Jerdine Nolen
Jerdine Nolen has a lovely smile on her face when she stands up to speak to an audience. At schools, she often begins her talks by singing to introduce the notion that words are floating around. Singing is also great for breathing; it helps her relax and also calms the audience.
A teacher since 1974, Nolen is comfortable with kids. She encourages them to ask questions and she likes to play games and she especially enjoys including the teachers in the fun. All the pages of her books are on slides, so she reports that she can handle an audience as large as 500 in an auditorium. Her first book Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm (1994, Lothrop, Ages 4 up, $16.00), came from her teaching days. She was developing model lessons and this one in particular was a math and money unit. She had her kids turn the classroom into a store and they sold balloons from her balloon farm. The following summer she got to thinking about this very strange fellow Harvey Potter. When Nolen tried writing the story, she got stuck until she asked herself questions (who, what, where). Then she wrote the story in two hours. It took a long time to finally get published, but it was worth the wait since Harvey Potter has won quite a few awards.
Her next book, Raising Dragons (1998, Harcourt, Ages 4 to 8, $16.00) took four years to come to fruition. It is an endearing story about a young girl who finds an egg which hatches into a baby dragon. They are inseparable until fame brings the realization that Hank, her dragon hatchling, will be better off elsewhere and he flies off to live on Dragon Island. Nolen has a storyteller's voice and the words are wonderful when read aloud.
How did she get to be so witty and imaginative? She says "while I was growing up, being bored was out of the question! You see, if we told our parents we were bored, they were sure to find some work for us to do. We told stories; played 'rock teacher,' baseball, dodgeball, and Red Rover; had tea parties; and -my favorite-dressed up and put on plays." With seven siblings, Nolen says that she had to have a good sense of humor to make up for the lack of space.
Among Nolen's most recent books is, In My Momma's Kitchen, a wonderful slice of life which must reflect somewhat on her family experiences.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
You can learn more about Jerdine and contact her directly by visiting her Web site www.jerdinenolen.com.Reviews
Big JabeJerdine Nolen
Illustrations by Kadir Nelson
Jabe is the larger-than-life hero of this original tall tale of life on the plantation in the days of slavery. Arriving magically in a basket floating on the river, he immediately seems to cause miraculous events, while in no time at all he does the ever-harder work set to the slaves. The wicked overseer resents the way Jabe makes their lives pleasanter. But each time he tries to punish one of the slaves, that slave is magically spirited away. Jabe eventually moves on, but everywhere he goes "burdens are lifted." This picture of plantation life puts reality next to the spirit of hope and freedom that burned within. Nelson's naturalistic colored drawings describe a rural South with lush fields, healthy animals, nasty overseer and kindly slaves. Even the few scenes of mistreatment are bathed in a romantic light that softens the evil. Although the text hints at some benign magic, only a scene of fish jumping from the river actually shows this. The scenes chosen from the lengthy text provide a real sense of place and characters. 2000, HarperCollins Juvenile Books, Ages 6 to 10, $15.95. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz
ISBN: 0-688-13662-1
Harvey Potter's Balloon FarmJerdine Nolen
Illustrated by Mark Buehner
Here's a rollicking tall tale with the bright whimsy (literally) of a field of balloons. Look closely at each illustration to find the well-hidden cat, pig, rabbit, chicken, cow, and Tyrannosaurus Rex. 1994, Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, Ages 3 to 8, $16.00 and $15.93. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum
ISBN: 0-688-07887-7
ISBN: 0-688-07888-5 Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm
Jerdine Nolen
Illustrated by Mark Buehner
nbsp; Planting and raising balloons? Even the U. S. Government wants to know Harvey's secret. It is his friend, a young African-American girl, who finally learns the secret. This fanciful, amusing, and imaginative tale will delight young children. Buehner has given the balloons real personalities in his funny illustrations. 1994, Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, Ages 4 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
AGES: 4 5 6 7 8 9 ISBN: 0-688-07887-7
ISBN: 0-688-07888-5
In My Momma's Kitchen
Jerdine Nolen
Illustrations by Colin Bootman
August may hold a family reunion, a nature hike, or a visit to a historic site. This book celebrates good times with extended family. Jerdine Nolen's eight sketches focus on cooking with aunts, hearing a sister's good news, and dining on corn pudding specially prepared by Daddy, who is wearing that smile of his and humming "Glory Hallelujah." Colin Bootman's oil paintings beautifully limn the members of this close-knit family. 1999, Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, Ages 4 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum
ISBN: 0-688-12761-4
Jerdine Nolen
Illustrations by Colin Bootman
Scenes that take place in the kitchen of this loving family are the subject of a series of vignettes. The youngest daughter of the family remembers Great-aunt Caroline's visits, her aunts making their giant kettles of soup, a humorous crab apple jelly disaster, and the corn pudding that was her father's specialty. Nolen offers good examples of committing to writing, those special events of our everyday lives. The illustrations by Bootman are realistic and very touching. 1999, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, Ages 4 to 10, $16.00. Reviewer: Barbara Youngblood
ISBN: 0-688-12761-4
Added 12/27/02
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