Barefoot Books Opportunity

Folks who know me are aware that I am not at all a forceful sales person. With twenty years or more of offering services and classes, as well as herbs, art, books and more for sale... in recent years occasionally blogging or posting here about goings-on, but mostly just making myself available for you to ask me if there's anything you might be interested in. So please indulge me a little bit of sales pitch for a few moments. Barefoot Books. I'd like to share the business opportunity with you, and have you join me as an Ambassador. Many modes of selling, and I've done them all...fund raisers, public events, home parties, on-line. You choose how, where, and when you want to sell. For folks local to me, I have marketing materials, display materials, and even inventory for you to use...as well as several events lined up that I need help with. There is an excellent opportunity coming up, March 24th in Thomaston to meet a few other members of the Barefoot family and hear from my personal friend and Barefoot Books Team Leader Dena Davis, of Dena's Barefoot Book Nook, as welll as the North America Barefoot Books Director of Ambassador Sales, Marsha Mitchell. Contact me for details and about carpooling! For those of you unable to attend, you can still visit my Barefoot Books web-link http://www.BarefootBooksStoryteller.com and explore the books, puppets, puzzles, music and more...and even sign-up with me & Barefoot.

There are some changes coming to the program on April 1st (which will be discussed at Dena's) and I request that you allow me to tell you about them before you sign-up.

Thank you for letting me share this with you. I welcome any questions, and sincerely hope to be hearing from you.

Dawnella

The Snow Queen

The "Splendor of the Season" owl image below is from this exquisitely illustrated retelling of the classic story "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen. In it, an evil troll creates a mirror which reflects the bad and ugly sides of people. Shards of its glass enter a young boy, causing him to reject his loving family and best friend Gerda. Helped by kind strangers and guided by her warm heart, Gerda makes the perilous journey to rescue her friend from the icy palace of the Snow Queen. Illustrations are by Miss Clara.

Winter

Annual Season's Greetings from Cleo the Cat

Click to view!

Felt Finger Puppets

These are the little felt finger puppets ($6 each) I created to go along with the Barefoot Books' "Elephant Dance" and "How Big is a Pig?" and there are so many other Barefoot Books that they also work well with!

November is Picture Book Month!

Picture Book Month is an international initiative to designate November as Picture Book Month, encouraging everyone to celebrate literacy with print picture books. Founder, Dianne de Las Casas (author & storyteller and fellow member of the National Storytellers Network) along with four other Co-Founders, are putting together their worldwide connections to make this happen. Every day in November, there will be a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important. And after November, they will feature weekly posts.

So be sure to check out http://picturebookmonth.com today!

Barefoot Books Opportunity!

Barefoot Books just created a beautiful new Starter Kit for Ambassadors and it's an excellent time to sign up, just in time for with holiday fairs and shopping! Everything you need to get started, plus a few extras are included. (see web-site or contact me for further details)

And, as an added bonus, sign up before November 21st and receive your own copy of the new Barefoot Books World Atlas for FREE!

Click the button below, and feel free to contact me with any questions...I'm here to help!

Events

I have many exciting activities and exhibiting opportunities going on this Autumn and Winter...be sure to check out the listing on my Barefoot Books Marketplace Page under Events!

So much new!

So much is going on with Barefoot Books I just can't keep up! Beautiful new releases coming this Spring, books in new formats...WOW! If I'm not blogging for a while, you'll know why! Visit my Barefoot Books web-link direct...and see if you can keep up! Enjoy!

Season's Greetings from Cleo the Cat

Season's Greeting from me, and Cleo the Cat! Click here for a snowy greeting!

Wings of Love

Waldo County United Bikers of Maine is collecting toys for Wings of Love. Please help by donating a new unwrapped toy, or even a few dollars toward the purchase of some. The Barefoot Storyteller will be donating 20% of all it's proceeds from the craft fair at Mt. View High School on December 4th (9am - 3pm) AND you can also shop my Barefoot Books web-site and click on the link to give 20% of the cost of your shopping basket to this cause!

The holidays can be tough for everyone but as we all know it is a time for shaing, caring and loving everyone. We need to all do what we can to make sure each & every child in our community has a gift to open on Christmas morning. Please do what you can to help.

Small Business Sunday

Shop with The Barefoot Storyteller & Barefoot Books on Small Business Sunday!

Gift cards!

Looking for the perfect present? Let them choose their own!

Barefoot Books Gift Cards are now available on-line here in the amounts of $25, $50, or $100

Giving Back

Autumn Events

October 30th: Family Fall Fun Festival at Twice Loved Boutique, Belfast. The Barefoot Storyteller telling stories and selling books!

November 7th & 8th: MAHPERD Conference, Samoset Resort Rockland

November 20th: Wales Central School Holiday Craft Fair

December 4th: Annual Mt. View Holiday Craft Fair

Happy Autumn Shopping!

Two Special Offers!

Free Shipping!

Barefoot Books is now offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $60 or more, from now through December 24th! How cool is that?!

There are some great new releases too, that I can't wait to share with you and your children...

And guess what? If you do all your holiday and birthday shopping with me, if you fill the shelves of your classroom or library, if you do a Barefoot Fundraiser for your favorite group through me...I might just be the grand prize winner of their challenge... twelve monthly payments on a new "green" electric or hybrid car! Only one grand prize winner *globally*. Wouldn't I look great in a new eco-friendly car? :)

Celebrate Bees!

Celebrate our friends this weekend, as August 21st is National Honey Bee Awareness Day! You can read the wonderful Barefoot Book The Beeman , (order on-line or pick up at The Maine Farmland Trust Gallery in Belfast and The Maine Farmland Trust will get 20% of the proceeds!) and have lots of fun with a Folkmanis Bee Puppet

Then, if you get a chance, please visit this link about a project of a young Boy Scout who wishes to reinstate the Beekeeping Badge. http://www.experienceproject.com/beepetition

Hooray for bees!

Back to School...Barefoot

Packing Backpack, Lunchbox, and Confidence: Tips for Sending Children Off to School

It happens every autumn. Millions of young children start school for the very first time. They carry backpacks, lunchboxes, pencils, sometimes a grin on their face, but more often, a look of trepidation about what school will really be like. They wonder: Will my teacher be nice? Will I have friends? What if I can’t find my way? Who will sit with me? What will I do? What if I don’t like it? What if I miss home? What if it’s too hard?

As parents guiding our children off to start school for the first time, or to begin a new school year, we want to do all we can to ensure that they have a great experience. At the same time, we want to encourage their independence as they set off on a new journey in their development.

Kathryn White, early educator and mom of five children, as well as author of Ruby's School Walk, shares her tips to ease children's start-of-school anxiety and make this an enjoyable milestone:

• Read with your child and talk about the school experience. Share with them stories about your memories of school, both the good and the less so. School is an adventure, and like all adventures, it has its ups and downs.

• Help spark your child’s imaginations about school to encourage them to talk about their concerns and face their fears. You can do this through stories, books, drawings and other art forms. Ask them questions such as what they think school will be like, what they are excited about and worried about, what they think they will learn, etc. These conversations can also be had with grandparents and other favorite people in your child’s life.

• Build a community in your neighborhood. It is amazing what a familiar and friendly face can do to help a child overcome their fears about going to school. As your family journeys to school each day you might see this friendly neighbor, or only see them occasionally, but it will help your child feel comfortable and safe on their trip to school.

• Sit down together and create a fun map to school. Note interesting landmarks and have your child color them in or place numbers at each point. On that first morning to school, your child will be preoccupied with checking off the landmarks on their special map. The school can be drawn with welcome signs, making it a great triumph upon their arrival.

• Walk with your child to school whenever possible. If you don’t live nearby, take public transport, bike or drive and get out a few blocks away and walk together. The walk will become a meaningful way to spend time together and help get the day off on the right foot.

• Create traditions. Take pictures of your child in front of your home or on their way to school. Each year you can reflect back on these first day of school photos and see how much your child has grown in every way.

• Know that if the first day went well or didn’t go well, there are many more days of school throughout the year and peaks and valleys along the way.

We hope your child’s first experience with school is part of their magnificent journey of growing up!

Sing Along!

Sing along as you view this new video from Knick Knack PaddyWack!