Ellen Javernick
Ellen Javernick has been a reader and a writer all her life. Growing up in Montclair, New Jersey, Ellen's favorite activity was walking to the library. She spent so much time there that she knew the location of every book and still remembers details of many of the covers. Ellen recalls dressing as a teacher for her Kindergarten Career Day. Her kindergarten teacher was also a writer, so Ellen associated writing and teaching from the beginning. Every teacher she had throughout her school years encouraged her to become a writer, so it is not surprising that Ellen has been teaching and writing for over forty years. She has written seventeen books and numerous magazine articles for children, for teachers, and for the general public.
As a preschool and primary grades teacher in Colorado, Ellen has shared her love of reading with countless students. She describes herself as a visual person. Some of her vivid childhood memories appear in stories she writes. But she is never at a loss for ideas. Her books and stories are often times based on experiences with students; others have been inspired by her five children; and now she's finding new material in her grandchildren's antics. Sometimes stories emerge from chance happenings and observations, such as the plot of her latest book.
The idea for The Birthday Pet (Marshall Cavendish, 2009) began when she helped a young neighbor boy get back to his feet after a rambunctious puppy had knocked him down. He looked up at Ellen with tears in his eyes and said, "I told them I wanted a turtle for my birthday, but they got me this dog." Ellen's story has a happier ending than that of her young neighbor. In the book, Danny asks for a turtle for his birthday and his dad gets him a dog. Seeing Danny's unhappiness, his mom gets him a cat. As the story progresses, Danny is the recipient of a rat from his brother and a bird from his sister. Finally, his family gets the message and Danny rejoices with his pet turtle. The rhyming text creates a comfortable cadence for reading aloud. Kevin O'Malley's illustrations compliment the story perfectly, showing Danny pulling the neck of his shirt up and wearing a bucket on his head to resemble a turtle and making a turtle shell for himself from a large cardboard box.
Everyday occurrences in the lives of young children inspire many of Ellen's stories. One of her earliest books was What If Everybody Did That? (Children's Press, 1990) which deals with basic good manners. Richard Hackney humorously illustrates the consequences of irresponsible actions, such as racing with shopping carts in the grocery store, tossing pop cans out car windows, and yelling during storytime. Children quickly identify with all of the situations presented. Other picture books deal with babysitters (Double the Trouble), making friends at school (Ms. Pollywog's Problem-Solving Service), a father-daughter outing (Where's Brooke?), and family relationships (Uncle Tease).
Ellen enjoys writing short stories and factual pieces for magazines, because she feels like magazines reach a broad audience of young readers. In fact, her first published story was in Jack and Jill Magazine. Some of the other magazines that have published her works are Highlights, Kidzone, and Guideposts for Kids. She is presently writing columns for Science Weekly in which she presents one topic for five different grade levels and includes suggested learning activities in math and science for each one. Ellen likes the challenge of this type of writing and feels that it suits her. She says that she identifies herself with many of the second grade boys she has had in her classes. Boys this age like to know a little something about a lot of things. So does she.
Teachers, parents, and other authors have benefited from Ellen's generous sharing of her knowledge and expertise in both education and writing. Her books and articles cover such topics as getting ready for preschool and for kindergarten, classroom crafts and bulletin boards, and methods for decoding words to improve reading skills. She has developed a spelling program based on mnemonic clues and patterns for Sopris West Educational Services. Ellen often leads sessions at professional conferences and has, for over thirty years, hosted a weekly critique group for writers in her home.
Ellen is still teaching second grade in Loveland, Colorado. Her major goal has remained the same throughout all these years. She aims to help children develop a love for books and reading.
by Phyllis K. Kennemer
Find out more about Ellen and her books by visiting her website.
Reviews
The Birthday Pet
Ellen Javernick
Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley
Danny's birthday is coming and his parents have told him he can have any pet he wants. Danny considers the pros and cons of several different animals and announces that he wants a turtle. His dad thinks Danny needs a more active pet, so he brings home a dog. The rambunctious puppy knocks Danny over and runs away when they go outside. Danny repeats his plea, "All I really want is a turtle," each time well-meaning family members introduce something else. His mom thinks he needs a kitten, his brother brings him a rat, and his sister appears with a bird. None of these animals appeal to Danny. Finally his family gets the message and Danny gets his turtle. Written in verse, the rhyming words create a cadenced flow. The colorful illustrations set on white backgrounds contribute to the fun of the story as they show Danny pulling his hoods and collars up to look like a turtle and his preoccupation with making himself a turtle shell with a large cardboard box. A fun read aloud with a subtle message. 2009, Marshall Cavendish Children's Books, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8. Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5522-6
ISBN: 0-7614-5522-1
Added 05/27/09
To stay up to date on new books by this author, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here.
If you're interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.