BLOG TOUR (10) There Was an Old Sailor

There Was an Old Sailor

Written by Claire Saxby

Illustrated by Cassandra Allen

Published by Walker Books Australia 2010

Today I am talking to Claire Saxby, author, about her newly released picture book, There Was an Old Sailor. Our discussion focuses on Rhyme, Rhythm and Reason.

.  .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   . ‘With a wish and a swish
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .he swallowed a fish’

Mabel: Hello Claire. Welcome to my blogspot.

Claire: Hello Mabel. Thanks for hosting me

Mabel: Do you find it fascinating that children begin with rhyme and rhythm; even before they can talk ... as though our ears and brains are hard-wired from birth to sound and repetition?

Claire: Children's language development is nothing short of astounding. It's such a treat to watch as they play with sounds and shape words. I watched a program that looked at children all around the world learning to speak. One comment was that they experiment with their own grammar, rather than just learn by parroting what they hear. eg my ....is betterer than... using grammar forms that don't exist. That's stuck with me, that idea that they have some innate sense of language, not just copying.

Mabel: Would you like to comment on the connections between rhyme and rhythm (poetry, if you like) and magic; poetry and magic?

Claire: Yes, poetry is magic! I like that it can say more with less, that it can open up images in fresh new ways, can paint pictures with words. Rhythm is essential in poetry, as it is in any writing really. The best rhythm allows any reader to read without stumbling.

Mabel: Rhyme has been called a kind of musical punctuation. Is that how you see it?

Claire: Rhyming is hard. Hard to do really well. So generally I avoid it! But the structure was already there for 'There Was an Old Sailor', and I enjoyed the playing with rhyme. Musical punctuation? I joined a choir about a year ago and have been challenged by reading music and reading the breaks. I'd not thought of rhyme that way. I like the idea though.

Mabel: Is rhyme important for pre-readers and beginning readers?

Claire: Rhyme is a great tool for learning. It can help pre- and beginning readers to access language by linking the familiar to the unfamiliar, or just by making words fun.

Mabel: The dictionary defines rhythm as ‘a movement with uniform occurrence of a beat or accent’ - or if you like a pulse that provides a distinct beat and gives shape. Did you feel that as you were writing this book?

Claire: I am very aware of rhythm when I write. I read my work out loud and also get others to read it out loud. This helps me to refine the text and improve the rhythm. Early drafts are about shaping story and working out beginning, middle and end, but later ones are about tweaking and rearranging the words to make them sing.

Mabel: Do you agree that rhyme, rhythm and reason are the three great ‘R’s of storytelling that help maintain the connection with an audience or reader?

Claire: I don't pretend to be a skilled oral storyteller, but I do have a close friend who is mesmerising to listen to. I've learned a lot about reading my stories aloud, and about writing them from listening to her tell stories. She shares stories from all over the world, and all contain the elements you mention. I certainly aspire to pull in the reader and keep them there!

Mabel: Tell me a little about the role of humour in this story. Is it more than a celebration of rhyme and tomfoolery?

Claire: It's an absurd story! Very silly really. But it still makes a silly-sense. When I use the story as a workshop frame in classrooms I talk about the need to use 'silly-sense'. The story must keep moving forward and build to a climax. So there are logical elements e.g., in that each sea creature is larger than the previous one.

Mabel: And that bigger and bigger surely creates a wonderful picture book! Thankyou, Claire for sharing your insights. I’ve really enjoyed being part of this book’s blog tour. Where are you off to tomorrow?

Claire: I’ll be with Sandy Fussell at . Hope to see you there.

For readers who wish to visit or revisit them, the schedule of all the stops is listed below!

Mon 8 February: Sally Murphy's Writing for Children http://www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com/

Tues 9 February: Dee White's Tuesday Writing Tips http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/
Wed 10 February: Dale Harcombe's Read and Write with Dale http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
Thurs 11 February: Robyn Opie's Writing Children's books http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com/
Fri 12 February: Lorraine Marwood's Words into Writing http://lorrainemarwoodwordsintowriting.blogspot.com/
Sat 13 February: Mabel Kaplan's Tales I Tell http://belka37.blogspot.com/  [You are here!]
Sun 14 February: Sandy Fussell's Stories are Light http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com/

LET'S CELEBRATE!

BLOG TOUR (9) SNOWY'S CHRISTMAS

What's left to speak of Christmas?

Has it all been said before?

Parties, presents, surprises, greeting cards, celebrations, family, friends, having fun!
Snowy’s Christmas
Written by Sally Murphy
Illustrated by David Murphy
Published by Random House (October, 2009)


But what about Snowy?
He stares at his reflection in the still water of the billabong and, like the Ugly Duckling, Snowy knows he doesn’t fit in - he doesn’t belong. He can’t hide like the others. He can’t jump like the others. He looks different from the others.
. . . Then he meets Ash - a roo as white as Snowy himself and realises he is not so strange after all. Soon he discovers there were many other roos as soft and white as himself! And that it is in being different he finds his own special place in his world.

I sent 'Snowy' off to a local primary school to meet the children in years 3 and 4.
After hearing the story read and exploring the pictures, the children mounted their comments and some of their own drawings on large pin-up sheets (I wish I could have reproduced them here!)
But let me share with you some of what they had to say about Snowy and his friends.

 The story reminded several children of the Six White Boomers:
"I like the story because it’s like two stories stuck together like a new story and The Six White Boomers.  Book + Book = 1." (Darcy); "It is like the Six White Boomers. It is cool." (Braden); "It was like the beginning of Six White Boomers." (Ricky)

The illustrations in the book made a strong impression:
"I like the pictures because they are cute." (Ella); "I like this book because it has animals at the back round wearing Christmas things." (Trish); "I like the cute animals because the animals are active." (Darlene); "I liked how they drew the kangaroos because it looked nice." (Unsigned); "I liked how the animals were dressed in Christmas clothes." (Josh); " liked it when the white roo can fly Santa’s sleigh. I liked in the illustrations how it was done." (Unsigned); "I liked the book because its pictures are good. (Kim). "I like this story because there are nice pictures." (Emmanuel)

And of course the action appealed.
"I like the white roos flying in the sky." (Andy); "My favourite part when Snowy was flying because all the white kangaroos were flying like magic." (Dinh); "I liked the part when the white roos jumped up high." (Jessica); "I liked the part when the white kangaroos were jumping." (Joshua).

The children were really caught up in Snowy’s excitement at finding something he could do and how it feels to be seen as ‘different’
"I love when Santa said, ‘You can ride the sleigh.’"(Claudia); "The story was really good because the moral was clear and the pictures were really colourful." (Jennifer); "I liked the story because it had a good moral." (Wendy); "I like this story because there were great illustrations and the message can relate to a lot of people." (Kevin); "Snowy learnt things about what to do at Christmas." (Zac); "I like this story because if you are different you might be special." (Megan); Linh said, "I think it’s good because the (story) shows if you win all the time, you’ll lose; and, when you’re nice, you’ll get to do something that you want to do."; three children said, "Everyone is different." (Minesh, Jude & unsigned); "Don’t judge things on their looks." (Patricia and Caitlin); "I like this story because it says that if you’re different you’re still useful." (BoBo); "The message: Don’t tease people that are not the same as you." (Xuan); "Never tease people about their personality or looks." (Anthony)

Some children projected feelings of jealousy by the red roos when they see Snowy in his new role.
"I like it when Snowy was flying and all the roos were jealous because it was a little funny."(Unsigned); "I liked the part where the red roos got jealous of Snowy because Snowy was the odd one out." (Sandy)

The children loved that this book was a story about Christmas
"I loved it because it was a lovely story and it was about Christmas. I love Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday." (unsigned); "I loved it because it was Christmas day and it is Jesus’ birthday." (Dani); "I enjoyed the part when Snowy pulled the sleigh." (Vanessa); "I liked it when Santa put some glitter on the kangaroos." (unsigned); "I enjoyed when Santa went on the sleigh and at the end." (Amber); "I like when Santa comes." (Vy); "I like the part when Snowy was flying and Snowy’s mum was looking at Snowy."(Tommy); "I like it when Snowy was flying in the air and said, ‘Merry Christmas, Mummy’ and flew off." (Ivan)

But I loved the last word that came from Carmen. With a deeply satisfying sigh, she breathed, "I liked the book because it was wonderful."

[My sincere thanks go to teacher-librarian, Mrs Burke, who made this activity happen.]
What’s left to speak of Christmas?
The joy of knowing you belong - that you play a valued part of the greatest celebration in Australia.

To brighten your road to Christmas, retrace the tour sites below


Week One: 4 October
Deescribe Writing Blog http://www.deescribewriting.wordpress.com/
Week Two: 11 October
Write and Read With Dale http://livejournal.com/users/orangedale/
Week three: 18 October
Alphabet Soup Blog http://www.soupblog.wordpress.com/
Week Four: 25 October
Let's Have Words http://www.letshavewords.blogspot.com/
Week Five: 1 November
Sally Murphy's Writing for children Blog
http://sallymurphy.blogspot.com/
Week Six: 8 November
Aussiereviews Blog http://aussiereviews.blogspot.com/
Week Seven: 15 November
Samantha Hughes' Blog http://samantha-hughes.blogspot.com/
Week Eight: 22 November
Robyn Opie's Writing Children's Books Blog
http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com/
Week Nine: 29 November
Stories are Light http://sandyfussell.blogspot.com/
Week Ten: 6 December
The Aussie Christmas Blog http://aussiechristmas.wordpress.com/
Week Eleven: 13 December
Tales I Tell http://belka37.blogspot.com/ [Right here]