Princess Ramona Video Review

Natasha's ReviewA “Princess Ramona” fan posts her own audio review of the digital book!

“I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who likes humor, cute stories and magical things.”

“It’s just so adorable and I love how she’s so adventurous.”

“I like how it ends in friendship. In all the other fairytale stories, they fall in love and they slay the dragon, but I actually quite frankly like dragons… in the end, it’s friendship.”

This reviewer’s favorite verse in the book goes like this:

“The bored little princess began to explore

Each hummock and valley beyond the hut’s door

She climbed every tree and explored every path,

Returning each night for a scrub in the bath… which she didn’t enjoy.”

Princess Ramona in Tree

 

View the video by clicking the link below:

https://docs.google.com/a/caj.or.jp/file/d/0B05KG-t1qU6zTTFGWVJPTEJPSzQ/edit?pli=1

 

Princess Ramona in Tub

Bunnies on the Doorstep

On a warm, late spring day in Minnesota, I opened the back door and suddenly stopped in mid-step. There, curled up and sleeping soundly on the doorstep, was a tiny bundle of baby bunny. How in the world did this little critter wind up here? No basket. No note. Just one impossibly small bunny. I brought it inside and made the best bunny nest that I could manage and tried to figure out what to do with the little orphan. It was sleeping soundly but when it woke up, it would probably be hungry.

holding-a-baby-bunny_1024

I opened the back door again to call our dog. “Cinnamon! Come on girl!” No response. I started to step outside and again, stopped in mid-stride. Another baby bunny on the doorstep. This one was awake and seemed healthy. There did seem to be a bit of dog slobber on its soft fur, however. I caught a glimpse of Cinnamon’s tail, matted with burrs, as she disappeared around the corner of the house. What was that dog up to now? I stood there puzzling with a second bunny cradled in my hands.

 

After a long while, our Golden Retriever, trotted back to the door and gingerly placed a third baby bunny on the doorstep. Down she sat and looked up at me with cockle-burrs in her ears, and concern in her brown eyes. I suddenly realized what had happened. Our dog was not the rabbit-chasing type, but we lived near the woods, and once in a while, a wild animal would be hit by a car on the road nearby. The mother rabbit must have been killed, leaving behind a brood of babies with no one to care for them. Cinnamon had found the orphans in the forest and brought them home.

Baby_Bunny___by_Peaches09

This was the summer that my mom was laid up in bed with a couple of herniated discs putting excruciating pressure on her sciatic nerve. She had to stay in bed flat on her back for weeks. She was not a happy camper. This was the kind of mom who needed to be busy all the time. If she had hatched out as a bird instead of a human, she would be a hummingbird. She needed to be in perpetual motion. She needed to be needed. Now she was forced to lay down and stay put. She had reached the point of despair when the bunnies arrived. They needed care and she needed a cause.

We put the cage with bunnies and grass and sweet clover on the bed next to her. She helped make sure that they were fed and nurtured. They made sure that she was no longer bored to tears. The dog checked on them once in while, just to make sure that their new mom was doing a good job of mothering. The bunnies slowly grew and my mom’s back slowly healed. Came the day when my mom could finally get out of bed and walk, and the bunnies were finally big enough to take outside. We set the cage down near the edge of the woods and moments later, they had disappeared into the arms of mother forest.

bunnies-2

Note: The best scenario for a wild baby bunny is, of course, to let the mother rabbit care for the baby. Mother rabbits do not stay with the babies but return at night to feed them. Wild bunnies should only be adopted if it is certain that the mother has been killed. For more information see: http://rabbit.org/faq-orphaned-baby-bunnies/

 

Second Author Visit at Waseda International School!

Waseda International School is a cozy, colorful and compact campus nestled in heart of Shinjuku ward just a short walk from Takadanobaba on the JR Yamanote Line. This past April, I embarked on another author visit when I was invited to Waseda International School to present for the second year in a row.  I arrived with 40 freshly-printed copies of “Princess Ramona, Beloved of Beasts” which had been produced especially for this occasion. (First time ever for my digital book to be printed!)  FirstPrintedRamonaBook

In the rush to make the train, Baabara the lamb puppet got left behind. A substitute puppet was quickly crafted from a sock, googly eyes and yarn pom-pons. He filled in for Baabara in his own goofy way for the short introduction given to the preschool group for the first presentation. As we moved on to the main event, the little ones enjoyed the hikari-shibai of “Princess Ramona” projected onto a large screen that was low to the floor and on their level. This made it easy for the students to approach the screen and point out details that they discovered in the illustrations, which we could then zoom in on using the iPad touch screen. They enjoyed the grumpy knitting cat, for example, and the tiny knitting spider which they spotted in the corner of one of the illustrations. As young as these students were, and though many were English-language-learners, they still were able to sweetly verbalize the themes of the story and express their delight in the characters.

The second group of students were first-through-fifth graders and they were excited to see their own stories and illustrations projected onto the big screen. We had planned for this presentation several weeks ahead and the students had collaborated in their classes to produce a pourquoi tale with original illustrations. Early in the week, their stories and illustrations had been forwarded to me.Waseda_Own_Stories

I took their submissions and created a Keynote presentation that incorporated lessons in writing, editing, and book design. For the older students’ story, for example, they were shown their original version and then an edited version that eliminated unnecessary details in a shorter, snappier version. At the end of the presentation, I read a pourquoi tale I have been working on.

After the presentations, I met briefly with the fifth graders in their classroom to talk about their current language arts unit, poetry. We shared a few poems that we had memorized and with that, my time at WIS was almost over.

The PTA presented me with a bouquet of gorgeous flowers and I sat down to sign the stack of purchased “Princess Ramona” books. WIS had wisely prepared the list of names ahead of time which greatly helped the signing process. Most of the books were signed in time to send home with the students. Before I finished, one student came by to share a lovely little cake, as it was his birthday. I was so blessed and impressed by all of the staff and students at this school. Thank you!

Waseda_Thanks_Bjorn

Go, Go Kakapo!

What sounds like a cell phone vibrating in “mute” mode, can call a girlfriend over from several kilometers away with no cell reception whatsoever, and is possibly our longest-lived egg-laying feathered friend? The Kakapo, of course! This flightless New Zealand bird is the heaviest parrot in the world and can live to be 120 years old. It used to have few natural predators, but when the humans moved in, along with their dogs and cats and rats, the Kakapo population went into a tail spin. Kakapo

When the population of this rare bird plummeted to about 60 birds remaining in the 1990’s, scientists flew into action. Rats and cats were not interested in helping the effort to save the Kakapo and instead continued to kill and eat the young chicks. The scientists decided that the Kakapos needed to move to a safer neighborhood and so several birds were moved to three different islands where the rats and cats were not allowed to settle, even if they managed to show valid passports.

Once the Kakapos were protected, coddled and given extra yummy food (like apples, sweet potatoes, nuts, and sunflower seeds), their numbers began to increase. Currently, there are about 140 Kakapos strutting around on their own islands.

kakapo-1

See those little whiskers next to the beaks of the Kakapoes? (Or is the plural “Kakapoo?”) Those whiskers are not just for looking handsome on a Saturday night; they are very helpful to this nocturnal bird that runs around at night. Both the male and female birds use these whiskers to help them navigate their way as they walk with their heads down close to the ground. Speaking of Saturday night, do you know how a male Kakapo manages to get himself a date? With a boom box, of course.

kakapo_in_boom_bowlThe male inflates a sac below his throat and starts to “boom” as the sac fills with air. This attractive sound brings the females who follow carefully groomed paths to the male’s “boom bowl.” Yes, the male makes a smooth bowl in the dirt so he has a stage to perform his awesome mating dance when the girl bird finally arrives. The bowl helps make the booming sounds louder; he doesn’t even need a microphone for his act.

kakapo_on_branch

The Kakapo does other amazing things too. Although it cannot fly, it can climb up to the top of trees to have a look-about. He can fall with style, using his wings to glide or parachute down from the trees to the ground. Since Kakapoes exist because of human help, each bird has a name. They are all banded and many are tracked with radio signals. Every Kakapo is special. Maybe some day, there will be enough of them around for us to let them go about their lovely Kakapo lives without being constantly coddled by scientists. For now the 124 Kakapo that do exist need our help.

kakapo_on_arm

For more information see the Kakapo Recovery Site at:

http://kakaporecovery.org.nz

Picture Book featuring the Kakapo:

http://www.amazon.com/Kakapo-Rescue-Saving-Strangest-Scientists/dp/B0052HL73U

kakapo montgomery book

Henry the Hedgehog

Another beastie has joined our family. This one has many good “points” but is not so easy to snuggle with.

HedgehogNoseKiss 2

Hedgehog Nose Kiss

Henry the Hedgehog was a gift to my daughter on her 17th birthday and although I should have resisted, I couldn’t say “No.” I have always had a soft spot for these pokey little Erinaceidae. They do tend to be a bit prickly on the inside as well as the outside… after all, they are related to shrews, but their charms are undeniable. I mean, how can you resist a hedgehog?

HedgehogNose

The Quintessence of Quills

This particular little hedgehog is of the African Pygmy Hedgehog variety and must be handled gently and regularly to help it develop a congenial temperament. The little adorable is getting lots of attention, lots of sleep and lots of hedgehog food. He is a good eater and cleans his bowl every day. He has a large cage with a hidey-house, a water bottle, food bowls and lots of shredded paper in which to snuffle about.

He drinks powdered hedgehog milk; (how does one go about milking a hedgehog in the first place I wonder) and a special hedgehog food which is supplemented with mealworms (now you know why they have “meal” in their name) and if we want to get fancy, we toss special flavorful sprinkles on top of his ground-up, insect-rich food. (Yum!)

When his nose is out and he is woofeling about, that means he is relaxed and happy. When he hisses and his quills go up (beginning with those around his face) that means he is not a happy camper. Poor little guy. He tries so hard to look intimidating, but when those forehead quills go up, he just looks adorable. Sorry, Henry, but a giant chestnut just is not that threatening… unless you step on one in the dark… which thankfully hasn’t happened yet.

Just Chilling, Not Quilling

Just Chilling, Not Quilling

Next step is to get Henry to make friends with Bjorn the Golden Retriever. We’ll see how that goes.

This entry was posted on December 28, 2013. 2 Comments

If You Love Someone…

Here is the bittersweet story of a rescued cheetah who was released into the wild. If you love someone, you have to be willing to let them go if it is for their own good and their ultimate happiness. Beasts who are truly beloved are free to live their lives.

Newly rescued cheetah cub

Newly rescued cheetah cub

 

Sue Roberts, who owns and operates a game lodge in the Lewa Wildlife Conservatory in Kenya wrote about her experience in her blog which contains many beautiful photos and amazing stories of their life in Kenya. This little cub, named Sheeba, was rescued as a very young, motherless cub, lovingly raised by the Roberts family, and then, even more lovingly, released back into the wild where she belonged.

Little Sheeba builds up speed

Little Sheeba builds up speed

Here is a sweet video of Sheeba first excursion into the grassy lawn of her temporary home:

Sheeba on the Lawn

Sheeba is now a beautiful, full-grown cheetah, who has adapted well to the wild. She stalks and hunts and is capable of taking down a full-grown impala. The beautiful cat is free to live out her life in the wild where she belongs.

Full_Grown_Sheeba

 

Speed Art Tutorial by Therese Larsson

Therese Larsson posted an incredible Photoshop tutorial that shows her critters coming to life:

Mole in the Library!

I heard a scream from the elementary library, “Aaah! It’s a mouse! There’s a mouse in the library!” I came running in to see one of our librarians pointing at the AC unit under the window. “It ran over there!” She did not want to go anywhere near the critter, but I used to have pet rats and don’t mind mice, so I went over to investigate. The little critter scuttled out and I saw at once that it was a small mole. A mole in the library!

A Mole in Hand

A Mole in Hand

The little velvet-gray gentleman was trying hard to get away, and we were trying hard to catch him. The other librarians laughed at us from behind the window of the closed library door as we crawled around on our hands and knees trying to catch the little guy. Finally, our school’s headmaster managed to trap the mole under a bag. I succeeded in picking him up and carrying him to the nearest outside door where he was released into the dark dirt. As he dug his way to safety, I gave him a soft pat on his furry back and said goodbye.

Mole Says Goodbye

Mole Says Goodbye

And how did a mole get into our library in the first place? Was he a spy sent by some other international school’s library staff? He apparently had not come in by himself to bury his nose in a book. Someone must have let him in! The top suspect in the mole mystery is a nearby resident’s cat who had apparently been seen that very morning, darting out of the school through a propped-open door. This particular feline loves to carry around little live creatures in its maw, only to drop them and play with them whenever the fancy strikes. The cat ran away and the mole stayed to play… in the library.
mole-reading
Coincidentally, a few days before, I had just been reading “Wind in the Willows” to the 5th graders in which the character, “Mole” plays a prominent role. Perhaps the mole was merely there to check out a book? There is certainly a story here… maybe I’ll entitle it, “A Mole Who Digs Books.”
If you “dig” both moles and books, here are a few that you might enjoy:
Wind-in-Willows-Michael-Hague
And one more recommendation: Duncton Wood.

Review from Barbara C. Burgess!

Barbara Burgess knows a thing or two about knights and dragons. She studied medieval English literature and did her graduate studies at McGill University, Canada; her thesis supervisor studied with C. S. Lewis at Oxford University. Ms. Burgess is a writer, editor, book reviewer, and teacher.

Barbara C. Burgess Barbara writes, “Princess Ramona, Beloved of Beasts, is a beautifully written and exquisitely illustrated book. I stopped myself from adding the words “book for children,” because I think that people of all ages will love the book. How could they not? The pictures immediately draw you into the story; the Swedish artist, Therese Larsson, is a master of light and colour.”

“The tale, crafted by author Ruth Ingulsrud, recounts a story that is original, lively, and uplifting. It takes a real expert to use rhyming techniques in a manner that doesn’t sound forced. Ruth Ingulsrud has a magical way with words and her use of rhyme works. Children will love to hear the heroine’s story and learn how she feels for all the animals in her country and wants to save them from captivity. There are twists and turns to this story, which is very well-paced. I’d altogether recommend it for people who love to read—as a famous Renaissance poet once said—’words which teach by delighting.'”

Thank you, Barbara, for your wonderful review!

The Magic Manuscript

The Magic Manuscript

Barbara’s first book, The Magic Manuscript: Book One – Voyage to Eve Ilion, was published as a paperback and eBook in 2011 and has been earning excellent reviews. Her latest fantasy book is THE MAGIC MANUSCRIPT: THE NINE COMPANIONS. You can find her website at www.burgesswrite.com.

Pangolin Poetry

Ode to the Pangolin

Photo by Rusian Rugoals; CC License

Photo by Rusian Rugoals; CC License

 

Oh Pangolin, dear Pangolin

Your name sings like a mandolin

Alas, I cannot play your scales

They’re hard as rock and sharp as nails

 

When threatened by a toothy beast

Intent on making you a feast

You simply stop and drop and roll

And turn into a scaly bowl

 

Dear trusty crusty Pangolin

Photo: animal world.tumblr.com

Photo: animal world.tumblr.com

With toothless mouth and tongue so thin

You lap up ants from hill and tree

Hunting for grub nocturnally

 

You hardly ever make a sound

While waddling across the ground

With tail down and front claws curled

You make your way across the world

– Ruth Gilmore Ingulsrud