and indefinable boundary.”
For me, as a novelist, I could think of no higher tribute for Rachel Carson than naming a character after her.
Wounds is available here: http://bit.ly/pjSEdC
Review of Kathy Stemke’s pb Trouble on Earth Day
26 Mar 2012 19 Comments
in Book Reviews, Environment, Interviews Tags: Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson, Kathy Stemke, Kurt Wilcken, 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
Trouble on Earth Day earned the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval
Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep won the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval
Sign up for FREE monthly newsletter, Movement and Rhythm: http://educationtipster.blogspot.com/
***************
I was provided with a copy of Trouble on Earth Day; my comments are given freely and honestly.
Barbara
Marine Park
08 Oct 2011 2 Comments
in Environment
Please visit this site to see an unbelievably beautiful marine ballet. This marine park in Mexico is on UNESCO’s Natural World Heritage List and the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. “It has recently been described by the scientific community as ‘the world’s healthiest marine reserve,’ because of the remarkable recovery of its marine biodiversity and the productive model which has allowed local communities to improve their quality of life and achieve a successful, low-impact livelihood based on sustainable tourism,” states the World Wildlife Fund.
http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=35001.0&dlv_id=47997
Even if you can’t help, you will be enthralled by the video. (Just click on one of the links to see the video).
another oil spill
09 Jul 2011 1 Comment
in Environment
This letter came to me from the National Wildlife Federation:
Last weekend, one of our nation’s wilderness treasures became the latest site of a devastating oil spill when an estimated 42,000 gallons of oil spewed from a ruptured Exxon Mobil pipeline into the Yellowstone River in Montana–which serves as a nesting area for migratory birds like the sandhill crane.
Despite this ongoing disaster, Congress is preparing to vote on legislation to speed up the permit for the massive Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline, which would carry up to 20 times the amount of oil per day as the Yellowstone pipeline and cross this very same river.
Earth Day Fun in the Sun
07 Apr 2011 2 Comments
in Environment Tags: Earth Day 2011, Sierra Club
This challenge comes from the Sierra Club:
Earth Day is just around the corner! This year, we want to celebrate by doing something good for the planet AND by giving away a FREE trip to the Caribbean island that is home to our newest Sierra Club Chapter — Puerto Rico!
All we ask is that you make an Earth Day pledge
http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=Jxg155HmzAjbJuIS6EWoIg..
this year to do something that helps the planet. From April 7 to May 2, you can pledge to do something that shows the world you want to be part of the solution.
The pledges are so easy, you’ll want to think up something more challenging on your own. BB
There's nothing wrong with me a little ice cream won't fix. 
