Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Happy New Year - 2016 - Honoring "Kindness Kids"

The Woozler, Sofie & Meeda say,
"May the force of a GREAT New Year be with YOU!"

Happy New Year everyone from Grammy Pags Stories & the Gang! 



Thank you so much for a wonderful 2015. I am so grateful for your support, your post shares, and for your kind reviews and comments about my "Grammy Pags Stories."

The "Gang" and I are so excited about 2016. We're looking forward to new adventures, new stories, and lots of fun!

Grammy's working on several new "Sofia Margaret, Meeda,  and Woozler" tales that we hope kids will enjoy!





Keep checking back here and be sure to check new posts on Grammy Pags Stories Webpage.


2016 ~ the Year of KINDNESS KIDs
Do YOU know a KIND KID?
Do you know a kid who deserves an AWARD?

Grammy's looking for special kids who deserve a "Kindness Award!" 
If you know a child who deserves an award, or one who is a "good deed doer," or a child who is helping to make the world a better place, please message Grammy Pags at grammypags1@gmail.com.  

Tell Grammy about your "Kindness Kid" and his or her good deeds.  Grammy will sign and forward you the "Color Us Kindness" certificate for you to share and color with your special "Kindness Kid!"


Kindness Kid Certificate - front
Kindness Kid Certificate - back

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Merry Christmas from Grammy Pags Stories



Hi Everyone!
I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for a wonderful 2015!   I have appreciated all of your shares and tweets and retweets. Thank you for buying my books and for all the lovely reviews.  I am so grateful!  I hope you will keep following "Grammy Pags Stories" and continue to enjoy the silly little tales that I write.

The Gang and I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a joyfilled, healthy, Happy New Year!

Love from Grammy Pags and the Gang


Grammy's most famous
Halloween costume -
the Christmas Tree Disaster!
P.S. Here's a little peek into the future:   Sofie and Meeda, of the "Meeda and Me" series are working on two new stories: "What's a Woozler?" and "How to Train your Woozler without getting in TROUBLE!"  The girls are attempting to learn more about the woozler who lives in their backyard.  Will they be successful?  Well, that remains to be seen!

Merry Christmas and Happiest of Holidays friends!



Be sure to check out our website!

Friday, December 11, 2015

Dec. 14 - 3rd Anniversary, Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy - Remembering

FREE FOR KINDLE~ December 11 - 15, 2015
KINDNESS MATTERS
December 14 is the 3rd anniversary of the tragedy at 
Sandy Hook [CT] Elementary School. 
"The Little Lambs and the Very Special Mission," is co-illustrated by student Taylor Galaska and author Rhonda Paglia.  It is dedicated to the children and teachers who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, 
and ALL victims of violence. 

The message of this sweet story: 
Follow the lambs' "BE" messages, and our whole world will be a better place.  

All profits from soft cover sales goes to the "Angels in Charge" Scholarship for kids from Newtown, CT who are planning a career in education. To date, $5,500.00 has been donated to the scholarship.







Sunday, November 22, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving 2015 + fun stuff + Grammy Pags Stories updates



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Here's some fun ~ happening now!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Merry Christmas, Woozler by Rhonda Paglia

Merry Christmas, Woozler

by Rhonda Paglia

Giveaway ends December 10, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway


I love Thanksgiving!  I love getting together with our extended family.  I look forward to our traditional Thanksgiving "feasta" with homemade pasta and sauce, turkey, stuffing, and lots of other delicious goodies!  I love it all, minus the extra pounds, of course!  I also love Thanksgiving because it's a reminder to reflect and to take some special quiet time to give thanks for all of my blessings.  

We live in a very challenging times.  Our world is changing everyday.  It is even more important to be thankful, to show appreciation to those around us, to love and hug our kids and grandkids, and to be an example of love, kindness, and caring in our world.  

So here's a simple "Grammy Pags" request this Thanksgiving:  
  • take a little time to recount your blessing and give thanks for them
  • in some little way, show your family and loved ones how much you value and appreciate them
  • send some love and peace into the hearts of everyone on Earth    


Thank you!  I am grateful for you, and I wish you a very Happy, Happy Thanksgiving!

Now for a little fun!  Here's a repost of the silly little story I wrote last year for the Turkey Tale Challenge. 

As part of the challenge, facebook family and friends gave me a list of 62 words they wanted to see in a Thanksgiving story - no longer than 500 words.  

Here is word list:   family, turkey, pilgrims, John, Priscilla, Indian, stuffing, pumpkin, pie, yams, green beans, parades, napping, tofurkey, love, laughter, stuffing, feast, memories, cooking, cranberries, gobble, kids, bountiful, harvest, blessings, grateful, parade, football, glutton, nap, compost, leftovers, dish-washing, cleanup, warmth, gravy, crisp, sweet, savory, moist, center pieces, don't eat me, I stuff the turkey, then the turkey stuffs me, burp, fluffy mashed potatoes, seconds. volunteer soup kitchen, snow, November, sweet, kitchen, smells. 

I used them all!  Enjoy this little Turkey Tale repost! 



Written and Illustrated by Rhonda Paglia
A Grammy Pags Story ~ just for fun!
c. 2104

Thanksgiving today:  I stuff the turkey, then the turkey stuffs me!! BURP!!!!

But, perhaps the first Thanksgiving started like this . . . 


“GOBBLE, gobble, gobble!” 

“What was that?” wondered Mrs. Pricilla John.  She was cooking green beanssweet potatoes, and pumpkin pies.  Savory smells were coming from her kitchen.

It was November.  Snow had not yet begun to fly.  Laughter filled Pricilla’s ears.  Her kids were having a pilgrim and Indian parade.  Pricilla was so grateful for these memories, for her family, and for their blessings

“GOBBLE, gobble, gobble!”  

She heard the noise again. This time it was louder, closer!   “I’m hearing things,” thought Pricilla and she went back to her work.

The parade ended.  The kids started kicking the ball.  Football, they called it.  Mr. John, known as Papa, felt like a glutton.  The compost was waiting, but he just wanted to relax and take a nap.   He was glad the kids were outside.

Pricilla added marshmallows to the yams and stirred the gravy. She made fluffy mashed potatoes.

“Something’s missing for this feast,” she said to herself.  “I need something special; something crisp, sweet, warm, and moist.   Hmm, what should it be?”

 “Not me!” whispered the Gobbler.  His knobby knees were shaking and quaking with fear! 

Suddenly a package flew in the kitchen window and landed with a crash in the sink!  Dishes that needed washed and cleaned up flew in the air!   

“What’s this?”  Pricilla jumped, she was startled!  She picked up the dripping blob, turned it over, and wiped it off.  She peeked out the window.  Her kids were still playing.  Nothing seemed unusual. 

Pricilla carefully opened the package.  She was a little nervous!  Not too many packages landed in her sink! 

Inside was something white.  The label read, “Tofurkey.  Vegetarian product.  Made only with the finest organic soybeans and tofu.”

She took a sniff.  Not much to it.  “Beans,” she thought.   “Edible.”  Pricilla had an idea!  “This is it!” she said, “our main course!!” 

“Thank you,” she called to the mysterious package thrower. 

“Gobble, gobble, good!” thought the Gobbler.  

He shut his eyes and leaned tight against the cabin wall!

He heard Pricilla whack the tofurkey with great vigor!  His heart beat faster.  He heard the stuff sizzle in her frying pan.  He could smell the stuffing and cranberries and flavors mixing together.  

Don’t eat me!” he thought.

Pricilla set the table and straightened the centerpiece. “Come and get it!” she called to her family.  “It’s a special feast!  No seconds or leftovers for the volunteer soup kitchen this night!”   

Papa John and the kids raced into the kitchen!  Delicious smells were everywhere.  The family gave thanks for their bountiful harvest.   “What a Thanksgiving Day!” said Papa.  “I think we should celebrate every year!”  And so it was!


“Gobble, gobble, PHEW!”  Mr. Turkey  backed slowly into the woods, safe for another year.  

One more thing I just have to share: 

Grammy Pags Stories has received 2 awards this fall!  I'm so excited! 

#2 - Grammy's Rockin' Color Rap-a-licious Rap just received the 2015 Gittle List Top Ten Award & Review  from Aviva Gittle Publishing.  
That's it for now!  Happy Thanksgiving!      


Rhonda Paglia ~Grammy Pags
with her 5 grandchildren:
Sofie, Sylvan, Caleb,
Orion, and Rowan
his Blog is brought to you by Grammy Pags Stories
Rhonda Paglia is a children's author, a retired elementary teacher, and a "not so retired" grandmother from Pennsylvania. She and her husband have three grown children, five grandchildren, and a little Yorkie-poo named Bella.  "Grammy Pags," as she is called, enjoys gardening, tap dancing, yoga, playing the recorder, reading, and, of course, writing stories – especially for her grandkids!

Rhonda is the author of “The Little Lambs and the Very Special Mission,” “Three Little Gnomes and a Boy Named Orion,” “Doonsey’s Beach Adventure, the Great Rescue,” and “Duke ‘n’ Matt, Rescue Road Warriors,” her first non-fiction book.




Website:  Grammy Pags Stories

Sunday, November 15, 2015

#Kidlit Goodreads Christmas Giveaway - 5 more hours!!

What are you giving YOUR Woozler for Christmas? 

Synopsis: Sofie and Meeda are excited! Christmas is coming and it’s time to get ready! The girls are having fun when Sofie starts to think about the woozler. The grouchy woozler lives in a hole under their apple tree in the backyard. It’s cold outside, the snow is falling, and Sofie’s worried. Will the woozler be okay? Do woozlers celebrate Christmas? Will he ever become friends with Sofie and Meeda? Well, Sofie and Meeda have a plan!


Goodreads Book Giveaway

Merry Christmas, Woozler by Rhonda Paglia

Merry Christmas, Woozler

by Rhonda Paglia

Giveaway ends December 10, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway

Sunday, November 8, 2015

A helpful re-post for children's book authors

Rhonda Paglia of Grammy Pags Stories
Grammy Pags Stories Website
Hi Everyone!

I just returned from the 2015 West PA SCBWI Fall Conference [Nov. 6-7, 2015].

Right now I'm compliling ( and trying to make sense of) my conference notes.  I will share them soon.  Until then, here's an article with helpful suggestions for authors of picture books from SCBWI [the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators].  (I am assuming it's okay to share this article since SCBWI had Twitter and Facebook buttons attached to this comentary.)




To read the entire article, here is the link:  From SCBWI - Digesting Picture Books
*****
We all know that studying picture books is important, but are you fortifying yourself with each read? Here are ideas to consider: 
Authors:
Check the title. Say it aloud. What clues does it give the reader about the book? Who does it target? Is it a name or a line from the book? How long is it? Is it memorable? How does it illuminate what’s inside?
Check copyright information. Publication date? Publisher? Make a guess before you peek!
Read aloud. Garner your first impressions. What made you laugh? cry? think? slow down? keep reading? Which words were fun to say? Why?  
Read silently and carefully. Chew on words and ideas. How does each page move to the next? How does it build to a climax? Has the second reading held your interest or deepened your understanding? How? Would you read it again?
Consider mood. How is it created? Through pacing? character development? word choice? sentence length? repetition?
What elevates the book from mediocre to first-rate? Word choice? Plot? Hook? Rhyme? Rhythm? Humor? Pathos/ethos/logos? Mystery? Pacing? Repetition? Character development? Structure? Innovative strategies?
Deconstruct the first and last sentences. How does the first sentence set up the story? What information does it divulge? How does it intrigue you to keep reading? How does the last sentence wrap things up? Is there a hook or a surprise? Does it come full circle? Make you laugh? Cry? How? Why?
Read the book flap blurb. How many sentences are used? How does it hook you without revealing everything?
Grammy Pags Stories


Saturday, October 31, 2015

Any little trick or treaters still up? Here's The Woozler's Halloween

The Woozler’s Halloween
By Rhonda Paglia 
for Sofie

Frankincense is a woozler.  He doesn’t like people and he has no friends.  He lives by himself in a dark hole under a creaky old apple tree. 

It’s Halloween.  Frankincense DOES like Halloween. 

He carved his pumpkin and set it outside.  He put a candle in it.  The pumpkin’s face lit up!  Frankincense smiled, just a little bit!  

He decided to sweep the leaves off his path.  Maybe this year, he would get some trick-or-treaters.

The little woozler looked for his broomstick.  He made it all by himself.  But where was it?

He looked in his closet.  It wasn’t there.  He looked under his pink blanket.  It wasn’t there. 
He went outside and looked around.  Not there either!

Frankincense went outside.  “Whoooo took my broomstick?” he called, but no one answered. 

He looked up at the sky.  “WHO - TOOK - MY - BROOMSTICK?” he shouted.
Again, nothing!

Suddenly, the little woozler saw a witch.  It was flying across the moon – on a broomstick!

That looks like MY broomstick, thought Frankincense.

Owly wanted to be a witch for Halloween.  He looked all over the forest for a broomstick, but couldn’t find one.   As he flew past the creaky old apple tree, he spotted a broomstick lying on the ground.  It belonged to that grumpy woozler, Frankincense. Owly flew down to the ground.  No one was around, so he TOOK IT!  He didn’t even ask Frankincense! 

Frankincense watched the witch flying around.   The witch had feathery wings and a stubby tail.  It had great big eyes and little pointy ears. 

It’s Owly! thought Frankincense.  Owly has my broomstick.  I’ll teach him a lesson!

Frankincense ran in his house and threw his favorite pink blanket over his head.  I’ll get that Owly!

He ran back outside.  “WHOOoooooo took my broomstick?” said the little pink woozler ghostie.  “WHOOooooooooooo took my broomstick?”   

Owly saw a pink ghost racing around the woods below.  He heard the ghost say, “WHOOoooooo took my broomstick?”  

Owly got scared.  He knew he should NOT have taken the woozler’s broomstick. 

Owly flew back to Frankincense’s house really fast. 

“I’m sorry, Frankie,” he said.  “Here’s your broomstick.  I should NOT have taken it!”

“Thanks for bringing it back,” said the little woozler,   

Owly started to cry.  He felt so bad.  Frankincense felt bad too. 

No one should cry on Halloween! 

“Well, next time," said Frankincense, "ask me!  I’ll let you borrow it.” 

“Okay,” sniffed Owly.

“Would you like some pumpkin pie?” asked Frankincense.

“Sure,” said Owly as he wiped his beak.   

So Owly and Frankincense had some pie. 

“Want to go for a ride across the moon?” asked the little woozler. 

“That would be a hoot!” said Owly.  So Owly and Frankincense went for a ride across the moon on the little handmade broom.  

It was a very special Halloween night for the new forest friends. 



Friday, October 30, 2015

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Here's a little Fall Faerie Fun!

Fall Faeries are about, you know
Photos & Tale by Rhonda Paglia 
Some "Grammy Pags" fun



Fall Faeries are about, you know 
So tread softly

Faeries hear your thoughts 
They read your steps
And watch when you pass by

Fairy Art by Margaret W. Tarrant (1888 - 1959)

Fall Faeries are about, right now

There's one - peeking at you 
See, right there, underneath those leaves

And look ~ there's another one
She's weaving a crown of daisies

Up in the air ~ look ~ he's flying 
Riding the wind on a milkweed feather

If you are out and about
Whisper
Watch
Listen

If you see one ~ or even if you don't
Send a wish when you pass by
You'll get one back
Fall Faeries are about, you know




******

I love Fairy Folk!  Some of my favorite fairy books are byauthor / illustrator 
 Cicely Mary Barker . 
And - I just discovered the wonderful fairy world of British author / illustrator, 
Margaret W. Tarrant!
Happy Autumn everyone!!
Love from Grammy Pags Stories

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Grammy Pags Stories for Kids ~ Updates & Awards + $0.99 Kindle!!

Hi Everyone!!

Exciting news!!!  "Three Little Gnomes" [Easy Reader Edition #2] got an AWARD from INKSPOKE!!   Check out ALL the Inkspoke Award Winners!!

INKSPOKE "Select Book List" Award





I'm also excited to share that children's author, Rosie Russell, and I received some special recognition - and a REALLY nice interview - from Aviva Gittle Publications!!  Here's the link: A Rockin’ Journey for Two Former School Teachers





FINALLY:  several of my books are now just $0.99 on Kindle!!  Please check them out!  If you want signed copies, I accept PayPal - please message me at grammypags1@gmail.com/


These KINDLE specials are happening RIGHT NOW!!!  


Tuesday, September 22, 2015

A Tour of Scotland - and some fun with Grammy Pags

Hi Friends and Family - We just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland . . . and we did have a wee dram of Scotch whisky in your honor!!

Below is a picture collage of a few sites and experiences we had on our Trafalgar Tour of Scotland, September 2015.  Seen here are:  the Castle of Edinburgh; street piper; Church of the Holyrood; wild flowers, street festival and art; student and horse parade; meat pie and veggies; shepherd and sheep dogs; castles; The Highlands, and the ancient Carr Bridge - the Bridge of Mourning.

Video of musical entertainment by Farmer MacGregor - Scotland 2015  Here is some Scottish entertainment by the MacGregor Family of the MacGregor Family Farm. The farm is between 300 - 400 years old and their kin, Rob Roy MacGregor, who was like "Robin Hood" in his day, met here with the MacGregor Clan to plan their next moves. (Please excuse the shaky video - I couldn't keep my toes from tappin!)

I always wanted to play
the bagpipes!!
A few of my favorite Scotch words: 
Tatties = Potatoes
Creamy Mash = Mashed Potatoes
Neeps = Turnips
GOLF = Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden
Midgies = biting insects like mosquitoes
Toastie = toasted / grilled sandwich
Take Away = Carry Out

and phrases:
Like floggin’ a deid horse.
The lights are on, but nobody’s home.   
Don’t get your knickers in a knot!
A nod is as guid as a wink tae a blind horse.
Castle near Hamilton, Scotland ~ home of my Great-Grandfather Findlay.
I'm wearing our Farquarson Clan tartan.




Enjoy!!

Love from Grammy Pags Stories
Grammy Pags Stories - Website
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