Book Blogger Appreciation Week/Unexpected!

I was born in Brooklyn and raised in New York my whole life, so I'm certainly NO Cowgirl and my idea of camping out is anything below a Marriot level hotel...

So when fellow Yellow Brick Road
http://welcometoybr.blogspot.com/
Member(s) /Blogger Leslie Zampetti (pictured to the right)http://zampettilw.wordpress.com/ and Rob Saunders highly recommended that I read Tammi  Sauer's picture book COWBOY CAMP I was thinking, "Thanks, sweeties, but No." Of course, I am always open to trying anything once, so I skeedaddled myself down to the library and pulled a copy of COWBOY CAMP off the shelf. Well, before I had even gotten to the end, I had already formulated a plan to leave the library and head right to the bookstore to purchase my very own copy to KEEP! Now if that's not an unexpected turn of events, I don't know what is!

COWBOY CAMP by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Mike Reed, features a young boy who wants to be a cowboy very badly, although he doesn't have all the "usual" cowboy makings. Through a series of trial and error, Avery learns what it REALLY takes to be a cowboy, and provides a satisfying, fun ending for the reader.
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And since my story is short and sweet, I think I'll share a little anecdote about New Yorkers and cattle. When I was growing up I had a close friend named Danielle who lived next door. When I was twelve, her family had to move to Texas. I was devastated. So my parents decided to fly me from New York to Texas to stay with them  for the summer. While I was there I got bit by fire ants. The next day, on the way to Humble Vacation Bible School  we couldn't unload off the bus, because a longhorn blocked the exit from the bus into the church. When I called my mom and told her about these exciting stories (that could never, ever happen in New York), my Mother, who had lived in New York her whole life, covered the receiver (but I could hear her), said "Johnny, we've gotta get her out of that place! There's wild animals all over!"

I guess she meant the cattle and the fire ants. I laugh everytime I think of this. Wild Animals LOL

Back to our topic: Unexpected! Since that first unexpected delight, compliments of Leslie and Rob, I have gone on to enjoy several other picture books by Tammi Sauer: Chicken Dance, and Mostly Monsterly. Lots of fun -- Check them out!

Writing Prompt/Thinking Inside of the Box With Tammi Sauer

On this totally wonderful Tuesday, I am pleased to present Tammi Sauer (and Bernadette) with a fun writing exercise in which Tammi invites you to "think inside the box." If you don't already know Tammi and her fabulous books, I am proud to introduce them to you. "Cowboy Camp" and "Chicken Dance" are two of my family's favorites! And of course we will run out and get "Mostly Monsterly" as Bernadette is making her big picture book debut TODAY!!! I hope that you will too!

Writing Excercise:

Imagine your main character has a top secret box tucked away in the deepest part of her closet...behind the clothes, past the shoes, and underneath a pile of games. What's inside the box? What would your main character do if her mom found the box? What if her little brother found the box and shared it with everyone in the school?

Psst! Some Scoop on Tammi:

Tammi grew up on a farm outside the small town of Victoria, Kansas. While there, she chased pigs, kept tabs on the cows, and occasionally danced with chickens. These days, Tammi lives with her husband, their two children, and way too many pets in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Tammi is a former teacher and library media specialist.

She cannot parallel park.

Tammi's Picture Books:

Cowboy Camp (Sterling, 2005)
Chicken Dance (Sterling, 2009)
Mostly Monsterly (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster, 2010)
Mr. Duck Means Business (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster, 2011)
Bawk and Roll (Sterling, 2011)
Me Want Pet! (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster, 2012)
Princess-in-Training (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, forthcoming)
Oh, Nuts! (Bloomsbury, forthcoming)

Website: www.tammisauer.com
Blog: http://tamarak.livejournal.com/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmqzNJZ11mg

Mostly Monsterly

by Tammi Sauer; illustrated by Scott Magoon
(Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster, 2010)

"Bernadette was mostly monsterly.
She lurched.
She growled.
She caused mayhem of all kinds.
But, underneath the fangs and fur, Bernadette had a deep dark secret...."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Coming soon!
Mr. Duck Means Business (Simon & Schuster)


Tammi's latest:
Chicken Dance (Sterling)
2009 NAPPA Gold Medal Award
2010 Winner of the Oklahoma Book Award
2010 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best book
2011 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee
2010-2011 Buckaroo Book Award Nominee
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For freebies, fun, and much, much more, check out www.elvispoultrybooks.com. It'll have you all shook up.