I'm In Illinois!

Little America Is Featured at Cracker Barrel!

Little America can now be found at Cracker Barrel restaurants throughout the United States. But, there isn't a single Cracker Barrel in California. Bob and I hit the road and drove to Yuma to get some comfort food and take a photo of Little America by Cracker Barrel's "Made in America" theme display.

I wonder what the woman looking over my shoulder is thinking?

If you visit a Cracker Barrel, please take a photo of you and Little America and email it to me!

S is for S'mores: A Camping Alphabet will be featured this summer at Cracker Barrel. Yes. There will be another trip to Yuma in my future.

Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America is fresh off the press!

It's been my pleasure to visit with Mt Woodson Elementary School and Rosa Parks Elementary School this week. We had such a lovely time together talking about reading and writing, and students had fabulous questions for me. 

Here are some reviews:

Booklist Reviews "Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America"

Reviewed on 1 June 2013

Star Review! Twelve year-old Lee does not want to leave China. Yet the responsibility for supporting his grandparents weighs heavily on his heart. He is to be a “paper son,” and he studies a coaching book that details the life he supposedly lives with his American father so he can dupe immigration officials in California. After tense goodbyes, Lee is off across the Pacific, only to be detained on Angel Island (“the Ellis Island of the West”) with other Asian immigrants. They are treated like prisoners and fear deportation, but Lee knows that he must prove that he belongs with the family listed on his documents and is more than just their son on paper. In this poignant tale of home and heartbreak, which recalls Allen Say’s Grandfather’s Journey (1993), readers learn about the emotional toll that is part of so many immigration experiences. Ong’s lightinfused paintings match the narrative’s subdued tone, and Lee’s dignity is evident in his upright posture as he bravely faces a new life in a foreign place. It’s not a story often told for this age, and readers will be drawn to Lee’s quiet determination as he grapples with the complexity of knowing that “I didn’t want to come, but now I need to stay.”

School Library Journal Reviews "Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America"

Reviewed on 1 May 2013

Lee, 12, lives with his grandparents. His parents have died, but it was their wish that he go to America for better opportunities. In 1926, conditions are difficult in China, and the boy’s loving grandparents sadly agree that leaving would be the best thing for him. Immigration laws restrict Chinese people from entering the United States, so Lee’s family purchased a “paper son” slot for him. A Chinese man already living in America will say that Lee is his son to get him into the country. As Wang Lee becomes Fu Lee, he must learn minute details about his new family in order to pass the interrogations at the Angel Island Immigration Station. While often called the “Ellis Island” of the west, Angel Island was often about stopping immigrants rather than welcoming them. People could spend weeks, months, or even years there, waiting to pass the tests or appealing deportation rulings. Since being a “paper son” was illegal, secrecy was paramount. The story concentrates on Lee’s feelings about traveling alone to America, staying on Angel Island, and navigating the questioning. Failure would mean deportation, giving up the chance to help his grandparents, and losing the money his family paid. Large-scale illustrations, full-page and two-page bleeds, realistically portray the time and place and will help young readers with context. The authors provide a helpful summary of Angel Island history. Use with Milly Lee’s Landed (Farrar, 2006) and Laurence Yep’s Dragon Child (HarperCollins, 2008) to give young readers a fascinating glimpse into this elusive chapter of American history.

Examiner.com Reviews "Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America"

Reviewed on 23 April 2013

“Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America” by Helen Foster James and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh and illustrated by Wilson Ong is a compelling story about a 12-year-old boy from a rural Chinese village who must travel to America to provide for his family in China.

When Lee’s parents are killed by bandits, he learns that they spent all their money and borrowed even more to buy him a “paper son slot” for Lee to go to America and live with a family, work and send money home. His grandparents work to pay off the remainder of the debt — a huge amount by Chinese standards in 1926.

The narration makes it clear that Lee and his grandparents live on the edge of poverty. “Lee knew that they needed farm equipment and a new roof. He remembered nights he’d gone hungry dreaming of steamed fish with brown sauce and long noodles with chicken and bok choy.”

And although Lee really doesn’t want to leave the only family he has left, he listens as his grandmother reminds him that, “In Gum Saan, mountains are topped with gold and streets are paved with silver. Our mountains are topped with wars and our streets are paved with bandits.”

Lee must study his “coaching book,” a book filled with information about his new family. It includes the most minute details about their life; information he must memorize so that the immigration officials will believe that he is related to his new “paper” family.

Lee studies hard and every night his grandfather quizzes him on the details. “How many windows are in the Fu house?” When Lee makes a mistake, his grandfather reminds him how important this is. If he fails to convince the authorities that he is the Fu’s son, they will lose the money and he will be deported.

The story follows Lee as he crosses the ocean and ends up in San Francisco. The passengers on the ship take a boat to Angel Island Immigration Station. There they will be given a physical exam and tested to make sure they are related to an American.

This book teaches readers about the promise of a new country and the lengths that people — young and old — were willing take to get there. The last page is about the history of Angel Island and the immigrants who entered America from the Pacific Ocean.

This picture book is for older readers. The themes (immigration, war, poverty, role playing) are perfect for third and fourth graders studying communities and the history of America.

“Paper Son” would be a great title to use when studying immigration. Teachers should use this book and one of the many books available about European immigration to compare and contrast how the immigration process worked — a study which fits in perfectly with Common Core State Standards.

Kirkus Reviews "Paper Son"

Reviewed on 15 April 2013

The journey from China to the United States and the experience on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay are fraught with anxiety and peril for 12-year-old Wang Lee.

In order to gain admittance, he takes the “paper son” name Fu Lee, taking the place of someone whose records had burnt in the 1906 earthquake and fire. If he does not pass the examination on Angel Island (the Ellis Island of the West), he will be returned to China. Like many hopeful emigrants, he has carefully memorized each small detail in a “coaching book”: the number of windows in “his” house, its location vis-à-vis neighbors and other minutiae of another family’s home in China. The entire experience is expensive and traumatic, and waiting in the barracks on Angel Island is tiresome, strange and frightening, all at once. To lose family, name and everything else that one knows takes a brave person, desperate for the opportunity that Gum Saam can provide. Fu Lee meets these demands in a book that clearly shows the boy and his fears and hopes. Ong’s paintings of place and persons make the journey, setting and experience come alive. Backmatter on Angel Island provides historical context.

An effective and empathetic depiction of the Angel Island experience. (Picture book. 8-12)

Here are the details: 

Author: Helen Foster James and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh

Illustrator: Wilson Ong

Hardcover: 32 pages

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (May 1, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1585368334

ISBN-13: 978-1585368334

S'mores Cheer!

I was visiting the Vista School District library techs last week thanks to a kind invitation for their district librarian, Linda Goodballet. Thank you Linda!

LeDawn Penrod from Mission Meadows Elementary in Oceanside, shared her S.M.O.R.E.S cheer with me. Thank you LeDawn! Give LeDawn's S'mores Cheers a try!

S-M-O-R-E-S

S'mores is the treat

I love the best!

Take a marshmallow

and a chocolate bar

Squish between a

graham cracker —

there you are!

Happy S'mores making and eating!

Paper Son and Angel Island

I'm pleased to announce the historical fiction, picture book manuscript I co-wrote with Virginia Loh about a paper son will be published by Sleeping Bear Press! It will be one of the titles in their series, Tales of Young Americans.

Paper sons emigrated from China to America through Angel Island. To learn more about paper sons and the Angel Island Immigration experience, visit the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation website at: http://www.aiisf.org/

Virginia Shin-Mui Loh is also the author of The Jade Dragon (Candlewick, 2006).

The book will be published in 2014 or 2015. More information to come!

Book of the Year Award

Little California and Little America received Creative Child Awards Program Book of the Year (combined award in the board books category).

Their website is www.creativechild.com.

The books are listed on page 50 of their online catalog.

Had to share!

Happy Holiday Season!

Midwest Book Review

The Easy Reader Shelf

Little America
Helen Foster James, author
Jeannie Brett, Michael Glenn Monroe, and Helle Urban, illustrators
Sleeping Bear Press
Suite 200
315 East Eisenhower Parkway
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
9781585361793 $9.95 www.sleepingbearpress.com

Little America is a board book for beginning readers, written in the format of ten rhyming riddles about American treasures. For example, riddle five is "Baked in the oven, round and sweet, try a slice for a tasty treat," and the answer is "Apple Pie," naturally. Bright, colorful illustrations add the perfect touch to this delightful addition to the "Little" board book series for the very young.

Showering a Baby with Books

Recently it was my pleasure to attend a baby shower for a longtime friend who had just become a first-time grandma. She was delighted to have a new little one in her life and her friends rallied around her in celebration.

I had never heard of a baby shower for grandmas, but I’m always happy to celebrate with a friend. I googled around and found that grandma showers are a new and very up-and-coming tradition. They’re trendy. They’re unique and, if you ask me, they’re here to stay.

Don’t get me wrong, showers are usually “not my thing,” but this was different in many ways. One of the best parts of the shower was that every one of the dozen attendees was to bring a baby book for little Elliot so grandma would always have baby books handy for his visits. Now, that’s an idea I can back! This simple idea started Elliot’s personal library of books.

The attendees investigated what book (or books) we should gift grandma and Elliot. Without consulting each other, there was not a single duplication. The assorted books ranged from long-time favorites to fresh-off-the-press releases. From board books to plastic books for the tub and almost every type of book in between!

If you are looking for help finding great shower books, visit the National Parenting Publications Awards website (www.nappaawards.parenthood.com) for a list of this year’s winners and previous winners.

If you want more help, visit your local children’s bookstore and ask them for assistance. They are sure to be able to put the right book in your hands. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a children’s bookstore in your neighborhood, try your local independent brick-and-mortar store. They’ll give you great advice. A visit to your local public library might put you in touch with a librarian with a host of favorite book ideas, and don’t forget to recall all the books you or your child loved as a little one.

I hope the next time you have a shower to attend (or give!), you’ll consider a shower of books. And, if you have a new grandmother in your life, I hope you’ll give her a book shower.

I'm the author of two board books that would make excellent shower gifts: Little California and Little America (Sleeping Bear Press, 2011). To learn more about Helen, visit her website at www.helenfosterjames.com.

Juliette Gordon Lowe's 100th annivesary

"Come right over! I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!"

—Juliette Gordon Low phoning her cousin Nina Anderson Pape in 1912

With those words, the Girl Scouts were started and 2012 marks its 100th anniversary. What better way to celebrate the Girl Scouts than to celebrate with one of their creations: S'mores!

My book has a double-page spread celebrating Juliette Low and another environmentalist, John Muir. Check it out.

Is your Girl Scout group celebrating this 100th anniversary? If so, consider inviting me to the celebration. We can make some s'mores together!

National S'mores Day!

Happy National S'mores Day!

Have you had a s'more today?

S'mores Cookies

Wow! A big thank you to Kat, a librarian who loves to connect children's books and cooking! She mentioned my book, S Is for S'mores: A Camping Alphabet and presented a fabulous s'mores cookie recipe. Read her entire blog here.

Thanks Kat!

Yellow Book Road Children's Bookstore and LITTLE CALIFORNIA

Mark Your Calendar!

I'll be at the Yellow Book Road's new store on Friday, July 15 in the morning (exact time TBA). I'll be launching my new book, LITTLE CALIFORNIA! This fabulous independent children's bookstore has moved and their new address is:

2690 Historic Decatur Road #102, San Diego 92106
[aka BARRACKS 19] on the corner of Dewey & Historic Decatur

If you get in the Liberty Station area, follow the BLUE signs to ACE Hardware - you'll end up just across the street! NOT FAR FROM CORVETTE DINER!

Email me at hfjames@san.rr.com if you don't know the time as the date approaches!

See You There!

Bakersfield Young Authors' Fair

It was my pleasure to be a part of the Kern Reading Association's Young Authors' Fair. I had the best time! The kids were prepared and it was great fun sharing with them. I was at:

Beardsley Elementary

Chavez Elementary

Owens Primary

Franklin Elementary

Vineland Elementary

Thanks to everyone for making this an excellent event! You Rock!

Teachingbooks.net

I just recorded two short audios for teachingbooks.net. One is a three minute audio about my book, "S is for S’mores: A Camping Book," and one is a one minute audio about my name. I thought these might be of interest to you. Although teachingbooks.net is a subscription website, these are free links for all that they gave me to share with you. I hope you find them useful!

S is for S'mores
http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=4970&a=1

Author name pronunciation
http://www.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?aid=1805

California Reading Association's—A Keynote Speaker

It is my pleasure to announce that I will be a keynote speaker at the California Reading Association's 44th Annual Professional Development Institute. The event is co-sponosored by Solano Community College and will be held on Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5 in Vacaville California.

For more information, please visit the California Reading Association's website at www.californiareads.org.

See you there!