Please tell us a little about yourself!

I’m a children’s author, writing fiction and nonfiction in both prose and verse for kids ages 0-12. My debut picture book, Mud to the Rescue! How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive, is a lyrical nonfiction look at the ingenious ways animals around the world use mud. It came out on May 20, 2025, from Web of Life Children’s Books. My ghost story for 9-12 year-olds, “Danger in the Dunes,” was chosen to represent Indiana in the anthology for middle graders, The Haunted States of America, published by Macmillan’s Laura Godwin Books in 2024. I am also a freelance writer and editor, and have been for over thirty-five years.

I live in the beautiful woods of southern Indiana, and enjoy outdoor adventures in Indiana and the Southwest, including hiking, white water rafting, and birdwatching, as well as indoor time reading and puzzling.

What inspired you to write this book?

Being an animal lover, I’m always fascinated with animals’ lives and how they are each a part of nature in their own ways. While reading about some favorite species, I discovered a common thread: hundreds use mud for various reasons in their lives, including to protect their skin from sun or parasites, to build homes, to eat as a stomach aid, to secure their nests or offspring, and even to have fun! Once I started researching, the hard part was deciding which animals to focus on while writing, because they are all so unique and interesting!

Did you encounter any challenges along the way?

Definitely. I’ve been researching and writing on this idea for eight years in various forms, trying to find the right combination of information and presentation. The story has been browsable nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, informational fiction, nonfiction in prose, and nonfiction in free verse. I’ve also completed a couple of R&R’s for editors, with the book making it to Acquisitions but being ultimately passed on, by Marketing in one instance. After this happened, I decided to step back and reevaluate, deciding to revise the story to make the book FUN, using free verse with lots of alliteration and onomatopoeia and focusing on fewer well-known animals who use mud in similar ways.

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I’d love for readers to see that animals encounter problems in their lives and can figure out ways to solve them, just like kids can. Some of their clever solutions are ingrained or taught, while others they figure out themselves. I’d also love for readers to enjoy learning more about these animals, and use that as a jumping off point for being curious about all animals, especially ones they see around them.

Book Title: Mud to the Rescue! How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive
Author: Tanya Konerman
Illustrator: Melanie Cataldo
Publisher: Web of Life Children’s Books
ISBN: 9781970039092
Release Date: May 20, 2025

Find the Teacher’s Guide on the Web of Life website

Are there any other projects you’re excited about right now?

Yes! I am currently signing a contract with a publisher for another picture book (TBA 2027) focusing on animals and conservation (shhhh!). I’ve also been reworking a historical fiction picture book to be more contemporary, and am branching out into writing a free verse book for middle graders.

How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?

My website is a good way: www.tanyakonerman.com. I have a free monthly newsletter that people can subscribe to on there as well.

I’m also on socials:

BlueSky: tanyakonerman.bsky.social

IG: @tanyakonerman

Facebook: @Tanya Coats Konerman

Bonus question – Feel free to choose one of the following questions to answer if
you’d like to. When and where do you normally write?
I work from my home, surrounded by forest. I’m able to see and hear birds, deer, squirrels, raccoons, turkeys, turtles, frogs, and so much more all around me as I write. On warm days, I take my writing outside. In winter, I write early, 4am or 5am to start. In summer, I often switch that around to coincide with being able to write outside in nature.

Thank you so much for spending time with me talking about your new book, Tanya!

Sign up for my newsletter and never miss an interview! Newsletters also contain other exciting book news and events where you can find me: http://eepurl.com/h0lf6D

Click here to read the previous author interview.

The post Interview with Author Tanya Konerman first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

Rebecca, please tell us a little about yourself!

I write books about science and nature for kids. My love of nature traces back to my childhood. I grew up in the Pennsylvania countryside and played in the woods constantly.

That early connection with nature led me to study the life sciences in college and then to go on to graduate school. Early in my career, I worked as a plant biologist. But after I had children, I realized I wanted to share my love of science and nature with others, and I started writing for kids. I’ve written close to 100 books for children and teens, almost all of them on STEM topics.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was trying to write a picture book on pollinators, but ultimately the manuscript got rejected. You can read the full story here.

I finally decided to take the book in a different direction. Through my research on pollinators, I had found that I was fascinated by the diversity of pollinators with wings—bees, bats, hummingbirds. I decided to refocus and write a riddle book that explored different things with wings—and the different things that wings can do.

Did you encounter any challenges along the way?

The biggest challenge was teaching myself to write in rhyme. I had never done it before. It took a while to figure it out, and I wrote a lot of bad rhyme along the way. But I found I got better the more I did it, and now I love writing in rhyme.

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I hope they enjoy guessing the answers to the riddles. I hope they fall in love with Sally Soweol Han’s dreamy illustrations. And I hope the book sparks wonder about the winged things that share our world.

Have you developed any additional activities or teacher’s guides to extend the learning experience when reading your book? 

A teacher’s guide is in the works!

Book Title: Wonder Wings: Guess Who’s Flying

Author: Rebecca E. Hirsch

Illustrator: Sally Soweol Han

Publisher: Abrams Kids

ISBN: 1419769251

Release Date: April 15, 2025

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snickett. I grabbed it from the YA shelf at my local library because I thought it looked interesting, and I love author’s voice. I also just finished Candace Fleming’s YA nonfiction book, The Enigma Girls, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Are there any other projects you’re excited about right now?

I’m working on a follow-up riddle book on animal feet. It’s also illustrated by Sally Soweol Han, and it comes out next spring. I can’t wait to share that book next year!

How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?

They can contact me on my website, www.rebeccahirsch.com, and on Instagram @rebeccaehirsch. They can also read my newsletter at https://rebeccaehirsch.substack.com/.

Thank you, Rebecca!

Sign up for my newsletter and never miss an interview: http://eepurl.com/h0lf6D

Read previous author interviews to learn about more newly-released books!

Stephanie Gibeault, Teri Drobnick, Jessica Fries-Gaither

The post Interview with author Rebecca E. Hirsch on Wonder Wings first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

Hello, Alisha. Thank you for hosting me on your blog! I’m a former biologist and dog trainer turned children’s author. I enjoy writing humorous fiction, but my main love is nonfiction about animals. I’ve loved nature my entire life and fondly remember my childhood summers at the cottage searching for snakes and racing turtles. It’s no surprise I ended up studying biology, earning a bachelor’s degree in ecology and a Master of Science in animal behavior. After working as a gorilla researcher for a number of years, I found my way to dog training where I taught families to appreciate the canine point of view. Now I work as a freelance writer and write books for children. Most of my manuscripts feature animals, of course, including the picture book we’re talking about today – Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses. It’s my fifth book to date and I have a sixth coming out in August of 2025.

What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired to write about dog sensory perception after years of dog training. My clients would often look at their dogs as furry little people, interpreting their behavior through a human lens. I enjoyed helping them appreciate the way their dogs actually saw the world. For example, dogs interpret their environment predominately through scent versus sight, so no wonder they love to sniff fire hydrants or other dogs’ butts! This book is my way of passing on that knowledge to young readers.
Did you encounter any challenges along the way?

This book is a companion to my middle grade book Making Sense of Dog Senses: How Our Furry Friends Experience the World (illustrated by Raz Latif). So one of the biggest challenges was presenting similar science for a younger audience. I needed to keep the information, such as depth perception or color vision, at the right age level. Another challenge was writing the jokes. I decided to include a joke for each sense, and I wanted something silly that kids would have fun repeating. In the Kirkus review of the book, the reviewer called the jokes “cheesy dad jokes,” so I think I can say goal accomplished!

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I truly hope kids take away an appreciation that we don’t all experience the world in the same way. Just as every animal has their own perception, each human is unique, and if we can learn to recognize and value that, I think the world would be a much kinder place. I also hope readers are fascinated by the science in the book and inspired to learn more about dogs and their behavior. The more we understand dogs, the better stewards we can be for their care.

Have you developed any additional activities or teacher’s guides to extend the learning experience when reading your book? 

I don’t as yet have any additional activities or teacher’s guides but keep an eye on my website as I hope to post some soon. However, there is a fabulous educational poster that the publisher, Owlkids Books, created for Making Sense of Dog Senses that readers and educators might enjoy. It shows a labeled illustration of a bloodhound’s head explaining why they are such powerful sniffers.

• Book Title: Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses
• Author: Stephanie Gibeault
• Illustrator: Bambi Edlund
• Publisher: Owlkids Books
• ISBN: 9781771475785
• Release Date: March 18, 2025

Are there any other projects you’re excited about right now?

I’m excited to teach for the Highlights Foundation again this June. The course is called Building Brilliant Book Proposals, and my agent Jacqui Lipton and I will be explaining how to craft compelling nonfiction book proposals. It’s going to be two evenings crammed full of helpful information. I’m also excited about my upcoming picture book biography of a beehive sniffing detection dog. The Dog Who Saved the Bees (illustrated by David Hohn, published by Sleeping Bear Press) comes out on August 1, 2025, and tells the true story of Cybil Preston, the chief apiary inspector for the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and her sniffer dog Mack. Cybil needed a detection dog to protect bees from a deadly disease, but when she rescued Mack from a lonely life in a garage, she faced an uphill struggle teaching the untrained and easily distracted dog to focus and do his job. After nine years of service, Mack retired this past summer, so I’m thrilled we can celebrate his hard work with this book.

Bonus question! When and where do you normally write?

As I’m a freelance writer as well as a children’s author, some days I feel like I never leave my keyboard. I usually start writing after I’ve had my morning cup of tea and often keep going until dinnertime or beyond. But that’s okay because I love what I do! I’m fortunate to have an office dedicated to my writing with packed bookshelves on one wall and huge windows on the other.

How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?

I’m most active on Bluesky (@stephaniegibeault.bsky.social) and Instagram (@stephanie_gibeault). People can also find me on LinkedIn (Stephanie Gibeault). The best way to get in touch is through my website stephaniegibeault.com.

Thank you for stopping by to answer some questions about your new book!

Check out the other author interviews I’ve shared so far with Teri Drobnick and Jessica Fries-Gaither.

Never miss an interview! Sign up for my newsletter where you’ll receive bonus book news with each interview.

The post Author Interview with Stephanie Gibeault, Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

Book Title: MOVING DAY

Author: Teri Roche Drobnick

Illustrator: Jennifer Black Reinhardt

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House

ISBN: 9780823452590

Release Date: March 11, 2025

Please tell us a little about yourself!

Many of my picture book storylines have been influenced by my previous career as a clinical social worker—from chronic illness and grief to LGBTQ. But I also enjoy writing lighter, sing-along, and rhyming picture books. Additionally, I write for adults—magazine articles, and a memoir entitled A Daughter’s Long Goodbye, And Friendships Stronger Than Alzheimer’s. It’s a love story to my father who died of Alzheimer’s and is currently out on submission. When I’m not writing, I adore hiking, but my primary passion is rowing. I live in Petaluma, CA, just north of San Francisco, where my story takes place. My husband and I reside in our 1911 Craftsman home, where we raised our two daughters.

When and where do you normally write?

I am extremely fortunate to have a dreamy sunroom office. I start my morning by making a cup of decaf, then get to work—my Goldendoodle assistant, Hobie, by my side. Sitting at my reclaimed wood desk, the warmth of the sunlight streams through the climbing wisteria branches just outside my windows. I can be found in my office every weekday and sometimes on the weekend if the characters in my story won’t leave me alone! As I read my manuscripts out loud, the sound of the melodic prose mesmerizes my assistant, Hobie. If he lays down and covers his ears, I know something isn’t working. But when he sits up and tilts his head to the side in interest, I know I have a winner. I’m fortunate to be doing something I love; my goal is to bring joy to my readers as well. I am motivated by the possibility of instilling empathy in my young audience.

What inspired you to write this book?

MOVING DAY is inspired by the 139-year-old San Francisco Victorian House that was moved six blocks in 2021. The news article came to my attention by way of my friend Mary. She texted me a news clip of the real-life “Englander House” and said, “This would make a great children’s book.” Before this, I’d had friends present me with ideas for picture books, but nothing had ever resonated like this story. I immediately went online to look up every article I could find about the Englander House and started writing. By that afternoon, I had completed my first draft. It was truly the easiest manuscript I had ever written. Part of this was because I was able to use the real story for material—workers had to move street signs and trim trees to make room for the house to travel the six blocks to its new location. Police cars stopped traffic, and people gathered to watch, just like a parade. All this made it into the storyline.

Although I didn’t experience any particular obstacles in the writing of this book, it has been a journey getting here—filled with the ups and downs of a roller coaster ride. When I first started writing children’s picture books, there was a steep learning curve. I joined the Society of Book Writers and Illustrators, took classes, joined critique groups, and attended conferences. I began submitting my manuscripts to publishing houses and agents, only to receive a landslide of rejections. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. After a couple of years of feeling discouraged, dejected, and demoralized, I met my agent, Steve Fraser, at a conference. He asked me to send three of my stories, and he offered me representation that same week! I thought, this is it, I’ve made it. But the rejections continued to compile. But after two years, he sold Moving Day, my debut. Three years after signing the book contract, I am thrilled to say that the book is now available for preorder, and I am planning my book launch for March 15, 2025! So, my advice to writers who are not yet published—DON’T GIVE UP!

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

Moving can be a difficult transition. Part of the motivation for writing this book was my daughter’s difficulty with a move when she was five. But any kind of change can also be positive. Moving can strengthen family bonds and teach children how to cope with new situations, how to be flexible, and how to make new friends. All this can lead to self-confidence.

Have you developed any additional activities or teacher’s guides to extend the learning experience when reading your book? 

There are many ways teachers can tie MOVING DAY into their curriculum: math, architecture, art… I have included resources on the MOVING DAY page of my website for teachers: https://www.teridrobnick.com/moving-day.  The resources include video instructions on how to draw houses and buildings, videos on how buildings are moved (including the TV news article of the real-life Englander House the book is based on), as well as books and videos on architecture for kids. There are also activities on my website, one of which is building a paper city.

Are there any other projects you’re excited about right now?

After three years of working full-time on my memoir, A Daughter’s Long Goodbye, And Friendships Stronger Than Alzheimer’s, it is now in the hands of my agent, so I am free to immerse myself back into the world of kidlit. I have a couple of new picture book manuscripts I’m excited about. My agent has them both out on submission, so keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned…

What are you currently reading?

When I’m not reading picture books, I love reading novels and memoirs. I have always enjoyed reading—I was the kid who read with a flashlight under the covers way after “lights out.” I’m currently reading The God of the Woods by Liz Moore for my book group; it’s an engaging mystery/drama that has me enthralled. I’m also reading The Patriot by Alexei Navalny, an intriguing yet disturbing memoir. On vacation recently, I read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, a historical novel based on the real-life experiences of an 18^th-century midwife. It was a fascinating tale that kept me turning the pages.

How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?

My website is the best way to contact me, and I love hearing from other writers and readers: teridrobnick.com

I’m also on social media:

Instagram.com/teri.drobnick

Facebook.com/teri.drobnick

x.com/teridrobnick

Thank you so much for sharing about your journey and experiences writing this book, Teri!

The post Interview with debut author Teri Roche Drobnick first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

This made me think of handmade signs in my area. Chalkboard signs, menus, murals, you name it! From big cities to small towns, new or old. Some signs are so faded that they’re barely decipherable. But, wow, do they have character! Here’s a mural that I drive by every week and love.

Here’s the challenge: If you’re a writer, choose letters from hand-lettered signs to spell out the working title of your work in progress, or even just the topic of your project. (Hint: This can be done online, too.) How do you feel about the letters you chose? Do they lend levity to a serious topic? Could they direct you to a distinct perspective that hasn’t been explored before? If you’re writing fiction, what do the styles tell you about your character? For illustrators, how would choosing a different style of lettering effect the placement of a title on a book cover? What do you notice about the size and readability of the different styles?

Hopefully, by allowing your mind to play, you’ll loosen up your creative juices!

Subscribe to my newsletter for occasional book news and updates. Happy writing!

The post Hand-Lettered Inspiration for Writers and Illustrators first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

I’d love to book some school visits in the spring to celebrate this new book! If you’ve never seen me present, check out the two videos I posted on my website to see snippets of two different presentations: https://alishagabriel.com/school-visits/

Book: Fungi are…More Than Mushrooms

Author: Alisha Gabriel

Illustrator: Vivien Sárkány

Publisher: Tielmour Press

ISBN: 9781998426089

Forthcoming: March, 15 2025

See more of Vivien’s beautiful work at: https://www.instagram.com/viviensarkany/

The post Cover Reveal for Fungi are…More Than Mushrooms first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

Please tell us a little about yourself!

Jessica: I’ve loved reading, writing, and science my entire life. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood include weekly trips to the public library where we’d check out more books than we could carry and classes and workshops at our local parks and science museum. I also recently discovered a stack of construction paper books that I had made as an eight or nine-year old; all but one were about science topics. It was no wonder, then, that these elements wove their way into my professional life. I’ve been a science educator for 25 years and have taught students ranging from first grade to graduate students. I’m currently an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Before temporarily relocating to DC, I served as the Science Department Chair and Lower School Science Specialist at Columbus School for Girls in Columbus, OH. I have published six books to date (three books for teachers and three nonfiction picture books), with two more nonfiction picture books on the way in 2024 and 2025!

What inspired you to write this book?

Jessica: The idea for Nature’s Rule Breakers came from a tweet I came across during a doom-scrolling session during the pandemic. It simply read, “Biology isn’t binary.” I liked it, reposted it, and kept scrolling, but the idea stuck. I started thinking about all the ways we (myself included) teach kids about living things in binaries: producer/consumer, nocturnal/diurnal, warm-blooded/cold-blooded, etc., when really, almost everything exists on some sort of spectrum. I thought kids would enjoy reading about what I call the “in-betweeners:” bold animals that are both, notable creatures that are neither, and fantastic living things that don’t quite fit.

Did you encounter any challenges along the way?

Jessica: Every book has challenges! The two major ones were deciding which of many possible examples to include in the book (there are so many great ones out there!) and working to explain sometimes sophisticated scientific concepts in an accessible yet accurate way for young readers. Fortunately, I had some help on both fronts. Dr. Stephanie Nelson, a friend and fellow colleague at Columbus School for Girls, helped with brainstorming and Sara Levine, a talented children’s author and science expert, helped me wrestle with some tricky wording. And of course I would be remiss without thanking my critique partners who also provided feedback.

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

Jessica: My hope for readers (whether children or the adults who read with and to them) is two-pronged. First, I hope they take away the idea that nature is quite complex and full of grey, not black-and-white binaries. And second, I hope that this helps them think about their fellow humans with the same complexity and understanding.

Are there any projects you’re excited about right now?

Jessica: I have a new book, Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions, with NSTA Kids coming in November. And I recently signed a contract for another picture book, but I can’t share the details just yet. And while I haven’t written much since landing in DC, my brain is FULL of ideas for new projects. I’ve been joking that my to-write list is starting to rival my to-be-read list, which is saying something.

How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?

Jessica: I’m active in quite a few places on social media: Facebook (Jessica Fries-Gaither—Author), X, Instagram, and BlueSky (@JessicaFGWrites) and Linked In (Jessica Fries-Gaither). My website is jessicafriesgaither.com.

Have you developed any additional activities or teacher’s guides to extend the learning experience when reading your book?

Jessica: While I haven’t created a teacher’s guide, I did write a guest blog for Beth Anderson’s blog called Especially for Educators: Investigating the Structure and Function of Rule-Breaking Plants which details a simple science activity to accompany the book.

Book: Nature’s Rule Breakers: Creatures That Don’t Fit In

Author: Jessica Fries-Gaither

Publisher: Millbrook Press

ISBN-10: ‎ 1728477204

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1728477206

I highly recommend adding this book to your own personal library as well as your school and public libraries! To support authors and independent bookstores, consider ordering through my bookshop link: https://bookshop.org/shop/Need2Read (I am an affiliate and *might* earn a small amount from purchases through this link.)

The post Author Interview with Jessica Fries-Gaither first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

1. Sing the song or target phrase with lyrics.
2. Sing the song or target phrase with rhythm syllables.
3. Sing while clapping or playing the patterns on instruments, or with audiation.
4. Write or reproduce the target phrase.
5. Read or write rhythm patterns that differ slightly from the target phrase.
6. Fill in missing parts of a phrase, either with paper and pencil, on a white board, with prepared rhythm cards, or on a device.
7. Form 4-beat phrases with prepared rhythm cards, or rearrange sets of cards.
8. Improvise new patterns that vary by a beat or more from a known pattern.
9. Learn a new song by reading the rhythms of the song as the teacher sings.
10. Listen to music of the masters that incorporates the new rhythm.

Here’s a reading sequence that has worked for me: moving from the target phrase of ‘hill and gully’ from Hill and Gully Rider to phrase 1 of Come Thru Now Hurry, to phrase 1 of Weevily Wheat. For these and other rhythms, go the Rhythms page here.

Come Thru Now Hurry

The post Practicing Syncopation in Elementary School first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

1. It has a catchy tune that students enjoy.
2. We need to incorporate multicultural music in our lessons, and this one is accessible to students.
3. Instead of playing the traditional passing game in a circle, try playing a modified version. (More information below.)
4. This song can be used with multiple grade levels. Change the focus depending on the concept they’re studying.
5. Add a simple low so,-do ostinato while singing and playing to help keep the beat.

In which grade level do you teach your students the concept of low so,? Teach the song to that grade level and use it to practice the low so,-do interval. Here are solfege only examples in F and G.

In which grade level do you teach your students dotted quarter notes followed by eighth notes? Teach the song to that grade level and use it to practice those rhythms. Here are examples with only the rhythms, and on the staff without lyrics in F and G.

This game also provides a strong framework to practice steady beat. If you have older beginners, use it to practice a limited number of pitches (low so,-do-re-mi). More information about this song can be found on the Holy Names University Kodaly Center Collection.

Modified Game: (A local fast food restaurant donated plastic cups for my music class. After a class uses them, I sanitize them for the next group.) Each student has a cup in front of them on their right side. They pick up the cup on the anacrusis, turn it and put it down to their left on the next beat. They continue picking up and turning it, end to end and side to side, on each beat until the triki-triki-trón. For that part, they tap to one side, tap on the other, and return the cup to the original position. But you don’t have to play it this way. If there are other motions you’d rather use, please do. I made these up.

A colleague made a different passing game to go with the song Long Road of Iron that is similar. It uses the four corners of a desk or carpet square. Students tap in each corner in order until the end. They sing and play several times, getting faster in each round.

What else can you do with cups? For The Pebble Song and Button You Must Wander, I place an object under three cups and move it around as the students sing. At the end of the song, someone guesses which cup hides the object.

How have you modified games?

The post Alcitrón with a modified cup game first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.

Here are a few things I like to do with this song:

1. Add an ostinato. Use phrase two and add boomwhackers, xylophones, hand chimes, or unpitched percussion.

2. Sing it as a partner song with Mango Walk, another Jamaican folk song. The first time you try it, consider letting them sing Mango Walk while you sing Sweet Potatoes, or, if you’re singing Mango Walk, leave out the first word so they don’t get confused about where to come in. That pesky little anacrusis makes starting the song tricky for some students.

3. Use phrase one of Sweet Potatoes for solfége reading practice. One of my favorite ways to approach the so re fa mi do pattern is to begin with so fa mi re do using magnets or notes on the SMART board. Then, after singing it a few different ways (so fa / so fa mi / so fa mi re / so re) move the re into second place, right after the so. Students tend to enjoy singing fa in different patterns, not just the standard do re mi fa so and so fa mi re do order.

4. Finally, focus on the rhythms. If you’re preparing tam-di (or ta—di, or whichever counting system you use) with the song Liza Jane, Sweet Potatoes is a natural choice for rhythm practice. Phrases one and three begin much like phrase three and four of Liza Jane, and the rest of the rhythms are well-known and accessible. In fact, you could include the rhythms from phrase one of Sweet Potatoes in a song match to ensure they’re internalizing the rhythms. Other songs and phrases to consider including: phrase three of Liza Jane, phrase one of Chairs to Mend, and phrase two of John Kanaka. Just be clear with your students about which phrases of each song you’re including in the match.

Additional folk song examples with lyrics can be found here, and rhythm only examples here.

The post Sweet Potatoes first appeared on Alisha Gabriel's Website.