Congratulations to the staff at LibrarySparks magazine on their 10th anniversary. I’ve been writing articles – mostly story programming ideas – since their second year. I’m also one of their outsourced proofreaders. I’m very happy to be a part of the LibrarySparks family. It started when I received a phone call from publisher Matt Mulder who told me he admired my ALA Editions books and would I be interested in writing for them. I said yes and all these years later, recently sent in my 50th LibrarySparks article.

Each issue of LibrarySparks has an opening article on some aspect of children’s and young adult literature by Megan Schliesman from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, a literary-themed calendar by Patti Sinclair, author interviews by Nick Glass of TeachingBooks, a follow-up author extensions activity article, a reader’s theater script adapted from children’s books by Toni Buzzeo, a technology article, Pat Miller’s looks at genres as well as fiction and nonfiction, and other articles full of practical ideas for anyone working with young people and literature/media services.

A few years back, then-editor Michelle McCardle asked, “When do we get a book from you?” Sweet music to an author’s ears. I gave them Storytime Slam, Shake and Shout, and more recently, Welcome to Storytime. When authors Toni Buzzeo, Pat Miller, and myself conducted workshops together in Chicago, Texas, and New Jersey with Matt, Michelle, and art director Heidi Green, we found ourselves talking at dinner about potential picture books to promote the library. Toni had an idea that led to her book The Library Doors (based on “The Wheels on the Bus”). Pat had an idea that led to her book We’re Going on a Book Hunt (based on the activity “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”). They all looked at me and Michelle asked, “You want to get in on this, Rob?” I kid you not. The word out of my mouth was “Maybe.” When I got home, I slapped my forehead. When an editor says, “You want in on this?” the correct response is “You bet!” I sat down and composed most of Comin’ Down to Storytime (based on the song “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain”) in twenty minutes. I sent it off to Michelle via email and she got right back with the direction, “give me three more verses.” I complied and ten minutes later she said she’d send the contract. That’s not how books get published, but it worked this time. Then I had to wait two years to see the actual book because LibrarySparks contracted all three books to be illustrated by the brilliant Nadine Bernard Westcott and I was last in her queue. The wait was worth it.

Now, when I write a new story program article for the magazine, I work on a theme and then try out various books and activities on local kids. Since I’m no longer a practicing librarian, I don’t have built-in lab subjects, er, audience members. I also try to create at least one new original fingerplay, song activity, or poem for each article. For the August/September 2012 issue, I used the theme “Ten” to celebrate the anniversary and wrote the following sound effects activity. Hope you enjoy using it with kids. Be sure to let them do the animal noises for each verse.

“I Was Walking in the Woods” by Rob Reid

I was walking in the woods, when I saw ten wolves,

Ten wolves I saw and this is what they said: “Howl!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw nine bears,

Nine bears I saw and this is what they said: “Grrr!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw eight owls,

Eight owls I saw and this is what they said: “Hoot-hoot!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw seven wild turkeys,

Seven wild turkeys I saw and this is what they said: “Gobble-gobble!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw six bobcats,

Six bobcats I saw and this is what they said: “Ree-ow!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw five eagles,

Five eagles I saw and this is what they said: “Screech!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw four crows,

Four crows I saw and this is what they said: “Caw!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw three moose,

Three moose I saw and this is what they said: “Maa-aaa!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw two mice,

Two mice I saw and this is what they said: “Squeak-squeak!”

I was walking in the woods, when I saw one skunk,

One skunk I saw and this is what I said: “Run!”