Another pile of books for ReFoReMo

The challenge has ended, sort of. ReFoReMo may be over in one way, but I have a lot of work to do yet. On our own we were to read through each book and then analyze it – study how each was written, observe the POV and universal theme, choose our favourite line, write a little about the story’s main character, and more. It’s been educational for me to find out what is popular now, the many different types and themes of picture books, and the variety of ways to present stories. I’ve learned what type of book I’m not interested in writing and what style I’d like to try. A few I didn’t enjoy reading, a couple brought tears to my eyes, a few were educational and I learned fascinating things I didn’t know before; some stories were funny, a couple were hilarious (to me), and many were sweet stories in a variety of ways. This has been a great experience. (Thanks Carrie Charley Brown!)

I got more books from the library on Saturday and I’ve also started returning books. That’s the sad part.

Here are some of the latest ones I borrowed, I have a few others to photograph, and there are more on hold for me.

Have you read any of the above? They are:

Gravity by Jason Chin
One Day, The End by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
~~Birthday~~ Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka
Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead
How Hybrid Cars Work by Jennifer Swanson
Sparky! by Jenny Offill
A Dance Like Starlight by Kristy Dempsey
Wolfie the Bunny by Amy Dyckman
if you want to see a whale by Julia Fogliano
When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan
Locomotive by Brian Floca

I’ve read over eighty picture books through March because of Reading For Research Month, and I’m not done yet. That’s more books than I would normally read in a year! Some people have read many more than the 100 suggested, in only this month.

Now we’re learning from the special posts written for our further insight and inspiration. I’m so glad I did this, although now I’m behind in some other things I was doing – blogging and 12×12, to name only two. What I’ve gleaned through ReFoReMo should help in my writing though, so it’s all good. 🙂

On Sunday eleven of us shared Easter dinner at my dad’s, then I came home for my week off. I have a lot of reading, writing, revising to do and also publishing to finish! I am a writer and lovin’ it!

When is the last time you read a picture book to a child or for your own enjoyment?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

A fourth pile of books for ReFoReMo!

For a week I haven’t posted the newest books I’ve received from the library for Reading for Research Month! The librarian has been faithfully bringing them in for me and the notifications have been popping up in my email. (I currently have 64 out on loan.) Even though today’s mail brought another notice, I am posting a photo of the nineteen books I haven’t shown you yet. The others can wait – I’ll show them to you later since I haven’t been able to get them today anyway.

They are:

Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow
This is Sadie by Sara O’Leary
Fox and Squirrel by Ruth Ohi
Cock-a-Doodle Oops! by Lori Degman
The Snatchabook by Helen Doherty
Max the Brave by Ed Vere
Home by Carson Ellis
Swan by Laurel Snyder
Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley
No Monkeys, No Chocolate by Melissa Stewart
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Won Ton: a Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw
Waiting by Kevin Henkes
One Word From Sophia by Jim Averbeck
Be a Friend by Salina Yoon
I Dare You Not to Yawn by Helen Boudreau [let me know if you keep from yawning when reading this one]
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdös by Deborah Heiligman
No Nap! Yes Nap! by Margie Palatini
The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt [hilarious!]

Aren’t they beautiful? 🙂 Some I enjoy more than others and for different reasons. I’m impressed by every one … and for different reasons.

Have you read any of the above books?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Another pile of books for ReFoReMo!

Gosh, I love any excuse to read! Wednesday evening I made a second trip to the library for another load of picture books brought in for me. Fourteen more. I now have twenty-eight of the books I’m to be reading for ReFoReMo. Gotta love it!

Have you read any of these?

Jemmy Button by Jennifer Uman and Valerio Vidali
Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace and LeUyen Pham
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
How To Wash a Woolly Mammoth by Michelle Robinson and Kate Hindley
Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal
Ask Me by Bernard Waber and Suzy Lee
Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld
Flora and the Penguin by Molly Idle
Yard Sale by Eve Bunting and Lauren Castillo
Mine! by Shutta Crum and Patrice Barton
That is NOT a Good Idea! by Mo Willems
Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton
Uh-Oh! by Shutta Crum and Patrice Barton

Several weeks ago I’d donated a poster to my grandson’s school’s library, a poster of an artist’s painting. Yesterday the librarian sent a book with my little guy for him to show me. She thought I’d like to see it because it is about that renowned artist – Ted Harrison! My grandson brought it by tonight and we read it together since he has reading homework every night.

This is the book, and next is my favourite of his paintings in it.

I used to want to paint. I liked to sketch and draw. Last year I even started to sketch a little again and got tips from an illustrator, but I don’t know how to fit that creative study into my life right now. Maybe one day … eventually … once I have books to illustrate or I’m on a writing pause so I can pursue that study. 🙂

What creative study have you wished to pursue and haven’t yet? Or maybe you have, so what led you to do it?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Hurry! Time is running out to sign up for 12×12 & ReFoReMo!

This is a reminder post.

If you – or someone you know – is interested in signing up for Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 in 2016, there are only three days left to register. Don’t put it off because if you miss the date then you have to wait for registration in 2017! Please remind your friends who might be interested. Go HERE to register for this amazing challenge. There is so much offered, well worth the fee charged.

Also, if you – or someone you know – is interested in signing up for Carrie Charlie Brown’s ReFoReMo (Reading For Research Month) for this year, tomorrow (February 27) Pre-ReFoReMo begins! Remind your friends because you and they won’t want to miss any of it. Registration for the challenge ends March 1 at 11 pm CST. Go HERE to register and get ready to read over 100 picture books! It’s free, by the way.

12 x 12 and ReFoReMo work well together. If you have wanted to write picture books this could be your time to get started. Do check them out, and maybe I’ll see you there! Let me know if you sign up. 🙂

Do you enjoy challenges such as these?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

2015 in review

I didn’t think I did much blogging this year because I know my posts were fewer, however, according to WordPress it seems as if I’ve been quite busy here. I do enjoy blogging, so it’s rewarding to read a report like this one. If you’re interested in reading the whole thing you can follow the link included below.

Here is my 2015 blog report:

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 7,900 times in 2015. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 7 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Do you have any thoughts to share about Polilla Writes?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

What books did you get for Christmas?

Another Christmas is past and the clean-up has begun. Where do we put all these new things? Another incentive to purge and declutter?

This year I received a variety of books from several of my loved family and friends. Here is a picture (poor quality – sorry!):

You know I love books. 🙂

Close ups:

You can see (I hope, despite the dark views) I received the following:

two adult colouring books with markers and coloured pencils. Have you tried colouring again now you may not be a child anymore?
a drawing instruction book. Do you love to draw?
a writers’ book. Do you doubt yourself or push on through?
a novel. Have you read any of Ken Follett’s series? If so, which is your favourite? or what are you reading?
a daily devotional and two different types of journals – one for notes of gratitude, one for recording of blessings. Do you refer to any kind of inspirational reading/writing?

These books remind me I am a creative – in a couple of ways. I also love to read so must read more. I have to get writing more, too, including from my Christian perspective. Yes, 2016 is going to be a different kind of year for me, and I already have my word for 2016 which I’ll share in the new year. 🙂

Now, I’m eager to know: What books did you get for Christmas … or during the season, however you celebrate it?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Scholastic shares: Kids tell why they read

Today on Twitter I read an inspiring tweet by Scholastic …. Open a world of possible. I love that thought. They posted a link to a series of very short video interviews with kids who love to read. I think you will enjoy it.

Click HERE – and see what kids share about why they read. Stay with it because it will move to the next videos on other topics, including sharing if they were a book what would be their title, what happens because they read, and Scholastic shares about their mission. It’s great information and encouraging to children’s book authors.

That leads me to ask you something I can’t decide yet for myself:

If you were a book, what would be your title?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂