BUANA KIFARU'S BIG FOOT: A JAMBO STORY

When my husband and I were in East Africa, our guide told us a folktale about a silly lion which I retold and have on my website. I used a few Swahili words in the story. (I will post that story on the blog soon.) I decided to make up several more stories and put them together in the JAMBO series. "Jambo" in Swahili means hello.

Buana Kifaru's Big Foot is about Mr. Rhinoceros. Mr. Rhinoceros (Buana Kifaru) was a snob. Everyone in his family was a snob. They thought that big is better than small. I am using the word "was" and "thought" because Buana Kifaru and his family learned an important lesson.

Loving miniatures as I do, I have a lot of respect for small things. Large things too!

CLICK to read the story.

TATTLE-TALE-TILLIE

CLICK for an enlarged view of the picture

TATTLE-TALE-TILLIE--the story

I started writing rhyming stories in 2003. The second story that I wrote focuses on the problem of "tattling." Children are often given mixed messages... they are told not to tattle , but to tell. Children do not always know the difference and it is important that they be taught.

"Tattling" is telling on someone with the purpose of getting that other person in trouble. What that other person is doing is not dangerous or insulting...not hurtful in anyway. For example,Ellie might say to her teacher, " Mrs. Trent, Cara is not coloring her picture !"If Cara is not doing an assignment, it is the teacher's concern, not Ellie's.

"Telling" is relating something important because it could be hurtful. In the example above, Ellie might say to her teacher, "Mrs. Trent, Cara is throwing not coloring her picture but is throwing the crayons at Lorraine" This is potentially hurtful. Lorraine might be hit in the eye. Lorraine's feelings might be hurt. Other children might start throwing their crayons causing danger and chaos.

In the story, Tattle-Tale-Tillie, Tillie, the tattler learns that tattling is not fun to do at all. The story explains the difference between tattling and telling.

There is a song in the story. It was difficult to use the word tattling, because it could be pronounced two different ways: tatt-ling or tatt-el-ing. However, the message comes across.

CLICK for the story.

CLICK to hear the song about Tillie

COLLAPSIBLE DOLL HOUSE

When my children were young, I made some of their toys. It was a way I could show my children how much I loved them. I made a road system for my son's small cars. I wanted a doll house for my daughter.

Living in a fairly small-sized apartment, we had to make use of every inch of space.

Doll houses are often large and space-consuming. What should I do?

I made a collapsible, easy-to-store dollhouse. It was made with love for someone precious to me.

The second picture shows the house with mini-furniture and accessories.

CLICK to see more pictures