What's Big, Gray, and Wrinkly...

...and has its very own day of appreciation?

The elephant, of course! (What - or who - were you thinking of??)

Elephant Appreciation Day has been celebrated every year on September 22, ever since the first one was declared back in 1996 by a company called Mission Media. Why elephant appreciation, you might ask. Well, why not? According to the Official Home Page for Elephant Appreciation Day, this most gigantic of days was declared for many reasons (which you may read if you click on the link in this paragraph), and because the company's founder, Wayne Hepburn, has quite a fondness for elephants.

There is no official central celebration - just have fun with it:

•  If you have preschoolers, let them help you make some baked elephant heads. You can find a recipe at Child Fun Family Website - scroll down until you see "Recipes & Snacks," then "Elephant Heads." This page also has games, crafts, activities and songs for Elephant Appreciation Day. 
• Teachers and parents can find Elephant Appreciation Day activities, lesson plans, coloring sheets, games and more at Crayola.com. 
• Send your family and friends a painting done by a real live elephant - no lie - on elephant dung paper! (Seriously! Check it out: Elephant Dung Paper website.) 
• Go to a zoo near you and visit the elephants. 
• Watch Disney's Dumbo, and when it gets to the part about pink elephants, sing out nice and loud - and don't forget to act out your best elephant imitation! (You can find the lyrics and the video clip from the movie at the Disney Lyrics website.)

Book Review: How I Became a Pirate, by Melinda Long

     When they landed, the head pirate climbed out of the boat and yelled, "Ahoy thar, matey! Be this the Spanish Main?"

     "No," I said, "this is North Beach."

     "Shiver me timbers!" the pirate said. "We must have taken a wrong turn at Bora Bora."

Summary:

Jeremy Jacob was just a boy building a sandcastle on the beach - until the day the pirates came. The pirates were in need of a digger to help bury their treasure. And the captain couldn't help but notice that "He's a digger, he is, and a good one to boot!" The crew heartily agreed, "A good one to boot!" And that is how Jeremy Jacob became a pirate.

For Teachers and Librarians:

Lots of choices here for how to use How I Became a Pirate, so take your pick! The main use is total enjoyment. Your littler guys and gals will delight in all the pirate-speak (so be sure to ham it up), and David Shannon's colorful and funny illustrations will pull them even further into the fun. Even some of the older kids will have a good time with this one. Pair it with a unit on pirates: have them research famous pirates, pirate hangouts and pirate behavior. Let them create a pirate-speak glossary - then let them illustrate it. Give them a big box of props, then let them dress up like pirates and use pirate phrases for a whole day, or act out a pirate skit based on some real pirates they've researched. What else can you come up with?

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

How I Became a Pirate is just plain fun! This book is perfect to read with the little ones - especially on International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Be sure to really play up the pirate speak, and encourage them to join you! Give your little guys scarves to tie around their heads, pirate style. Hide some little bags of treasure around the yard or house (plastic jewels, little dime store toys, coins, candies, etc.), and turn em' loose to go find their pirate booty! Even the kids who might think they're a bit old for all this foolishness won't be able to keep from cracking a smile and craning their necks to see David Shannon's fantastic illustrations.

For the Kids:

You will have so much fun reading this book, or having someone read it to you. Jeremy finds out all about pirate life when the captain hauls him aboard the ship. There is shouting and saying things like "landlubber" and "scurvy dog." There are no vegetables allowed, and certainly no manners. But there are no bedtime stories and no getting tucked in, either, which is a bit of a bummer. When a storm comes up and the captain and crew worry that there'll be no way to bury their treasure, Jeremy comes up with the perfect solution, and gets a cool souvenir out of the bargain as well.

Wrapping Up:

How I Became a Pirate is a fun, arrrrgh-filled pirate adventure that kids will be asking for over and over. Find your copy, hoist the Jolly Roger, grab a comfy spot to sit, and get reading!

Title: How I Became a Pirate

Author: Melinda Long

Illustrator: David Shannon

Pages: 44

Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Publisher and Date: Harcourt Inc., 2003

Edition: 1st

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $16.00

ISBN-10: 0152018484

ISBN-13: 978-0152018481

Author Spotlight: Melinda Long

Melinda Long was a teacher before she became a children's author. She believes her writing career evolved from the combination of a childhood spent burying pirate treasure of one sort and another in her parents' backyard, and an adulthood spent teaching literature.

Her books include: When Papa Snored (2000), Hiccup Snickup (2001), the award winning How I Became a Pirate (2003), and most recently Pirates Don't Change Diapers (2007).

She now lives with her husband and two children in Greenville, South Carolina.

Sources:

Webpages

Melinda Long Official Site

Interview with Melinda Long and David Shannon

Children's Author/Illustrator: Melinda Long

Books

Authors in the Kitchen: Recipes, Stories, and More by Sharron McElmeel and Deborah L. McElmeel. Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, 2005. Page 145. ISBN: 1591582385.

Get Ready - International Talk Like a Pirate Day is Almost Upon Us!

Avast, ye sorry land lubbers! Polish up yer pirate-speak, or come Friday ye'll be walkin' the plank, ye will. 'Cause September 19th be International Talk Like a Pirate Day (or ITLAPD, for short). 

And how, you may ask, did all this foolishness begin? With two guys from the Pacific Northwest playing racquetball (not well, by their own admission) back in June of 1995. Though they may go by Mark Summers and John Baur the other 364 days a year, on International Talk Like a Pirate Day they go by Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket.

As they tell it, during this racquetball game, they "called out friendly encouragement" to each other in pirate slang. And on that very day, right on the court, they came up with Talk Like a Pirate Day, joking that Dave Barry should be their official spokesman, and even choosing September 19 as the official celebratory date. For the next seven years, these two friends - and their friend Brian Rhodes - celebrated Talk Like a Pirate Day all on their own...

...until early 2002, when John "chanced upon Dave Barry's email address." Well, to make a long story short, emails were exchanged and the idea was pitched. Then, on September 8 of that year, Dave Barry's weekly column was all about The Pirate Guys.

The result? The very first International Talk Like a Pirate Day was officially celebrated on September 19, 2002. It was a huge hit, and is now an annual event not to be missed. Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket have written a couple of books together all related to pirating. They have appeared on national television, have videos on YouTube, and have performed live across the country.

The Pirate Guys even have The Official Talk Like a Pirate Day website - run by Mad Sally, AKA The Webwench, AKA Ol' Chumbucket's wife. Be aware, it's aimed at adults, mostly of the male persuasion, even though there are links and such that kids would have fun with, so check it out on your own first before you send your kiddos there. It's chock full of ITLAPD history, pirate links, pirate games and quizzes, an English-to-pirate translator, and links to pirate name generators, to name only a few. There's so much to do, it's far too much to list here. (My pirate name came up on various sites as Left Eye Lewie, Grainne O'Malley Mad Stubble, and Slippery Blair Blythe). 

And here's a special treat for anyone living in the Philadelphia, PA area: The Pirate Guys will actually be in Philly from Sept. 17-21. You can catch them at The Franklin Institute for a special Talk Like A Pirate Day appearance on the 19th from 6-8 PM, and then they say they'll be making appearances at other pirate gigs where they can. Too cool!

Aarrr, mateys! Brush up on yer pirate-speak, an' get yerself a good pirate name, 'cause September 19th be only a day or two away, and ye don't want ter be missin' out on International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

How's This for a Career Choice?

The gentleman on the left is Joseph Pujol. 

The gentleman on the right is Paul Oldfield.

One is deceased, and one is very much alive.

One was a Frenchman, and one is from England.

Yet, they both have one quite peculiar thing in common: they are what are known as flatulists, farteurs, or fartistes.

That's right. They're professional farters. I kid you not. Wikipedia defines a flatulist as "a performer who receives payment for farting in an amusing and/or musical manner."

Joseph Pujol's stage name was Le Pétomane - combining the French verb péter, "to fart," and the -mane suffix, "maniac." That translates roughly to: "The Fart Maniac." Le Pétomane, who performed from 1887 until 1914, was famous for his "remarkable control of the abdominal muscles." And, of course, one who can control one's abdominal muscles well is able to fart at will. 

Yep. You read that right: Fart. At. Will. 

More recently, we have "The World's Only Performing Flatulist:" Paul Oldfield - AKA Mr. Methane, who says on his website that he employs the same technique as the famed Frenchman mentioned above. He performs his musical farting ability in live shows around the world - and even on television! This is how he makes his living. With musical, on-cue, farting.

But wait! It gets better: flatulists are not solely a modern phenomenon. There were ancient medieval flatulists, as evidenced by Saint Augustine's mention of them in City of God. Then there is 13th century England's Roland the Farter. Medieval Ireland's professional farters were called braigetori. Courts of European nobility delighted in flatulist performances, too. Even Japan, during the Kamakura period (1185-1333), has a recorded story of "a professional performer of fart dances."

Not only do we have professional farters in our histories, we have them in our folklore and fiction and mythology. There's Canada's Innu mythological Matshishkapeu (literal translation: "Fart Man") - the most powerful spirit, who could send one into either gastrointestinal pain...or relief. Scotland has the fictional Ross McPharter - an apparent expert in the the farting arts. And if anyone out there watches Johnny Test on Cartoon Network, you know that when Johnny transforms into superhero Johnny X, one of his superpowers is "Power Poots." They're powerful, and they're flaming.

Can you believe it?? There are people out there who actually get paid to fart. 

All I can say is...I hope Handsome Boy doesn't get wind of this. 

Sources:

Le Pantomane - Wikipedia

Flatulist - Wikipedia

Mr. Methane Official Site

It's a Glamorous Life...Isn't It?

Here's something fun for all the multi-tasking moms and wives out there. Marcy over at The Glamorous Life Association is hosting The Ultimate G.I.R.L. Party, and everyone is invited!

The purpose? To show everyone out there in cyberspace what Your Glamorous Life really looks like. As Marcy says:

You know…the real glamour of being a wife/mother/maid. Photo of you cleaning toilets? Perfect. Kids spilled an entire box of Cheerios on the floor? Excellent. A story about how the PTA has it out for you and yet you continue to volunteer? Right on……you see, from the outside this gig we have looks ’so darn glamorous’, but we know the truth don’t we?

So, click on the bold link above to get all the deets, and find out how to enter yourself in the fun. But hurry! She's posting the party tomorrow (Tuesday, September 16, 2008).

Hope to see you there!

Book Review: The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron

     But she still had doubts and anxious questions in all the crevices of her brain, especially about how to find her Higher Power.

     If she could only find it, Lucky was pretty sure she'd be able to figure out the difference between the things she could change and the things she couldn't, like in the little prayer of the anonymous people. Because sometimes Lucky wanted to change everything, all the bad things that had happened, and sometimes she wanted everything to stay the same forever.

Summary:

Lucky Trimble never goes anywhere without her survival-kit backpack, to try and be prepared for anything. Having lost her mom in a freak accident, she has been abandoned by her dad, who left her in the care of his French ex-wife, Brigitte. They live in three aluminum trailers, connected by soldered passageways, in the hardscrabble town of Hard Pan, California: population 43. Life is not easy there, and money is scarce.

Lucky worries that Brigitte will tire of her and of life in Hard Pan and move back to France, making Lucky have to move to a foster home, because "The difference between a Guardian and an actual mom is that a mom can't resign." To ward off this situation, Lucky spends her time eavesdropping on the 12-step meetings of the "anonymous people" at the Found Objects Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center, hoping to discover the key to finding her Higher Power, so she could take control over her life.

For Teachers and Librarians:

Not every kid has a "typical family," and many of your students may live in less-than-desirable situations. Some cope better than others. For those who are having a hard time figuring it all out, maybe The Higher Power of Lucky will give them some hope that they are not alone in their struggles to figure out where they belong, and that there are people out there who really do care for and love them. Themes of survival and the importance of community in helping us along in the journey through life are strong. Lucky worries that her guardian does not care enough for her to stick around. Though she tries her best to be self-reliant, she finds she needs the help of several people in town, including one of her best friends, and even an annoying little boy who pesters her incessantly, to help her find the Higher Power she so ardently seeks. She's looking for stability and security in her life, and eventually finds that it was there all along - but she was too worried to see it. There's not so much an academic use for your students as there is an emotional one, but it is a story that will grab hold of them and stay with them for a long time to come.

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

All kids worry about something at some time in their lives. Kids with uncertain family connections may worry a bit more than others, just like Lucky does in The Higher Power of Lucky. She has been raised by a guardian, her father's ex-wife, since she was 8 years old, and now that she's 10, she worries that Brigitte will decide one day that she's done with her, and move back to France. Kids living in uncertain circumstances may find this book helps them feel a little more secure. It may cause them to open up about fears or worries that they haven't expressed before. Lucky learns something about herself - that she's stronger than she thinks, and that there are people out there who care about her. That's a powerful message to kids in any situation. And for kids already in a secure home, they may come to appreciate just how good they've got it, and be a little more compassionate and understanding toward peers and classmates living in situations like Lucky's.

For the Kids:

Lucky is a ten-year-old girl with a lot on her mind. She misses her mom, who died in an accident at home. She worries that her guardian, Brigitte, will get tired of life in Hard Pan, California, and go back to France and leave her behind. She worries that if Brigitte leaves, Lucky will have to live in a foster home, and that scares her. So, Lucky starts trying to figure out how to find her Higher Power. She eavesdrops on grown-up's twelve-step meetings. She talks to people in her little town who've had hard times, but kept going. But she still can't find her Higher Power. So one day, she makes a bold decision, but her plans go terribly wrong. What did she do? What went wrong? Did she come out OK? I know, but you don't, and I'm not telling! Go get The Higher Power of Lucky and find out yourself - it's so much more interesting that way!

For Everyone Else:

Adults will quickly get pulled into this story, whether they have kids, or not. Whether you've been in a guardian situation, or you've known someone who was, or you've never had experience with guardianship at all. Because Lucky is a girl you can't help but want to see find that elusive Higher Power. You want her to know everything will be OK. Will it? Read The Higher Power of Lucky, and find out.

Wrapping Up:

The Higher Power of Lucky is a book that will grab your attention, and your heart, and keep it from beginning word to ending sentence. Lucky is a girl you can't help but like, and feel for, and worry over. Don't miss your chance to get pulled so totally into this emotional, heart-wrenching, but ultimately touching story.

Title: The Higher Power of Lucky

Author: Susan Patron

Illustrator: Matt Phelan

Pages: 144

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Publisher and Date: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2006

Edition: 1st

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $16.95

ISBN-10: 1416901949

ISBN-13: 978-1416901945