The Happy Holidays Series: Kick Off with Betsy Callaghan

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I'll be hosting a series of posts and guest posts, as my friends and I share what the holidays look like for our families.

The first post is on CHEER - the joyful feeling that sweeps us up each holiday season, rooted in the celebration of Christ's birth and in time spent with loved ones. While advent doesn't start for a few more days, some of us have started our advent season plans.

There's no right or wrong place to sit on the "planning continuum." I'm somewhat coordinated and intentional in my advent plans and over the years have borrowed fabulous ideas from friends, including my sister Betsy Callaghan, one of the best planners I know.

Meet Betsy and her gorgeous family... my family!

Betsy's approach to advent is so thoughtful. Over the years, some of her friends have even started asking to see her advent calendar, to get ideas for jump starting their own family plans. In the spirit of sharing cheer, here's a beautiful idea-filled post from my beautiful sister!

In Betsy's words...

Many of my childhood friends ate a delicious chocolate from an advent calendar each day leading up to Christmas. Not at my house. My daily countdown to Christmas was so.much.better! 

My mom created the most highly anticipated advent calendar. She would hang it up every November 30th. It dangled in the kitchen from a hanging shelf. Upon it were 25 little rings, each representing the days leading up to Christmas Day.

On each ring hung a hand-written note that mom had Scotch-taped tightly shut, so that her sneaky little girls could not look ahead. There was a rotation in place for each day, which determined who got to open up the note. Haley, Anitra, Betsy, Haley, Anitra, Betsy, etc. On my morning, I would race into the kitchen to open the note and leave it on the counter for all to read as they woke that day.  

Examples of Rowe childhood advent activities:

• Go Christmas caroling
• Have a friend over to make Christmas cookies
• Deliver gifts to friends and neighbors
• Set out the nativity scene on the buffet
• Pick out a Christmas ornament

After leaving home for college, there were years when the advent calendar was lost on me. I thought about it often and missed it. I knew one day, when I had a family of my own, I would bring it back and create that same excitement. 

In December of 2007, after my first year of marriage, I created my own "husband and wife advent" for Dan and me. It was so much fun, and while it included lots of holiday cheer, my heart was waiting for an advent to share with children. I could hardly wait to see twinkling eyes, anticipation, joy and wonder that would surely come from sharing this tradition with kids of my own.

We have now had our own Callaghan family advent calendar in our home for 10 years. I would love to share my planning process with you!

The Look

The look of my advent calendar has evolved throughout the years and I finally have one that meets the design and function that I had hoped for. I created 25 red cards made from card stock and used a pretty font (and a good 'ole Sharpie) to draw the numbers 1-25 on each card.

Each card hangs from a long piece of twine in the entry to my kitchen. I use small wooden clothes pins to attach each red card to the twine. Each day in December, we unclip a number and read what's inside, until eventually there are no cards left.  

The Plan

Each November, I sit at the kitchen table with a blank December calendar and map out our activities for the upcoming month. I create my "master calendar," if you will. I was very creative the first two years and had to change activities to meet the needs of my growing boy to make sure they were age appropriate. As the years have passed, we have a collected a bunch of favorites that are our go-to Christmas activities, and I try to add and change a few activities each year to keep it fresh, fun and exciting.

Examples of our go-to activities:

• Put on pjs, grab hot cocoa and walk around our neighborhood to see Christmas lights
• Order a pizza and eat dinner picnic-style under the Christmas tree
• Watch The Polar Express in mom and dad's bed
• Have an indoor snowball fight (big white puffs from JoAnn Fabrics do the trick)
• Turn up Christmas music and have a dance party around the tree
• Invite a family over for dinner
• Build a gingerbread house with a friend

The Evolution

About two years ago, I decided that while our advent calendar achieved the anticipation and wonder that I had dreamed of, it was missing something. HELLO??? How about the CHRISTMAS STORY!? I researched and found verses about the story of Jesus's birth for each day of advent. Now, when we open the red advent card of the day, we first read the Bible verse, then read on to see how we will spending the day. 

Next, I needed to add some depth and love to some of our activities. Did I want my child/children to be selfish as they anxiously await Christmas? Of course not! I want them to complete activities that make their hearts feel the love that Christmas brings, and I want to them to share that love with others. Last year I added a few activities that helped us show Jesus' love through our actions.

Our Christ-focused activities:

• Choose three toys to donate to a day care center. Take the toys to the day care and physically give them to the children. My son LOVES this and the children were soooo excited to have new toys to play with.
• Buy someone in Starbucks a coffee and wish them a Merry Christmas.
• Make homemade Christmas cards for neighbors and invite them to Christmas Eve service.

If all of this is overwhelming, please don't be discouraged. You can start small. It will get easier as the years progress. Also, know that at least 10 of our 25 activities are simple and are consistent every year. Everyday doesn't have to be a show-stopper. 

Simple annual activities:

• Elf on a Shelf returns to our house for the season... now go find him!
• Go to Christmas Eve Service
• Christmas Party at school
• Dinner out and the Christmas Walk in downtown Geneva
• Put up the Christmas tree

There will be years when circumstances require you to keep it really simple, and other years when you can add in some more exciting and memorable experiences for your family. Whatever direction you take a personalized advent calendar, one thing will remain the same... you will bring an extra layer of love, joy, and cheer to the holiday season for those you love the most.

Thanks you, Betsy! I'll be busy in the following days getting my plans in order, with a few tips from you incorporated... for sure!

Reflection: Heading into the Holidays

Thanksgiving week is here! To all of you who are hosting, I'm sure your homes are getting a big mad. Guest room doors are flying open. Elaborate cooking schedules are being tweaked. Groceries are coming out of your ears. All as you try to move two tons of wet leaves to the curb...

In the midst of preparations for Thanksgiving, do you start to get Christmas butterflies? I sure do. There's no way around it - it just happens. Christmas is right there, on Thanksgiving's doorstep - jingling its mesmerizing bells, twinkling its brilliant lights, beckoning with its warm, familiar refrain. 

When beautiful memories of Christmases past come colliding with expectations of Christmas present, my heart goes out in a million directions to create magic and be a part of it... to make moments happen for my family and bring that Christmas feeling home again.

As this excitement and anticipation swell, I can feel that my center is off kilter. I often jump right into the thick of the shopping and decorating, and hot cocoa and holiday lattes, without first grounding my advent season in prayer. 

So this Christmas, I'm going to do my very best to make prayer my top priority, so that I can be fully present and open to receiving the gifts of the season, as they happen on their own - without lamentation or coordination.

The true beauty of the holidays is so very different from the splendid chaos that's front and center in our culture. It is quiet and powerful. It is the gift of GOD. If I'm spinning, it will still be there, but I'll miss it. This verse helps me to remember that Jesus is God's gift to us, and that God's love is something that I could never orchestrate or earn. But with prayer and reflection, I will understand and be changed.

1 John 5:20 - And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true.

Kidlit Spotlight: Big Sister, Little Monster

Sisters are among the world's greatest gifts. Admittedly, I'm partial. As the middle of three sisters, who now has three little girls of her own, sisters are all that I know. And I count myself lucky.

Together, sisters learn everything there is to know about... well... everything. In this sacred relationship, you share millions of giggles and hugs, but are also completely safe to disagree and (when your parents aren't watching) fight and hit and scream.

Because you have all of the same memories, your baby books could be interchanged without notice. Your lives are completely intertwined.

I'm the second Rowe sister, but I don't lament my middle-child status. Not in the slightest. From Haley, my older sister, I was on the receiving end of a lot of doting...

... important life lessons...

... and fashion tutorials...

Then, when my little sister Betsy came along (note that I am ALSO a baby here), it was my turn to share the love...  

... and share I did...

... all the way to the alter...

My three girls have their own dynamic. In some ways, I expected their patterns and behaviors to mimic those of me and my sisters, but their rhythms are unique. The common thread, though, is the bond. The unshakable, proud, fierce only-I-can-mess-with-my-sister bond.

It is, therefore, no surprise that Big Sister, Little Monster by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum (illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham) hit such a chord with me and my girls.

In this new title, we meet big-sister Lucy and tag-along Mia. Lucy is a certified big girl, and Mia is a certified monster. Where Lucy is measured and proper, Mia is wild and untamed.

Finally, Lucy has enough of Mia's antics. "You little monster... GO AWAY!!!" Lucy screams.

Mia-free peace is blissful at first, but not for long. Things get quiet. TOO quiet.

Lucy goes looking for Mia and uncovers a secret door, which leads to Mia and her Monsters - slimy, grimy creatures who wish to keep Mia forever.

When they refuse to let Mia go, Lucy lets HER monster out.

In Big Sister, Little Monster - and in the stunning, lyrical picture book Trains Don't Sleep - Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum masterfully drives story forward. Every spread reveals something new and important for fully understanding her worlds. On top of this superb pacing, Big Sister, Little Monster bursts with color, energy and heart from beginning to end. 

Thank you, Andria, for bringing us Lucy and Mia. As this adorable new picture book pair proves, whether little monsters or full-grown women, sisters will always be sisters. 

Big Sister, Little Monster can be purchased in bookstores nationwide, as well as online through the bookseller of your choice. You also can enter to WIN an autographed copy from Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum through my Twitter page and blog!

*** WIN Big Sister, Little Monster ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 11/17/17 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!

Holiday Picture Book Drive for Leading with Literacy

November is Picture Book Month. To celebrate, I'm kicking off a month-long Holiday Picture Book Drive benefitting young Chicago readers.

During the month of November, I will collect as many picture books as possible for Leading with Literacy, a read-aloud focused non-profit based in Bronzeville, a neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.

Michael Neal, Senior Pastor of Glorious Light Church, launched Leading with Literacy (as Real Men Read) in the 2011-12 school year with the goal of building scholars, one book at a time. Here's Pastor Neal (below) with a group of fantastic kids.

Leading with Literacy places male volunteers as weekly readers in primary grade classrooms. In just six years, the program has expanded to include year-round readers in 10 Chicago Public Schools, as well as schools in Phoenix and Cinncinnati. Phenomenal work!

When Leading with Literacy receives book donations, Pastor Neal immediately gives them to kids, so that they can take them home and make them part of their world. This holiday season, my goal is to get books into the hands of as many Leading with Literacy classroom kids as possible.

Would you like to help? Because that would be fantastic! 

1. Authors & Publishers: We would love to accept your picture book donations. Individual titles would be wonderful. Even better? Donating 30 copies of a single book, so that an entire CPS class can take home a copy of your book. (We would be sure to take photos of the class with your book, so you could see the title/s connecting with young readers.)
2. Friends & Family: If you would like to purchase a copy of your favorite picture book and send it to me, I will make sure it gets to a child who participates in Leading with Literacy. Or, if you too would like to sponsor an entire CPS class, that would be extremely generous... and wonderful!
3. Spread the Word: Share this post on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so that as many as possible can join in on the effort. 

To participate, send me a message through my Contact page, and we'll get the ball rolling on your special delivery! 

A few notes: 

• I'll document the Holiday Picture Book Drive as the books come in. This will include photos and videos on my blog and in my Twitter feed (@anitraschulte).
• Please donate new books only. Think of the book you give as a Christmas gift... because it is!
• Parents and grandparents, involving the littles in your life in researching and selecting books could be a fun holiday activity.
• Finally, it would be tremendous to receive diverse books. It's so very important for kids to see themselves in the characters that they read about.

Thank you for considering playing a part in this holiday event. I can't wait to see what November will bring. Remember that no gift is too small: Just one book will make a child's Christmas so special.

***DONATIONS***

Corinna Luyken, author/illustrator of The Book of Mistakes, and the team at Penguin donated 30 copies of her amazing book:

Basak Agaoglu, author/illustrator of The Almost Impossible Thing, donated 30 copies of this inspiring title, in partnership with the team at Philomel Books:

Rachel Ruiz, author of When Penny Met POTUS, and publisher Capstone donated 30 copies of their fun White House adventure, with a twist.

Tim Miller, author/illustrator of Moo Moo in a Tutu, and the fabulous team at Balzer + Bray shared 30 copies of this adventure of Moo Moo and Mr. Quackers.

Dev Petty, author of I Don't Want to be Big, Claymates and There's Nothing to Do donated six books for Leading with Literacy:

Author Robin Newman donated 5 copies of her darling and bewitching tale Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep:

The authors or illustrators of these beautiful books have committed donations (in some cases multiple copies):

And 30 copies of each of these books have been donated - that means 6 entire CPS classrooms will get the same book!

And these books have been donated by friends of Holiday Picture Book Drive (some lovely folks sent multiple copies of these titles - thank you!):

FINAL TOTAL:

408 books... 

10 complete classroom gifts!

Elsa Standing Tall

When Elsa was 2 years old, we got a wooden stander through the State of Illinois' Early Intervention program. This is the oldest photo that I can find of her in it. (This serious face. And the chubby cheeks. And coordinating sneaks. My dolly.)

Admittedly, it looks kind of like a torture device. But I assure you, this thing is a life saver. The lowest cross bar keeps her knees from buckling. The hip strap holds her mid-section secure. The back support prevents her from arching and hurting herself. 

Sidebar: It's really important for kids to stand, if they can. It helps their feet grow, for one. (Ever notice how your kiddos outgrow their shoes, shortly after they start walking?) It's also good for digestion and all that goes with that. I'll spare you the details...

Socially and emotionally, it's also awesome for Elsa to be up at eye level with her peers. In this time hop back to 2015, my middle daughter weasels her way in to steal Elsa's toy. Sisters.

Fast-forward a few years, and this scene plays out a little differently. Perhaps Elsa is wishing to NOT be at eye-level these days...

This summer, we starting bracing Elsa's legs at night to keep them in extension. We do this so that Elsa doesn't spend an additional 12 hours each day with her knees bent - this can make her legs really tight. Elsa also started looking really good in standing. I just love this pic.

Our girl also grew a ton. She's a giant by Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome standards - off the charts. On a standard growth chart, she's in the 15th percentile. (I'm very happy with this!) Due to this tremendous growth, she has finally outgrown her stander. It's with great joy that later this week we'll be giving it to our sweet friend Olivia - another little gal with WHS, who happens to live just a few miles from our home.

Olivia's momma is my dear friend Hillary. You may remember Hillary's awesome back exercises, which I featured earlier this year.

Since Elsa has outgrown the stander (it's started to give her little bruises from the squeezy fit of it), we have started using our gait trainer more. The problem with this device is that Elsa tends to "cheat" in it - hanging like Superman in the bottom harness.

This weekend we decided to use the gait trainer a little differently. We took the bottom harness off completely - so that she had to literally stand on her own two feet, without support - and lowered the device so she could lean her bottom against it. The result = HUGE SUCCESS. She worked so hard and stayed up for almost 30 minutes at a time! 

It's not easy. She gave us an earful about it. Here's a vid of how she's looking (and sounding) in this position:

We have a long way to go to attain independent standing. But we're excited for what this might mean for the future. Instead of standing with knees locked, her body is now constantly making tiny adjustments to maintain stability. It feels like a big step forward. Pun absolutely intended.

5 Picture Books to Fall For - A Guest Post by Savannah Hendricks

Fall is in full swing. The leaves are doing their beautiful downward dance. Cider is on the stove. Football is in conference play, and baseball is drawing to a spectacular close. Chances are good you've picked apples or pumpkins - or both. What's not to love about this spice-infused kaleidoscopic season?

The Schulte House is clearly in the spirit. Check out our apple pie, decorated with hand-carved emblems of autumn. No surface is safe from our illustrative inclinations.

Picture books are a big part of each weather and holiday shift, too. At home and at school, seasonal titles reinforce science and cultural concepts with artistry and humor, helping my children better understand their world - month by month, year by year.

Literary journeys can even further enhance the way we experience the seasons, particularly when titles tap into the senses and deliver a special aesthetic. Twitter pal and children's book author Savannah Hendricks shares my passion for picture books and is visiting the blog this month to suggest five great picture books for fall. 

Meet Savannah!

So divert your eyes from the Christmas decorations in your local grocery and craft stores, and take a few moments to enjoy Savannah's roundup of titles that honor this blink-and-you'll-miss-it season. Quotes below all attributed to Savannah (SH).

5 Picture Books to Fall For - A Guest Post by Savannah Hendricks

Leaves by David Ezra Stein

I love this story and its illustrations - simple yet beautiful. I've read it in paperback form, but it comes as a board-book and also hardcover. It often becomes a re-read in one sitting with a child. - SH

---

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead

This story tugs at your heart, especially when everyone else is too busy to hear Bear's story. The illustrations provide the "hurry up feeling," drawing readers in. - SH

---

In November by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Jill Kastner

I love the lyrical words of this story. Illustrations come alive as families gather and share in the spirit of November. It's like Owl Moon for the fall. - SH

---

Fall is for Friends by Suzy Spafford

This one is hard to find anywhere; hopefully your local library or bookstore has a copy. This friendship story focuses on encouragement with a twist, as the girls try to encourage the fall leaves to drop from the branches. - SH

---

The Fall Festival (Little Critter Series) by Mercer Mayer

The Little Critter series was my favorite growing up. The illustrations are almost like a seek and find. I love the humor in each story. Technically this is a My First I Can Read book, but works as a picture book also. - SH

---

Savannah Hendricks is the author of the picture book NONNIE AND I, set in Botswana. She has more than 20 magazine publication credits to her name. Savannah writes for all ages and reads stories aloud to her dog for approval. You can find out more at her blog The Seashells of Life. 

Thanks so much Savannah! You can follow Savannah on Instagram at @authorsavannahhendricks and Twitter at @AuthorSavannah.

Author Spotlight: Josh Funk

When you open your fridge and survey the scene, what do you see? Foil-topped bowls. Lidded pans. Packaged cheese and meat. Jars of this and that.

Look harder. Every shelf and drawer is a neighborhood, in a way. Items are grouped and stacked, nestled by type. But regardless of partition or bin, each member of the fridge community has it's own internal clock. A week too long in the tall cold box, and things can run afoul.

Yes, sometimes your fridge becomes a custodian of things undeniably offensive. Unbelievably obscene. Downright stinky. Locating the source of the stench isn't for the faint of heart. Super sleuths are often required. And who better to investigate than a croissant with something to prove?

The answer is found in The Case of the Stinky Stench, a delectable adventure by picture book author Josh Funk, illustrated by the fantastic Brendan Kearney. 

The Case of the Stinky Stench is the second book in Funk's Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series. (The third book, Mission Defrostable, will be released in September 2018.)

Our family LOVES Stinky Stench. Reading it is like tumbling headfirst into Candy Land. In this imaginative world, beloved grocery store staples transform into home-cooked landscapes, and unexpected events await beyond every turn.

The very first page serves as a proper amuse-bouche: You know right away that you're about to embark on a sensory-alerting fun-filled rhyming experience.

Inspector Croissant is tasked with unearthing the root of a horrible odor, and Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast (his aunt and uncle) are happy to help. Clues lead them to every corner of the fridge - across Salsa Ravine, around Mount Everbean, through Applesauce River, and beyond.

The investigation isn't easy. Here, we see Croissant as he trips "by Miss Steak." (My girls love finishing this gem-of-a-sentence.)

At long-last, Croissant locates the source of the stinky stench. I asked my 4 year old to point to her favorite part of the book, and this moment of discovery was her immediate choice. (Kudos to Funk for plotting and pacing mastery!)

The melodic, clever story resolves sweetly, with heart and optimism - leaving plenty of room for a sequel, but also standing alone splendidly. 

As such, The Case of the Stinky Stench fits like an oven mitten alongside the warm and engaging titles already perched on the Funk bookshelf: the just-released It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk, as well as Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, Dear Dragon, and Pirasaurs! (And Funk has many, MANY more books in the pipeline... this is an author to watch.)

Therefore, with great pleasure I introduce Josh Funk - star of this month's Author Spotlight!

3 Questions with Josh Funk

My girls can't hear the word "stinky" without saying "stench." Your book has a permanent place in their mental book vault. What books shaped your love of words and story as a child?

First, anything and everything Harry Potter (although I was 21 when I started reading them). I have a really hard time reading any other book about magic because I always think “No! That’s not how spells work!” (which is exactly why I couldn’t get through chapter one in the Bartimaeus Trilogy).

And as my kids will attest, I often randomly sing songs about monkeys (you don’t?). I wonder if that stems from my younger days as a fan of Caps for Sale. “You monkeys, you! Give me back my caps!”

And I’m pretty sure I’m claustrophobic because of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. That one did a mental number on me.

The worlds you create are filled to the brim with color and personality - they seem like they are as fun to write as they are to read. What part of the writing experience lights you up most?

First, thank you. Second, I’d have to say that most of the color and lots of the personality come from the amazing illustrators with whom I’ve been paired. And those illustrators are really the answer to your question: seeing the artist’s interpretation of the text for the first time is always the most incredible experience.

As soon as I first saw what illustrator Brendan Kearney had created for Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, I immediately began brainstorming new ideas to explore deeper into the depths of his incredible illustrated fridge. Within a few weeks, I had written The Case of the Stinky Stench. And I didn’t stop there - next year we go even further in Mission: Defrostable.

From your entertaining books to your enthusiastic voice in the kidlit community, it sure seems like you were born to be a picture booker! How do you balance writing time and time spent connecting with readers and fellow writers?

Balance? What is this balance you speak of? There’s always too much to do. But I guess I just try to do what I enjoy - and I enjoy writing as well as connecting with readers and writers.

When I’m really into a manuscript, I spend lots of time writing until it’s done. And then I revise, too, of course.

But what are books without readers? I guess they’re still books ... but they’re unread books. And the truth is that there are so many amazing books being written and published right now - it’s really hard for anyone to keep up with all of them. So I try to share the books I enjoy with others … and hopefully people will notice mine in turn.

And as far as connecting with readers - that’s the whole point, right? It’s all for the kids (and adults who read to kids). As I tell students all the time, I’m just a regular guy. I know the alphabet and I like stories. If you know the alphabet and like stories, there’s no reason you can’t be a writer, too.

Thanks, Anitra, for inviting me to your blog!

---

The pleasure was mine, Josh! When not writing Java code or Python scripts, Josh Funk drinks Java coffee and writes manuscripts. Connect with him at www.joshfunkbooks.com and on Twitter at @joshfunkbooks.

The Case of the Stinky Stench can be purchased in bookstores nationwide, as well as online through the bookseller of your choice. You also can enter to WIN an autographed copy from Josh through my Twitter page and blog!

*** WIN The Case of the Stinky Stench ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 10/20/17 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!

School Day Recap

"How was your day today?" It's a customary dinner-hour question.

In your house and in mine - and houses all over the world - family members take turns sharing highlights (and sometimes lowlights) of their days. These details help us better understand the trials and joys that occur in the hours that we spend apart.

When this question is asked around our dinner table, Elsa can use her PODD book to share (see below for pictures of two different PODD styles, and here's a post I did about PODD). While PODD is a great communications system, one of its shortcomings is immediacy. Getting to what Elsa wants to say takes navigation, patience and time.

Elsa's new classroom teacher and speech therapist made a great suggestion recently: Why don't we record details about Elsa's day onto a BIGmack switch, so she can share specifics with you?

What is a BIGmack, other than a cheeseburger? A BIGmack switch is a large colored button - activated by simple touch - that can be programmed to deliver recorded messages. Some switches enable you to record one message, while others enable a sequenced message.

Photo credit: Mayer-Johnson

It was a great idea! We are loving this interactive school recap experience. Here's a video of Elsa sharing about her day before dinner:

Those smiles! Elsa LOVES being in control of touching the button and hearing a voice that represents her experiences.

One of our goals for Elsa is "total communication." That means we want her to be as versatile as possible. We want her to know that a picture of a dog, and a cartoon of a dog, and an actual dog at the park are ALL dogs. In this same way, Elsa knows she can speak with PODD or a switch, and that both are communication. This flexibility has always been one of Elsa's strengths.

We are in the lengthy paperwork process of trialing some new tablet-style communication devices through Easter Seals. But until these complex pieces of equipment are in hand, the BIGmack switch is giving Elsa another great way to express herself.

Playing with Purpose

'Developmental delay' is something you hear from day one when your child has substantial special needs. Over time, I've gotten comfortable with the words and what they mean: Elsa is on her own path, and she'll do things if and when she can.

While I believe that's true, and accept it completely, naturally there have been some hard moments. For instance, when she was two years old or so, it was tough meeting a friend's new baby and watching the infant so easily reach milestones that we'd been working on for so long. That we are STILL working on today.

Elsa's therapists and educators often ask me, "What are your goals for Elsa?" For five years, my recurrent (often emotional) answer has been, "I just want her to want to play with something."

Playing comes easily when you're a typically developing child. (Most babies purposefully grab an object between four and eight months of age.) But for Elsa, that's just not so. She's certainly shown interest in toys, but to access things, she requires "hand-over-hand" assistance. (Her sisters have become pros at this. Here they are giving her worms...)

Elsa can reach for and activate toys with a swipe or banging motion. But she hasn't been able to pick up, hold and manipulate a toy... until now.

News flash: My girl has started PLAYING WITH PURPOSE. I cannot overstate how huge this development is. Watch her pursue and successfully grasp the balls in this basin. (Oh my gosh, guys, this is SO hard for her!!)

Exciting, right?!? But what does it mean? Everything. Elsa can play!! Play is foundational. It's how children explore the world. Test. Try. Fail. Try again.

I'm over the moon for her newfound independence and hunger for play. Delayed development is development worth celebrating. My heart bursts. Go Elsa go!

Author Spotlight: Ame Dyckman

Picture books come in all shapes, sizes, shades and tenors. The feelings they give you, the places they take you, the characters they introduce you to - all are as unique as the individuals who write them.

So if you come across the work of an author who is also a Mischief Elf, you might put two-and-two together and surmise that you're in for a bit of silly fun. Or perhaps dozens of freshly baked silly moments, iced with cleverness and sprinkled with snickers.

That's precisely what you'll find in the books of Ame Dyckman, pictured below. I'm not sure who is photobombing who in this pic! Ame and her unicorns are cut from the same magical clothe.

We have loved every one of Ame's books. Here are the titles that we most recently borrowed from our library. (Wolfie the Bunny is one of mom's all-time-faves!)

But back to mischief and the Mischief Elf herself: If you are looking for a book that is PURE FUN, then Ame's latest title You Don't Want a Unicorn! is the book for you and your crew.

What would you wish for, if granted one big whopper of a wish? For a boy who loves unicorns, the choice is obvious. But what he doesn't know... 

... is that unicorns aren't exactly as advertised.

They are as destructive as they are mysterious. As crude as they are beautiful.

And they leave behind a steaming pile of... sweetness?... wherever they go. Trust me.

But what's worse than one unicorn? Here are my three girls as they figure it out. (Elsa's leg is fine! She just wears these braces at night to keep her legs in extension.)

As a picture book author, I continually turn to the work of writers like Ame. She has such command of voice and a crystal clear creative perspective. She also naturally speaks "kid" (it's like she's BEEN one or something!) and connects easily with little audiences and their not-so-grown-up parents.

So now I giddily introduce Ame Dyckman (@amedyckman), who has let us behind the rainbow curtain of her imaginative thinking by answering these three Author Spotlight questions. Enjoy!

3 Questions with Ame Dyckman

YOU DON'T WANT A UNICORN! is such a FUN read-aloud experience. How do you know when you’ve totally nailed it? 

Thanks so much for the YOU DON’T WANT A UNICORN! read-aloud love, Anitra! Getting the read-aloud-ness (we’re gonna pretend that’s a word) of a book just right is SUPER important! Parents and guardians and teachers and librarians and booksellers read-aloud to kids who often read-aloud to themselves before they learn to read-in-their-heads. That’s a lot of folks counting on you to make every bit of a read-aloud as perfect as you can! So when I’m writing a new manuscript, I read it aloud approximately 814 times to make sure it has the right ear feel. (Bonus: on nice days with the windows open, it’s funny to see people walking by react to lines like, “STOP! You were gonna wish for a unicorn, weren’t you?”) You finally know it’s a wrap when your read-aloud sounds like you’re just having a conversation with a friend. Which is kinda what books ARE!

So… the cupcakes. Too funny! Where did that hilarious idea come from? How have fans (young and old) responded to it?

*LAUGHING* HAD TO! A can’t-overlook-it part of caring for a pet (or kid!) is cleaning up their inevitable... er, piles. (And once, after gobbling brightly-colored cupcakes at a party, my then-tot kid TECHNICOLOR PILED!) It’s been a riot watching listeners react to the cupcake scene—especially at events where I’ve brought cupcakes for refreshments! Kids who were drooling over the platter before hearing YOU DON’T WANT A UNICORN! suddenly aren’t so sure they want to eat a cupcake after! And more than one grown-up’s earned Bravery Points from their littles by taking a big bite of their cupcake anyway! 

Unicorns are so mystical and rare. They could have any number of unexpected qualities! How did you learn that they have an appetite for destruction? 

The hard way! Just like my protagonist, I wished for a unicorn, too! But was I ready for a large energetic pet who sheds, scratches, chews, jumps indoors, and… cupcakes? NO! I tried, but I could barely keep up with my one! And when *POOF* MORE unicorns appeared, I KNEW I had to warn people they DON’T want a unicorn! Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the home store for more hole spackling compound. (Jumping unicorns and low ceilings DON’T mix!)

THANKS for having me, Anitra! And THANKS for reading, everybody!

---

Thank YOU Ame! You Don't Want a Unicorn! can be purchased in bookstores nationwide, as well as online through the bookseller of your choice. You also can enter to WIN an autographed copy from Ame through my Twitter page and blog!

*** WIN You Don't Want a Unicorn! ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 9/29/17 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!