Happy news!  Rah, Rah, Radishes: A Vegetable Chant is on some yummy best-o-year lists including the New York Public Library’s  100 Titles For Reading and Sharing 2011 and Kirkus’ 100 Best of the Year list.  It also received one of California Reading Association’s  Eureka gold awards for excellence in nonfiction. Go, Go, Grapes: a Fruit Chant is at the printer and will be released May 22, 2012.

I just returned from four days as the Karla Harry Visiting Author at the Gordon School, in Providence, RI. The time at Gordon was one of the highlights of my career.Here are some of the shadow plays the kindergarten and 3rd graders did. The teachers and librarians collaborated to create this exciting exploration of light, shadow, and literature. They did Trout Are Made of Trees, Vulture View, and Honk, Honk, Goose. 

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Erika Thulin Dawes, Ed.D of Lesley University wrote about some terrific extension ideas for Rah, Rah, Radishes: A Vegetable Chant over at  The Classroom Bookshelf . Lots of helpful links, too. HUGELY useful information.

Jeff and I just returned from a 4,600 mile roadtrip to research at desert sites (White Sands, Painted Desert, Meteor Crater). I gave two programs at the spectacular Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. I also spoke at a conference for early childhood teachers coordinated by Jennifer Haggart of the Early Childhood Consortium of the Omaha Area. 

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Kirkus Reviews sure knows how to ask quality questions to get a person talking and reflecting. Read the Rah Rah Radishes interview here.  There’s also a fun little California connection for the book made by a writer out in Salinas. His article is “‘Vegetable Chant’ showcases Central Coast’s chief product.”  Meanwhile, after a fun South Bend Farmer’s Market signing last Sat, I’m completing final shots for Go, Go, Grapes: a Fruit Chant, 2012.

 Here, some rockin’ awesome Mississippi librarians show me how they sing If You’re Hoppy, incorporating the slight variations from the traditional If You’re Happy song. (I admit I never imagined folks singing it, only saying it out loud. But I’ve heard lots of librarians are singing it for story hour.)  The facebook author page with the video.

Kids ages 7-18 who are seriously interested in conservation can join a new online club for young sea turtle fans, run by the Sea Turtle Conservancy.  Sea turtle AdvoKids  http://www.iseaturtle.org/ The Sea Turtle Conservancy’s “Tour de Turtles” starts August 15th. Classrooms can track migration, learn, and enjoy the race.    www.tourdeturtles.org

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My chant books are a celebration of  words, rhythm, rhyme, and biodiversity. To celebrate my upcoming (June 16th, 2011) vegetable chant, I’ve assembled sound samples to help in teaching and understanding these books.

After a quick reading of the book, a 6-year old spontaneously practices, is able to chant a section, and has made up some dance moves to go with it.   RahRahRadishesOutLoud

Here I teach the new chant to a large group, line-by-line. Rah Rah Radish youngauthorsconf. I teach word-by-word and challenge a group:  Teaching Insect Chant.  Here I perform a high speed version of the Fish Chant End . An older student rhythmically reads Bird, Bird, Bird_ A Chirping Chant.

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Just back from whale watching in Canada to see that reporter Kirby Sprouls of the South Bend Tribune did a wonderful article July 31, 2011 about Rah, Rah, Radishes: a Vegetable Chant , the farmer’s market connection, and my work as an author. Hooray!

For links to vegetable posts  check this link. http://www.aprilsayre.com/category/vegetables-2/

Rah, Rah, Radishes: A Vegetable Chant received a starred review in Kirkus!

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