Guest Blogger and Interview With Werner Stejskal and Introducing Oliver and Jumpy!

 

WERNER STEJSKAL

Biography

PERTH, WA, AUSTRALIA. Born in Vienna, Austria, Werner is now living in the paradise of Perth, Australia with his wife, two married children and three grandchildren. He worked in the printing industry for many years and later for the United Nations in Vienna. Now retired, after a full and eventful life, he began to write children’s stories. He found illustrators through Odesk, narrated them himself for YouTube and finally took the next step by publishing ebooks.

What is your book about, Werner? When I saw that the main character was a cat(!!) well, I was sold. I always like to share talking about cats to children and the merge of the kangaroo as a way for the cat to travel was a fantastic way to add fun to the duo!

“Oliver and Jumpy” are best of friends and experience many adventures together. Oliver is a black-and-white tomcat, who is very self-assured. As a matter of fact he says: “I love myself!” quite often. But his best friend Jumpy is aware that he is only putting up a front! Oliver has a soft heart and will always want to help others. The great thing is Jumpy’s pouch, which Oliver loves to ride in! He calls her his kangaroo taxi!  Today, we have the first two books of an extensive series and more in the works.

Who or what influenced you to write children's books?

There are lots of fairy tales and bedtime stories around and many of them are quite violent and unsuitable for young children. This made me decide to write something different. On a flight from Europe to Australia I watched the movie ‘Magic on Belle Island’ with Morgan Freeman, where Freeman teaches a little girl to have imagination and write her first story. This inspired me so much! And the first stories with two main characters Oliver, the elegant tomcat, and Jumpy, his kangaroo lady friend, made their appearance.

Did you do any specialized research for your stories?

There was no need to research for the stories, but rather to find illustrators and the right software for doing the books and YouTube clips.

What challenges do you face while writing the stories?

I simply had to try thinking like a small child and imagine their reactions.

Tell us more about Oliver?

Oliver, the elegant tomcat, is a know-it-all individual, who thinks he is the best, but is always helpful to others. Like most cats, Oliver does not like to get wet, but generally does not fail to face any adventure that comes his way...

I enjoy how you include a new animal characters in each book. Are there other characters you see us meeting down the road?

Occasionally witches, magicians and giants. But most that young children will recognize from daily life...squirrels, ducks and so many more!

I notice you use somewhat of a regular format for your stories, but how do you decide on the adventures? 

I go through different scenarios of children’s stories and pick out one after the other, making sure they are age appropriate and factual related to what is happening.

How do you start another book??

I just pick a quiet spot, close my eyes and let my mind sail in the darkness. Eventually I can visualize an image which can become a story.

Preference for writing: Day or Night?

The night is for sleeping. I live very healthy.

What is your process for editing your work?

After the initial draft, I let the story rest for a while and then revisit. I revise a couple of times before letting my editor have it. English is not my mother tongue, so I need help with the grammar. It is usually a case of shifting the words into a different order. So far, there has been little problem in moving from language to language...The series is now available in more than English.

How do you come up with your book covers?

Actually, the cover is the first page of each picture book with title rather than text.

Do you think the book cover is important?

Sure, covers are important. But with a series it is a little different. A series needs brand recognition. I prefer to keep them simple, but recognizable. There are so many beautiful covers out there that one looks like the other. Just look at romance books! There is either a beautiful muscle man on the cover or a couple kissing. They are all generic! A series needs to be recognizable at a glance!

Which publishing platform do you prefer and why?

I prefer ebooks on all ebook platforms. It is just so much simpler. Print-on-demand will be another option later on. If a publisher wants to bring my books into shops then I will look at that as well. I just don’t see any money in it here in Australia, where most chains have closed.

What methods do you use to promote your work?

Currently I am doing everything I can do to collect as many reviews as possible. This takes an enormous amount of time.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Produce a good product and persevere with promotion. Nobody will do it as well as yourself!

Which social media platforms do you use the most?

I use Google+, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn.

My website:

http://www.bedtimestory4you.com

My Amazon author’s page: (You will always find a free full-length book there and the free Introduction to the series)

http://www.amazon.com/Werner-Stejskal/e/B00NFANG58

Do you like cats? Yes? I am glad, because I am a black cat with a white top hat. I have a few white spots on my fur too. Mum is white, you see! My name is Oliver. I am a very elegant tomcat with the shiniest coat in the world. I brush my fur every morning and always keep my nails trimmed! Of course, my hat is really refined too, which is another word for elegant.

Whenever you put on your new clothes, you can announce to everybody, "I am refined!" And everybody will think you are an elegant person. Well, enough of all that talk about me, although I can never talk too much about myself. I really think I am a cool cat. I love myself! Do you think this is naughty? You are probably right, but I can't help it.

My best friend’s name is Jumpy. You guessed it. She likes to jump a lot, because she is a kangaroo! She is a great girl and she lets me ride in her pouch! I get in and Jumpy jumps away and away! That’s a lot of fun. I bet you would like to ride in her pouch too, wouldn't you? You are probably a bit too big. I am quite small, so it is OK. I love it, but after a while I need to rest. All that up and down makes me dizzy. It's a bit like being on a roller coaster.

One day I was in Jumpy’s pouch, happily hopping through the fields. It was a very sunny day and I wore my white hat and funky sunglasses. Sun is beautiful, but too much of it burns your skin! My fur coat protects me though. I don’t need to worry about buying the hottest fashions. What if I shaved off my fur? Could I dress up like people do? What do you think?

We were hopping across the fields, when Jumpy stopped suddenly. It was so unexpected that I fell out of her pouch, bouncedy bounce down to the ground. Amazingly, I did not fall very hard, but very soft! But that softness screamed loudly! I had fallen on a mole.

Moles are creatures who live in the ground and love to dig tunnels. They are much smaller than cats. Sometimes they come out from their holes. Moles are blind, because they do not need eyes below ground. That’s why she didn’t notice Jumpy coming. Jumpy only saw her at the last second so she made an emergency stop. I was saved, but the mole appeared quite unhappy about the disturbance.

After I stopped turning around and around, because I was still dizzy from the jumping, I apologised to Molly the mole. She recovered quickly and was not really hurt. Then she even got friendly with us. "I have just made lunch," she said, "why don't you join me? I have the tastiest worms and bugs. Would you like some?"

You see, that’s what moles eat. A kangaroo prefers grass. I find the occasional bug quite tasty, but don't fancy slimy rainworms. Jumpy made an excuse not to accept the offer. "Thank you very much, but we are watching our diet!"

Molly was not unhappy about it, since she could now eat everything by herself. "Come and visit me again, but without any accidents next time! I think you are a very elegant cat, and a very jumpy kangaroo. I like you guys. Of course, I am a lady myself and don't eat just any bugs, but only the best!"

After this adventure, we decided to go home for a nap. I suppose you are having your bug dinner now and hope they don't taste too crunchy. Next time I will tell you about Ducky, the duckling. See you later, alligator!

You know already that I am a fancy cat. There is something I haven't told you yet. I cannot eat birds or mice, because I am allergic to them! I can only eat crunchies for cats. You know that kind that smells fishy! So, whenever I am hunting a mouse, because that's what cats are supposed to do, and if I can catch her, I pat her shoulder and say: "Thanks for the chase. Let's do it again some time. There you go!" The mouse would quickly run away, not believing her good luck.

I can also eat real fish. Unfortunately, they are very hard to catch. We have a small lake nearby and sometimes I wait very quietly by the side of the water until a fish swims by. Cats fish with their claws, not with a fishing rod, as you know. At least I have never seen one do that. Have you? On one of those fish-catching days, while Jumpy was eating her grassy lunch near me, I was just about to hook a fish.

Suddenly we heard a very pitiful "Chirp, chirp, chirp." This is the sound small ducklings make before they have their change of voice. Then they cry "Quack, quack, quack!" So this baby duckling was nearby and obviously in trouble. "Jumpy, see what the problem is," I called. I did not want to scare the duckling even more. She might think I wanted to eat her!

Jumpy said, "Look up in the sky!" A big eagle circled high up in the air, ready to dive down and get himself a baby duckling for dinner. "Be quick, Jumpy," I cried, "You have to save her!" So she jumped towards the chirping sound, and I followed closely behind. "The eagle is diving down! Where is the duckling?" I yelled. Now you could hear mother duck quacking in alarm. She had also realised the danger for her baby, but could not help much. Only Jumpy was big enough to scare him off!

Have you ever seen an eagle close by? They have awfully strong beaks and claws and can pick up a duck easily and fly away with it. Well, we don't want to let him do that! So we all cried: "Go away eagle! Go away eagle!"

You can help too! Shout together with us! We were shouting and running, and running and shouting, and still could not see the chirping baby. Then Jumpy pointed out," There she is. Tangled in the reeds!" The eagle started to descend rapidly. We were jumping and running as fast as we could to get there first.

Jumpy arrived just as the eagle extended his claws to pick up the duckling. "Oh no, you don't!" he cried and boxed the eagle in his side. "You are stealing my lunch," the eagle protested and flew away mad. The duckling was saved, even though she was very frightened.

"Quack, quack, quack," called mummy duck and daddy duck, coming quickly to the side of their baby. Of course, the brothers and sisters named Quick, Quack, Quip, Quop and Quish, also arrived as fast as they could. All the ducks were very grateful that Jumpy saved Queck. They did a lot of very noisy quacking and chirping. After a while, they finally quieted down, and Jumpy explained to them that I was allergic to eating birds and that they were quite safe with me.

So we still had an enjoyable afternoon, with the ducklings hopping into Jumpy's pouch and having a ride kangaroo style. In the end, some of them would even jump on my back for fun. What a picture! An elegant black cat with ducks on his back! Duckybye!

Hi Everybody, and thanks so much to Werner Stejskal for spending time at book Readers Heaven to talk about his first, and continuing, children's series. This is the first time I'm sharing about a series that is one of my favorites for children! Yes, Of Course, Oliver is the reason for me...but, hey, I don't not like all animals, I just like to read about cats more...Why? Because I have shared a home with so many over at least 50 years and have found them quite wonderful as friends and companions... In fact, my absolute favorite type of book is cat cozy mysteries that merge my favorite furry friends with my favorite type of fiction--mysteries...

I am amazed just how much Werner has expanded since I first grabbed a copy or two of his books... I see that Chinese, Spanish are now available in this series, and that he has expanded beyond the Oliver and Jumpy books! He is obviously prolific and must be a great story teller for his family, since he has no problem thinking like he did as a child, and sharing those adventures of seeing his first mole...et.al. I have to admit that I share quite a few of my stories about 'coons, deer and more that come around my log cabin... 

So, do check this writer out. His books are fun and there is a "touch of kindness and love" in each that seems to be just right for sharing with a new, young reader! And You older will enjoy reading them, first, as well!

God Bless,

Gabbie

Connected - We Are All Connected - According to Talon, Connected by Gigi Sedlimayer - And Talon,Encounter!

 

Gigi Sedlimayer has created a wonderful children, (and adults) story about, no kidding, Condors - a family of 3, one of which was raised by the human main character and child, Matica! She named the bird Talon, who had been taken by poachers and then rescued by Matic, helping him from his egg to become his substitute mother.

How Cool is that! I've been following the series from the beginning, so when I learned about the latest, I went out and bought two that I hadn't read yet: Connected and Encounter--very different types of stories but both with a continuing message...

Of Connection...

Connected has an important message which is relevant at any time, but perhaps more important than ever before, in our present days of chaos... Sedimayer uses the tool of repetition to ensure that we all understand just how important for all of us to know just how much our lives matter, including those of our animal neighbors... 

With a family of four, Matica is already a leader as she has taken full responsibility for raising Talon as well as learning how to communicate with him. She has come to recognize his movements or his sounds and quickly realized that he could understand her as well.  Soon, the real parents of Talon found their son and became...connected...to Matica and her family. Soon they were named, Tamo and Tima, and also responding to attempts to communicate with their human friends...

In this important story, Mitica is invited to meet the Indian Tribe's Elder and Leader, Elcano, who was 117 years old... She was scared--as most of us would be having been requested for a private audience with the most important man in their village!

With great apprehension Matica followed Pajaro to his father’s hut. As much as she knew, he was the oldest and wisest in their village. She had never seen him and was afraid to confront him. I think not even Dad had seen him lately, she thought. He probably met him in the beginning, when we arrived. Yes, I remember him walking with Dad. Yes. He must be really old now because he never comes out of his hut anymore. I have seen people around his hut tending to him, but that is all. She had asked about him once, but she never got a real answer. Why does he want to see me now and for that matter personally? Why can’t Pajaro go alone and show the leaf to him? Why me as well? Will he accept me? Will he be mad at me? Will he laugh at me? Scream at me? Her old insecurity grabbed her again, squeezed her heart. Her heart pounded against her chest. She kept back a little. Do I really like to see him, go to him? Not really. She didn’t know how to tell Pajaro, so she just tottered after him...

Matica waited outside the door, staring at it as if she wanted to penetrate it, to see what’s behind it. It seemed an eternity to her, but in fact it was only a few seconds later when the door opened again and Pajaro slipped out to her. He said, ‘My padre wants to see you now. His name is Elcano. Please address him with his name or ‘sir’. Come.’ He took her hand and together they walked in. He really wants to see me personally, Matica thought, toddling timidly...

As Pajaro and Matica kept standing by the door, not moving at all, waiting, the round head turned slowly around to face them. Groaning noises escaped his open mouth with colourless, wrinkly and thin lips. A very sharp nose, not too big and not too small, in a much wrinkled and very thin face captured her attention; also his high and deep furrowed forehead that ended in the bald scalp. She couldn’t see his eyes. They were hidden and nearly covered by thick, bushy white eyebrows. His high cheekbones stuck out and framed his face, standing over his shrunken cheeks...

He speaks English. That’s good, Matica thought. He refers to me as daughter? Relaxing for a few seconds after the strain to sit up, Elcano rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, breathing deeply with open mouth. But soon he opened his eyes again, lifted his head and fixed them on Matica. She still stood by the door, not sure if she should approach Elcano. They stared at each other. His gaze intimidated her, nearly paralysed her. She couldn’t take her eyes away from his eyes as if they hypnotised her. They looked dark and round and were deep-set under the white, bushy eyebrows but looked alert and bright and were moving constantly...

Matica could only nod then whispered, ‘Sir, I’m…’ ‘Eeeeeeaaa, it is all right, believe me.’ Elcano’s arm went into the air again then he cleared his throat. ‘There you have it. My body,’ he tapped the bed he was laying on, ‘doesn’t like to live anymore, but my brain will live and is functioning very well. Yes, yes, it is the truth. They have a fight, my body and my brain, every minute of the day and night and I have to live with it in between. I tell you that, just in case you wonder. Yes, yes.’ Matica, boldly now, stepped one step closer, leaning forward and said, ‘Sir...

Once outside Matica inhaled deeply, then leaned her back against the wall of the hut and closed her eyes. We are all connected. I’m his daughter...

After the adventure when Matica and her father visited a nearby town, resulting in an injury to her father, Talon had brought leaves for Matica to use on him. After they were safely home, the family were anxious to know about the leaf that was making the healing so fast... And, so it was, Matica was invited to visit the elder and leader of the village, Elcano... It was a very long and strange, and, actually, frightening experience for Matica to see a man who was so old and how his body was affected. There were long pauses for Elcano to rest, but he knew of the leaf and confirmed it had healing powers. And then talked about how the condors and the family and the village were all connected, calling Matica, the daughter he wished he had had...

But what would all of this mean for Matica in the future?

Shooting at Them 

Terrified, Matica didn’t know what to do. She just lay on Talon, snuggled her head into his shoulder, not really wanting to see it all. She prayed that God would protect them, that if they started shooting the bullets will not go through them, will not hurt or injure them, but will pass by without hurting anyone. Bang! Bang! She heard the first two shots. ‘No!’ she yelled into Talon’s shoulder and squeezed her eyes closed. She could not see the bullets but somehow, she heard the bullets whizzing and passing them. Or was it her imagination?

 

Just as she opened her eyes to see what was going on, Tamo jerked and turned at a sharp angle. 

Oh my god, did a bullet hit him? We have to get away, Matica thought and lifted her head to look around. But where can we go? They have seen us. Wherever we go they will follow us. We can’t fly home. Then they’ll know where we live. We have to hide. It’s the only way in the moment to get away from them. 

Tima wouldn’t stop screeching in her high pitch-warning screech now and flew straight up into the sky. 

Yes, Matica thought. We have to get out of the range of the bullets first, then we have to decide what to do, most likely hide. Tima has the right answer. Then she yelled, ‘Talon, follow Tima up. We have to get out of range. We can’t fly home, they’ll see which direction we fly and will find out where we live. It will endanger the Indians as well. We can only fly in the opposite direction, away from them or hide. They must have good rifles that they can reach us up here. Better we hide, Talon.’ 

Bang! Bang! Another two shots passed them.

 

Matica grinned. They’re bad shooters. They are too excited to see us. Well, that’s good for us, otherwise they wouldn’t have missed. After all condors are big targets, I would say. 

Next Tamo dived directly at them. ‘No!’ Matica yelled after him. ‘Tamo, don’t attack them. The bullets are faster than you.’

Tima screeched at Talon not to follow her then she dived after Tamo. As she reached him she flew under him and bumped into his tummy, pushing him up, screeching. 

Talon flew with Matica higher up. She hoped the bullets wouldn’t reach them there. 

Bang! Bang! Two more shots. 

Tamo shook his head and pulled in his left wing. A feather sailed away. 

Oh my God, a bullet found its target, Matica thought aghast and worried. Oh no! Was his wing hit or was it only a graze, or was it only a feather that flew away, not his wing, his flesh?...

Early in the series, we learn that poachers are working in the area to capture wild animals and sell them. In Encounter, we are once again learning that the poachers are back! Matica, who has raised Talon from this birth--breaking out of his shell--is instantly on alert as she pictures all that happened in the past and worries what those with guns could do. While the condors could perhaps defend themselves, Matica was too afraid that they might actually get shot! 

From the earlier book where much time is spent on realizing the connection of the condors to Matica and her family, as well as to the local Indians, we move into a more fast-paced time when the poachers are near enough that some type of planning was needed to defend all those who are now connected, including the condors... But what could they do, the poachers had long guns that could be used from a distance and the villagers had no need for guns in their daily lives. Could they protect themselves and all living humans...and animals? 

For me, both of these books brought to my mind what was happening in Ukraine. How can some humans strike out against others with no reason other than desire for money and/or power. Along with others world-wide who are watching what is happening, I am thrilled to see that Ukrainians of all ages and sexes are prepared to defend their democracy, their country against an enemy who think nothing about moving against anyone who is blocking their personal desires...  

And just as I applaud the Ukranians... I also applauded with Matica and the entire village and nearby villages in their efforts to act humanely to all that had become connected...  Gigi Sedlimayer has created a series that, while geared toward children in their reading efforts, has also created the stories that are important to all humanity as we consider, especially, the animal kingdom.

Children's Series, When I Grow Up I Want to Be... Spotlights Being "A Good Person!"

"When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there."        --Jim Henson

"Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."      --Maya Angelou

All of us will remember sometime or something that we were forced to do because our parents made us. They might have added that it was the right thing to do, for instance, like Brendan and Blake's father said when they didn't want to attend the funeral of a local man who had died. We can even understand the boys' feelings--they didn't know the man...and they sure didn't want to attend a funeral--any funeral... One of them even was scared that the man's ghost would be there! But he kept that thought to himself, while fearing the thought of stepping into the building where they were going.

Personally, I think that this particular book, in the series, When I Grow Up I Want to Be, may be one of the most important of the series... Being a good person, no matter what you do, is the basic principle of learning to live with others and to, also, see the effects of our actions... Although the particular situation chosen to help in this teaching book--attending somebody's funeral--may be a little dark to consider giving to your children, when it is age appropriate, I think the process, what happened and the results for the boys will show that this is an excellent way of showing how each of us can affect the lives of others around us... Please note you can see my review of the type of book done for helping to choose a professional career...in this case a Nurse!

When I Grow Up I Want to Be...

A Good Person!

A Series by Wigu Publishing

Thomas Becket was 88 when he died peacefully...His obituary said that he "was known throughout our hometown as a generous and kind man who tried to see good in everyone he met and left everyone who met him better for it. Mr. Becket will be remembered in our hearts as a good man." When you read that, you might think of what I did--I'd never seen an obituary which contained a reference to somebody's character per se. And...would somebody, someday, think to include some similar words in my own obituary?

My mother was the one I would point to who began training her children to be a good person. But it was by example since as a single mother, she was always working. What she did do was make sure we all became involved in church. 

Brendan and Blake were fortunate children. They had parents who started early to make sure their children were being taught the right things to do in various situations. No matter whether the child wants to do what they are being told to do or not!

"Do we have to go? Can't we just stay at home? I'm
tired," said Brendan.
"Me, too," said Blake. "I want to watch TV."
"I'm tired of discussing it with you," said Dad.
"You two are going. That's the end of it."
"But, why do we have to go?" asked Blake.
"Yeah, why?" repeated Brendan.
"Because it's the right thing to do," answered
Dad. "Mr. Becket was a good man who was
kind and generous to everyone in town,
including us. We are going to pay our respects
to his family, to his memory."
"Do we really have to go, Mom? asked Brendan.
"Absolutely," answered Mom. "Listen to your
Dad. And hurry up. I don't want to be late."
There might be ghosts. I don't want to see any
ghosts, thought Brendan.
"Sometimes in life, we all have to do things
we don't want to do but should do. This is
one of those times," said Dad.
~~~

The boys did not give up easily, they kept trying to get out of going with their parents. As soon as they asked one question, they would turn to another. For instance, they didn't want to get dressed up. By that time, their father was getting upset, but he still took the time to explain that they would dress appropriately out of respect. And quickly added that everybody would be dressed up.

Even after getting in the car they continued to be disruptive, until their father threatened to stop the car. I had to laugh because I remember a time when I took my two nephews out somewhere and they wouldn't settle down. I, too, threatened to stop the car... And I did, finally, turning around and saying "Get out." LOL

Testing boundaries is one of the things children will always do...that's why it's so important for parents to, first, set the boundaries, and, then, stand firm on them.

Now to me, one of the teaching lessons to be derived, was the role and attitude and the dialogue of the parents. They were the primary teachers and the book clearly shows that important role.

The service was over and everybody crowded into the social room. It was there that the boys started learning about Mr. Becket's life...and everybody was talking about how good he was...with specific stories. It certainly was a learning experience for the boys...and, I believe, for anybody who reads the book.

One special incident, I thought, was a great addition to the book. The boys had talked to a man sitting on his front porch as they were heading to the church. Mr. Potts had decided not to go--he didn't like funerals. These two boys talked to him about it and later they saw Mr. Potts at the funeral. What impact do you think it made on the boys when they saw that he had changed his mind, because of them?

I most enjoyed the story by a Mr. Patel, who had opened a local store. Mr. Becket had been his first customer, and always came to the store...but he did much more. He recommended the store to everyone and that was how he was able to build his business!

This book has a few beautifully created full-page pictures, but the majority of the 41 pages is narrative and dialogue. There is much covered, yet for the stories told, they were all centered on explaining to the boys why the man who had died was so well respected--namely, he had been a good person...

And that's a very good thing to learn and become, don't you think? I consider this a must-read for children who are old enough to understand...that could be different ages, I think, so do check it out and consider it as a solid teaching book, of a issue that may not be found elsewhere. Teach your children to be good people!


GABxlerReviews

Ten books are now available in this series with more scheduled. Wigu Publishing can be found at
www.whenigrowupbooks.com and check out the Kids Corner !

Children's Series When I Grow Up I Want To be - Excellent!

Please note that this book is published by WIGU and has been professionally researched and completed. It is the finest children's picture book that I have seen and clearly is meant to be an ongoing series that will allow children to consider what they might want to be when they grow up! Do share the link with your children so they can get more involved in the events scheduled there...  This series should be in every school library across the nation, in my opinion...

The latest published is 

When I Grow Up I want to be...A Nurse!

And the Story is Entitled

Amber's Accidental Journey

First an overview...The book provides first and foremost a story about a child, who is placed into a setting where she or he can find out about a professional(s) working in a particular field, in this case, the medical field of nursing... The first page includes the "International Pledge for Nurses. And, then, as the story is told, a bit of history or educational notes are included for background and as an additional learning experience. This book is then dedicated to all nurses and includes the latest picture of Florence Nightingale, known as "The Lady of the Lamp," is a symbol of nursing worldwide.

 Before we go into the story, I'll mention the next learning insert, which by the way, is set up totally different from the storybook and has professional photographic pictures rather than the artwork normally found in a storybook... 

What is a Nurse? A nurse is someone who takes care of others. It takes a special kind of person to become a nurse. We often think of nurses working with doctors to help treat sick people, or patients. However, nurses may also do work independently of doctors. like your school nurse does. There are different nurses for different kinds of jobs. Nurses can perform basic physical exams, give medicine, and perform wound care. Nurses may also conduct research and help educate people about good health habits.

Amber is a young girl that is hesitant to try new things...Her friends wanted her to join the soccer team,

But soccer is hot and sweaty. If
you're not running like crazy,
you're standing around with tons
of parents screaming and playing
coach from the sidelines. Some
kids even get hurt, she thought.
And practice is sooooo boring.
~~~

but she really didn't want to--she was happy to just watch them. Her best friend was already playing and had asked that she join them... But then her mother talked to her a little, explaining that since they wanted her to play that maybe she should do it for them...

You can probably guess that she did it, claiming she wouldn't like it, and then, as she learned how, she began to like it after all! Until that fatal game...

They were both watching the ball and slammed into each other! Sofia got a bloody nose but Amber's arm had been hurt...Both were immediately taken to the school nurse, Mrs. Ellis who were quickly started talking to them, trying to make them feel comfortable with her. But she explained to Amber that she thought she would have to go to the hospital emergency room, in case she had a fracture...

"Are you really a nurse?
I thought all nurses were
girls. I'm sorry if that
sounds wrong."

Amber was afraid... She was afraid of hospitals, and everything about them! She was afraid of meeting the people and maybe having to stay overnight! Amber begged her mother not to leave her when they got there...and promptly received her assurances. But when they reached the ER, Amber was very surprised because there was a man to help her as her nurse! His name was George Fox and he quickly explained that the school nurse had already called and he began to check the splint that was on her arm. But when Amber started asking questions about his being a nurse, he started telling her about his work... He was so nice and even started asking her about playing soccer and how the accident happened...

Well, Amber's arm turned out to be broken and a cast put on, so there were weeks of wearing that while her arm healed. But after it was all over and she was able to look back on everything, she realized how impressed she was with all the people who had cared for her...

The book is over 50 pages and includes several neat photo/art work arrangements where the story characters were set against the photo background of the hospital. I was impressed with the quality of the entire book!

Now we know that children may change their minds a number of times before they actually choose what they want to be...but this book provided a comprehensive look at the nursing profession, while at the same time, telling an enticing age-appropriate story that is guaranteed to pull interested children in to the action of Amber's story of her accidental journey... What do you think? Will Amber become a nurse?  Or maybe a professional soccer player?! LOL!

Highly recommended!

GABixlerReviews

 

    

Wigu Publishing is a collaboration of talented and creative individuals working together to publish informative and fun books for our children. Our titles serve to introduce children to the people in their communities who serve others through their vocations. Wigu Books are unique in that they help our children to visualize the abundant opportunities that exist for them to be successful and to make a difference. Our goal is to inspire the great leaders and thinkers of tomorrow.

I Always Wanted to Visit Australia...and Carole P. Roman Made It Possible Through Her Cultural Series for Children!

In Canberra, the capital city, I was caught by the British Coat of Arms that appears on what is called the Old Parliament house  where laws were made until 1988.
With my former career as a facilities manager, I immediately wondered how this building was now being used--as a parliamentary museum, and discovered that a beautiful new building had been erected, which complements the earlier building... I was impressed!

Canberra is located between two of Australia's most populated cities, Melbourne and Sydney. It was chosen as the capital city to make everybody happy. It is surrounded by a lot of vegetation so it is called the "bush capital."

~~~

If you Were Me and Lived in...  Australia:

An Introduction to Learning About Other Cultures

By Carole P. Roman

I always love to meet the kids of each country, but this time, I learned something new...that my favorite music program, The Voice, goes to various countries and I found a real, Lively intro to some of the singers from Australia! Check it out!

Let's meet some of the "Aussies," shall we?

The last three pictures were taken on Australia Day! Hurray!
If you are a boy in Australia, you might be called Jack (J-ae-k), William (Will-yum) or Oliver (oh-l-ee-v-ER-r).
Favorite girls names are Charlotte (sh-AH-r-l-uh-t), Ruby (R-OO-b-y), and Sophie (So-fee).
~~~

Here's a more traditional song and background for your kids to learn...

While Mommy and Daddy are the same as in the U.S., don't plan on getting our kind of money. You'll need an Australian dollar to buy your treats! Eating is somewhat similar...such as eating grilled meat on the (bar-bee) which we normally just call grilling out, right?! And a big tossed salad to go with it... They do have a special lunch of vegemite sandwiches for school. This is a spread of dark brown vegetable paste onto white bread with some Western Star butter. Sounds like they eat healthily, don't they... That's probably because they need to be so they can do some of the cool things that can be done, living on a continent... Do you know the word continent? What does that mean??? The map below will help see that as well...

Like enjoying water sports, say, snorkeling or riding in a bareboat, which is a mini submarine with windows... Best place for that would be the Great Barrier Reef! It's the largest reef in the world and can be seen from outer space!

Cricket is the favorite sport with kids joining teams at young ages!

If you get the chance, travel to Australia in January when their special Australia Day is celebrated, which dates back to 1788...and that's the middle of summer, Down Under!

Sure would like to visit and learn more about the many cultures on this large island... But be on the lookout for these fellas that may come jumpin' along... Enjoy!

And if you see a crocodile, let's hope that Dundee is around!

Who's Dundee? Well, I thought everybody knew him, but if not, check him out in this movie clip for age appropriate viewing of course...

Once again Carole P. Roman takes children into another country, and, in this case, another continent, and introduces your children to those they might meet, plus learn all about their lives and the location where they live. Wonderful, colorful series that is both interesting and educational... Check out the whole set! Highly recommended...

GABixlerReviews

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