Mama Diaries

Monday, May 18, 2015

New Book Release: Ten Zany Birds


I am very excited to announce that my new children's picture book, Ten Zany Birds, has finally arrived! Right now it's available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle in the United States, but it will be available soon worldwide, and at other outlets. You can find it here.

Short blurb:  Ten zany birds have a tree party, until one by one they find other things to do. It's a zany countdown - which bird will stick around?

Description:  When ten little birds get together, it's a feathered festival! The party would last forever, if none of the ten friends were so easily distracted.

One is frightened by a loud plane. One gets hungry. One wants to race and another needs a bath. Only one stays to sing in the tree, but who will it be?

Ten Zany Birds is a fun, beautifully illustrated picture book. As parents and teachers read, children are introduced to counting and basic subtraction skills. Whenever a bird leaves, the number of striped, spotted, and polka-dotted birds changes, teaching the application of simple classification rules.

Whimsical and entertaining, Sherry Ellis's tale of ten silly, distractible little birds is an excellent choice for both pre-reader storybook time and early readers. 

(If anyone would like to review it, please let me know!)



Now for a short story: Trouble in the Cat House

This one involves Bootsy, our cat. Yesterday morning, I went outside just in time to see Bootsy chasing something. The chase led right to his cat igloo. He stood at the entrance in full pounce mode.

"What's going on, boy?" I asked.

He didn't move for about ten seconds. Then he sat down and started meowing. Clearly, he was upset. He looked at me and meowed, like he wanted me to do something about whatever his problem was.

I walked over to his igloo and peered inside. All I saw was his cat pillow. That couldn't be it. I took the cat pillow out, half expecting to see a snake.

I didn't see a snake. But I did see something. It was small, and brown, and furry.  And it looked at me with little beady eyes. Can you guess what it was?

A chipmunk!

"Oh, boy, little chipmunk," I said. "Not a smart thing to wander into a cat house!"

I picked Bootsy up and got him away from there. I figured he probably didn't want to mess up his house with chipmunk guts, which is why he didn't make the kill. But that little creature didn't stand a chance with the sinister cat waiting at the entrance!

(I returned later, to see if the chipmunk was still inside. He wasn't. And I didn't see any blood trails, so hopefully he lived to see another day!)

53 comments:

  1. Congratulations on the new book!
    That was nice of you to save the chipmunk.

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    1. Thanks! I would've felt bad if the chipmunk would have met his demise at the paws of my cat!

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  2. Congrats on the new book indeed!

    lol the chipmunk was kind of smart, knowing Bootsy didn`t want to mess up the igloo. But trapped like a rat.

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    1. The chipmunk was counting on me to save him. :)

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  3. Congratulations. Sounds like a fun one. The chipmunk may soon met his end

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    1. If he doesn't get out of our yard, he's sure to meet an untimely death!

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  4. Congratulations Sherry... this wonderful, good luck with sales ♡

    Good that you saved the chipmunk... my cat would have just went after it... it's one of the reasons she is an indoor cat :-)

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    1. Usually Bootsy goes after anything, but I really think he was hesitant because he didn't want to mess up his igloo.

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  5. Great!! how exciting!!
    congratulations Sherry, that's lovely.

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  6. Congratulations Sherry, it will be a huge success I'm sure.
    Yvonne.

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  7. Love those birds! Congrats, Sherry. The books looks and sounds very sweet.

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    1. Thank you. I thought the illustrator, Charu Jain, did a great job with them.

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  8. Congratulations!!!!! I love the bird on the cover. Adorable! I wish you much success. :)

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  9. looks delightful.... although I've no idea what zany means :)

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    1. Zany = crazy/silly.

      It's not a word used much, but it is a good one, and one kids should like once they figure it out. :)

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    2. thanks, new word learned!

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  10. Yay! The day has finally arrived for the Zany Birds. So happy for you. And I can't wait until the Canadian link is up because I want one, Sherry. :-)

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    1. It was a long time coming! It'll be in Canada soon. :)

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  11. I didn't know what to expect when you said "Trouble in The Cat House"!! LOL Sounds like a fun book you have there and one that can be used by parents to do a little teaching while reading. I like that! Like The Foot book by Dr. Seuss.

    P.S. - Me and Hazil Ruth enjoyed "That Mommie is a Grouch" together last Friday night, even though I was TOTALLY sick at the time. She likes me to spin her in the pool, and I guess I did it too much as I practically had to crawl out of it and was more or less down for the count the rest of the night.

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    1. I hope kids enjoy Ten Zany Birds. I think it's cute. Glad Hazil Ruth enjoyed That Mama is a Grouch. Sorry you're feeling sick, though. Hope you're feeling better!

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  12. My aunt is pregnant with a baby boy due this summer. I'm going to have to send them your books. Gotta start the kid off right, with reading and silliness!

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    1. Haha! Thanks for your support! I appreciate it. And I hope they enjoy the books!

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  13. Congratulations! I love the cover and blurb. :) And I don't know whether to say poor chipmunk or poor Bootsy!

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    1. Thank you!

      And Bootsy has killed enough creatures. He doesn't need to kill another. :)

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  14. I'M THRILLED! Ten Zany Birds is adorable. The cover is so cute. I'd be glad to review it. I don't think I played a large enough part in its creation to be biased. Actually, I should adit I'm always biased in your favor.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Haha! I was planning on sending a copy to you, anyway. But that's great that you'll review it. I certainly appreciate that!

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    2. Adit? Perhaps I meant "admit." No one should hire me as an editor.

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  15. Congratulations Sherry, I'm thrilled for you!

    Thank you for your kind words Sherry; they were very much appreciated.

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  16. Dozen of Congratulations for your new publication. I wish to follow your steps.

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    1. Thank you!

      If you want to do it, you must write, revise, and wait. It takes a lot of patience! Good luck!

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  17. Replies
    1. Thank you! Charu Jain, the illustrator, did a great job!

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  18. Congratulations Sherry
    I am thrilled too :)
    It was so good to work with u.
    Best wishes Charu

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    1. And congratulations to you, too! I can't wait to read about how people like your illustrations! It was a pleasure working with you.

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  19. I can imagine the chipmunk n cat story sounds fun :) ;)

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  20. Good luck with everything. Your book about birds sounds delightful and I hope it gets into many, many small hands!

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    1. Thank you! I hope lots of kids get to read it and enjoy it, too!

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  21. Congratulations Sherry. I can't wait for the book's worldwide release.

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    1. I'm hoping for the next two weeks. We'll just have to keep an eye on it. I believe it is already in Amazon France.

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  22. Congrats on the book. Not the smartest place to hide, but chipmunks aren't all that brilliant, are they?

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    1. Thank you!

      You're right. Chipmunks are not the most brilliant creatures!

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  23. Congrats on the launch, Sherry! The cover is very attractive & I'm sure parents will find the book interesting for their little ones. xoxo

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    1. Thank you! I think kids will really like the illustrations. They're very colorful!

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