All posts by kathymacmillan

A Special Song and Giveaway!: Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?

Resources for Educators and Librarians, Resources for Signing with Babies, Signing with Young Children, Songs and Rhymes

Today I’m featuring a guest post from Dawn Babb Prochovnic, author of the excellent Story Time with Signs and Rhymes series (more about that here), about her upcoming releases and some exciting ways to use them in storytime!

Take it away, Dawn!

Hello Readers and Signers!

Kathy was kind enough to invite me to write a guest post on her blog to celebrate the upcoming release of my two latest picture books: Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? and Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? These new books are geared for young readers ages 3-8, but they will appeal to potty humorists of all ages.

Although these new books don’t incorporate sign language like my Story Time with Signs & Rhymes series, in my experience, most books can be enriched with sign language with just a little bit of advanced planning. For example, I recently developed a detailed sign language story time lesson plan for folks who are interested in some comic relief while toilet training. You can find that lesson plan here.

That said, these new books are more aptly categorized as potty-humor books, vs. potty-training books. Given that I’ve taught Sing and Sign workshops for the past twenty years, music and sign language are infused in just about everything I do. Over the past couple of months, I had the unique opportunity to work with two different musicians to create a children’s song for each of my new books. I couldn’t be more pleased with how they turned out.

For the Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? song, I worked with singer, songwriter and performing musician, Marshall Mitchell.

You can listen to our song here.

Kids of all ages love to sing and sign AND they love to laugh. Singing and signing along with the Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? song creates a perfect opportunity to incorporate all three of these fun activities.

I’ve included the song lyrics for Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? below, noting in bold some of the words you might consider signing along with. TIP: Don’t feel pressured to sign more words than you are comfortable with. It’s perfectly okay to start by signing only one or two key words, (for example, WHERE or POTTY) that repeat throughout the song. As your American Sign Language vocabulary (and your confidence) develops and grows, you can add more signs each time you sing. Rest assured, kids are likely to ask you to repeat the song again and again!

Here are the lyrics:

Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?

Lyrics by Marshall Mitchell and Dawn Prochovnic; Music written and performed by Marshall Mitchell

When she’s exploring nature…out west.

And her belly starts to feel somewhat distressed.

Out in the canyon or the brush…when she feels the need to rush.

Where does a cowgirl go potty?

When she’s out there on the wide and open range.

And her tummy starts to feel a little strange.

Because waiting is the worst…she thinks she just may burst.

Where does a cowgirl go potty?

Now she can’t go just anywhere…’Cause other folks go potty there.

She’ll find a place and then…it’s just beyond the next bend.

She knew it when she saw…then gave a big, “Yee-Haw!”

This is where a cowgirl goes potty.

Now, this is where a cowgirl goes potty.

Here are links to some reputable video-based resources for the bolded American Sign Language vocabulary , along with some brief reminder notes to help jog your memory as you are learning the signs:

  • BURST: Hands make exploding motion
  • COWBOY/COWGIRL: Think of a gunslinger
  • CAN’T (CANNOT): Pointer finger scolds/slaps other pointer finger
  • DISTRESSED: Think of nervous jazz hands
  • EXPLORE: Palm-down “V” handshapes looks/explores
  • FEEL: Middle finger brushes chest
  • FIND: Open hand becomes “F” Handshape
  • KNOW: Hand taps forehead then moves downward
  • NEXT: One hand passes over the other
  • OTHER: Ten handshape points “other” direction
  • POTTY/TOILET: The “T” handshape wiggles
  • STRANGE: “C” handshape droops near mouth
  • THIS: Pointer finger points to palm of other hand
  • WAIT: Palms up, fingers wiggle
  • WHERE: Pointer finger looks/searches
  • WIDE: Hands expand/go wide
  • YEE-HAW (APPLAUSE): Jazz hands raise and celebrate

As I mentioned above, I worked with singer, songwriter and performing musician, Marshall Mitchell for the Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? song. Marshall Mitchell is a frequent performer at schools and libraries around the country. He recently performed dozens of fun, educational shows for a variety of library summer reading programs. You can see snippets of his work here.

The story of how I met and developed a friendship with Marshall is here.

If you’re interested in bringing Marshall to your learning community, you can contact his booking agent here.

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Kathy! I hope your readers have as much fun singing and signing along with this silly song as I had working on the lyrics and collaborating with Marshall Mitchell.

For those who can’t get enough of the song, keep an eye on my social media accounts about the release of the book trailer for Where Does A Cowgirl Go Potty? It’s in production now, and will be available to view, soon! Also, I’ll soon be making announcements about the song and book trailer for Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? ARRR!

Want an Advance Release copy of Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?

Comment below, and/or share this post on social media, and tag @KathysQuill (FB and Twitter) and @DawnProchovnicAuthor (FB) / @DawnProchovnic (Twitter) for chances to win. I have two advanced copies along with classroom sets of bookmarks to share. I’ll give them away sometime next week!

About the Author:

Dawn Babb Prochovnic is the author of Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?; Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?; First Day Jitters, featured in the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud; and 16 books in the Story Time with Signs & Rhymes Series, including one title that was selected as an Oregon Book Awards finalist. Dawn is a vocal advocate for school and public libraries and was honored as a 2015 Oregon Library Supporter of the Year by the Oregon Library Association. She is a frequent presenter at schools, libraries and educational conferences, and the founder of SmallTalk Learning, which provides American Sign Language and early literacy education. Dawn loves to travel and has visited thousands of potties across the Pacific Northwest and around the world. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, two kids, two cats, and a feisty dog. Learn more at http://www.dawnprochovnic.com or find her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

NITA’S FIRST SIGNS is a 2018 INDIES Silver winner!

Little Hands Signing series, Nita's First Signs

Nita’s First Signs has been named a winner in the 21st annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.

Foreword Reviews, a book review journal focusing on independently published books, announced the winners of its INDIES Book of the Year Awards earlier this month. The INDIES recognize the best books published in 2018 from small, indie, and university presses, as well as self-published authors. You can view all of the winners here.

“Being surrounded by the year’s best books from independent writers and publishers is a humbling and invigorating experience that we take seriously at every step of the judging process,” says Managing Editor Michelle Anne Schingler. “As the INDIES progress, our editors, and our librarian and bookseller judges, have the honor and the privilege of discovering and rediscovering independent titles that give us hope about the future of publishing and that, at their best, make us consider the world around us anew.”

Nita’s First Signs, written by Kathy MacMillan, illustrated by Sara Brezzi, published by Familius Press is the 2018 Silver Winner in the category Picture Books, Early Reader.

Over 2,000 entries were submitted in 56 categories, with Foreword’s editors choosing approximately 10 finalists per genre. Those finalists were then mailed to individual librarians and booksellers charged with picking the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners.

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Founded in 1998, Foreword Magazine, Inc. is the publisher of the only review journal completely devoted to independent publishing: Foreword Reviews, a Folio: award-winning bimonthly print review journal. Foreword exclusively covers university and independent (non “Big 5”) publishers, the books they publish, and their authors. Foreword is based in Traverse City, Michigan, with staff based worldwide.

NITA’S FIRST SIGNS and more now available in the DCI Online Bookstore!

Little Hands Signing series, Nita's First Signs, Publications

If you have followed me for any length of time, you are probably aware of how proud I am to be affiliated with an amazing organization called Deaf Camps, Inc., a volunteer-run non-profit organization dedicated to providing fun, safe, communication-rich camps that promote the physical, spiritual, and social development of Deaf/hard of hearing children and children learning American Sign Language. You may recall that my launch party for my debut novel, Sword and Verse, was a gala fundraiser that raised scholarship money for Deaf Camps, Inc. I have been volunteering with this organization since 2001, and have been on the board since 2003. I have volunteered at camp every year and served in various capacities on the board. Currently I am DCI’s treasurer and director of the Interpreter Internship Program.

So I am pleased to announce that from now on, autographed copies of all my books – along with some terrific bundle deals! – will be available in Deaf Camps, Inc.’s Online Bookstore, with all proceeds going directly to Deaf Camps, Inc.’s scholarship program. To have a book personalized, simply note name(s) in the comments section on the order form.

And remember, signed books make excellent holiday gifts! Order now!

DCI Bookstore

Teacher/Librarian Guide for NITA’S FIRST SIGNS now available!

Little Hands Signing series, Nita's First Signs, Online Resources, Resources for Educators and Librarians, Resources for Signing with Babies, Signing with Young Children, Songs and Rhymes

I’m so excited to share with you this printable guide to using Nita’s First Signs in the classroom or storytime! Check it out for tips and tricks for sharing signs during the story, and following up with other fun ASL activities.  Click here or on the picture below to download and print your own copy.

Check out the Nita’s First Signs homepage for a video demonstration of the signs in the story and even more links to ASL storytime and classroom activities to share!

Hands Up for Back to School!

Little Hands Signing series, Nita's First Signs, Online Resources, Resources for Educators and Librarians, Resources for Signing with Babies, Sign Language Crafts, Signing with Young Children, Songs and Rhymes

If you’re looking for resources to share American Sign Language with your students or storytime attendees, check out the Little Hands Signing Storytime & Craft Ideas board on Pinterest! It’s where I pin my favorite ideas from around the internet for sharing ASL with kids, and gather links to my own videos showcasing signing rhymes and songs.  Check it out!

NITA’S FIRST SIGNS is available now!

Little Hands Signing series, Nita's First Signs, Picture Books About ASL and Deafness, Resources for Educators and Librarians, Resources for Signing with Babies, Signing with Young Children

“Nita’s First Signs demonstrates the value and fun of learning sign language for ALL infants, toddlers children AND adults, regardless of whether they are Deaf or hearing or hard of hearing.” – Marlee Matlin

Published by Familius Press!

  • Text by Kathy MacMillan
  • Illustrations by Sara Brezzi
  • ASL/Deaf Culture Advisor: Dr. Barbara Kannapell

American Sign Language makes it easy to communicate with your child, and Nita makes it fun! Nita’s First Signs teaches ten essential signs for every parent and child to know, including eat, more, hungry, milk, all done, ball, play, love, please, and thank you. A simple story about Nita and her parents teaches each sign in context, and repetition throughout each story makes them easy to practice. Even better, each page slides open to reveal accurate instructions on how to make each sign, plus tabs on the side of each page make it simple to locate every sign for later reference.

Makes a great baby shower gift!

Order now from the Deaf Camps, Inc. Online Bookstore (autographed copies that support a great cause!) | amazon.com | barnesandnoble.com | indiebound.org or ask for it at your local library!

 

NITA’S FIRST SIGNS Press Release

Little Hands Signing series, Nita's First Signs

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

 

Let’s Talk Family.

Contact: Kate Farrell, Publicist, Familius LLC kfarrell@familius.com

  • Review copy available upon request
  • High-res cover photo available

How Do I Sign? Nita, Show Us More!

From using her manners to communicating instead of crying, Nita shows little ones how to communicate with your grown-up.

SANGER, Calif., June 15 2018 – Baby sign language makes it easy to communicate with your child, and Nita makes it fun!

Nita and her parents teach ten essential signs in the context of a fun story, using repetition to encourage learning and to help break communication barriers between parents and preverbal children.

Even better, each page slides open to reveal accurate instructions on how to make each sign. Tabs on the side of each page make it simple to locate every sign for later reference.

Words include:

  • eat
  • drink
  • more

Written by a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter and teacher whose websites provide bonus tie-in resources, this book is the essential start to your baby’s sign language collection!

About the Author: Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, writer, teacher, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of nine books for parents, librarians, and educators, including Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press, 2013). Her debut young adult novel, Sword and Verse, was published by HarperCollins in January 2016. She has presented American Sign Language storytelling programs for children and families since 2002. Find more resources for signing with young children at her websites, www.storiesbyhand.com and www.storytimestuff.net.

About the Publisher: Familius is a family and parenting media publisher devoted to creating content that helps build strong values and happy families. As a digitally savvy, multi-media publisher, we share our family-driven content in multiple formats, including print, e-books, audio books, videos, articles and apps. Let’s Talk Family. http://www.familius.com

Book Details:

Title: Nita’s First Signs

Author: Kathy MacMillan

Illustrator: Sara Brezzi

ASL/Deaf Culture Advisor: Dr. Barbara Kannapell

Publisher: Familius

Publication: June 15, 2018

Price: $14.99

ISBN: 9781945547676

12 pages; Board book includes tabbed pages that split open to reveal instructions for each sign

*Available beginning June 15, 2018 from bookstores, online booksellers and www.familius.com

Review: DEAF MINISTRY by Leo Yates, Jr.

Resources for Educators and Librarians, Resources for Teens and Adults

Deaf Ministry: Ministry Models for Expanding the Kingdom of GodDeaf Ministry: Ministry Models for Expanding the Kingdom of God by Leo Yates Jr

This book is geared to those involved in Christian ministry who wish to create or expand ministry to Deaf people within their churches. Yates begins with an overview of deafness and Deaf Culture, with a particular emphasis on how both may impact a Deaf individual’s experiences of church. He then explores various models of Deaf ministry, ranging from the Deaf Church, where the dominant language is American Sign and the liturgy may be adapted for Deaf congregations, to Interpreted Ministry, where access is provided to hearing church services and certain activities via an ASL interpreter, to Hard-of-Hearing and Late-Deafened Ministry, which focuses on access for those who do not use ASL to communicate. Yates also offers information on Deaf-blind Ministry, Deaf Advocacy, Deaf Missions, and Disability Ministry (which may or may not include the Deaf community), as well as an excellent chapter discussing the idea of the Multicultural Church, which strives to integrate the needs of Hearing, Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Late-deafened, and Deaf-blind individuals, and brings both hearing and Deaf culture values into its services.
Yates gives an excellent overview of the different ways that Deaf individuals may be integrated into a church community, with lots of specific resources relating to provision of interpreters, accommodations checklists, and case studies showing how other churches have done it. This is a must-have resource for anyone looking to start a Christian Deaf ministry.

 

Maryland’s Deaf Culture Digital Library launches guide for libraries

Deaf Culture Resources, Online Resources

The Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library, the result of a bill that was passed into law, is the “first stop” information center that will provide Maryland residents, local public library staff, college and university librarians and other libraries in the state of Maryland with access to:

  • online resources on deaf culture,
  • a comprehensive electronic collection of deaf resources,
  • deaf cultural programs, and
  • training programs for library staff.

While the DCDL’s services are still being developed, it has created an online guide for library patrons and staff alike, featuring resources about Deaf Culture, American Sign Language, accessibility, and more.  Find the Deaf Culture Digital Library resource guide here.