My weekend pancake breakfast. 
Tag: #read aloud books
Glitter Bottles
“Katie loved building things, she loved collecting things but most of all she loved pancakes.”
–Katie Shaeffer Pancake Maker
Here’s an idea for those empty water bottles you may be collecting!
You will need:
clear plastic bottles
hot water
lily white corn syrup (if you use the darker corn syrup, you won’t really see the glitter inside)
food colouring
glitter shapes or tiny beads
(do not use fine glitter)
Fill the bottles with 2/3 hot water and 1/3 lily white corn syrup. I measured and whisked this in a large measuring cup with a pouring spout and added a little food colouring before pouring the mixture into the bottles. Then I added some glittery shapes and tiny beads. Finally I glued the lids on tightly. It is a little bit like making your own snow globe. You can turn it or shake the bottle and watch the shapes and beads swirl around. Very peaceful.
If you place them in the sunlight and allow light to shine through, you will see a little extra sparkle. Try it out!
Katie Shaeffer, Pancake Maker will be my first self-published picture book. My goal is to have it released this December, 2016. Coming soon to an online book store near you!
Thanks for reading!
-Cynthia
Getting Inspiration
For me, inspiration comes from a variety of sources. Katie Shaeffer, Pancake Maker was inspired in part by the book Loose Parts , Inspiring Play in Young Children written by Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky.
The book is full of beautiful photographs of loose parts arranged to inspire play in young children. Here are a few examples that I photographed from the book. There are many many more in the book itself so I would highly recommend purchasing the book for your own inspiration as a parent or as an educator. Or at least borrow it from the library! It really highlights the endless possibilities that loose parts can present.
And during the time I have been using loose parts theory in the preschool classroom I have witnessed many projects that children have undertaken. These projects have also served as inspiration for the story. I hope that Katie and Baxter from my story Katie Shaeffer Pancake Maker will inspire young children to take on more creative projects using items they and their parents or teachers have collected!
Have you or your child created something using loose parts? Maybe you are an educator who has been using loose parts theory in the classroom like me. Send a photo of your project to authorcynthiamackey@gmail.com and I would be happy to feature it here on my author blog.
In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it.” -Architect, Simon Nicholson
This post was written in response to the Daily Post Discover Challenge Mixing Media.
Katie Shaeffer Synopsis
“Why won’t my Mom and Dad just trust me to use the stove?” Katie wonders.
Does Katie let that stop her? No!
Join Katie and her friend Baxter in this fun story as they use a passion for collecting and building to find a way to realize Katie‛s pancake dream! This upbeat energetic tale with great potential for reading aloud will appeal to adults and young children alike. The book includes a predictable rhyme that will have children chiming in as the story unfolds. Children will celebrate with Katie and Baxter as their pancake dream becomes reality! Recipe included. Author: Cynthia Mackey Illustrator: Paula Nasmith
Cynthia Mackey has always loved children‛s literature. After years of teaching preschool and kindergarten, she is proud to have written her fi rst children‛s book, Katie Shaeffer, Pancake Maker. She lives on the west coast of British Columbia with her family and her piano where she faithfully continues her Saturday morning pancake tradition. http://www.authorcynthiamackey.com
Paula Nasmith has been making art her whole life and has always enjoyed illustration. Since an early age she‛s been interested children‛s literature and still enjoys picture books and classic children‛s stories. When she‛s not making art, you might find her ice skating or riding horses. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia with her two cats.
Release Date: To Be Announced
My goal? November 2016
Glitter Bottles
“Katie loved building things, she loved collecting things but most of all she loved pancakes.”
–Katie Shaeffer Pancake Maker
Here’s an idea for those empty water bottles you may be collecting!
You will need:
clear plastic bottles
hot water
lily white corn syrup (if you use the darker corn syrup, you won’t really see the glitter inside)
food colouring
glitter shapes or tiny beads
(do not use fine glitter)
Fill the bottles with 2/3 hot water and 1/3 lily white corn syrup. I measured and whisked this in a large measuring cup with a pouring spout and added a little food colouring before pouring the mixture into the bottles. Then I added some glittery shapes and tiny beads. Finally I glued the lids on tightly. It is a little bit like making your own snow globe. You can turn it or shake the bottle and watch the shapes and beads swirl around. Very peaceful.
If you place them in the sunlight and allow light to shine through, you will see a little extra sparkle. Try it out!
Katie Shaeffer, Pancake Maker will be my first self-published picture book. My goal is to have it released this November, 2016. Coming soon to an online book store near you!
Thanks for reading!
-Cynthia
