Children's Books in Multiple Languages

New book available at Lunchpail Books: (available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Mandarin)

“Peep Peep Finds a Friend”

The child in all of us notices the superficial differences in everything around us; but from the standpoint of innocence-- diversity is neither good nor bad—we are just different.  Peep Peep’s new friend Gua Gua captures that diversity that draws us together, not apart.   Aren’t we more alike than we originally thought?  “Gua Gua” by the way is the sound ducks make in China.

“Peep Peep the duckling

Tries hard to obey,

But it is not easy

To be good all day.”

Don’t we all have trouble being good all day!

Peep Peep is the precocious duckling who stars in “Peep Peep Comes Home” and “Peep Peep Takes a Walk”.  This time while feeling a little bored meets an unusual looking duck named Gua Gua.  Peep Peep eggs Gua Gua along and before they realize it they are in the midst of another adventure.  Adventures when shared, bond acquaintances into friends. 

Not familiar with Lunchpail Books?  Lunchpail Books, specializes in early reader books….hmmm that doesn’t help—

What is an Early or Easy Reader Book?

Easy Readers are relatively new.  They really started in 1957 with The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel).  Before then illustrated books were mostly read-aloud stories designed to be read to children by adults or perhaps older children.  The Cat in the Hat was written with a controlled vocabulary limited to the 220-word Dolch vocabulary list.  This was ideal for the beginner reader.  This is what made Dr. Seuss so special and fun to read.  A trip to the bookstore or anywhere that is selling children’s books, you will still find a plethora of titles by the late author.  Very few other books offer such compelling story telling with such a controlled vocabulary

Lunchpail Books continues the tradition of fun, exciting easy reader books utilizing the same controlled or restrictive vocabulary.   Each book is careful crafted inside and out to provide children with sound foundation in independent reading.  We highly recommend that you start with the “Peep Peep” series and watch your early reader get excited about reading!

We are also pleased to announce that in keeping with the theme of diversity… we will be offering “Peep Peep Finds a Friend” in English, Spanish, French and Chinese…  Here Is a sample:

Peep Peep the duckling

Tries hard to obey,

But it is not easy

To be good all day.

小鸭很努力,

努力學乖乖。

乖乖不容易,

何況是整天。

Peep Peep la canette

Essaie de bien écouter.

Mais ce n’est pas facile

D’obéir toute la journée.

You Tube Channel

Lunchpail Books is pleased to announce its official YouTube Channel.   Take a view at...

http://www.youtube.com/user/LunchpailBooks

Make sure you check out story time by SamECircle (Peep Peep).

More on Where Stories Come From

On a previous blog, I shared a personal story that still makes me laugh.  However, the fabric of our lives is woven of tougher thread.   Our lives are a beautiful mix of tragedy and comedy.   Where we focus our mental and emotional energies has a profound impact on the way we perceive life in general.  We are here to learn, and it never hurts to ask ourselves “what did I learn from that experience”.

Here is an example from my life….

Date August 9, 1991:

Just celebrating my youngest son, Seth’s 8^th birthday. ..  We had just got home and were sitting around the table, and I was busy serving cake and ice cream.   Suddenly, there was a strange sound—sort of a rumbling.  As we lived out in the country, my first inclination was that a truck must be coming along our gravel lane.  Looked out the front… no truck.   Still carrying a plate with cake and ice cream, I casually looked out the back and same a little smoke.   My first assumption was that our neighbors were burning some leaves… but the rumbling still persisted.   It seemed to be coming from the garage.   I zipped over to the door into the garage and to my horror; the garage (with two cars) was in flames –floor to ceiling!

Got the family out the back and directly past the flaming garage just before the gasoline in one of the cars exploded shooting a fireball a hundred feet scorching the top of a nearby elm tree.   We watched in horror and disbelief as our house was engulfed in flames.  Fortunately a neighbor called the fire department (volunteer)… they were quite speedy, but I can tell you it seemed like an eternity as we watched this gas-fed fire start at one end of the house and rapidly burn it way across.   There we all stood, the kids frightened and shocked and me standing there barefoot on the gravel road.   The house burned for hours and the next day it was still smoldering.   It was a complete loss… nearly down to just the foundation.   Everything was lost…. Toys, pictures, albums, keepsakes, everything!   It was a tough time for all of us.   Now and then we would stop and just cry… that emotion needed to be released.  The youngest (Temple) was only 3 at the time.   She doesn’t have much recollection of the event.  At the time her favorite toy was one of those plastic Fisher-Price kitchen sets.  I took her back to her room to help understand.   I asked her… where is your kitchen?   She replied matter of factly, “It burned up.”   Where are your toys?  “They burned up” was her reply.  She did not seem to be upset. 

Perhaps she was just too young to comprehend what this all meant… or perhaps she knew what was really important.  We were all safe!  We made it out of a burning/exploding house… all safe.  We only had the close on our back—I didn’t even have shoes… but we were all safe.   Stuff is stuff.

I always knew that… it is just stuff…family is most important.  Deep down, I knew this, but to experience it was profound.   In Viktor Frankl’s books “Man’s Search for Meaning”, he discusses the meaning of life.  One way he writes, “… is to experience a value.”  This changed my life forever.   I am certain it did for the children as well… all six of them!  In different ways—Most of them still live a Spartan existence… not a lot of stuff accumulation, but comfortably.

There is much much more to the story, but for now this will suffice… experiencing a value does lead to the discovery of the meaning of life.

If you have had a life altering experience… please feel free to share it in the comment section.  Would love to publish them here.

--Johnnie
www.lunchpailbooks.com

 

Peep Peep on YouTube

A fun video trailer for the "Peep Peep" adventures put to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."  Let me know what you think!

Where Do Stories Come From?

I was recently asked what inspires me to write... specifically where do stories come from?
For me they come from all over!  Sometimes, it is just imagination—such as “What would happened if I ate too many pickles?”  Often though, ideas come from those little (or big) life experiences.  As a parent of a large family there was never a shortage of events… some comedic, others tragic… some superficial and others life altering.  Taking one step back and examining the story (event) can give you insights into the human condition or simply make you laugh.  Both types weave the fabric that makes life interesting… I cherish both (tragic and comedic); but I can tell you—those moments that made us laugh are the ones we seem to relay over and over again.
Sometimes I found it a challenge not to laugh!   Here’s what I mean:
When my #2 son Noah was about 6 years old he created a complete family out of balloons.   He hand decorated them with markers, cotton and a collection of taped on accessories.   He made a little balloon replica of each family member and decided to take them for a ride in his little red wagon.  So, he loaded them up and headed outside.  It was a blustery day that morning in Arizona as Noah proudly pulled his balloon “family” outside.  A gust arrived and his “family” became airborne leaving him standing in the backyard devastated, as he watched them quickly drift over the fence.
Undaunted, Noah set to recreating his little family... this time however, he carefully taped the family members to the bottom of the wagon.  He was so excited to show me his creation—he ran to get me as soon as I walked into the door.  He ran to the backyard to proudly show off his little family taped securely to the wagon.  At that moment another gust came, but this time the balloon stayed put.  Unfortunately, a large tumbleweed came flying over the neighbor’s fence landing directly on the red wagon and sadly Noah’s balloon family!  For those who may not be well acquainted with tumbleweeds: They are round, aerodynamic and full of tiny thorns.  “Pop, pop, pop” balloons decimated.
Noah was in tears and needed comforting… I have to confess, that I found it very difficult to hold back the laughter.  I tried very hard to keep a straight-face and look sympathetic to his loss.  Biting my lip, I tried my best… but the overall humor of the situation for me was unbearable and a burst of laughter just popped right out….bad parent!
Well, Noah survived; in fact he just graduated from law school.   I wonder if you can sue tumbleweeds?
[Note: to learn more about the inspiration of some of my stories check out Lunchpail Books for more information]