JUDGING FROM THE NUMBER OF CONTEST ENTRIES I RECEIVED, THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS OUT THERE WHOSE PARENTS BUG THEM BIG TIME!





AND IT WAS A BIG TIME JOB FOR ME TO CHOOSE ONLY THREE WINNERS. SOME ENTRIES MADE ME LAUGH, SOME MADE ME CRINGE. OTHERS CAUSED ME TO RETHINK MY OWN BEHAVIOR WHEN IT COMES TO MY SON, WHO JUST TURNED 13 AND IS, THEREFORE, HUGELY EMBARRASSABLE. (IS THAT EVEN A WORD?!)

SO I AND MY SON WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ENTERED THE '101 WAYS MY PARENTS BUG ME CONTEST'. HERE ARE THE WINNERS:

(DRUM ROLL, PLEASE . . . )





FIRST PRIZE: MAX S., AGE 11, FROM NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WHO WROTE:

"THEY ALWAYS MAKE UP WEIRD NICKNAMES FOR ME, LIKE MACKIE-MAC, MAXAMANIA, MAXAMOSTN AND MORE. IT IS REALLY
EMBARRASSING!"




SECOND PRIZE: COLLIN, AGE 10, SANTA BARBARA, CA, WHO WROTE:

MY MOM BUGS ME BY WEARING WILD PANTS TO SCHOOL AND EVERYONE LOOKS AT ME!"




THIRD PRIZE: DARBY, AGE 12, FROM MT. HOLLY, NC, WHO WROTE: "WHEN I ASK, 'WHERE ARE WE EATING?', THEY SAY 'MCDONALD'S' AND THEN THEY START ACTING LIKE RONALD MCDONALD THE CLOWN!!!!!"

MAX HAS WON AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF 101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR PARENTS, A 'CATCH THE READING BUG' BUMPER STICKER, AND SEVERAL POSTCARDS AND BOOKMARKS.

COLLIN AND DARBY HAVE EACH WON AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF EITHER 101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR PARENTS OR 101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR TEACHER.

A NEW CONTEST WILL BE UP AND RUNNING SOON. IF YOU DIDN'T WIN THIS TIME, PLEASE ENTER AGAIN. NEXT TIME, THE WINNER COULD BE YOU!!!

fAiRy GoDsIsTeRs, iNk is excited to announce that we have chosen
SCBWI member Amy Lynn Spitzley of Traverse City, Michigan, as the recipient
of our 2009 summer conference scholarship!

Amy will receive a $1500 scholarship, which will
pay for her conference tuition, hotel, and manuscript consultation.

Amy described herself in her essay as a "shy mommy", ready to
temporarily heave it all to come out to the conference and soak it all up. We
called her yesterday to give her the good news, and in the manner typical of
so many creative folk, her first question was "Uh-- didn't very many people
apply?" We loved her humility, when in fact, her essay was absolutely
bang-ON.

Many thanks to the 300+ applicants who took the time
to apply for our scholarship! Please try again next year . . .

And many, many heartfelt thanks to all our honorary fAiRy GoDpErSoNs who donated their hard-earned
money to our Scholarship program. (You know who you are!)

For more information about FGI and our scholarship program,
please visit our website: http://www.fairygodsistersink.com.

And now . . . a word from Amy!:

"I owe a huge debt to the godsisters. Their magic is gently forcing me to get out of my shell. Having written down many thoughts, promises, and ideas in my essay, I intend to live up to as many of them as I can in LA--and have fun in the process!"


Sparkly wishes,
Lee Wardlaw
Valerie Hobbs
Thalia Chaltas
Mary Hershey
R.L. LaFevers

Ann P., from Cranston, Rhode Island, sent me the illustrations, below. This is so fun! I love seeing
how each individual artist portrays my characters with her own style, medium, wit. Thank you SO much!





Here we have Sneeze, Hiccup, Pierre and Hayley . . .

Wow! There are a lot of talented fans out there! Here's the latest illustration I received, spectacularly drawn by Emily B., age 15, from Toronto, Canada.




Yes, it's Stephen J. Wyatt, clip-on tool belt and all!

Thanks for sharing, Emily.

Keep 'em comin', everyone!

This week, stop by the blog THROUGH THE TOLLBOOTH: THOUGHTS ON WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS to learn more about the pros, cons, highs, lows, how-to's and what-for's of Author Visits. I'll be taking part in this panel discussion that includes: Kelli Bingham, Tami Lewis Brown, Toni Buzzeo, Stephanie Greene, Helen Hemphill, Barbara Santucci and Sarah Sullivan.

http://community.livejournal.com/thru_the_booth/102119.html

Ooo, how I love it when my fans bring my novel characters to life! Here's another look at Pierre Noel,
zee character 'oo speaks wis zee phonee French ackzent!



Pierre by Emilee



Merci, Emilee!

Yes! It's the udderly silly anniversary you've all been waiting for!

On this day in 1930, Elm Farm Ollie (aka Nellie Jay) of St. Louis, MO, became the first cow to fly in an airplane - - and she was milked during the flight, producing an aerodynamic 24 quarts of fresh milk!

In honor of this mooooovelous anniversary, I'd like to recommend two of my favorite bovine books:




BUCKAMOO GIRLS
written by Ellen A. Kelley
illustrated by Tom Curry
www.ellenakelley.com




CLICK, CLACK MOO: COWS THAT TYPE
written by Doreen Cronin
illustrated by Betsy Lewin

Our parents. Siblings. Friends. Teachers. They all have their opinions about us: Who we are, who we should be, how we should act - - and when and why.

But not on WHO SHALL I BE? DAY!

On this holiday (created by Thomas and Ruth Roy, the healthy, healthful folks at wellcat.com), YOU get to determine your identity. YOU get to celebrate Who and What you really are - - from the top of your eclectic head to the tips of your eccentric toes!

How will YOU celebrate Your Day?

I'm going to celebrate by posting 25 Random (and Boring) Things That Nobody Knows About Me (a la Facebook):



Lee Wardlaw with No-Hair.

1. The first doll I ever had was named No-Hair. That's because I washed her hair so much that it all fell out.


2. I’m hoarding three full bottles of the original Ambush cologne that I bought on ebay for waaaaaay too much money because Dana no longer makes Ambush in its original scent and the new Ambush smells like a mixture of boat varnish and gardenias.

3. I think income tax is evil.

4. I have a crush on Thomas Jefferson.

5. And Hugh Laurie.

6. Pancakes give me a stomachache.

7. So do avocados.

8. I collect antique Hawaiian hula dolls.

9. Hunting for sea glass is my secret addiction.

10. I think diamonds are BOR-RING.

11. There is a Swiss-cheese-like hole in my brain where my math neurons should be. (I got a D- in geometry.)

12. At my funeral, I want two songs played: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who and Pachebel’s Canon in D.

13. Dark chocolate is my secret religion. I am an atheist when it comes to all other desserts.

14. I believed in Santa Claus until I was 7. Even then, I wasn’t absolutely positive he didn’t exist. I mean, who else could’ve eaten the milk and cookies we left out for him?

15. I think I’m funnier than my husband.

16. I think I’m funnier than I am.

17. I HATE non-representational art.

18. I survived melanoma. On the bottom of my foot. (If enough people ask, I’ll post a picture of my scar.)

19. My favorite flower is the plumeria.

20. I never wanted children – but changing my mind and giving birth to my son was my Best. Decision. Ever.

21. . . . despite the fact that my son said to me yesterday: “Mom, you just don’t know what’s cool.”

22. He’s right.

23. And I don’t care. ‘Cool’ is highly over-rated.

24. I don’t have any gray hair. It’s true! I don’t! Not one single strand!

25. When I was a kid, I used to try to get away with taking 30-minute showers. My mother thought I was washing, but actually I was doing Prell shampoo commercials. (That probably explains what happened to No Hair.)





Happy Birthday today to:

Robert Newton Peck
http://www.blahnik.info/rnpeck/

Susan Beth Pfeffer
http://susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com/

My biggest fan, Tori C. from Rhode Island, often shares with me her art inspired by my novels 101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR PARENTS and 101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR TEACHER. She's given me permission to share them with you, too!

So here is a sampling of her latest work:



Stephen J. Wyatt, with his invention The Nice Alarm


Pierre (who always speaks in a phony French accent) and Cullen (a new character from my forthcoming novel 101 WAYS TO BUG YOUR FRIENDS)

More to come!




Oh, and Happy Birthday to another talented illustrator, Nancy Ekholm Burkert, who did the original art for JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH by Roald Dahl.

DO YOU HATE YOUR NAME? DOES IT MAKE YOU WANT TO WRETCH OR HIDE UNDER THE BED? AND IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR NAME, WHAT MONIKER WOULD YOU
CHOOSE . . . AND WHY? HMMMMMMMMMMM?





ACCORDING TO WELLCAT HOLIDAYS, CREATORS OF GET A DIFFERENT NAME DAY: "ON THIS DAY, WE MAY CHANGE OUR NAMES TO WHATEVER WE WISH AND HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPECT COLLEAGUES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO SO ADDRESS US."

SO PICK A COOL NAME. A SILLY NAME. A NAME THAT FITS YOU TO A TEE. AND TELL YOUR TEACHERS, PARENTS, SIBLINGS AND FRIENDS THAT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, YOU EXPECT TO BE CALLED __________________________ (INSERT NEW NAME HERE).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: WWW.WELLCAT.COM

AND TO HELP YOU PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, HERE IS A LIST OF ACTUAL NAMES PARENTS BESTOWED UPON THEIR CHILDREN. (REALLY!) (TRULY!) (YES! THESE ARE ALL REAL NAMES!!!!!!!)

1. TALULA DOES THE HULA FROM HAWAII
2. NUMBER 16 BUS SHELTER
3. FIFI TRIXIBELLE
4. MOON UNIT
5. DWEEZIL
6. TABOOGER
7. MIDNIGHT CHARDONNAY
8. PILOT INSPEKTOR
9. ZOWIE BOWIE
10. JOEY JOE-JOE JUNIOR SHABADOO (Okay, so I took this one from a character on The Simpsons!)

E.T. has phoned home to say he'll be late! He and his space homies are hangin' around New Mexico today, where they'll be celebrated and honored as part of the state's Extraterrestrial Culture Day festivities.

Why not cuddle up with your favorite little Vulcan, Klingon or Romulan and share a good book? I'm especially fond of:




EARTH TIGERLETS AS EXPLAINED BY PROFESSOR XARGLE
Written by Jeanne Willis
Illustrated by Tony Ross

Yes, everything you always wanted to know about cats and kittens explained by that five-eyed, green-skined expert of all things human, Professor Xargle! The most absolutely hysterical scene is when the illustrious prof teaches his students how to say: "Whoops! I have slipped on a hairball and broken both my legs." Their responses:

"Pips, I have haired on a legbaall and broken off my pots."
"Whoops I have stopped on a pigdig and broken both my hairs!"
"Poops I have dipped on a purrbag and spoken loaf my pigs."
"Boot I have pooped on a football and slopped both my pegs. Yuk."

We use these phrases often in our home! They fit just about every occasion!

Live long and prosper . . .

"Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration," Thomas Edison used to say. He would know! This concoction is responsible for Edison acquiring more than 1,200 patents during his lifetime. We're all familiar with his more famous inventions, such as the electric light system, the phonograph and the motion picture camera. But did you know Edison also invented the first tattoo gun? The first alkaline storage battery? And the first talking doll?

On this anniversary of Thomas Edison's birth - - now officially National Inventors Day - - learn more about this amazing, hardworking American genius, by visiting:
http://www.nps.gov/edis/forkids/a-brief-biography-of-thomas-edison.htm

Or, celebrate today with an invention of your own! To learn more about inventions and inventing, visit the KID INVENTORS' DAY site, http://www.kidinventorsday.com




“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” - Thomas Edison

There's always room for . . . JELL-O week!

Begun in 2001, this holiday is celebrated annually the first full week in February. I started my celebration yesterday by making a sugar-full batch of Black Cherry JELL-O for my son, who is home sick with a virus.

Now that he's on the mend (it must've been the JELL-O!), perhaps we'll continue our celebration by making a batch of Stapler JELL-O, a la The Office TV show. (Best. Show. Ever.)

Want to learn how to make Stapler JELL-O? Visit this the link, below:

http://www.jellostapler.com/stapler-in-jello.html




Try as I might, I couldn't find any JELL-O-ish children's books to help you mold (pun intended) the perfect JELL-O week. So, instead, I'm recommending one of my all-time favorite baking books:




BUNNY CAKES
written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Ages 4 and up

Hilarious, poignant . . . and those Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters are simply to die for!

Can't get enough of Max and Ruby and Rosemary Wells? Visit their site at:
http://www.rosemarywells.com/

And, for a literature guide to BUNNY CAKES, visit:
http://school.familyeducation.com/reading-instruction/parenting/30301.html

And, JELL-O wouldn't be complete without some fun and games direct from the official JELL-O website:
http://brands.kraftfoods.com/jello/explore/

P.S. Happy Birthday to my friend and fellow author Ellen A. Kelley, whose cluck-tacular picture book MY LIFE AS A CHICKEN has just been nominated for the California Young Reader Medal!
http://www.ellenakelley.com

Rub-A-Dub-Dub!

I've never enjoyed taking baths. They dry out my skin, the water gets tepid too fast, and what fun is being surrounded by water if there's not enough room to swim? But even if you don't want to celebrate READ IN THE BATHTUB DAY by actually soaking in the tub, you can still honor it by reading these bath/water-themed books:



King Bidgood's in the Bathtub
Written by Audrey Wood
Illustrated by Don Wood



Written by Shar Levine & Leslie Johnstone



Splish Splash
A Collection of Water Poems
Written by Joan Bransfield Graham
Illustrated by Steven M. Scott

GLUB, GLUB, GLUB!

My apologies to all my fellow bubble gum bubblers out there! I missed announcing Bubble Gum Day because I've been stuck (no pun intended) in bed with a horrific virus.

Better late than never! You can start preparing for the 2010 Bubble Gum Day . . . now!

WHAT IS BUBBLE GUM DAY?
It's a fun way to enjoy chewing your favorite gum and raise money for your favorite charity!

WHEN IS BUBBLE GUM DAY?
Annually, on the first Friday in February. Which means Bubble Gum Day 2009 was February 6th.

HOW DO I CELEBRATE BUBBLE GUM DAY?
First, get permission from your principal and your teachers. Then, every kid who brings 50 cents or more to school on Bubble Gum Day gets to chew gum in class! The money collected is donated to charity - - it could even be used to buy books for your school’s library!

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT BUBBLE GUM DAY?
Just visit http://www.bubblegumday.com Or write to info@bubblegumday.com.

WHAT OTHER WADS OF FUN CAN I HAVE ON BUBBLE GUM DAY?
Visit http://www.leewardlaw.com/bubble.htm for bubble gum books, links, activities . . . and more!

WHO STARTED BUBBLE GUM DAY?
A bubbly writer named Ruth Spiro, the author of LESTER FIZZ, BUBBLE GUM ARTIST, illustrated by Thor Wickstrom




Ruth graciously took the time today to answer a few questions:

LEE: What's your favorite brand of bubble gum for blowing bodacious bubbles?
RUTH: I can’t say there’s one brand in particular that’s best - I like them all! However, sugarless gum DOES NOT work for bubble-blowing, it’s too stiff. It’s a good thing my husband is a dentist.

LEE: What was your most embarrassing bubble gum accident?
RUTH: That would be the time I left a package of gum in the pocket of my jeans and forgot to take it out before washing them! I continued to wear those jeans, but the pocket was permanently stuck shut.

LEE: What inspired you to write LESTER FIZZ, BUBBLE GUM ARTIST?
RUTH: The inspiration for this story came from my daughter. She was blowing bubblegum bubbles and said, “What if I could blow bubbles like that guy at the birthday party who made animals out of balloons? Wouldn’t it be cool if I could blow a bubble shaped like a dog?” Yes, that would be very cool!

In addition to researching painting and sculpture while writing my book, I also read a lot about glass blowing, which seemed like a closely related artistic medium.

I’m currently at work on another Lester Fizz adventure – it turns out Lester has many other hidden talents, too!

LEE: How did you come up with the name Lester Fizz?
RUTH: Lester was my father’s name – I wanted a name that wasn’t very common, and I liked the “ssss” sound. For my character’s last name, I needed something that sounded… bubbly! I think “Fizz” does the trick!

LEE: What is your favorite painting? How do you envision it as Lester would've 'blown' it?
RUTH: When I first saw the book, I was delighted to see that one of the famous paintings Thor Wickstrom re-interpreted was “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat. It’s in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where I live, and it never ceases to amaze me. I’ve seen it many, many times. Whenever I read my book to children, I love to point out Lester, floating away at the top. I was thrilled when Thor sent me his original painting of this piece, as a gift!

LEE: What tips do you have for kids who want to grow up to be writers, bubblers, or Lester Fizz?
RUTH: My best advice is to follow Lester’s example: Be open to trying something new, find good friends to cheer you on, and keep at it – if you really want to succeed, don’t give up!

PARENTS! Are you cyberlistening? Here are a few more eye-opening ways that you bug your children:


From Tori, age 15, Rhode Island:

1. I'm pretty sure I have two moms. The "OH MY GOD YOU GOT A D ON THAT MATH QUIZ I'M GOING TO KILL YOU" mom and the "Oh, it's okay, honey, your other grades will make up for it!" mom. Luckily the former often turns into the latter quickly.

2. Mom freaks out over B- grades because I used to be an honor student. High school's got a lot tougher. I've got a D in algebra this quarter, God knows she's not best pleased about that!

3. Mom gets cross with me when I write things that aren't original. Sigh. Can't she see that I'm not creative enough?

4. Whenever Mom punishes my brother she gives him his privilege that she took away back within a day because he begs and whines for it, but she keeps my punishments (which are luckily few and far between) in place until I've done my time.

5. Car-dancing!

And from Denver, age 13, from Ohio:

You hit it right on the spot! My dad and I were at a school party in somewhere around 5th or 6th grade, and we were sipping some punch. Then, out of the blue, my dad just looks at a girl, and said: "Hey, Denver! She's pretty cute!" And to make it even worse, my friend was standing right next to him. (By the way, I almost choked on my punch.) I thought my friend was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. He never let me live that down.

AND, from my Very Own Son, who will turn 13 in May:

Ways My Mom Bugs Me:

1. Enters my room without knocking.
2. Says: "That computer/video game is too violent."
3. Limits my time on the computer/TV.
4. Buys me lame clothes.
5. Makes me go clothes shopping.
6. Gives me sox and underwear as a Christmas gift.
7. Says: "I'll explain that when you're older."
8. SINGS in the car where I can't escape! AAAARRARGGGHHH!!!!!

Ways My Dad Bugs Me:
1. Says: "That TV show is stupid."
2. Falls asleep in front of the TV with the remote clutched in his hand.
3. Snores.
4. SINGS. Even worse than my mom!
5. Doesn't listen to things I say, then asks me to repeat them later.
6. Tells stories about when I was little. (My mom does this too.)
7. Kicks me off the computer to do chores.
8. Never wants to take me to my favorite restaurant for dinner because "it's too expensive."

Gee, and we thought we were PERFECT parents!

(In my defense, I no longer do #1 on the Mom List)

Keep those contest entries coming, folks! Feel free to list them here, or visit my website at
http://www.leewardlaw.com and click on the Just For Kids icon for more contest info.

It's the tooth, the whole tooth, and nuthin' but the tooth: Your pets need dental care, too! Professional care. Did you ever see a cat try to floss her own teeth? It ain't pretty.

So get your dogs and cats (and snakes?) to the vet this month for a thorough oral cleaning. And for more info about National Pet Dental Health Month, visit the NPDHM website at:
http://www.petdental.com





Of course, I have a mouthful of recommendations of children's books to help you celebrate this month. But I'm going to limit myself to Just One because it's one of my all-time favs:




Doctor De Soto
written and illustrated by William Steig

I discovered this book back in 1979 when I was working as a "Tooth Fairy." (Don't ask.) It's the story of compassionate mouse-dentist Dr. De Soto, who treats and outwits a fox with a toothache - -and a hefty appetite. This is a classic that won many, many awards, including a Newbery Honor Medal.

To see sample pages from Doctor De Soto, and to learn more about William Steig, please visit his website at:
http://www.williamsteig.com/drdesoto.htm

Inspire a life-long love of reading: Celebrate your favorite children’s book authors and illustrators this week!

Or, better yet: all year long!

For tips on how YOU - - students, educators, care-givers and others who love children’s literature - - can celebrate CAIW with events at your school, bookstore, library and home, visit:
http://www.childrensauthorsnetwork.com/caiw.htm

The members of my writers’ group (who also happen to be some of my favorite children's book authors!) make school visits too. To learn more about us, our books and our programs, please visit our websites:



Thalia Chaltas
http://www.thaliachaltas.com



Mary Hershey
http://www.maryhershey.com
http://maryhershey.livejournal.com/



Valerie Hobbs
http://www.valeriehobbs.com
http://valeriehobbswritingforlife.blogspot.com/



R.L. La Fevers
http://www.rllafevers.com/
http://rllafevers.blogspot.com/



Lee Wardlaw
http://www.leewardlaw.com

AH-CHOOOOOO!

On this day in 1893, one day after Thomas Edison's "Black Maria" studio was completed at West Orange, NJ, cameraman William K.L. Dickson shot the first 'close-up' in film history. The result? 'The Record of a Sneeze', a silent, black-and-white movie starring Edison's assistant, Fred P. Ott. This film short (and I don't use the word 'short' loosely - the running time is 5 seconds!) was also the first motion picture to receive a U.S. copyright (1894).






SNEEZE TRIVIA:

Another word for sneezing is sternutation.

The main purpose of a sneeze is to expel something irritating from inside your nose.

Abdominal, chest, diaphragm, throat, vocal and eyelid muscles all work together to create a sneeze. (Whew! No wonder you're so tired after more than one!)

About one in four people has an inherited trait called photic sneezing. This means they sneeze when looking at the sun or other bright light.

It is impossible to keep your eyes open during a sneeze.

The longest sneezing fit lasted 978 days and was experienced by Donna Griffiths of the U.K., who began ah-
chooing at age 12 on January 13, 1981, and finally wiped her nose for the last time on September 16th, 1983.

Yours truly can sneeze eight times in a row without stopping.(but only during allergy season)

I named the main character of my novels '101 Ways to Bug Your Parents' and '101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher' Stephen "Sneeze' Wyatt, in memory of my many sniffly days in junior high . . .


BOOKS ABOUT ALL THINGS SNEEZE-LY:



The Flea's Sneeze
by Lynn Downey
illustrated by Karla Firehammer




SNEEZE!
by Alexandra Siy
illustrated by Dennis Kunkel



Sniffles, Sneezes, HIccups and Coughs
by Penny Durant

Howzit, brah? Are your students bummin’ ‘bout the snow, sleet, ice and icicles? Den wat you waitin’ fo? Put away da coats and boots, step into da grass skirt and slippahs (flip-flops), and host a Hawaiian luau in da classroom! To get your keiki (kids) in the mood, read ‘um some Island books, too, eh? And for more info about Hula in the Coola Day, visit: www.iparty.com




Moki and the Magic Surfboard
Written and Illustrated by Bruce Hale
www.brucehale.com




Punia and the King of Sharks
By Lee Wardlaw
Illustrated by Felipe Davalos
http://www.leewardlaw.com/punia.htm




The Royal Diaries of Kaiulani:
The People’s Princess, Hawaii 1889
By Ellen Emerson White





Hula Lullaby
Written and Illutrated by Erin Eitter Kono
http://www.eekono.com/





Surfer of the Century:
The Life of Duke Kahanamoku
By Ellie Crowe
http://www.elliecrowe.com/
Illustrated by Richard Waldrep
http://www.donnarosenartists.com/index.php?navarea=Books&artist=22