Suzanne Lieurance - Writing Coach and Freelance Writer

MollyMoccasins.com Offers Unprecedented Value, Extensive Variety and Quality Content

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:35:13 +0000

Incorporating contemporary media and cutting edge technology, MollyMoccasins.com is a unique blend of family-friendly stories, games and activities for children, parents and educators to enjoy on virtually all digital platforms including the web, apps, eBooks, enhanced eBooks and audio books.

Consistently featured in Apple’s iBook store and purchased by parents in over 70 countries, the world of Molly Moccasins and the theme that “life is an everyday adventure” has placed this innovative multimedia company at the forefront of the children’s web, eBook and app revolution. What makes Molly Moccasins stand out is the value, variety and quality not seen with other digital children’s book platforms.

MollyMoccasins.com is an entire library of stories (nearly 70!) created to inspire young adventurers to explore their everyday realities and surroundings by using their natural curiosity and sense of wonderment. New content is added frequently to the already extensive offering, which, in addition to the stories, includes hundreds of game options and activities.

Molly Moccasins has a no-advertising policy and stories can be purchased for as low as $0.99 each or a lifetime membership, all access pass – great for gift giving and curing a case of cabin fever this winter – can be purchased for $29.99.

Author Victoria O’Toole’s blend of adventure, fun and solid storytelling raise your spirit and promote good, solid life lessons. The bright and vibrant illustrations and quickly paced stories easily engage young readers. Though readers can choose their own order of which stories to read, it is recommended to start with Molly and her Moccasins first to learn how Molly gets her moccasins and finds her purpose. Molly Moccasins is a bright, imaginative, young and curious character who delights in all that life has to offer. Her uncle once said, “A curious mind is never bored,” and Molly takes this quite seriously. Her curiosity is simply catching – and the creators of the series note that readers are coming back for more and more of Molly. Victoria O’Toole explains the significance and staying-power of the series, “The response around the world has been amazing—80 percent of our visitors come back…sometimes more than 100 times a month!”

Charity: A Story for a Story
The creators of Molly Moccasins care deeply about young adventurers around the globe and are dedicated to helping children become and remain inspired and literate. No matter where you buy Molly Moccasins stories and for whatever digital device you choose, a story will be given to a child in need—story for story.

About the Author: Victoria Ryan O’Toole
The first dictionary that Victoria Ryan O’Toole ever received was inscribed with a powerful message from her favorite uncle: “A curious mind is never bored.” As soon as she read that line, she knew life would never be boring – and it never has been. She delights in her life in Southern California with her husband, twin daughters and twin yellow labs. She is thrilled to be writing stories that encourage children to use their imaginations and natural curiosities, just as she continues to use hers.

About Urban Fox Studios
Urban Fox Studios transforms the traditional publishing house into a full-service digital publishing and production studio for the next generation of storytelling. Urban Fox Studios Executive Management team brings with it years of extensive experience and award-winning design and technology.Their development and design teams have successfully launched numerous multi-million dollar products across a variety of channels and platforms; from immersive 3D worlds, games, interactive ePubs, and a variety of Apps for Apple and Android, including Choose Your Own Adventure books and MollyMoccasins.com.

Molly Moccasins –nearly 70 stories and counting…
www.mollymoccasions.com
http://www.facebook.com/mollymoccasins
http://twitter.com/mollymoccasins
Or search for “Molly Moccasins” at your favorite digital retailer for apps, eBooks,enhanced ebooks, and audio books.

For additional information and to receive press access to all offerings at MollyMoccasins.com please contact Tracey Daniels, Media Masters Publicity tracey@mmpublicity.com.

Let the adventures begin!

Writing Humor for Kids – A Writer’s Workshop/Teleclass

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:17:19 +0000

Do you want to make kids laugh?

Then register for this teleclass/writer’s workshop called Writing Humor for Kids.

In this fun and informative workshop, children’s author Nancy I. Sanders will use popular published examples of funny kids’ favorites to show you how to help your manuscript tickle those funnybones.

From crafting scenes with a laughter-inducing punch to writing silly slapstick, join in this teleclass and learn techniques you can implement in picture books as well as novels to make young readers chuckle and laugh out loud.

Get all the details about this writer's workshop/teleclass at the Working Writer’s Club now.

The Adventures of Beanboy – This Friday on Book Bites for Kids

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:01:47 +0000

Children’s author Lisa Harkrader will be my guest this Friday at 2:00 p.m. CST on Book Bites for Kids. She’ll talk about her new middle grade novel, The Adventures of Beanboy.

Listen to the show at 2:00 on Friday at www.bookbitesforkids.com.

About the Book
Never underestimate the power of the bean.

Tucker MacBean has been drawing comic books almost as long as he’s been reading them. When his favorite comic has a contest for kids, he hopes he has finally found a way to fix his family—all he has to do is create the winning superhero sidekick . . . Introducing “Beanboy”—the first comic book character to truly harness the power of the bean for good. He is strong, he is relentless, he can double in size overnight (if given enough water).

With thoughtful characterizations and copious comic book illustrations, this laughout-loud novel will have readers rooting for a superhero with true heart.

Best Children’s Books for Black History Month

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:47:48 +0000

Listen to several children’s writers discuss some of the best children’s books for Black History Month on a recent episode of Book Bites for Kids.

Listen to internet radio with Suzanne on Blog Talk Radio

Wait Time – Just Give Me a Second

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:59:30 +0000

by Amy M. O’Quinn

Impatience. It’s something most parents and teachers struggle with every now and then. And instead of giving our children or students a few seconds longer to formulate or search their brains for the correct answer to our queries, we jump in a little too early to ‘help’ them. Honestly, for educators, the silence can be uncomfortable and we may feel frustrated by the lack of an immediate response.

In fact, according to an excerpt from the book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Success as a Teacher © 2005 by Anthony D. Frederick, “Classroom observations reveal that teachers typically wait less than 1 second for students to respond to a question. Teachers often conclude that students don’t know the answer to a question if they don’t respond quickly. And when they do respond, they usually use knowledge-level responses.”

But is this really the most beneficial strategy for students? Learning to use wait time, even for a few extra seconds, can yield amazing results!

Why Children Hesitate
There may be many reasons why children hesitate to answer questions quickly. They may be afraid of being laughed at by other students if they are wrong. They might not want to disappoint the teacher (or parent) by not knowing the answer. Or, in many cases, they may simply need just a few more seconds to ponder the question before they formulate or verbalize their answer or explanation. Young children, especially, and even ESL students do better if they are given ample opportunity to process information and mentally rehearse before trying to give their responses.

What is Wait Time?
Wait time is defined as the pause between asking the question and soliciting a response. Providing additional wait time after a student response also allows all students to reflect on the response prior to further discussion. Increased wait time results in longer student responses, more appropriate unsolicited responses, more student questions, and increased higher order responses.

Studies beginning in the early 1970s and continuing through the 1980s show that if teachers pause between three and seven seconds after asking higher-level questions, students respond with more thoughtful answers and that science achievement is increased. This finding is consistent at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels and across the science disciplines.

Just Wait A Second — Or Several
By practicing this strategy, parents and teachers might just discover that wait time is one of the best teaching tools—ever. However, it does take diligence and patience, as it goes against most of our natures to sit in silence for several seconds, waiting for an answer. But it works, and students will feel more successful as well. They might not always know the answer, even after several seconds of wait time, but at least they have the opportunity to try before being cut off prematurely.

So remember, when your student doesn’t immediately answer a question, take a deep breath, bite your tongue to keep from jumping in with the answer, and wait. You might just be surprised by the results!

Visit Amy at amyoquinn.com.

Meet Marie-Grace – This Friday on Book Bites for Kids

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:39:05 +0000

Listen to Book Bites for Kids on blogtalkradio this Friday, January 27th, 2012, at 2:00 CST, when the guest will be author Sarah Masters Buckey.

Masters Buckey will talk about her new book Meet Marie-Grace, which is the first book in a new series of American Girl Books.

To listen to the show, just go online to www.bookbitesforkids.com at 2:00 CST on Friday.

To call in to ask a question or to make a comment, call 1-646-716-9239 during the live show.

Book Bites for Kids – This Friday, January 13, 2012

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:02:28 +0000

Listen to Book Bites for Kids this Friday, January 13, 2012, on blogtalkradio when my guest will be literacy specialist Carol Fraser Hagen.

Hagen will talk about her upcoming book, How to Help Children Learn to Read – A Handbook for Parents and Teachers.

To listen to the show, on Friday at 2:00 p.m. central, just go to www.bookbitesforkids.com.

Journey to Gameland – How to Turn Your Favorite Children’s Book into a Board Game

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:35:50 +0000

Here’s something that will help your children build reading skills in a variety of ways. They can create board games from their favorite books! How cool is that?

About Journey to Gameland
Take a journey through your favorite book and transform it into a board game! Choose your characters, design your board, and create obstacles and other fun activities all according to what happens in your favorite book. Learn how to take the joy of reading to another level and discover your own creativity.

Eleven-year-old Ben Buchanan, who created a board game based on the popular Harry Potter books, provides advice for all children who would like to turn their favorite book into a board game. Along with his co-authors, he offers a step-by-step process, with suggestions for parents, librarians, and teachers, on how to help children transform their favorite book into a board game.

The book shows how you can have hours of fun creating the board game–and then have lots more hours of fun playing!

Journey to Gameland encourages children to develop their own creativity.

Support Building a Bookshelf, Inc.

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:51:31 +0000

This past Saturday I was at Barnes and Noble in Oak Park Mall, here in the Kansas City area, signing my book The Lucky Baseball as part of an event for Building a Bookshelf, Inc..

Watch this video to learn more about this great charity to promote children’s literacy:

PBS KIDS Launches Its First Educational Augmented Reality APP

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:16:46 +0000

ARLINGTON, VA, Nov. 14, 2011 – PBS KIDS today announced its first augmented reality app for iPhone and iPod touch, FETCH! Lunch Rush, which is now available on the App Store. Available for free, the app uses the camera on iPhone or iPod touch to overlay computer-generated graphics on top of the physical, real-world environment. Extending PBS’s leadership in using augmented reality as an educational tool, FETCH! Lunch Rush opens a new world of learning by teaching kids ages six to eight math skills, like addition and subtraction, while blending the virtual and real world into a truly engaging experience.

“Augmented reality is becoming a popular marketing tool and a compelling feature for gamers, but no one has fully explored what this could mean for educating children,” said Jason Seiken, Senior Vice President, Interactive, Product Development and Innovation, PBS. “We were among the first to offer educational augmented reality kids content when we launched the DINOSAUR TRAIN Hatching Party online game last year, in which a player’s real world intersects with a virtual environment online to help hatch a dinosaur egg. We’re excited to expand our exploration of this space by launching our first augmented reality mobile app and continue PBS KIDS’s leadership in using new technologies to further learning.”

“The FETCH! Lunch Rush App is designed as a 3-D game, which helps kids visualize the math problems they are trying to solve,” added Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “At PBS KIDS our goal is to use media to nurture kids’ natural curiosity and inspire them to explore the world around them; we can’t wait to see what this new app will mean for furthering that exploration.”

The Fetch! Lunch Rush App was produced by PBS member station WGBH and is based on the PBS KIDS GO! series FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman, also produced by WGBH. In this multiplayer app, Ruff Ruffman has to collect the lunch order for his studio crew. The challenge is keeping track of how many pieces of sushi everyone wants using augmented reality “markers” (printable hand-outs) that prompt activity within the app. The app uses 3-D imagery to reinforce the early algebraic concepts, helping kids to make the connection between real objects and corresponding numeric symbols.

The FETCH! Lunch Rush App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone or iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Developed in partnership with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and powered by a Ready To Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Fetch! Lunch Rush is part of a new suite of games available on the newly launched PBS KIDS Lab website (PBSKIDS.org). Combined with online and interactive whiteboard games, this new app helps build a learning experience for kids that takes place across platforms, all with the goal of accelerating learning. In addition to FETCH!, six suites based on hit PBS KIDS series are available on the PBS KIDS Lab: THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!, CURIOUS GEORGE, SID THE SCIENCE KID, FIZZY’S LUNCH LAB, SUPER WHY!, and DINOSAUR TRAIN.

To date, PBS KIDS mobile apps have been downloaded more than 1.4 million times. With a transmedia approach, PBS KIDS is increasingly serving children wherever they live, learn, and play – through mobile devices, as well as on TV, online, in the classroom, and through a new line of educational toys.