Bible climbing bestseller list!

Look! Now we're climbing as well as moving and shaking! (See # 4)

(July list based on May sales)

Bible Moving and Shaking!

The Jesus Storybook Bible has just hit #26 on the MOVERS AND SHAKERS on amazon!

my favorite soccer star

The name on the back of his shirt is Pikachu.
And his team is the Crunches.
Watch him. He's going places.
I should know. He's my godson.

His other name is Tristan. And he is a man of many talents. As well as being an international man of mystery he is a wicked magician who goes by the name of "The Amazing Mr Flashman."

The Amazing Mr Flashman is a master illusionist famed for tricks he does close up--that you see with own two eyes and still have no single clue how he does them. Which of course is the very definition of a good magician. But extremely irritating to godmothers who had hoped to be quick enough to spot the Tricky Goings-On right in front of her very nose. But alas. This particular godmother is not nearly fast enough. Certainly no match for The Amazing Mr Flashman. 

But then, I wonder, who is?

radio interview "like a little child"

Wanted to let you know that Charles Morris at Haven Today is interviewing me on air June 24-26th about The Jesus Storybook Bible.

He's a lovely man and we had a blast. I think you'll enjoy the program. We're talking about the importance of reaching children where they are, how to best convey to children the Gospel in all its fullness, what makes this particular children's bible story book unique, what it was like writing the book. I will also be reading stories from the book every day for a week.

And they're offering the book free with a donation! What a deal. Quick don't miss out! Here's a link to their site where you can catch the inteview: Part 1 and Part 2.

I am also reading six stories from the book, and you can listen here:
The Story and The Song
A Giant Staircase to Heaven
Daniel and the Scary Sleepover
The Man who didn't have any Friends (none)
The Captain of the Storm
Washed with Tears

Here's what he said about the book: "This exquisitely illustrated collection of children's Bible stories are connected by a scarlet thread - every story whispers his name. Profound theological truths in storybook form, The Jesus Storybook Bible is nothing short of a masterpiece!" I told you he was lovely.

world magazine review

World Magazine has reviewed
The Jesus Storybook Bible
under excellent christian children's books in Noteworthy Books
(Susan Olasky, June 9th).
To read click on the text.

a most frugivorous bird

A whole family of birds has been eating berries, spitting them out and pooping all over my car. I am now driving about disguised as a giant purple berry poop.

I'm not sure which family of birds they are. Or what kind of berries they're gobbling up. But this picture shows someone being caught red-handed--so I thought he would do. He is a Wax Wing, who is also a "Masked Berry Thief", who is apparently "one of the most frugivorous birds in North America". (A fancy show off way of saying "this bird eats the most berries of anyone else around here.")

There's another family (actually I think it might be more like a tribe or a nation) of birds who lives on just one lone tree on my street. And chat non stop all day long. (I think they may be "one of the most chativorous birds in North America".) Needless to say, you never want to be parking under their tree.

Purple Poops. Just one of the hazards of parking on the street in New York City.

Connie and her song

I think this little girl should have been singing for the Queen.

Niss: a blanket

Here's Niss (with Ellie underneath).

Niss of course is a blanket and his name came about, quite simply, because of Ellie pointing at him and saying, "I want niss" (this) when she was too little to be able to use her mouth for TH words quite properly yet.

Ellie's Niss was the inspiration behind Binky's Blanket in Handbag Friends. In fact, Ellie was the inspiration behind a great deal of Handbag Friends. She invented the brilliant word: "misappeared", for instance. She is also "The Beautiful Princess Eleanor" (but you don't need me to tell you that. It's plain to see--she's so completely umdidlyscrumptiously oodlingforthingfull princesstral in every way.)

She's also the inspiration for the Big Sister in How To Be A Baby: by Me, The Big Sister. Best of all, she's my niece and I get to be her aunt.

You could say she's a bit of a muse for me. But then you could say that about every one of my nieces and nephews. And actually pretty much every child I meet.