Welcome to Marianne's Web Site

GREAT NEWS! Two of my informational picture books are on the 2014 CSLP Reading List: Seashells by the Seashore and The Tree That Bear Climbed.

Teaching Books.net has some terrific resources for all 100 books on this amazing list. On the link below Seashells by the Seashore, published by Dawn Publications, gives a "Sort it Out" activity that kids are sure to enjoy.

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=30248&a=1

When I scrolled to The Tree that Bear Climbed published by Arbordale Publishing (formerly Sylvan Dell) I was really impressed with the 10 multimedia resources they had for that book, including an interview I did with Arbordale Publishing.

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=31752&a=1

I was so delighted to discover that all 17 of my books are listed on Teaching Books.net with resources, so it's right up to date. What a fantastic help this can be to busy educators, children's librarians, and parents too!

Some years ago when I was still planning library summer reading programs, did I ever think that one day I'd have some of my own books in the company of so many favorite children's picture books? Life sure can be full of wonderful surprises, and some dreams do come true!

Happy Summer Reading!
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With school coming to a close, lots of kids will be heading for the beach, or perhaps even going on an ocean vacation. So why not take a field trip to an aquarium before you go to check out sea creatures that live "Over in the Ocean" (hint, hint!)

Young kids can read display signs to learn new words, as older children discover fascinating facts about the sea creatures that they might only see in an aquarium, unless they are snorkeling or scuba diving, the way Jeanette Canyon did when she illustrated my best-selling "Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef."

You might even find two of my books in aquarium book stores, e.g. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the Georgia Aquarium, Sea World in Florida , and Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. I'm always happy to send along an autographed book plate for any of my books; just contact me at Mberkesbooks@aol.com.

So look for "Over in the Ocean," along with "Seashells by the Seashore," which comes with a tear-out section in the paperback that kids can actually take to the beach to find the shells in the book, or the new Board Book version for younger children.

Educator Carol Malnor has some wondeful curriculum connections in her blog, one of which is how to make the clownfish featured in "Over in the Ocean" that the amazing Jeanette Canyon illustrated using polymer clay. Carol also suggests other Dawn books about ocean creatures, so I hope you will check it out below.

http://www.carolscommoncore.com/?p=364

Best "fishes" and HAPPY SUMMER!

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The Swamp Where Gator Hides, is now available as an App for your iPhone or iPad. Teachers with Apps said “…this app shines as a wonderful collaboration, both educationally and it is beautiful to look at. In our opinion, an instant children’s classic.” If you would like to try it for FREE for 30 days, send an email to sandy@dawnpub.com and she will send you a Promo Code.

Dawn Publications is also offering five free paperback copies to readers who e-mail Sandy@dawnpub.com with their name and address. Five winners will be chosen randomly and receive an autographed copy for your school or home library. Contest ends May 30, so act NOW!

The Swamp Where Gator Hides received a wonderful review in Kirkus Reviews:
“This exploration of the creatures of the Florida Everglades is delivered in a familiar, cumulative House-that-Jack-Built style.
The swamp scene begins with a simple bit of algae and expands bit by bit as the clever verse grows to include a bobcat, a vole, an egret up high in a nest, a grazing deer, a rumbling bullfrog and a “snake / who slithers around / past the turtle / taking a snooze / ignoring the duck / who paddles in ooze / under the algae / that carpets the swamp / where gator hides.” Gator finally reveals himself as he makes a grab for a sunfish, who scoots away just in time. Poor Gator. “Who will he have for lunch today?” . . . Children will enjoy spotting the alligator hiding in each page spread and learning more about the swamp and its inhabitants through the notes that follow the story. A pleasing introduction to the swamp appropriate for individual exploration or sharing with a group or class.”

Learn more about this fun-to-read book on the Dawn Publications website below. You can get a hardcover copy at 25% off. But Sandy is waiting to hear from you for your free copy and of course send you the fun app. . Good luck!

www.dawnpub.com
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What a great response to my April Fool's Day book giveaway! Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments.

The ten lucky winners are: Bonnie, Laurie, Penny, Marge, Carol, Ruth, Lisa, Kathleen, Martha and Dorothy. I'll be putting your autographed book in the mail tomorrow via media mail.

Thought for the day: "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

HAPPY SPRING PLANTING!
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In celebration of the release of my latest book, Daisylocks about a daisy seed who is looking for a place that is "just right" so she can set her roots down, I am offering some free autographed copies this week.

More to celebrate: My award-winning What's in the Garden? which was published last spring. was named the 2014 book of the year by AITC (Agriculture in the Classroom) during Agricultural Literacy Week, March 23-29.2014.

In those two books kids learn about how plants thrive and grow. You can win a copy by emailing your name and address to Mberkesbooks@aol.com. I will pick ten lucky winners. Contest ends on April 4.

Happy Spring, as we continue to spread seeds of learning to our children.
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Glenn Hovemann, my editor at Dawn Publications, asked me to write an article about how my Dawn books make learning fun. Hope you will check it out at:

http://www.dawnpub.com/how-an-author-involves-kids-in-learning/

At the end of the article are direct links to curriculum connections for my four most recent books with Dawn Publications. Enjoy!

And speaking of recent books, please check out my newest book with Arbordale Publishing (formerly Sylvan Dell Publishing) called "Daisylocks." It's already gotten some nice reviews and as always with this publisher, there are lots of downloadable activities too.

http://www.arbordalepublishing.com/bookpage.php?id=Daisylocks

Happy Reading!
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What a wonderful response to the offer to win a copy of my newest release "The Swamp Where Gator Hides." Sandy, Marketing Director at Dawn Publications, has sent an autographed copy to each the five winners. .

Congratulations, Kathleen, Mary, Leigh Anne, Kellyann and Gail. Hope you and your students have fun with this chain of events story. Kids can do a readers' theater along with other activities that you can download.. Just click on the Dawn Publications website: www.dawnpub.com and link that says "Activities."

And if you really like the book, sure would appreciate a review on Amazon.com.

PS - Look for another opportunity to win some of my books in April, when I'll be offering a gardening package which will include my other new release "Daisylocks" published by Sylvan Dell and is now also available.

HAPPY READING!
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In celebration of my newest release, The Swamp Where Gator Hides, Dawn Publications is offering five free copies to readers who e-mail Sandy@dawnpub.com with your name and address. Five winners will be chosen randomly and receive an autographed copy for your school or home library. Contest ends Feb. 12, so act NOW!

This book has already received a wonderful review in Kirkus Reviews

“This exploration of the creatures of the Florida Everglades is delivered in a familiar, cumulative House-that-Jack-Built style.
The swamp scene begins with a simple bit of algae and expands bit by bit as the clever verse grows to include a bobcat, a vole, an egret up high in a nest, a grazing deer, a rumbling bullfrog and a “snake / who slithers around / past the turtle / taking a snooze / ignoring the duck / who paddles in ooze / under the algae / that carpets the swamp / where gator hides.” Gator finally reveals himself as he makes a grab for a sunfish, who scoots away just in time. Poor Gator. “Who will he have for lunch today?” . . . Children will enjoy spotting the alligator hiding in each page spread and learning more about the swamp and its inhabitants through the notes that follow the story.
A pleasing introduction to the swamp appropriate for individual exploration or sharing with a group or class.”

Learn more about this fun-to-read book on the Dawn Publications website below. You can also buy the hardcover on Amazon.com right now for a great price. But Sandy is waiting to hear from you for your free copy. Good luck!

http://www.dawnpub.com/our-books/swamp-where-gator-hides/

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Did you know that February is also Bird Lover's Month? About 15 years ago I remember getting up "before the birds" as they say, and recording bird sounds as the marsh near my home came alive with the music of birds performing nature's symphony. I learned so much about birds as I did research for my book "Marsh Morning" published in 2003. It is still available on Amazon.com in a wonderful paperback version for $6.26 and a Library HC edition for $9.16, both published by Lerner. Enjoy the sounds of twelve different birds (I used a lot of onomatopoeia, which makes it a fun read) and Robert Noreika's stunnning watercolor illustrations.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Marsh%20Morning

My friend and Dawn Publications author, Carol Malnor has written some wonderful books about bird watching and in her blog for teachers and parents this week she writes about the "GBBC" and tells you how to involve students in counting birds on school grounds as well as in their own backyard. Check it out at:

http://www.insideoutsidenature.com/?p=2696
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Now in its third year, "Take Your Child to the Library Day" is the brainchild of Nadine Lipman, retired head of children's services at Waterford Public Library in Waterford, CT. Hundreds of libraries across the country now plan special events and programs on the first Saturday in February.

Public libraries are stocked with so many books waiting to be discovered, so if you haven't gotten there yet, make it a point in February (also Library Lover's Month) to explore all the wonderful things your library has to offer. Get your children their own library cards if they don't already have one, so they can check out a whole stack of different books. Hopefully one of them will be mine!

My new spring releases won't be on the shelves yet, but you can find most of my books in the picture book section under "B." However, some have been categorized non-fiction, since I combine fact and fiction. For example, Seashells by the Seashore can be found in the 594 section and Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun is 523. Of course if you can't find what you're looking for "Ask a Librarian."

HAPPY READING!
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