Earth Day

Since we are about learning about the states in the United States, we thought we would post something interesting about Earth Day. What are some practices going on around the United States on this day to celebrate the earth?

Charlotte, NC is having some booths and fun activities with sustainable initiatives that will raise awareness of how to save the earth. This is going on until 2 p.m.

The Peace of Wild Things (April 22, 8pm - Christ and St. Stephens Church 129 W. 69th St) A celebration of the farmer/poet Wendell Berry. Berry lives, writes and farms in north Kentucky. His poetry contains poignant and timely themes of nature and the self, faith, war, politics and memory. This concert highlights composers who have been inspired by Berry's words adding passion and beauty to his elegant statements. The performers are Emily Albrink, soprano; Steven Ebel, tenor; Wilson Southerland, piano; with violinist Mitchell Johnson and cellist Malina Rauschenfels. Featured composers are Ben Yarmolinsky, Forrest Pierce and Scott Gendel with world premieres by Steven Ebel, William George and Larry Nickel. ($20) This is in New York.

Most celebrations happened this past weekend but what are you doing to save the earth? Are you conserving fuel by carpooling? Turning off lights that are not needed? Picking up trash and disposing of things properly? Recycling?

Send us your comments on some of the ways you help save the earth and some celebrations you participate in to rejoice in the earth. - The JGDS team

Jolene Ariette here

Finally. You see, I've been very busy with my dancing and all I haven't had a chance to come tell you about me.

I'm Matt and Guy's best friend and I know they both like me. I've known for a long time. They are always trying to get close to me. Must be the dancer's body they like. Or maybe it is my long sandy blonde hair they like. Maybe it is the way my saphhire eyes twinkle all the time. Maybe it's my perfect smile. Or maybe it is the way I move so gracefully that I could make either of them look like clowns. Who knows what the reason is behind for them both liking me.

I think the other girls in our class are jealous of me because I'm beautiful or maybe it's because I'm very tall and very skinny. I've been described as a bean pole, even been compared to "Twiggy", whoever that is. Dancers need to have graceful lines, and if being thin means I am more graceful, then so be it.

I hope to attend a dance school or maybe even Juliard. I would like to be in a professional dance troupe when I get older. I can't imagine doing anything else. Of course if that doesn't work out, I always have my intelligence to carry me through. I've bested both Guy and Matt on standardized tests and I score pretty much in the top of the class on regular tests and all. Perhaps Matt and Guy are jealous of me too. I hope not, because then I'd have no one, except Mary Beth, who idolizes me and she's still maturing. So basically I would have no one. Oh well. So goes life. -Jolene A.

Radio interview reminder

Just reminding everyone that Ms. Elysabeth will be on blogtalkradio Thursday afternoon - It's at 2 p.m. central (3 pm eastern, 2 pm central, 1 pm mountain and 12 noon pacific). Hope you all can tune in and listen. Should be good since she's talking about us. Here is the link - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids - the JGDS

Writing for Children blog fest free ebook!!!

I couldn't get the ebook loaded here but I do have it on my newsletter forum (see side bar for signup) and I will be happy to send to anyone who requests. Lea has done a wonderful job with putting this together.

Email me for your free ebook at: eeldering@gmail. Make sure to write Blog Fest Ebook on the subject heading. This ebook contains 175 pages of amazing posts and comments.

Ms. Lea's at it again - lol!!

Ms. Lea has been kind enough to compile almost all the posting from the Children's blog fest she hosted last week and offer to anyone who wants to read the postings with the comments for free. She has sent each of the contributors a copy and they can offere on their blogs or websites to anyone who is interested in checking out what the contributors had to say during the week. She has it fixed up so that everything one author posted is together with the comments and feedback (is a bit easier to search by one particular author than trying to scroll through a bunch of postings to get to where you want to be). Ms. Elysabeth is offering the ebook as well. She will try to put on the sidebar for your pleasure. If it doesn't show up, please email Ms. Elysabeth and she will send you a copy via email. Thanks - enjoy - the JGDS

Drats on the radio!!

It seems Ms. Suzanne and Ms. Elysabeth were having problems and couldn't get the radio interview done today. They have rescheduled it for Thursday, April 17, at the same time 2 pm central (for those of you who have to think about it - 3 eastern/2 central/1 mountain/12 noon pacific). Hope you can take some time and listen to Ms. Elysabeth - the JGDS -

Guest author on Book Bites for Kids radio interview

If you will be around on Monday, April 7, 2008, at 2 p.m. central (3 eastern, 1 mountain and 12 Pacific), come check out Book Bites for Kids. Listen to Ms. Elysabeth being interviewed by Suzanne Lieurance from The Working Writers Coach.

If you would like to call in, here is the number 1-646-716-9239 and leave a comment or ask Ms. Elysabeth a question.

Hope to see you there - the JGDS -

Children's blog fest is over but not forgotten

Ms. Lea's blog fest is over but we think Ms. Elysabeth gained a lot about things she had been thinking about anyway. She knew the best way to get us out and about was to market to schools. Her agent suggested trying to get her on the AR list but that wasn't what Ms. Elysabeth really saw when she created us. We think Ms. Carol's postings about creating a teacher's guide and Ms. Kim's posting about her marketing plan will keep Ms. Elysabeth busy for a while.

We hope you all remember to sign up for the monthly newsletter that Ms. Elysabeth has and get more state stuff there. See sign up on the right column under the "about me" section. Ms. Elysabeth should be doing a mini contest soon so be on the look out - The JGDS kids

Expanding the states

As you are all aware, there is a blogfest going on over at Lea's Writing Jungle and there is an abundance of information being passed on.

I read Carol Amato's posting the other day about marketing your novel for the schools. It is what I had wanted to do before anyway - with the state stories being supplements to the teaching of the states. I don't think my books really belong on the AR list as my agent suggests but more as supplemental teaching tools. You can find both of Carol's postings on the blog fest and she is going to update with another posting about the standards. If you are writing anything that has some educational value, why not market it to the schools? Create a teacher's guide and follow the standards and market away. My guess is the teachers would appreciate the tools to enhance what the students are already getting.

So here is my question to you all -- my state info is readily available on the internet. I have used information that is probably not thought of or taught but I believe activities could be created to go along with the clues for the states. Do you think I should work on teacher's guides as I write each story or should I just put it aside for now and worry about teacher guides later?

Drop me a note and let me know where you stand on this - see you all in the postings - E :)