children’s books

Joie’s First School Visit a Success!

Posted by Barbara Techel

Joie in tshirt 1200Joie and I are back home after our visit to Trinity Lutheran School! She did very well and as you can imagine, she was a big hit. The gymnasium was lined with posters of “Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog”  and posters announcing “meet the author, May 10th” which were done by the older students.

At the end of the presentation, Mrs. K presented Joie with a gift from the students.  And what you see Joie wearing in the photo is the very special and sweet gift.  It is Trinity Lutheran School’s t-shirt and all the kids signed it!  It is so precious and yes, I got tears in my eyes when I opened the gift.

tshirt collageThank you to all the students and teachers, and principal Greg and Mrs. K for such a warm and kind welcome.  As I told the students, they were the test school and if Joie did well I’d be open to visiting more schools in the future with Joie. They seemed pretty excited to be the school who started a new “walk ‘n roll dog” rolling into a new adventure.

I hope to share a few more pictures from the morning that another teacher  took and will be sending me. It is tricky when kids are involved as you have to have permission to share their photos, so will see what I can share.  But the morning was a success and my heart smiles.

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Gearing up for “Walk, Roll and Read Day” in Memory of Frankie and Opening Day of Bookworm Gardens- May 4th.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Last year Beth the education coordinator of Bookworm Gardens came up with the idea to have an event called, “Walk, Roll & Read Day.” In case you are not familiar with me talking about Bookworm Gardens, it is an outdoor garden based on children’s books based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  Frankie, and the first book I wrote about her is represented in the garden thank you to wonderful sponsors who made this possible.  Frankie’s legacy lives on in the gardens.

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The event will be on Saturday, May 4th. Details are being worked out and I’ll share the final details here as well as on Facebook once I have them. There will be a small walk (and roll) around the University loop since the gardens are located across from Sheboygan UW. Beth sent out the pledge form today which will help raise donations for the gardens as well as for The Frankie Wheelchair Fund the day of the event.

It was one of those moments that came flooding over me that had tears flowing down my face when I read this on the pledge form, Barb Techel, author of Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog will lead the walk in memory of Frankie, and introduce her new dog, Joie.  

I still remember the day, a few short days before the grand opening of the gardens when John and a friend wheeled the Frankie dog house, which John lovingly built, that would represent Frankie’s story, into her special spot within the gardens. In front of her house is a stone statue representing Frankie with a wheelchair John and I donated. I can’t begin to express what it meant to me to have Frankie within those gardens.  I knew one day she would no longer be here, but it was so important to me to have her legacy live on for thousands of children– and this is exactly what is happening.

On May 4th Joie and I will help celebrate another season of the darling and enchanting Bookworm Gardens that provides smiles, laughter, reading, nature, and family fun time. But to know we will also celebrate the life and legacy of Frankie’s work touches me in a place in my heart that I can’t quite find adequate words for.

And now for a few more smiles… Joie is training hard for the under 1K walk and roll event on May 4th…. check it out!

Do You Remember What You Wanted to Be When You Grew Up? My Visit with Six Imaginative 7th Graders.

Posted by Barbara Techel

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 7th grade class from St. Paul Lutheran School

It was never in my life plan to be a writer or an author. But I’m so glad I followed the path that led me to this the past nine years as it has been an enjoyable ride so far.

Today I met with the 7th grade class at St. Paul Lutheran school. They are a small class of only six students. They are currently working on writing their own children’s stories and had emailed me asking if I’d come to their classroom to talk about writing and publishing.  A free lunch was the bribe and I got to pick pizza.  It worked!

So I was there to inspire them though none of them plan to be a writer or author someday. But I must say, they inspired me with their questions and stories.  At one point I asked each of them what they wanted to be when they grow up.  A policeman, a teacher, a mechanic, a ballet dancer, a youth speaker, and a pawn shop owner. And you know what? I could see each of them being just exactly what they said!

They asked me what it was that I wanted to be when I was their age. I couldn’t remember. But I do remember loving clothes and fashion which I shared with them, and that is what I did do for twelve years of my life, working at Kohl’s Department store as Visual Merchandiser.  I enjoyed that job very much. But one important thing I wanted them to remember is that no matter what they set out to do that if they change their minds and take a different route, that is okay too.

It was a joy hearing about the stories they are working on and the lessons they hope their readers will take away from their books. They will actually be publishing their books through a print on demand company and the books will  be available in their school library for the younger students to check out and read. I think this is such a win-win thing all the way around!

So even though I can’t remember what it was I wanted to be when I grew up, I was inspired listening to these young minds as they explore what is ahead of them. And I was very much inspired by their amazing imaginations as they now will work on completing their books over the next few weeks… which will likely inspire another younger generation. Cool stuff.