Book Spotlight: The Gift of Haley

Meet Haley, a lovable Labrador puppy ... and an unstoppable thief!

A heartwarming children's book about a black Labrador named Haley and her Friend Emily. Laugh along with Haley as she steals her way into Emily’s heart, while also stealing everything else she can get her paws on along the way!

"A fun fantasy about a child’s puppy problems. The cuddly ending is also sure to please its 4-to-8-year-old target audience." - Kirkus Reviews

www.haleysworldbooks.com

Available on Amazon.com

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Book Spotlight: Loukas and the Game of Chance

Calling all readers!

A Reimagined Greek Fairy Tale From Award-Winning Author Anthony L. Manna

The story tells of Loukas, a flute-playing boy who befriends a magical talking, dancing snake that bestows fortune and favor upon him. Some years later, tempted by greed and pride, Loukas loses all his riches and even his family. He now embarks on a treacherous journey filled with suspense and intrigue to find Destiny, the Sun, and the Moon. They’ll surely allow him to reverse his misfortune, restore his honor, and win back all that he loves and treasures, won’t they?

"Perseverance is a key theme—when Loukas thinks about giving up, he is driven by hope. Readers will discover that only those that are willing and brave enough to enter the depths of their despair will be healed. Donald Babisch’s pen and ink illustrations add to the level of mysticism with their alluring tangled patterns.” - The Children’s Book Review

“With a goodhearted serpent, a benevolent goddess, and a flawed but determined hero, Loukas and the Game of Chance offers excitement, magic, and, most of all, hope that it is never too late to make things right.”  - 4-Star Clarion Review

Purchase a copy today!

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www.anthonymannabooks.com

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Book Spotlight: Family Time - Who Do You Love

What lengths would you go to in order to recover what was taken from you?

Meet Ashlon, a smart young lady with a very active imagination. When she returns home from school she quickly discovers that her most prized possession has been ... stolen! Who could have done this, and most of all, why?

“It is great to see a comic book that boys AND girls can enjoy. What makes this unique is that it’s totally relatable. I loved that it has a Christian foundation but it isn’t overt or in your face. It is interwoven seamlessly into the storyline. They allow the reader to take a immersive visual journey. Having a story unfold visually, frame by frame before you ever read a speech bubble can be a powerful literary tool.”

Allegory Publishing, LLC

We strive to help create an environment where the family can come together to laugh, to smile, to cheer, to cry, and most importantly, to grow.

Purchase a copy today at www.allegorypublishing.com

Follow author Brandon Foster on Instagram @bfosterauthor

An inspiring tale of courage and friendship...

Book of the Week!

Zina is a golden-haired princess who loves playing with her friends. Among them, Peggy, the sweet unicorn. But, far away to the north, Mallery’s awful plan starts taking shape…

A terrible plague decimated the memory of thousands of Citadel’s citizens and Zina is in great danger. But who will save her?

Read this captivating story to find out!

Zina’s name is inspired from the Romanian noun “zână” (meaning “fairy”).

Available as Premium Paperback Edition and as Collector's Hardcover Luxury Edition.

Printed on glossy paper with a hardcover designed by BogD

Hardcover Collector’s Edition available on Lulu!

Premium Paperback Edition available on Amazon!

Text and illustrations made by Bogdan Papandopol (aka BogD). Text and illustration copyright (c) Bogdan Papandopol, 2019. BogD (TM) is a registered figurative trademark owned by Bogdan Papandopol. All rights reserved.

Author Spotlight: Shana Gorian

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the 1970s and 80s in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I spent a lot of time outside as a child playing with my sisters and the other kids in the neighborhood.

Did you read a lot as a child?

Yes. I absolutely loved reading from the moment I knew how and read a lot as a child. It was a treat to read, not a task.

What were some of your favorite authors and books?

Some of my favorite books as a child, in no particular order, were Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, The Black Stallion by Walter Farley, Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great by Judy Blume, The Littles series by John Peterson, The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a child, I wanted to be an artist when I grew up.

Tell me about some of the jobs you’ve had before you became a writer.

Before I became a writer, I worked as a web designer, starting in the late 90’s. So I did become an artist of a sort. I was also a junior reporter at a business newspaper right out of college following an internship. And as a teenager, college student, and twenty-something, I was never without a job! Over the course of those years, at various times I delivered pizzas, bussed and waited tables, worked as a restaurant hostess, served frozen yogurt before it was self-serve, made coffees at a French pastry shop before there was a Starbucks on every corner, and nannied for a few families, part-time in between classes and homework. And I started working early in life! As a 12-year-old, I delivered newspapers and started babysitting. But my favorite job ever, besides being a full-time mother, was being a camp counselor. I worked at summer camps during my high school years and for several years during college. I taught arts and crafts and archery, among other things, and met people from all over the world who’d come to work there.

How did you get started writing?

I kept diaries as a kid, was the writing editor for my high school yearbook, majored in English Writing in college, and unlike most kids, I always preferred essay questions on tests! I still prefer explaining anything on paper rather than out loud. But I got away from writing for many years when I decided to pursue a career in graphic design. Later, after I’d married and had children and had taken my kids to the library on a weekly basis for years and years for books and storytimes, I decided I definitely had gained some knowledge about what makes a good children’s book. So I tried my hand at writing them. By 2013, I had almost finished what was supposed to be a picture book but didn’t really know what to do with it. Almost a year later, when my youngest was off to first grade and I had a little more time on my hands, I decided to turn that story into a chapter book so it would appeal to him at his current reading level. With some help, I began to dip my toes into the sea of self-publishing. Then, once I’d written and published one book, I realized I was hooked and decided to turn my ideas into a series.

Why do you write books?

I first wrote because I wanted more books for my then first-grade son and other fast readers like him to read—academically challenging novels with content that’s entirely appropriate for an innocent 6- to 8-year-old mind. Today, there are a lot more titles in this realm but I couldn’t find enough of them at the time. My kids were both very fast readers and tore through series aimed at their levels in first, second, and third grade, so I started writing books for their type of advanced young reader. When I eventually learned that children as young as four and as old as eleven were enjoying my books, my desire to write books for them only intensified.

Now, with my latest two titles, I continue to challenge readers with the use of a slightly more complex sentence structure laced throughout the text, some more advanced vocabulary than you’d usually see in books for this age group, and multiple points of view for the characters. But I provide a glossary in the back of the book, and I try to explain new ideas within the context of the story so most readers will understand what’s going on without help from an adult. I want a child to feel a sense of accomplishment when he or she has finished one of my books, as well as a sense of having loved the story.

What do you like best about writing?

I like that it gives me something positive to contribute to a child’s life. I also like the freedom of writing fiction—you can create a whole new world of any sort and make things turn out however you want! What other job lets you do that? I also love attempting the mastery of it—writers can always, always get better at what they’re doing and I feel like I’m always making progress in little ways, with a greater goal in sight.

What do you find the most challenging about writing?

How much time it takes to write a great story! It really takes a great deal of time and great focus. And even just reaching that focused state each day takes a lot of time!

What makes a good story?

For a children’s novel, I think several things are required to make a good story. 1. A main character that deserves the reader’s admiration, yet isn’t perfect so that he or she is relatable and real. 2. A difficult problem with a clear motivation to solve it. 3. A dramatic build in tension. 4. A happy ending that ties up all the loose strings.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Since the title character in my series is based on my real-life dog, a German shepherd who is so intelligent and aware that I’d swear he’s really a person inside, I’m constantly seeing things from his perspective, and what I imagine is often rather comical, like when he chases a squirrel down the driveway as if his life depends on it. Yet he’s such a big, strong, protective dog that I can imagine things from the heroic angle, too. This contradiction between goofball and fearless leader provides me with a steady stream of new material. Rosco the Rascal always manages to find trouble in every book, but then he always turns it around to become the problem-solver.

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book is a Christmas-themed story released in December 2018. The story centers around a neighborhood holiday lights contest which the main characters’ block has won, so they will be hosting hundreds of visitors every night throughout the month of December. (I have three main characters—the dog, and his owners, a ten-year-old boy and his seven-year-old sister, so the stories are actually just as human as they are canine.) The families now have to pull off a seamless opening night of the holiday lights tour and everyone is in high gear to do just that. But when Rosco misreads a situation while trying to make up for a bit of trouble he created earlier that week, things backfire and chaos ensues. The story is adventurous yet real and dramatic yet humorous. It’s my longest book yet and weaves together a story for each of the main characters, each one from his and her point of view.

What’s next for you?

Right now I’m writing my sixth book in the series, a Wild West adventure in which Rosco and the kids visit a ghost town! I hope to publish it by the fall of 2019 if not sooner.

Is there anything we didn’t ask that you’d like people to know about you and/or your books?

Yes, and thanks for asking. I want people to know that the series is written so that the books don’t have to be read in any particular order, and I have a book for every season of the year with more in the works. I also offer free short stories on Wattpad.com so kids can keep up with Rosco between releases.

For more information about Shana Gorian and her books, visit shanagorian.com

You'll never look at middle school the same way again.

Warning!

Anyone caught reading this notebook without my permission will be tossed in the bayou with a rabid snapping turtle! Seriously, I mean it!

My name is Russell Weinwright and if you think you've got problems in middle school, try being a half-kid, half-algae swamp creature who's terrible at sports! It's not easy. I eat sunlight for lunch, I've got duckweed for hair, and I think a frog might be living in my tree trunk arm. I'm literally pond scum! Some kids call me Swamp Kid, but my best friends Charlotte and Preston keep me sane.

I wish I could let you read this notebook to get the real scoop on being an eighth grade outsider (please ignore the doodles and ketchup stains!), but things have gotten a little crazy lately. Men in black are spying on me, my science teacher might be an evil mastermind, and a hulking beast in the bayou may or may not be my super swamp mentor. Believe me, you don't wanna know! Turn back now!

“Kirk Scroggs is one of my favorite author/illustrators.” —Dav Pilkey, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Captain Underpants series

“A comedic win with appeal for fans of Tom Angleberger and DC's Teen Titans Go!” —Kirkus review

Get your copy today!

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Published by DC Zoom

Can Superman keep Smallville from going to the dogs?

Book of the Week!

Acts of awesomeness are happening around town. People are being rescued, runaway tractors stopped, and fires extinguished. This is all in a day's work for the hero known only as "Superman." But who is he, really?

Thirteen-year-old Clark Kent knows. He has a super-secret--one his parents are constantly worried will get out. Clark promises to be extra careful, but when random objects begin to take flight and disappear, his parents threaten to ground him. Except he's innocent! If Superman isn't responsible...who is? Join Clark in this hilarious adventure as he sniffs out the real culprit. 

 From New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning creators Art Baltazar and Franco, comes a fun, whimsical story featuring young Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, and of course Clark Kent.

Age Range: 7 and up

Grade Level: 2 - 3

ISBN-10: 1401283926

ISBN-13: 978-1401283926

Get your copy today!

Published by DC Zoom!

Titan Gabrielse is Recruiting Heroes for a Special Club

by Melissa Fales
photos by Crystal Kneeland Photography
Story Monsters Ink, August 2019 issue

Titan Gabrielse may be a little boy, but he has big plans. Recently diagnosed with dyslexia, this 7-year-old has taken his struggles with reading and writing, the extra school work he needs to do, and the weekly private tutoring he requires all in stride. One day, Titan casually told his mother, Tiffanie about an idea he had. “He said, ‘I want to create an army of friends with dyslexia so we can beat up dyslexia together,’” says Tiffanie, who came up with the idea of turning that army into an afterschool club. Thus, the idea for Read with the Titans was born. Now Titan and his family are working to make his vision a reality. “With any luck, Read with the Titans will be functioning by the next new school year,” Tiffanie says. 

Titan will be entering second grade at Swansboro Elementary School in North Carolina. Tiffanie recalls the anguish she felt last year watching him struggle to read. “You could tell it was painful for him,” she says. Tiffanie says she was confused but not surprised when she got called into his classroom to talk to the teacher about his below-grade level reading skills.

Fortunately, Titan was diagnosed with dyslexia early. Too often, says Tiffanie, dyslexia is not diagnosed until third grade. “By then, you’re so far behind,” she says. Titan is currently reading at a Kindergarten level, but he’s also participating in an extended school year so he won’t lose any of his progress over the summer. Every week, Titan travels over an hour each way for his lesson with a private tutor who specializes in dyslexia. “He gets motion sickness,” says Tiffanie. “But he doesn’t complain.” 

Once the Gabrielse family had the word, “dyslexia,” to describe why Titan was having such a hard time with reading and writing, they started using it often. “I wanted him to own it,” Tiffanie says. “I have dwarfism. I own that. I’m small. The grass is green. The sky is blue. By owning it, you take the shame away from it.” The fact that dyslexia is an invisible learning disability made it a little harder for Titan to understand. “My son doesn’t have a physical disability like I do,” says Tiffanie. “Wrapping your head around something when you can’t see it is hard.” 

“In stories, titans are strong. They have superpowers and they help people. They are heroes. They have to work hard to be a hero just like other kids like me with dyslexia have to work hard to read and write. ”

Titan is already compiling a list of things he’d like to do with his “army” after school, including playing word games and practicing reading and writing through activities such as sending letters to pen pals. Titan has also recently started talking about having his Read with the Titans club create graphic novels since the image-heavy genre helps give the words context for dyslexic readers.

A key component of Read with the Titans will be to encourage self-acceptance among these young people. Dyslexia is hereditary, and Titan’s father, Marine Ssgt. Eric Gabrielse, endured it without ever knowing that there was a word for the issues he was experiencing. "I struggled with my own dyslexia for years as a child,” he says. “I still struggle with it. It's not just the reading and writing, but the thoughts that there's something wrong with you. I saw everyone else read and write easily and I figured I was just stupid.”

Perhaps most importantly, says Tiffanie, she and Titan hope Read with the Titans will spread the word about dyslexia. “October is dyslexia awareness month,” Tiffanie says. “That seems like a good place for us to start.” She believes that even a simple, inexpensive campaign can be effective. “Things like wearing t-shirts,” she says. “Wristbands. Talking about it. Confronting it. Embracing it. You can't have an army if you don't have recruits.”

Titan has expressed concern about dyslexic kids who don’t have the type of loving, supportive family and friends that he has been blessed with. “He said, ‘I don’t want them to be alone and dyslexic,” says Tiffanie. “He is the most sensitive, loving little boy. He’s come so far and he’s worked so hard.”

Titan didn’t choose the name “Read with the Titans” for his club because it’s his name, but because of what it means. “In stories, titans are strong. They have superpowers and they help people,” Titan says. “They are heroes. They have to work hard to be a hero just like other kids like me with dyslexia have to work hard to read and write.” 

Tiffanie is beyond proud of her son and all he has gone through. “I think I named Ty correctly,” she says. “He is a true titan because of his ability to persevere … I’m not shocked he wants to help others. It’s who he is. That’s why I want to help his idea come to life any way I can. Especially if that means by doing so, he'll see being dyslexic is nothing to be ashamed of. It's nothing to be embarrassed over. Everyone has something. And dyslexia is certainly nothing that will ever hold him back.”

For more information about Read with the Titans, contact titanreads@hotmail.com, and follow on Instagram @titanreads or Facebook at Titan Reads.

Conrad's Classroom: The Skin We're In

I’ve conducted hundreds of writing workshops over the years with students and adults of all ages. Young or older, students all have questions about the writing process. One of the first questions asked in every session is: Where do you get your ideas?

My answer is always the same. Ideas are everywhere. You just need to open your eyes and look around; open your ears and listen. It works for me.

My annual visit to the dermatologist was the spark for this month’s column. Sitting in the exam room got me thinking about just how amazing human skin is as a protective covering. It’s tough, yet flexible. It keeps harmful irritants out, but is porous enough to let off excess body heat and moisture in the form of sweat.

If cut or scraped or roughed up, skin has the ability to heal quickly, often in just a matter of days. These facts I knew already. But with curiosity piqued, I asked some questions to learn more.

Skin is actually the largest organ of the human body. Most people know a bit about human organs. The heart pumps blood through a miles-long network of arteries, veins, and capillaries. With every breath, our lungs take in oxygen from the air and expel carbon dioxide and water as waste products. Our liver and kidneys rid the body of harmful toxins.

All of those organs are connected inside our body. On the outside, our skin is the perfect covering for everything. That includes all of our organs, muscles, bones, nerves and brain.

An average-sized person has between 16 and 22 square feet of skin. Spread across a flat surface, that is enough to cover a single bed. Or, consider that a standard doorway opening is about 21 square feet. All of that skin weighs between 9 and 11 pounds. Skin accounts for about for 15 percent of our total body weight.

Our skin is the body’s protective barrier against the outside world. It’s not as tough as a turtle’s shell or a suit of armor. Still, it protects our bones, muscles, and internal organs from disease. Our skin is filled with nerve endings, the sensors that allow us to feel and touch and react to heat and cold.

Human skin is made of three separate layers and each layer has a specific purpose. The outside layer is called the epidermis. It is thickest on the palms of our hands and soles of our feet. It is thinnest on our eyelids. The epidermis also contains the pigments that give our skin its color.

The middle layer is called dermis. It contains billions of nerve endings and is home to blood vessels and the roots of every bit of hair.

The subcutaneous layer is the deepest layer of our skin. It contains fat cells. It serves as a shock absorber to help protect our internal organs.

According to scientists, our skin is constantly changing and produces new skin cells as dead cells are shed. We shed between 30,000 and 40,000 dead skin cells every minute!

Our skin totally renews itself about once every 28 to 35 days. Consider it this way: By the time you reach age 20, you’ve already cycled through a new covering of skin almost 200 times.

We need to be aware of and take care of our skin each and every day. It’s our perfect covering.

Facts to get under your skin:

• Your skin is home to billions of bacteria. More than a 1,000 different kinds.

• Much of the dust in your home is actually made of dead skin cells.

• Damaged skin heals itself by forming a scar. Scar tissue does not have hair follicles or sweat glands.

• Tough, thick skin often forms over an area that experiences repeated pressure or friction. This tough, thick patch of skin is called a callus.

Resources to learn more:

Books:

My Amazing Skin Can Heal: A Book about Boo-Boos, Bandages and Band Aids by A. D. Largie

Skin: The Largest Organ in the Body by Baby Professor

Websites:

Science Kids – Human Body Facts

How Stuff Works – How Your Skin Works

KidsHealth – Your Skin

YouTube – How Your Skin Works

The award-winning author and editor of more than 50 science and nature books for children and young adults, Conrad J. Storad expertly draws young readers into his imaginative and entertaining “classroom” to help them better understand and appreciate the natural world. (photo by Linda F. Radke)

Time to Shine

by Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz                    

During the next several months, high school students across the country will perform in their annual musicals. Auditions play a major role in high school musical productions, but they can be scary and intimidating. Students, here are some tips to help you survive your upcoming auditions, and yes, even have some fun.

The musical is announced. The audition dates are set. For months, you’ve been singing show tunes with your peeps. You secretly wonder what it would be like walking across that stage with the spotlight on you. Congratulations, the theater bug has bitten you. This is it. This is the year! You’re going to take part in your high school musical. Go for it!

I can’t tell you it will be easy. I can’t tell you that you won’t have to put a ton of work or hours into the production. I can tell you that you will be in for one of the best, and most fun rides ever, guaranteed. If you’re a theater newbie, there are a few tips that can make your first high school musical experience a little easier, and a lot less scary. Because after all, theater and performing is fun, but admittedly … sometimes a little scary.

I’ve learned, talking to students over the years, that the audition process is probably the scariest. But there is a way to get through that too, and make it fun. Yes, I did say fun.

Once the show‘s decided and audition dates set, your director will post a list of songs from the musical that you will be asked to perform at auditions—one for male leads and one for female leads. They will also provide a handout with a short dialogue from the musical, as well. This is to judge your acting ability.

Get the handouts as soon as possible when you sign up for auditions, and immediately get familiar with the music and the show. Let’s say, for instance, that your show is The Sound of Music. Watch the movie, or better yet, check the numerous high school productions posted on YouTube. Also, familiarize yourself with the show’s score.

Listen to the soundtrack. Always make sure it is the stage version, not the film. Film versions of musicals tend to be a little different, with different songs. Especially, get comfortable with the audition song or songs.

Occasionally, a director will have you sing a given selection from the show with no advanced warning what the song is. For instance, if your show is Mary Poppins, he may have everyone sing a few bars of “Chim Chim Cheree.” That’s why it’s important to know the show’s score, so you’ll be familiar with the songs.

I've worked in the sport of figure skating for over 20 years. One thing that always amazed me about our skaters is how they can easily skate a program on National, International, or Olympic ice and manage to pull it off ... most of the time. Nerves are there, but the skaters who have the best success are the ones who know their programs backwards, forwards, and upside down. Many will say they can pretty much see their performance from beginning to end, or can even "walk" through it off ice. So when they hit the ice, the muscle memory kicks in and they can skate a decent program.

The same is true for high school musical auditions. The better prepared you are, the more you know your song, your dialogue, and anything and everything you can about your upcoming musical and soundtrack, the better off you will be, and the better you will be to handle the nerves.

When you sign up for auditions, the director may ask you what part of parts you would like to audition. If you are a newbie, here is my first piece of advice: You can mention a particular role if you have one in mind, but also note that you would be open to playing other roles. I mention this because a lot of high school students limit themselves and think, if I don’t get that part I don’t want to be in it. Nothing is further from the truth and if you really want to enjoy and embrace your high school musical experience, you will take and embrace any role given to you, including ensemble. But for now, it’s ok to dream big and shoot for a lead or supporting lead.

Practice, practice, and practice that song leading up to auditions. If you study voice, have your teacher work with you on your number. If you are working through this on your own, you may want to have someone accompany you on the piano, as it gets closer to auditions day. A friend who plays, someone in your music department at school or local college students are often willing to work with you. I mention this because you will probably be singing with piano accompaniment at the audition.

You can also search online for musical theater piano accompaniments, used for audition purposes. YouTube is a good place to start. Some directors may have you sing a cappella (no accompaniment). Word to the wise, make sure you know the accompaniment the director will use so you will be as prepared as you possibly can.

For dialogue, you may or may not have to memorize your piece, but again, this is worth clarifying, too. I know of a couple directors who require memorization (this clues them in on to how well you would be able to handle pages of dialogue for the final show). Want to stand out in your audition? Memorize the scene. It shows you really want a role in this musical.

Study the character that you would like to play. Here again is where a movie or watching a stage production comes in handy. No doubt, you’re familiar with the musical, but if you’re not, you’ll want to learn a little more about it and the possible characters that speak to you.

Again, using The Sound of Music as an example, if you’re auditioning for Maria you want to understand her from beginning to end, a shy, postulant who had a zest for life at the beginning to a strong woman who put her family first at the very end. Understanding your character will help you deliver your best audition ever and it will show your director that this role is you, and that you can act.

Another acting tip, make sure to have someone listen to your dialogue and make sure you speak clearly and enunciate. No mumbling and please, please, no looking down. It’s a nerves thing but it will look awful, and when you are looking down and talking it’s hard to hear you.

Weeks before auditions, start taking care of yourself. Rest that voice. Do not get overtired or overdue the extracurricular activities. Eat well and go to bed early. You don’t need a cold, flu, or upper respiratory infection to trash your audition. Don’t chance it. The better you feel, the better you’ll perform. 

The big day is here…

Fast forward to audition day. You've been practicing for weeks. You know every monologue line, and everyone in your household including the family dog can sing your audition song. That's how many times you've been practicing. You are now ready to show your high school musical director what you've got. 

The day of auditions is usually after school or sometimes early on a school night. Make sure you’re on time and dress neatly and comfortably. Bring a pair of shoes or sneakers you can move in. Often, the choreographer is present and will put you through some small dance steps to see how well you move.

Don’t panic if you’re not the world’s best dancer. Again, directors take into account the entire package and you will learn dancing and moves along the way. Don’t believe me? I judged a high school production of 42nd Street a few years back and up until musical, none of these kids knew what a pair of character shoes looked like. They tap danced their hearts out and got a production number nomination.

When you arrive at auditions, fill out your paperwork and list all theater or performing experience. Even if it’s just piano or voice lessons, dance lessons, recitals or maybe you volunteered for a community theater production. Even if you’re a first timer, you can find things to list for theater experience.

You will also list the part or parts you’re auditioning. Your director may also ask what role or roles interest you. Go for the role you want, but be open. What may look like an obvious role to you may look differently to your director. They have been doing this a long time and may see something in you that thoroughly fits another character. Case in point, during my high school production of The Sound of Music, a friend wanted the part of Maria. She got the Mother Abbess. Why? She could hit an amazing high C. Think “Climb Every Mountain.” Always, always be open.

Act your heart out. Many of the dialogue snippets the director chooses are very emotional scenes. Take the scene and run with it. Also, I know this is hard, but look right at your director when you’re reciting. Again, many students memorize the dialogue so they can enhance their acting experience and impress the director that they can memorize lines.

Try not to be nervous. I know, easier said than done. If you are active in your high school music department through chorus or band, you probably already know your musical director or directors. It’s just Mr. Johnson. It’s just Mrs. Smith. A familiar face. During auditions you will come in, sing, and read for the director, music director, and choreographer.

Don’t get flustered when you see them sitting at a table, taking notes. Again, they are looking at you for several roles—not just the one you are reading for. Lots of writing doesn’t mean they hate you. I learned this during a community theater audition for Gypsy. I was in my mid 20s and looked 16. The director was writing tons of notes on my page. I thought for sure they hated me. When I finally saw my sheet, he wrote, “Wow, she could play any of the teen girls. Great face.” You never know.

I will also tell you that your director is glad to see you. They want you to do well. They want people involved in their shows each year and love when new people join the musical production because the high school musical career is a short one—four to six years if you begin in 7th grade. As seniors and last year’s leads graduate, there is always the need for new performers. So they will be rooting for you. You need to root for yourself.

My best audition advice? Know your director’s drill, the song or songs they want to hear, the dialogue and how they conduct auditions. The more prepared you are, the better. So, do your very best and show them what you’ve got.

Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz is a writer with U.S. Figure Skating and author of the Skating Forward book series, a collection of inspirational figure skating stories for young adults. She is also a current high school musical awards adjudicator and author of My First High School Musical: From Auditions to Opening Night and Everything in Between.

Photos of Oneida, NY students performing South Pacific and Madison, NY students performing State Fair
courtesy of Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz. 

Monsters at the Movies: Ralph Breaks the Internet

Grade: A-
by Nick Spake

While Disney has a vast library of straight-to-video follow-ups, they’ve rarely delved into sequel territory on the big screen. Wreck-It Ralph paved the way for so many fun ideas and inventive characters, however, that its wonderful world couldn’t be contained to a single outing. Speaking with Story Monsters, Disney animator Michelle Robinson discussed the passion directors Phil Johnston and Rich Moore had going into this sequel. “We describe ourselves as a director-driven studio,” she stated, “and they really wanted to do it.” In the same vein as Incredibles 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet takes the foundation its predecessor laid down and builds upon it in a marvelous way. What we’re left with is a cornucopia of imagination with brilliant attention to detail packed into every frame. 

Where the original film was a love letter to video games, this sequel is a love letter to the whole digital world. John C. Reilly once again voices the lovable, not-so-bad guy, who is content with his day-to-day life as the villain of “Fix-It Felix Jr.” Meanwhile, Ralph’s BFF Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) feels as if she’s going in circles as a “Sugar Rush” racer. Vanellope is stopped in her tracks when her game is unplugged, but Ralph believes the solution awaits in a brave new realm known as the Internet. Once the Wi-Fi is up and running, Ralph and Vanellope boldly venture where no arcade character has gone before. Along the way, they cross paths with a trendy algorithm named Yesss (Taraji P. Henson) and several shady figures with ties to the Dark Web. 

If you thought the OASIS in Ready Player One was an Easter egg haven, just wait until you feast your eyes on this film’s interpretation of the Internet. The animators have literally created a worldwide web where eBay is an auction house, viral videos put citizens on the fast-track to big bucks, and a search engine called KnowsMore (Alan Tudyk) can get users to their desired destination in no time. This is a film where you could pause the action at any moment and find a new visual gag. As such, this movie demands to be revisited at home after watching it once in the theater. While the Internet’s main hub is like a virtual version of Times Square, it’s just one of several vivid environments the filmmakers take us to. 

Vanellope finds a kindred spirit in a fellow racer named Shank (Gal Gadot), who lives a fast and furious lifestyle as the head honcho of “Slaughter Race,” a game that’s like a cartoony version of Mad Max: Fury Road. Our pint-sized heroine also makes an unlikely connection with several animated princesses upon venturing to Oh My Disney, which makes an actual Disney theme park look like a small-town carnival. Seeing all the Disney princesses together onscreen is perhaps the most astounding crossover since the Avengers first assembled. What’s even more astounding, though, is seeing Disney poke fun at some of their most recognizable mascots. 

Granted, Disney previously parodied their princess formula in Enchanted, but who thought we’d ever see Cinderella use her glass slipper as a weapon? While the sequence is wonderfully self-aware, it’s also clear that the writers have sincere affection for Disney’s legacy. It’s a clever spin on classic characters, demonstrating just how far the company has come in recent years. Apparently, it wasn’t hard convincing Disney to take a contemporary and satirical approach to Snow White, Ariel, and others. According to Robinson, “We had pitched this idea in the story screening and the executives saw it and they loved it.”

If there’s a downside to Ralph Breaks the Internet, it’s that there aren’t many new video game characters added to the mix. The film more than compensates, however, with characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and other properties under the Disney umbrella. For all the cameos it works in, the movie never loses sight of its heart or moral, leading to a poignant ending that isn’t conventionally happy, but sees genuine growth from our protagonists. In regards to the ending, Robinson says, “It needed to be a little bittersweet in order to honor both characters’ journeys.” One can only hope that Elsa and Anna experience a similar evolution in Frozen 2.  

Nick Spake has been working as a film critic for ten years, reviewing movies each month in Story Monsters Ink magazine and on his website.

Conrad’s Classroom: Fear the Roo

by Conrad J. Storad

What the heck is a Zip? If, like me, you are a graduate of The University of Akron, you already know the answer. I worked five seasons as a student equipment manager for the U of A football team during the late 1970s. That job helped me earn a degree without accruing any student loan debt. Nada. Zero. Zip. But what is a Zip?

We heard that question from the fans at every college stadium we played in across the country. The answer was obvious once you saw Zippy, our school mascot. A Zip is a kangaroo—an Akron, Ohio variety. For a time, the school’s modern rally phrase was “Fear the Roo.” Huh? A kangaroo mascot? To get some history, go to Zippy’s web site at: uakron.edu/zippy.

Once you learn more about kangaroos, you’ll understand why the creature is a wonderful mascot for a sports team. Kangaroos are strong, agile, and fast. They have keen vision and a superb sense of hearing. Any athlete in search of glory in his or her sport of choice would love to embody the traits of this amazing creature from the down under continent of Australia.

Fully grown red kangaroos use their powerful hind legs to move at speeds of more than 35 miles per hour. They bound in leaps almost 6 feet high that measure up to 25 feet long per hop. In comparison, big jackrabbits in Arizona can jump 5 to 10 feet per hop. How far can you jump in a single hop?

Most young readers probably already know that kangaroos are different in many ways. Kangaroos are marsupial mammals. Humans and tigers and monkeys and elephants and horses and bats are placental mammals. Like all mammals, marsupials are hairy and warm blooded. The mothers produce milk for their young. But marsupials have an outside pouch where their young grow and develop.

A baby kangaroo is called a Joey. The Joey is hairless and only the size of a Lima bean when it is born. The tiny Joey actually must climb from the birth canal into its mother’s pouch. During six months in the mother’s pouch, the Joey will grow 2,000 times bigger than its size at birth.

More than 60 kinds of kangaroos live on Earth today. The musky rat kangaroo is the smallest. A full grown adult weighs less than a pound. Big red roos can weigh up to 175 pounds. Powerful hind legs give the kangaroo its hopping power. But how many legs does a kangaroo have? You say four, of course. Nope. Not according to a 2015 research study published in Biology Letters.

The correct answer is five legs, say scientists from Australia’s University of New South Wales. A walking kangaroo actually propels itself with its muscular tail. The tail acts like a fifth leg. The scientists learned that the tail of a walking kangaroo works as hard as our legs work when we walk down the street. No other animal is known to use its tail in this way.

More hopping fun facts:

A group of kangaroos is called a mob.
A Wallaby is a kangaroo that weighs less than 45 pounds.
A kangaroo has a head like a deer, can stand upright, and can swim.
Kangaroos are browsers. They eat a variety of leaves and vegetation.

Resources to learn more:

Books:

Big Red Kangaroo by Claire Saxby
Kangaroo to the Rescue (National Geographic Kids) by Moira Rose Donahue
Kangaroos: The Symbol of Australia by M. Martin

Websites:

National Geographic Kids—Kangaroo

Kangaroo Facts and Photos—Bush Heritage—Australia

Basic Facts about Kangaroos—Defenders of Wildlife

The award-winning author and editor of more than 50 science and nature books for children and young adults, Conrad J. Storad expertly draws young readers into his imaginative and entertaining “classroom” to help them better understand and appreciate the natural world.

In the Garden: Scarecrows

by Rita Campbell

I could while away the hours
Conferring with the flowers
Consulting with the rain
And my head I'll be scratching
While my thoughts were busy hatching
If I only had a brain...

- Ray Bolger, The Wizard of Oz

Scarecrows throughout time have taught us lessons on thinking before you speak, generosity, loneliness, and feelings. They have been written about in songs, plays, and children’s books. Throughout history, scarecrows have been used to help farmers save their crops. The Egyptians used the first scarecrows along the Nile River to protect wheat crops from flocks of quail. Wooden scarecrows were used by Greek farmers in 2,500 B.C. These wooden scarecrows were painted purple and had a club in one hand to scare the birds from the vineyards and a sickle in the other to ensure a good harvest. Romans copied the Greek and Japanese farmers created scarecrows to protect their rice fields. In Germany, scarecrows were wooden-shaped witches while in Britain, young boys and girls were used as live scarecrows.

In the United States, immigrant German farmers created “bogeymen” or human-looking scarecrows dressed in old clothes with large, red handkerchiefs around their necks. From these, the straw-filled, human-like men with gourd faces developed. Many other types were used by Native American Indians and Pilgrims to protect their crops. Today, technological scarecrows have reflective film ribbons tied on plants to glimmer in the sunlight. We actually have some motion-powered recorded devices set in our garden to steer away deer.

Scarecrows have evolved over the years and many gardens have scarecrow festivals with competitions for creating the most original scarecrows. These scarecrows can be very creative from childlike scarecrows to adults ones. In the fall, scarecrows can also make fun decorations for your porch or Halloween.

Making a scarecrow to me is akin to creating a snowman and there are so many ways you can attempt this. At the end of the summer, you can decorate your sunflowers with hats, sunglasses, scarves, and old eye-glasses. Paper plate scarecrows are fun to make too. Using buttons for eyes, felt or construction paper for hats, yarn for hair, old shirts and pants stuffed with straw and old boots can be a fun activity to introduce a preschooler or elementary student to scarecrows.

For a garden scarecrow, you will need to create a T-shaped frame for his body and arms. You can drive a fencepost into the ground in the garden where you want to position your scarecrow. Fasten the frame to this post with wire or plastic fasteners. His/her head will need to sit on the top of this frame. An old pillow case stuffed or an old flower pot or lampshade will make a cute head.

Now you need to dress your scarecrow. Use an old shirt and pants or dress. The clothing will need to be stuffed with straw, old rags, leaves or newspaper and tied off with string. Using garbage bags to hold and shape your stuffing material is helpful and the plastic will keep it dry and from falling apart. Use safety pins, hot glue or yarn stitches to hold everything together. Adding gloves, shoes, hats, and scarves just add to the human qualities. Make your scarecrow part of the family.

Birds, rabbits and deer are adaptable. They will stay away from anything that looks suspicious. However, if it stays put for a while, they will get use to it and eventually will think it is there for them as a perch. A scarecrow that stays still in a garden will only be effective for a few days. It is important to make it as life like as you can and moving it around will help to fool the animals. He should be positioned everywhere in the garden meaning that you move him often. Make him lifelike by giving him a job with some tools or sitting on a fence. Simply changing his hat might be a way to fool the birds into thinking he is real.

While scarecrows are helpful in the garden to scare animals and birds away, there have been many stories written about them that can also teach your children about feelings. There is a beautiful story about a scarecrow who longs for the company of the creatures he scares away and in the winter he becomes a snowman that the animals play with. Once again working in the garden can also present many beautiful learning opportunities.

Plant of the Month: Sunflowers

Sunflowers come in a wide assortment of sizes. Some cultivars grow as tall as 15 feet with flower heads as wide as 1 foot across; dwarf types, however, measure only a foot or two tall. There are also early, medium-height sunflowers that stand 5 to 8 feet tall with heads 8 to 10 inches across. Some cultivars produce a single large flower; others form several heads. Choose a site in full sun on the north side of the garden so the tall plants won't shade your other vegetables once they're grown. The seeds feed countless people, animals, and birds. Sunflower oil is used in cooking, soaps, and cosmetics. In the garden, you can grow sunflowers not only as beautiful aesthetic additions, but as windbreaks, privacy screens, or living supports for pole beans.

Rita Campbell is a master gardener. The Moonbeam-Award winning author has combined her love of gardening and teaching to create an educational series of books for children ... with a touch of magic. For more information, visit spritealights.com.

America’s Treasures: State and National Parks

by Diana Perry

America is home to over 10,234 state parks and 59 national parks. While there are many to visit, I recommend starting with the parks in your home state, then try to visit as many others as you can, including our national parks. While every park has an abundance of wildlife to see as well as hiking trails, boating, camping, and other outdoor activities, each also has specific things to do or see that makes them special. Here are some to consider:

The Grand Canyon National Park, AZ – Made of red rock, it certainly is a most photographic park at more than 277 river miles long, 18 miles wide and 1 mile deep. It is one of the seven wonders of the world and is the second highest national park. Most of the Grand Canyon is found here. Bison herds can be seen as you hike on the trails or ride a raft down the Colorado river.

Yosemite National Park, CA – Famous for its breathtaking waterfalls, Yosemite takes up 1,189 square miles and has one of the three largest exposed granite monoliths in the world; one is El Capitan, which rises 3,600 feet high from the valley floor. There is a train that you can ride throughout the park that exposes you to all the wonders of the nature, including the vast variety of wildlife. Stand next to the ancient giant sequoia trees or visit the Upper Yosemite Falls. At 1,430 feet, it is one of the five highest waterfalls in the world.  

Yellowstone National Park, WY – While you may not see Yogi Bear or his pal, Boo-Boo, you certainly won’t be disappointed when you visit this national treasure. You can see “Old Faithful,” the most famous geyser in America. It erupts on a regular schedule, which can range from 60 to 110 minutes between eruptions. Geyer spouts can vary from 106 to 184 feet high and normally last between 1½ to 5 minutes and can contain 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of water. Another great site to see is Mammoth Hot Springs, made of a form of colored limestone.

Niagara State Park, NY – It shares its border with Canada and is America’s oldest state park with over 400 acres. The Niagara Falls are what tourists come to see, but don’t stop there. Ride the Maid of the Mist, a boat tour that starts and ends on the American side but briefly crosses into Ontario. This ride takes you right under the falls and near the Rainbow Bridge, which is 1,450 feet long and 202 feet high.  Don’t forget to visit The Cave of the Winds, a natural cave behind Bridal Veil Falls. It is 130 feet high, 100 feet wide and 30 feet deep!

Moore State Park, MA – With 737 acres, there is much to do, such as canoeing, biking, hiking, motorized boating, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting, and all sorts of fun activities and educational programs.  This state park is very historical and is home to some of the nation’s first stone mill foundations and a restored sawmill. There is a labyrinth of wooded paths that prove great fun to explore. 

Mammoth Cave National Park, KY – This park boasts of the longest cave system in the entire world with huge caverns and brightly colored stalactites and stalagmites. Make sure to take the Violet City Lantern Tour, where you walk through the cave with lanterns to light your way; it is three miles long and takes three hours to complete. You will also see the Star Chamber cavern, called that because there are formations in the dark ceiling that light up from the lanterns of visitors –they appear as if they’re starlights.

Everglades National Park, FL – This is one of the most primitive of the national parks and is the third-largest in the continental 48 states. The park is 2,400 square miles and offers some of the best birding experiences. Today’s high-tech population of young and old will enjoy geocaching. Geocaches are containers trackable by a GPS device and are hidden throughout the park. Families go on treasure hunts to find them. Make sure to visit Gator Park; not only can you see alligators in their natural habitat, but trainers put on gator shows!

Big Bend Ranch State Park, TX – This is as Wild West as it gets from the towering Chisos Mountain Range and much of the Chihuahuan Dessert. Take a rafting trip down the Rio Grande river through the beautiful Santa Elena Canyon with photographic limestone cliffs. You can also relax in one of the hot springs at Langford.

Custer State Park, SD – With 71,000 acres to explore, it won’t take long to spot one of their many buffalo herds. You can venture the territory on a trail ride or sit in a Safari Jeep. Try to make it up to Black Elk Peak. At 7,242 feet tall, it is the highest point east of the Rockies.

Sequoia National Park, CA – This is home to the world’s largest trees, one in particular is the General Sherman Tree at 275 feet tall and weighs over million pounds!

There are so many reasons to visit your local state and national parks. While they all offer the chance to commune with nature, each park is unique. Unlike many vacations, visiting our parks is most affordable. You can even camp out in a tent or rent a cabin for very little money. With our lives so hectic, it is healthy for us both mentally and physically. There are not too many things more relaxing than being out in nature.

Kids and adults alike will get an education first-hand when exploring one of our parks. Rather than just reading about them, experience them for yourself, especially when you get to see some of the wonders of the world up close. It’s the perfect way for anyone to learn about America and its history. Fresh air and exercise are so healthy. Just take a hike to see the sights—you’ll feel better and you’ll certainly sleep well, too. Not only can you bond with family members and friends, but you get the rare chance to bond with nature itself. What are you waiting for? Go have an adventure at one our America’s great parks!

Enter the Story Monsters Coloring Contest

 

Attention Arizona Kids!

It’s a monster of a contest!

Sponsored by Story Monsters Ink, Payson Public Library, and Payson Book Festival

Grab your crayons and download your coloring sheet or pick up at the Payson Public Library and return to the library in person or by mail to:

Payson Public Library
Attention: Story Monsters Coloring Contest
328 N McLane Rd.
Payson, AZ 85541

Prizes will be awarded in four age groups: 5 & under; 6-10, 11-14; 15-18

Winner to be announced at the Payson Public Library on July 18.

Prizes will be awarded by Story Monsters LLC at the Payson Book Festival on July 21, 2018 at the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino.

Deadline is July 17!
Happy Coloring!

For more information, contact Linda F. Radke at 480-940-8182 or email info@storymonsters.com