"The warm-hearted tone is just right for bedtime or any time together."

Here's a nice little review in the new issue of Awareness Magazine.

"...a super cute book...sure to make the little ones smile!"

"I love the problem solving in the poem[s] and each one has a great message."--from a review on the blog 'Jumpin Beans'.

Writing with Your Grandchild

by Candace A. Dietz

Grandparents have a special bond with their grand-kids—they’re not too busy, not too tired, and always ready for fun. Any number of children’s books can help your grandchild explore feelings and build confidence. A Bee Named Bea and Other Poems is recommended especially for pre-schoolers, kindergartners and first-graders.

The little narrative poems in A Bee Named Bea can be used as springboards for children’s talking about their own experiences and writing their own stories. The prompts below may be useful to grandparents (parents or teachers, too!) in encouraging a child to engage in story-telling.

Non-writing children might dictate their stories, with a grandparent helping to write them down or type them up. Kids should be encouraged to use their own words—it’s likely they’ll make up prose sentences rather than rhymed stanzas like those in A Bee Named Bea, but children love rhyme as much as they love invention and they may surprise you.     

Here are some sample prompts for writing activities using poems from A Bee Named Bea:

“A Goose Named Grace” cannot share her special buggy.  Is there one toy that your grandchild loves and does not want to share? Have the child describe it and list all of the reasons why it is so special. Will she ever be able to share it? What are the things that are easy to share? Ask your grandchild to make up a story about a favorite toy.

“A Canary Named Larry” can’t sing. Is there something that your grandchild can’t do and wishes she could?  What is that? Is there another way to achieve the goal?  Lessons?  Practice? Is there a different way to participate (as Larry did by ringing a bell instead of singing)? Use the answers to these questions to create a story about overcoming a challenge.  

“A Chicken Named Charlie” ignores safety rules while riding his little Harley. What are the safety rules that your grandchild needs to observe on his bike, in the car, with strangers? Make a list of important safety reminders, and encourage your grandchild to tell you a story that has to do with rules.

“A Lion Cub Named Lionel” doesn’t like peas. What is the least favorite food of your grandchild? Why is it yucky? Make a long list of foods the child likes. Does he like some of the things that Lionel likes—linguini, peaches, yogurt, hotdogs?  Help your grandchild write a poem about or tribute to his favorite food (or a criticism of his least favorite).

“A Giraffe Named James” loves to dance. What does your granddaughter/grandson love to do? Why is it such fun? Do friends like it, too? Ask your grandchild to make up a little story about an activity she grandchild really enjoys.

“A Bee Named Bea” can’t find a friend. Ask your grandchild to tell you about how friends act. How do we make and keep friends? How would it feel to be left out like Bea? Encourage your grandchild to make up a story about a lonely animal who finds a friend.

Your grandchild will probably want to illustrate his or her story with crayon drawings. My grandchildren love to do this, and to make little stapled or ribbon-tied books from their stories and accompanying art. The stories that come out of these exercises will be a written time capsule of a special time in your grandchild’s development—a treasure for the whole family.

Copyright © 2014  by Candace A. Dietz. If you wish to reprint or re-post this article, please include byline and author’s bio (top right of this blog). 

"...can be incorporated into lessons on phonics, rhyme, and spelling..."

"Not only will children like hearing about a chameleon that can’t change color, a cow that can’t stop mooing, and a canary that can’t sing, but they will also enjoy acting out the stories in a way that can be incorporated into lessons on phonics, rhyme, and spelling."--from a new review on homeschoolbookreviewblog.

"Keep young minds engaged."

Below, a short and sweet review from Bookviews by Alan Caruba, a blog described as "a monthly report on the best in new fiction and non-fiction books. Alan Caruba is a charter member of the National Book Critics Circle and has been reviewing for more than five decades." 

The same age group, from 2 and up, will enjoy A Bee Named Bea by Candace A. Dietz with illustrations by Virginia J. Rost ($14.95, Mixed Media Memoirs), a collection of poems about various animals such as a cow that can’t stop mooing or a lonely bee that everyone is afraid of. Each poem ends with a cheerful resolution. The book has twenty poem-stories to keep young minds engaged.

"Dietz hones in on vital life lessons."

Here's another review from book blogger connywithay.

Another Poem from A Bee Named Bea

A BUTTERFLY NAMED ARIN

 by Candace A. Dietz

A butterfly named Arin—

That’s Arin with an “A”—

Fluttered and flitted, floated and flew

Around the yard all day.

“Arin,” said her mother,

“Can’t you please sit still?”

And Arin, happy Arin, said,

“Oh, sure, of course I will!”

She tried to keep her wings still

And nap for a few minutes.

But trying to be quiet—

There just was no fun in it.

Though she was really trying,

Arin started to giggle

When one wing then the other wing

Began to twitch and wiggle!

She laughed aloud and fluttered around,

Then tried to be still again.

“Oh my, oh dear,” said Arin,

“I cannot seem to win!

I just have so much energy

That sitting still won’t work for me!”

So her wise and wonderful mother said,
“I know just what to do.

We’ll sign you up for gymnastics.

It’s perfect for someone like you!”

And Arin, happy Arin

Was even happier still:

“Will I do gymnastics?

You bet your wings I will!”

So Arin joined gymnastics class

And flopped and fluttered and flew

And high-vaulted and back-flipped

And cartwheeled loop-di-loo.

That afternoon at rest time—

It’s hard to believe but true—

Arin was still and quiet.

And she took a long nap, too.

"A great choice for young children."

Here's a link to a nice review on the blog "As They Grow Up."

A BEE NAMED BEA And Other Poems #REVIEW

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

As They Grow Up was provided a sample to help facilitate this post. The post may contain affiliate links. 

I was ecstatic to receive A BEE NAMED BEA AND OTHER POEMS by Candace A. Dietz.  This little gem features twenty poems.  All of the poems but one feature a different animal/insect.  The last one is all about a little girl.

About:

Beautifully illustrated with original watercolors by artist Virginia Rost, this lively, humorous book of twenty poem-stories features a whole host of loveable animals and one precocious little girl - each with some problem or in some kind of predicament.   


My Thoughts:

When reading poetry with little kids they expect lots of rhyming and this book delivers.  The beautiful illustrations really make this book come alive.  The subjects are animals and insects kids know and love like: A Bunny Named Paul and A Cow Named Sue.  This book of poetry is going to be well loved in our house.  We've read through them with our littlest who is three but as he starts doing more school I think this will be a great resource as we study the different animals featured.  Each poem has the animal (or girl) in a predicament which resolves itself by the end.  For example a frog who can't find his friend.  A great choice for young children and perfect way to introduce poetry.

Using Poetry To Prepare Your Child To Read

by Candace A. Dietz

Children love rhythm and song. Rhyming poetry is music to children and they are drawn in by it. When my children were small, I would read to them daily. I would read Mother Goose, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein and other fun books written in rhyme. These were their favorites. I would read the poems with inflection and feeling and then, after a few times, I would leave out the ending words and the kids would fill in the the right word. A five-year-old can often fill in a left-out word on the first reading if he is used to rhyme.

At quiet time, when my children were looking through their books, I would hear them reciting parts of the rhymes from memory, employing the same inflection that I used with my reading. After a while they memorized some of the poems and then started to notice the words at the ends of lines and their spelling. Usually, a five-year-old can do this.

You can help your child learn to read by emphasizing the rhyming ending words in poems. I will use my book, A Bee Named Bea and Other Poems, to illustrate this method. After simply enjoying the poems, next you can point out the rhyming words and have your child repeat them. In “A Chicken Named Charlie” they will find the words Charlie, Harley, Marley; careless, scareless; bars, mars, stars; away, hay, Clay, day, play. After having your child repeat the words enjoying the sounds, you can list the rhyming words of individual poems and make flash cards. Put them in envelopes for the individual poems. Have them repeat after you. Emphasize the sound of the first consonants. This should be a fun game for five- and six-year-olds. See if your child can recognize these words when they don’t go in order in the poem. 

Your child will notice that some of the words in “A Cow Named Sue” look a lot alike: moo, foo, too. Some rhyming words in the same poem sound alike, but they don’t match the way they are spelled: Sue, you, new, do. In “A Chameleon Named William,” there are some of the same words as in “A Cow Named Sue:” do, new, too, you, plus two new words with the same sound: blue and hue. “A Butterfly Named Arin,” has three new “oo” sounding words: flew, loop-di-loo, and true.  

After playing with the matching/rhyming words in individual poems, over a period of time the words can be scrambled. Then the child can line up the matching sounding words on the floor or stack the cards on the table. Then she can recite the words for you, practice writing the words, and make her own story using some of the words. You can help with the writing part. This method can be used with any rhyming book.

Above all, reading should be enjoyable. If this is not a fun activity or if your child is not ready, pull back. Just read and read and read to your child. Include poetry in the mix and have fun together.

Copyright © 2014 by Candace A. Dietz. If you wish to reprint or re-post this article, please include byline and author’s bio (top right of this blog). 

Poem from A Bee Named Bea

A LION CUB NAMED LIONEL
by Candace A. Dietz 

A lion cub named Lionel 
Said, “Mama, this is final:
I cannot eat my peas,
So please don’t feed me these.
 
I’ll eat beans, broccoli and tomatoes, 
Celery, eggplant and potatoes; 
Cauliflower and carrots I’ll gladly finish 
And fennel, lettuce, okra, spinach.
I’ll eat up linguini and all my zucchini 
But please don’t feed me peas.
Please, oh please, not these! 
 
I’ll eat apples, bananas, kiwi, craisins 
Papaya, mango, melon, raisins, 
Berries—black and red and blue— 
And peaches, pears and oranges, too. 
But please don’t feed me these. 
Please, pretty please, no peas! 
 
I’ll eat yogurt, hotdogs, turkey, too; 
Ham, fish, sausage and tofu;
Eggs and liver, pizza, steak
And lots and lots of birthday cake! 
But, mother, no more peas, please, 
I don’t want any peas.” 
 
His mother said, “You’ll like these peas— 
They’re fresh from the pod. Just try them. Please.”
 
Lionel tried the fresh baby peas.
Then he smiled and said: “Some more peas, please!”

"You will find yourself smiling..."

I've pasted below an enthusiastic review that appears on the blog "Bless Their Hearts Mom: Single Parenthood with a Touch of Grace."

This may seem like an odd choice for the Easter basket, but the poems are charming

and the kids will love them!

Synopsis:

A BEE NAMED BEA is a humorous poetry book for toddlers through beginning readers. Adult readers will enjoy reading the book as well. Twenty poems tell of the joys and problems of 19 animals and one little girl. Problems have a good resolution. A great bedtime selection.

Review:

This is a very lyrical book of poems, and you will find yourself smiling while reading them! 

Kids will laugh with glee and demand to read more, for example:

“A bee name Bea
Said Mercy me –
Everyone’s afraid of me!
When I try to be a friendly bee
They zoom away and let me be –
Just me, Bea, by myself.”

The poems are aimed at both boys and girls. The are great for early reading, thanks to the colorful rhyme and easy text, and great for memorization, if you're looking for a cute poem to perform at say Summer camp! Miss Grace's favorite one was:

It teaches kids that it's okay to be quieter and not screaming around! Other poems teach being safe, accomplishing something when you try, sharing and being friends. It's a lovely book and one that we highly recommend!

About the Author:

Author,Candace Dietz, has taught Spanish for more than 30 years to students of all ages. She is the mother of 4 and grandmother of 8. Her two loves are language and children. She lives in De Pere, Wisconsin.

About the Illustrator: 

Virginia is an artist, former nurse and businesswoman. She is the mother of three children and the grandmother of three as well! She lives in Pittsburg, PA and Sarasota, Fl, depending on the season.

Her art is joyful and whimsical.

Reading at a School

What a school reading looks like.  This was a first grade classroom on April 24th, 2014.

Readings Around Town

On March 11, 2014, I had my first reading of A Bee Named Bea at the Reader's Loft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The children were very receptive to my big hat and to my invitation to participate in the stories. I would recommend that kindergarten teachers wear some type of hat, maybe changing it periodically, to signify that reading tine is very special.

On April 5, I read at Seroogy's chocolates.  The Easter Bunny was there for photos. The chocolates at Seroogy's are phenomenal and the children ate chocolates while I read to them.

On April 16th, I read from the book and spoke about how to self pt

At the Kress Library in De Pere, Wisconsin on April 16, I read from the book for a meeting of the AAUW (American Association of University Women). I was also assigned a topic to speak on: "How to Self Publish." I published on CreateSpace with the help of an agent, Leah Abrahams, and graphic
artist, Laura Treichl.  Without my wonderful illustrator, Virginia Rost, there would have been no book. Her whimsical water-color illustrations really make the book. Creating the book and illustration was a four-year process for us. CreateSpace has been terrific. 

Now, I have been enjoying going into schools. I have read A Bee Named Bea in kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms in several schools and will continue to do so.  The children enjoy the funny poems and I ask them to help me act out the stories or fill in the rhymes.

After teaching Spanish  for 30 years, I am having fun just reading to children.

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

Hello, everyone!

I've been having fun reading my new book in schools and bookstores. Did you buy your copy of A Bee Named Bea and Other Poems yet?

Beautifully illustrated with original watercolors by artist Virginia J. Rost, these twenty poem-stories feature a host of loveable animals and one precocious little girl, each with some problem or in some kind of predicament. Each poem ends with some cheerful resolution for the character, sometimes in the form of a lesson.

Children in the schools I've visited and readers who've contacted me from places like Boston, Boise, Des Moines, Houston, Omaha and San Francisco have connected to the lively stories of a chameleon who can't change color ("William the Vermilion Chameleon"), a cow who can't stop mooing ("A Cow Named Sue"), a lonely bee that everyone seems afraid of ("A Bee Named Bea"), and a canary who can't sing ("A Canary Named Larry").

The enthusiastic reviews on Amazon.com demonstrate how much young readers and parents enjoy reading the book aloud. The children in your life are sure to love this colorful, joyful book!