To give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
~ Author Unknown ~ |
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Elizabeth Owens
1924 - 2008
Peacefully, on September 18, our beloved Grandmother and "Nanny" passed away at the age of 84. Cherished also by her daughter (and our mother and illustrator) Linda Saker, a devoted son, 4 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
As most of our readers know, Elizabeth was the creator of Nana Star, the muse behind ee publishing & productions. Elizabeth's love of life and the arts, her wry humor, and her creativity inspired three generations - she made us laugh, she was multi-talented and she was truly unique.
We will miss her. Sweet dreams Nana Star!
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ee Wins Again!
Nana Star and the Moonman book and the Moonman plushie have both just received the prestigious "100 Best Children's Products of 2008" award from Dr. Toy and is featured in Dr. Toy's Guide.
Dr. Toy's Guide, the world's first website to provide information on the best in toys and educational products, offers year-round, award-winning toy and children's product information plus timely articles, useful resources, links and much more. Over the years 3,000 toys and children's products have been selected for awards by Dr. Toy.
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October 4, 2008 marks the 4th Annual Capital BookFest. In honor of this fun and worthwhile event, ee talked to the festival's founder, poet Kwame Alexander-about the festival, introducing high school students to poetry, and his own creative writing.
And, Nana Star will make a guest appearance and participate for the second year in Capital BookFest.
 
ee: What is the most important aspect of your work?
ka: Working with young people. Whether it's writing for that audience and seeing their reaction to the work, or teaching them how to write and publish. Either way, it's magical to see the creative light bulb go off in their heads. It's like, "Wow, I can do that with words?"
ee: To date, what has been your most meaningful BID experience?
ka: Each school is different. Each student is special. I don't have a most meaningful as of yet. Which is to say that I am moved each time I complete a BID. Inevitably, it's the students whose lives are filled with serious challenges-teen pregnancy, home problems, etc.-that inspire me. When they get that there is power in poetry. In publishing. And they realize how to take hold of it; it's quite meaningful. Of course, each time I see a group of students in Washington, DC embrace book publishing-something that is supposed to be so high-brow, so intellectual-I know I'm doing the "write" thing!
ee: What is most "laugh-friendly" about your work with students and young people?
ka: Some of the poems are so dark. The whole teen angst thing is real. But, I tell you, when we start writing limericks and clerihews, it's nothin' but funny:
Nsync
Stink
Their Music Hurts My Ears
I much Prefer Brittany Spears
The students are able to see the wide range of emotion that poetry affords.
ee: Poetry is often viewed as an irrelevant genre, perhaps especially by young people. What about poetry is compelling to the students you encounter? Why do they enjoy writing it?
ka: Quite the contrary. It's the adults who view poetry as irrelevant. Because they don't get it, or don't take the time to get it. Kids are writing poetry all the time-in their diaries, on MySpace, in their notebooks. It's short, concise, full of emotion and image. It's like squeezing a lemon and making lemonade. Who doesn't like lemonade? Of course, to make good lemonade, you have to have the right amount of proper ingredients-sweet rhythm, figurative language, etc.
ee: What do you want readers to come away from Crush: Love Poems with? Do you have a favorite poem?
ka: I wrote Crush for all the teens who are trying to understand love. To give them a context to talk about it, to laugh about it, to not take it so seriously. My favorite poem in Crush is "In my closet"
ee: What inspires your work? Why did you start BID? What do you hope students come away from the BID experience with?
ka: My family. My wife inspires my love poems. My daughter inspired Crush. The people I know and meet inspire me daily. I started BID because I could. Because I know book publishing like Tiger knows golf. And, as the old saying goes, "If you know, teach." High school students are given up on, in terms of mentoring and especially literacy. We focus on early and elementary literacy, but forget about the older kids. I figured a good way to get students excited about reading and writing was to give them the opportunity to become authors, to take pride in their creativity.
ee: What message are you most passionate about spreading in your work with young people?
ka: It's all about love. There are worlds of words to visit in books. Poetry is power. Love. Words. Power.
www.kwamealexander.com
Word of Mouth Books publishes Crush: Love Poems. |
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We need a little help from our friends!
We're asking our ee friends to put in a good word for Home-Based 100 Competition sponsored by Microsoft Office Live and FedEx Office.
We need your votes for the following categories of Most Innovative and Most Glamorous. The competition ends at the end of September, so if you could place a vote for each once a day we'd be so grateful!!
We'll let you know how it turns out.
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Mommy (and Daddy) Bloggers Love Nana Star
Nana Star continues to be be featured on numerous mommy blogs and the buzz continues to GROW!
Here are just a few more of our favorite highlights from recent reviews.
Why Are They Calling Me Mom?
9/7/08 - http://hotomom.wordpress.com/page/3/
This book first of all blew me away. [T]he illustrations were so beautiful. I actually couldn't wait to read the book. We sat down to read the book and the kids were actually silent. They sat still and listened intently. The story behind the book is the real winner here. This really is a beautiful book with a beautiful story, and I think all children will enjoy [it].
JoJo's Place
9/6/08 - http://momof2andwife.blogspot.com/
[A] wonderful book series. [Nana Star] really captured the attention of my youngest daughter. She holds on tight to her little Nana Star posable doll while listening to me read. She loves the book so much that it has become part of our nighttime routine, reading it at least 3 or 4 times before finally going to sleep. And the sweet little Nana Star doll has to sleep with her now as well! What's really great about all the Nana Star books is that they all come with a CD that tells the story, so that your children can follow along. Kelsie loves listening to this in the car while following along in her book. I really love books that keep the child's imagination going even after the book is finished. This is one of those books. We can't wait to get next in the series!
What's That Smell?
9/5/08 - http://accidentalmommies.com/
So I opened the Nana Star doll for him and he's been carrying her around the house with him all day. I think he really enjoys interacting with the character in the book in a tangible way. I went from skeptic to fan in one afternoon. Now I want to read the next book. I really can't say enough good things about the Nana Star book and the accompanying CD and posable doll. They don't scream "wow" at first glance, but after Jake's reaction to it, I'm certainly left with a "WOW."
Ponderings from My Heart
9/6/08 - http://aponderingheart.com/blog/
[W]onderful new product[s] for children. My son enjoyed listening to this book on CD as well as being read the story by my husband or myself. The plush doll has been added to his collection of plush toys, proving that Nana Star, although absolutely perfect for any little girl, is also for little boys! The themes of friendship and imagination apply to both genders! [A]n excellent gift for any boy or girl and a happy addition to anyone's library.
Brain Foggles
9/4/08 - http://shawnsbidness.com/blog/
I had the pleasure of sharing the Nana Star book, CD and doll with a lovely girl from my church. [She] was enthralled with the story and the colorful, vintage illustrations. I talked to [her] about the [Nana Star] Foundation by showing her the photos of the authors and explaining that they wanted to teach about sharing. I asked her if would be willing to share the book with the other children in our church after she takes it home for a while. She was willing to do that with the book only! She said that it would be "nice to share" the book with her friends. Nana Star is already helping to teach one little girl about the value of sharing. The positive messages will continue to reach new children as the book is passed along.
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Autumn Brings Smiles to
Everyone!
What brings about your biggest smile for September - the kids going back to school, that Labor Day picnic, or the turning leaves with crisp nights?
Let us know and we'll donate, on behalf of the Nana Star Foundation, a picture book to the school, library, children's hospital, or doctor's office.
The Nana Star Foundation - Keeping the Chain of Giving Going.
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In honor of our Grandmother, we have chosen to share with our readers, a few fond memories of a truly remarkable woman!
But first, we wish to thank Dr. Toole, who presided over our Grandmother's funeral services. His passages were so kind, articulate and touching. We are very grateful.
Elena's love of cosmetics and fragrance is directly related to visits to Garfinckel's department store with her grandmother. "Nanny" loved the beautiful eyeshadows and luscious lipsticks - she had a full, pouty movie-star mouth that she outlined with a darker shade reminiscent of Joan Crawford or Bette Davis. She was glamorous and charming - a show-stopper til the end!
The fragrant smell of boxwoods will always remind Elizabeth of her grandmother. Their heady scent was a favorite along with the comforting aromas of "Nanny" cakes, those overly sweet (but really good) tasty treats that Betty Crocker made so easy for her grandmother (whose skills did NOT include cooking) to produce. Just add milk, a few eggs, some vegetable oil and a disposable cake pan and voila - one would have thought these goodies were made from scratch. And no one could forget the frosting from a can, the colorful sprinkles - and depending on the occasion - the gummy marshmallow peeps, jelly beans and candy corn.
Linda spent many happy hours with her mother, sharing a love for ballroom dancing. Her mother was a disco-dancing queen in circle skirts and matching body suits and always a flower in her pulled back hair; flirty, false eyelashes - blowing kisses as she arrived at her favorite dance studio and she "left them wanting more" when she finally put her strappy sandals away for good. The Bee Gees and Barry Manilow and Donna Summer - oh, the 70s were her mother's Golden Days!
We will all miss her so much, but smile at the wonderful memories! |
September is
National Apple Month - National Chicken Month - National Classical Music Month - National Little League Month - National School Success Month - Children's Good Manners Month
Labor Day - September 1
VJ Day - September 2
Grandparents Day - September 7
Citizenship/Constitution Day - September 17
Autumnal Equinox - September 21
National Dog Week - 4th week of September
Deaf Awareness Week - 4th week of September
By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather
And autumn's best of cheer.
- Helen Hunt Jackson, 1830-1885
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Now Available!
Go to
www.NanaStar.com or www.laughfriendly.com to order yours TODAY! |
Autumn Humor
Autumn is a season for big decisions -- like whether or not it's too late to start spring cleaning.
Autumn -- time to drag out your winter clothes and see what kind of summer fun the moths had.
This autumn we can look forward to falling leaves and rising gas prices. We'll be raking it up while the oil companies are raking it in.
The autumn leaves are a lot like raising kids. First they turn on you, and then they fly away.
And next thing you know, you look out the window and they're back!
What will fall on the lawn first? An autumn leaf or a Christmas catalogue?
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Pork Medallions in Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Preparation
Stir together first 4 ingredients. Rub mixture over pork, and place in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Chill 8 hours. Place pork on a lightly greased rack in a shallow roasting pan.
Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400°, and bake 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160°, basting with wine every 10 minutes. Slice and serve with Mustard Sauce.
Yield
4 servings
Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup coarse-grained mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Preparation
Cook whipping cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/4 cups (about 20 minutes). Do not boil. Stir in remaining ingredients, and cook mixture 1 minute.
Yield
1 1/4 cups
Southern Living 2000
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