I visited Disney World with my family in February. Everywhere you turn in that incredible place, you see the fantastic heights that simple children’s stories can reach.
“Always remember that this whole thing was started by a mouse,” said Walt Disney.
And I think yes, by a pen to paper story about a mouse. What an inspiration! My hat is off to you Mr. Disney and never again will I refer to a small or ramshackle establishment as a Mickey Mouse operation.
Soapstone Signs, Jeff’s first novel, was very successful in 2015! Here are some of the highlights:
Jeff looks forward to the continued success of Soapstone Signs, available for purchase here.
Jeff and his mom June at the OLA Super Conference 2015
“My grade four/five class recently had the great privilege of being the very first in all of Canada to read and study Jeff Pinkney’s book, “Soapstone Signs”. This is a beautifully written story about imagination and creativity, and about using one’s senses to explore and draw inspiration from the natural world. I’ve always encouraged my students to be open to the world around them; just as the young boy is urged to do by his friend Lindy, the Cree soapstone carver. The children loved the book and were delighted to have the opportunity to discuss it with Jeff once they’d finished reading and writing about it. They enjoyed the evocative descriptions of the wild creatures and landscape, the funny moments (“Kentucky Fried Chicken”), the beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, and the ideas about imagination, inspiration and determination. This book is a wonderful "read-aloud”. It fits beautifully into the language curriculum as a novel study, and as an introduction to Social Studies units (First Nations, the north), to Science (Habitats, Animals), to Art (soapstone carving, creativity), etc. My school now has a class set, and many of my students have purchased their own copies. It is a wonderful book!”
Nicola Jennings, Teacher, Gr 4/5 at King George Public School, Peterborough
On January 07, 2015 - Nicola Jennings Grade 4/5 class at King George Public School, Peterborough, became the first class to study "Soapstone Signs". Congratulations and thanks to Nicola and her wonderful students.
On November 17, 2014 - Who better to launch my book with than daughter Isabella’s Grade 4/5 classmates. Isabella and her classmates walked over to the Peterborough Public Library. Her class enjoyed a tour of the Children’s Library and then participated in the very first public reading of Soapstone Signs. Also in attendance were some special friends of the family and a few folks who helped with the manuscript. Isabella did a great job of reading the voice of the main character. Special thanks to Laura Murray, Children’s Services Libraian for hosting, and to Sheilagh Knight for bringing along her Gr 4/5 class from Prince of Wales School. Special thanks also to Lance Anderson of Peterborough This Week/MyKawartha.com for providing such excellent coverage.
See: http://www.mykawartha.com/search/news/?q=pinkney&location=kawartha&sort=datedesc
Soapstone Signs is now available from Orca Book Publishers, (you can get there via the links in this website). The book is also available through Amazon. If in Haliburton try Masters Book Store. If in Peterborough try Chapters. it's only $6.95 - what a great stocking stuffer.
Please check out my profile and enter my contest for one of ten free copies on www.goodreads.com
Welcome once again to my new web-site. I'm just learning things like how to administer my own site and how to add blog postings like this one. Here is the website of Dakota Park, a Toronto based designer who is carving out a niche for himself in the world of design and with whom I worked to put this site together. If you like my site - see if you can get Dakota to help with yours! See: www.dakotaleepark.com
Please return often to read about my path to becoming a children’s novelist, poet and storyteller. I will also use this space to say thank-you to all the wonderful people who helped make this happen. I’d love to hear your comments and will answer every email.
As a tourism consultant living in South Porcupine, Ontario, I travelled my James Bay Frontier route by train and by plane. I fell in love with the landscape at Moose River Crossing where the train tracks cross the mighty river before the train rolls into Moosonee. It was there that I would dream of opening a birder’s lodge. These wonderful memories provide the setting for the story. I am also a soapstone carver, having learned the art from a Cree elder, with roots in Moose Factory. He gave me lessons and provided me with my first piece of stone. I carved a bear cub. As well I am a conservationist and someone with a deep appreciation for the northern landscape and the people who call the James Bay Frontier their home. All of the above came together and the result is my story “Soapstone Signs.”
