The Boy Who Was Fire is a childrenās book written by Marcus Kahle McCann & illustrated by Zita Varga. It begins with a small fire born to a tree and a bolt of lightning. This is a lyrical story of growth, redemption, and new beginnings. Appropriate for ages 5 years and older.
I am moved by this creative vision of what might happen if we put our fears of the unknown aside and lean into each other with compassion, recognizing the beauty and humanity of the person in front of us.
If you enjoy the book, you can purchase a signed hardcopy from Pockets of…Publishing.
I am grateful for MaryAnn Clark (MAC, All Play Productions/*kids in the hive*) reaching out early on in pandemic to ask if I wanted to collaborate on a video for The Boy Who Was Fire. She is a joy and I look forward to many more cooperative playground outings!
Happy 3rd birthday to my story baby, Lightbulb Heart!
Birthday #2 was rightfully sidelined by pandemic. I consoled myself that I had at least gotten to eat cupcakes and read aloud with kiddos at the Paper Bag Princess events at Epic Books.
This last year has been hard for us all, and Iām taking a moment to mark some of the hurdles, disappointments, and joys Iāve encountered with my little biz child. I started a YouTube channel and more intentionally locally lending my library, wrote (and rewrote) a ton, made some noise for local equity and access orgs, and began a couple of local and cross-border collaborations that have been incredibly rewarding ā one of which youāll get to see the fruits of on March 20, so stay tuned!
Iām so grateful for all of the caregivers and teachers who entrusted their kiddos to me over Zoom, FaceTime, MarcoPolo, Messenger, and YouTube. You have been a real source of solace and purpose for me this last year and I cannot thank you enough!
I also could not have gotten through all of these months of isolation without the beautiful people of A Shared Tableās Storylab who kept me inspired, making, and going. š„°
Iām taking a breath, blowing out some candles, and on to year 4!
If you have tried to do a live group sing with kids over Zoom, you know this particular brand of face-palming dread:
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands [pause…buffer…pause…] CLAP SMATTER
So, it’s not easy, but even under a stay-home order, I am deeply encouraged by the myriad ways we have found to share stories! Authors, illustrators, actors, musicians, educators, parents – we’ve all taken to the internet to bring our favourites and new creations to life. Josh Gad continues to slay stories on Twitter. Monique Gray Smith, Oliver Jeffers, Mo Willems, and Mac Barnett are thoroughly delightful, and Julie Andrews’ story podcast starts Wednesday! Please check out Resources for School Closures for lots of stories, visual/performing arts options, and other educational resources.
Here at Lightbulb Heart, I’m working on a three story-related projects:
Hangouts
I’m doing live online storytimes twice daily, with songs and stories tailored to that kid’s/kids’ interests.
If you are interested in the as-close-as-we-can-get-right-now storytime experience, let me know! (Please include day/time availability and what chat platform you prefer.) My personal children’s book collection is available online if you have requests. If you are in a position to do so, I’m requesting donations be made to your local food bank or relief organization of your choice.
ā One of my storytime kiddos gave me a dinosaur audience this week! ā
Picture courtesy of Tami Clark
2. Virtual Storytime: Songs and Stories with Lightbulb Heart
I’m posting a public domain book chapter, poem, story, or song to Lightbulb Heart on YouTube every weekday. I’ll conclude Alice in Wonderland (one chapter left!) and start reading the Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter and My Father’s Dragon next week! The channel has been a lot of fun and is giving a little shape to my days. It’s Tuesday, right?
3. A Shared Table – Creative Lab for Storytelling
I believe deeply in the community Bernadette Arthur is breathing into existence at A Shared Table. The Creative Lab for Storytelling is just one or her amazing ventures. The process is different than we had originally envisioned since we’ve had to pivot to all-online sessions for now, but our time together has been so rich and beautiful. I am very grateful for our weekly gatherings and look forward to being in physical space where other folks can join us in sharing stories.
A Shared Table has also partnered with En Conjunto for a series of Digital Dine-Ins – so many cool people gathering weekly to share a meal together (virtually) and talk about awesome things. Sue Littleton and I will be co-hosting one about children’s books on June 10th!
I miss Locke Street Farmer’s Market. And Epic Books. And Donut Monster.
Until we find ourselves back in these glorious spaces, let us continue to cultivate creative ways to share stories and be in community together.
Stay Home. Wash Hands. Be Kind. Share Stories. Love, Amber
A tiny person climbed right up in my lap today while we were reading about dinosaurs at Locke Street Farmers’ Market! She wrapped me in a glorious hug and then settled in to stay! Storytime is such a joy for me and I am deeply thankful when I get concrete reminders that tiny people appreciate our time together, too (even if it means I need extra help turning pages because my arms are trapped!).
