| Heya <<First Name>>,
In this email: Quokka names, sneak peeks at new stories, challenges with reading aloud, and our latest story continues.
First, a shout-out this week to everyone who shared their quokka-name suggestions.
Thank yoooooou!
Above: Our company mascot and world-traveling read-aloud ambassador-quokka.
Quokka names
The names ranged from the geographic …
Johan, short for “Johannesburg.”
Wadjemup, the indigenous name for Rottnest Island, where most quokkas live.
Rotto, a nickname for Rottnest Island.
Sefri, what locals from South Africa call themselves.
Loadshedding, because, as one boy said, our quokka is tired of power-grid loadshedding every day. “That’s why he went to stay in that ice-cold country.”
to the poetic …
Fernweh, a German word for “farsickness,” or “wanderlust.”
Figlet
Kugonza, from the Rutooro language, meaning “love.”
Snowbird
to the cozy …
Barry, Biddy, Carl, Neville, Patrick, Rowan, Simon, Tommy, Theo, Wally.
to the happy …
Happy
Of course, names with Q featured prominently …
Kumquat, Status Quo, Quark, Quigley, Quinn, Quirk, Quirky.
Especially Quentin …
Queen Quentin the Quokka, suggested by Deborah’s three-year-old
Quentin
Quentin Quangdong Quokka. As Evelyn wrote, “I hope as he travels around the world, his preferred airline is Qantas that originated in Queensland. Quandong fruit can be seen in areas around Quairading, Quindalup, Quindanning, Quinns Rock, and Qualagetting.”
Obviously there is great power in Quentin.
Who are we to argue?
Meet Quentin Quokka.
Next stop for Quentin (they/them): The spectacular desertscape of the American Southwest.
We’ll send pics.
Thank you Linda, Evelyn, Deborah, and Tracy for suggesting “Quentin.” (Your books will be on the way soon.)
Three sneak peeks at new stories
1. Our book “Messy Blessings” is just about ready and will be published in a couple weeks.
2. Later in the spring we’ll publish the first two books in our middle-grade zombie series. Here’s an early sketch of Scarlet, the hero of “Scar and the Wolf.”
3. I’ve been working on a project called the “United States of Anagram.” Jordan Kump is illustrating, and the book will be out this summer. Here’s a peek at Wisconsin.
A Calming Hike = Lake Michigan. Angry Bee = Green Bay. Cows in Sin = Wisconsin. Domains = Madison. We like U, Ma = Milwaukee.
We’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Challenges with reading aloud
Finally, thank you for your replies to our question last week,
“What’s your biggest challenge with reading aloud?”
We’ll have some detailed thoughts for you soon, but for now I’ll just share that the more I read on the topic, the more convinced I am that reading aloud is one of the best things you can do for a kid.
But, I’d also recommend not letting it become a heavy chore.
Grownups are busy.
Just read what you can, when you can.
For ideas on what to read, check out our Read-Aloud Recs page (or our own Bookshelf page). And you can always ask our Facebook community for read-aloud ideas and tips.
Happy reading,
Jeff, Bob, and Zoe …
… who believe that reading with kids can change the world for the better |
