Long Time No See

I’m sorry, Blog! I was finishing the art for my next book. But I missed you!

Oh. They don’t?

Sigh.

The Well-Accessorized Author

Hey, Blog, look at my new bag!
My husband gave it to me, to celebrate
the release next week of BLUE CHICKEN!

Suggested Reading, Picture Books About Purses:
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes; The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Mary Ann Hoberman and Nadine Bernard Westcott.

Because Books Don’t Write Themselves

Blogs Get Neglected.

Sshhh… Don’t Tell!

Look, Blog!
Blue Chicken got it’s first review,
and it’s pretty good!

I know, but… too late to fix anything now.
It’s at the printer. And anyway, my editor seems happy…

Blog! SSHHHHH!!

Suggested Reading, Picture Books About Secrets: It’s a Secret, by John Burningham; The Secret Circus, by Johanna Wright; The Secret Shortcut, by Mark Teague; The Secret Birthday Message, by Eric Carle; Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan, by Jeanette Winter; The Day of Ahmed’s Secret, by Florence H. Parry and Ted Lewin; The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Robert Ingpen.

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Would This Happen On Blogger?

Would YOU Eat Green Eggs and Ham? Redux…

I would not, could not, in the fog.
I could not, would not on a jog.

Yes, Blog, but it’s Dr. Seuss’s birthday today, so I thought it would be fun to play again!

That’s very good, Blog! You are so clever!

Sigh…

Help us celebrate the birthday of Theodore Giesel (aka Dr. Seuss) and Read Across America Day by adding your own “Green Eggs and Ham” verse!

Begin Again

Sigh…
I suppose you are right, Blog. It’s a new year,
and Blue Chicken is finished and off being printed.
I should start spending time with a new book
and a new character.

And you, Blog.

Sorry, Chicken.
And Happy New Year Friends!
Are you beginning something New this Year?

In which I am harassed for not posting…

Blog! I’m almost done with BLUE CHICKEN!
I can’t wait to start posting with you again.

Blog?

Oh Blog, I’m sorry I’ve been so busy.
Don’t be angry. Talk to me!

That isn’t true… I mean, I DO love my books,
but I care about you too. I’ll be back as soon
as I hand in the chicken.

Yes. I promise.

Hello! Hello?

(Blog! Shhhh…. not now. I’m working.)

Free to Be. You? And Me?

Blog, we have been posting every week since last summer.
I’m so proud* of you and what we’ve done together!

Yes, but you helped!

Well, it’s not the usual. But it’s good… no?**

Suggested Reading, Picture Books about Friendship:
Blackboard Bear by Martha G. Alexander
Tim and Charlotte by Edward Ardizzone
Madeline and the Bad Hat by Ludwig Bemelmans
Angus and the Cat by Marjorie Flack
Dandelion by Don Freeman
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes
Jessica by Kevin Henkes
Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
One of Each by Mary Ann Hoberman
The Frog and Toad Collection by Arnold Lobel
George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends by James Marshall
Hondo and Fabian by Peter McCarty
Little Bear’s Friend by Else Holmelund Minarik
Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
Yo! Yes? by Christopher Raschka
Dog and Bear by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Amos & Boris by William Steig
Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems

*Check out the June Carnival of Children’s Literature, hosted at www.leewind.org. The theme for June is PRIDE.

**More posts with Blog are here.

The Ghost in the Machine

Help! Blog! LET ME OUT!!

But you are just a BLOG, Blog.
I’M the one in charge around here!

Grrr…

Today’s reading suggestion: Golem, by David Wisniewski

The Real World

What’s the matter today, Blog?

But the whole world is right HERE, on the internet.
You can go anywhere you want!

But, Blog, YOU aren’t rr… oh… nevermind.

Suggested Reading, Picture Books about the World: Looking Down, by Steve Jenkins; How I Learned Geography, by Uri Shulevitz; How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, by Marjorie Priceman; Madlenka, by Peter Sis.

April 22nd is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

Whatcha Watchin’?

Maybe it’s time to go outside and play, or visit the local library. What will YOU do once your computer is off?

(Did you know that next week is national Turnoff Week?)

Library Love

Hey Blog! Are you excited about your new library card?

Sure you can! Just visit here or here. Browse a bit, tell me what books you want, and I’ll pick them up for you.

Maybe our readers have suggestions? Blog and I are joining the Library-Loving Blog Challenge this week, so for everyone who leaves a comment below, we will donate $2.00 to our local libraries in Hamden and New Haven, Connecticut.

(Blog! We can talk about this privately…. later…)

How easy could it be? You comment, the libraries get a gift! If you don’t have a reading suggestion for Blog, “I love libraries” will do – until midnight, Monday, March 29.

Blog inside a blog, inside a blog, inside a …

Picture books that zoom, suggested reading: Zoom, by Istvan Banyai; The Red Book, by Barbara Lehman; Actual Size, by Steve Jenkins; Flotsam, by David Wiesner

That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.

 

Dear Reader,

You may be here because you googled the name ‘Deborah Freedman’. I am sorry to say you have not found Deborah Freedman the New York painter, or Deborah Freedman, the interior designer from Palm Beach Gardens. This is not the site of Deborah Freedman, the Maine storyteller. Or the Deborah Freedman who married Eric Belt in 1993. Nor have you reached the financial advisor from New Jersey, the Managing Attorney of Law Center North Central, or the Research Associate of the Population Studies Center (may she rest in peace). None of those Deborah Freedmans are me. I also am not the author of the Technical Editor’s Handbook. If you were looking for those Deborah Freedmans or any of the other many Deborah Freedmans searchable on the internet who I am sure must be lovely women but are not the person who writes and illustrates children’s picture books, then I thank you for stopping by and hope you might visit again some time, anyway.

But if you were looking for that Deborah Freedman, well then – you have found her.

Sincerely,
Deborah Freedman

BLOG! You know that isn’t true!
You only see me when I’m on my computer!
I do have another life… a REAL one…

Today’s reading suggestion: Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name, by Suzanne Williams and Andrew Shachat

Listen to THIS Deborah Freedman tell a story about her name, at TeachingBooks.net.

p.s. Is YOUR name Deborah Freedman? Whether it is, or it isn’t, I hope you will comment below, and introduce yourself!

Madam

Have you ever noticed
how blogs are read backwards…

I’

…from the order
in which they are posted?

m Adam

Have you ever noticed
how blogs are read backwards…

Giving Thanks

WE? Why aren’t WE posting? Since when do you do anything around here, Blog?

I have 20 people coming over in two days. I have COOKING to do! I have to make stuffing! and pies! and… well, honestly, Blog, I don’t have time for you today. Just this once, couldn’t you help out a little bit?

Oh.

Well, THANK YOU for all of that, Blog.

 

THE RECIPE: SWEET POTATO PECAN PIE
(adapted from Paul Prudhomme)

Pie Dough:
Your own favorite recipe, or use Paul Prudhomme’s.

Sweet Potato Filling:
2 to 3 sweet potatoes, or enough to yield 1 cup cooked (baked or microwaved) pulp
1/4 cup, packed, brown sugar
½ egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pecan Pie Filling:
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ dark corn syrup
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups pecans

• Place and arrange pie dough in a deep pie dish (1½”) or cake pan. Refrigerate.
• For sweet potato filling: combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until batter is smooth. Do not overbeat. Set aside.
• For pecan pie filling: combine all ingredients except pecans and mix thoroughly until the syrup is opaque. Stir in pecans and set aside.
• To assemble: spoon the sweet potato filling into the pie dough. Pour the pecan filling on top. Bake at 325∘until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1¾ hours.
• Cool and serve with barely sweetened whipped cream.