Praise for My Blog!

This piece was featured in my Publisher's newsletter written by Caitlin Smith.


Featured Blogs:

Johnette Downing: http://johnettedowning.blogspot.com/

Johnette has the most important aspect of a blog covered: she updates regularly! Johnette posts her tour dates, reviews, notes from fans, award information, and any other important news. She also has fun photos posted, links on the side, and an online version of tic-tac-toe (just for fun!). Johnette also has a superb website, which I will feature in a future newsletter.


I have never had praise for my Blog before; that's really cool. Thanks Caitlin and Pelican Publishing. I have nothing but praise for you too!

Tour Dates - July 2009

July 3 from 1:15-3:00, Kids Stage, Mandeville Seafood Festival, Fontainbleu State Park, Mandeville, LA
July 5 from 3:15-5:00, Kids Stage, Mandeville Seafood Festival, Mandeville, LA
July 6, Ripples Camp, New Orleans, LA
July 8 at 10:00 & 2:00, Allen Parish Library, Kinder & Oberlin, LA
July 9 at 10:00, Allen Parish Library, Oakdale, LA
July 13 at 9:30, Castle Tree Camp, New Orleans, LA
July 14 at 10:00 & 1:30, Plaquemines Parish Library, Belle Chasse, LA
July 15 at 10:00, West Feliciana Parish Library, St. Francisville, LA
July 16 at 10:00 & 2:00, Iberia Parish Library, New Iberia & Loreauville, LA
July 17 at 10:00 & 2:00, LaSalle Parish Library, Jena & Olla, LA
July 18 at 3:00, Pal's Ice Cream Shop, Mandeville, LA
July 21 at 10:30 & 2:00, Lafourche Parish Library, Cut Off & Lockport, LA
July 22 at 10:30 & 2:00, Lafourche Parish Library, Thibodaux, LA
July 30, Grant Parish Library, Montgomery & Georgetown, LA
July 31, Grant Parish Library, Dry Prong & Pollock, LA

Just Plain Folks Award Nominations

I just learned from my friend Monty Harper that my Clamshell Clap song has been nominated for Song of the Year and my Fins and Grins CD has been nominated for Album of the Year from the great people at Just Plain Folks. Check out the nominations at

 http://www.justplainfolks.org/default.php?page=awards#

Summer Reading Program Photos

Happy Summer!

Here is a link to some photos taken by the Times Picayune newspaper during my May 26, 2009 performance at the St. Tammany Parish Library in Covington as a Kick-off to the Summer Reading Program 2009!

http://photos.nola.com/gallery/4500/Around%20New%20Orleans,%20Tuesday%20May%2026,%202009

Read, read, read!

Digital Store

Guess what Fans? I now have a digital Store on my website whereby you can download MP3 files of CDs, individual songs and the songs that go with my books! Download my songs into your iPod or MP3 player and take me wherever you go! How cool is that? Check out my MP3 Download Store at:

http://www.johnettedowning.com/digital.html

Tour Dates - June 2009

June 1 at 10:30 & 2:00, Ascension Parish Library, Donaldsonville and Galvez, LA
June 2 at 1:30, Ripples Camp, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
June 3 at 10:00 & 2:00, Iberville Parish Library, Plaquemines and Grosse Tete/Rosedale, LA
June 4 at 10:30 & 2:00, Iberville Parish Library, East Iberville School Band Room and White Castle, LA
June 5 at 10:00, Iberville Parish Library, Bayou Sorrell, LA
June 7 at 9:30, Mary Peyton Miracle Run, Abita Springs Trail Head, Abita Springs, LA
June 8 at 2:00, Terrebonne Parish Library, Houma, LA
June 9 at 2:00, Catahoula Parish Library, Sicily Island, LA
June 10 at 10:00 & 2:00, Catahoula Parish Library, Harrisonburg & Jonesville, LA
June 11 at 10:00 & 2:00, Webster Parish Library, Minden and Springhill, LA
June 17 at 10:00 & 2:00 Natchitoches Parish Library, Natchitoches, LA
June 18 at 2:00, Natchitoches Parish Library, Natchitoches, LA
June 19 at 10:00, St. Bernard Parish Library, Chalmette, LA
June 22 at 9:30, Castle Tree Camp, New Orleans, LA
June 22 at 1:30, Jimmy Club for Girls, St. Rose, LA
June 23 at 10:00 & 2:00, St. James Parish Library, Lutcher and Vacherie, LA
June 24 at 10:00 & 2:00, Winn Parish Library, Winnfield, LA
June 25 at 10:00 & 1:00, Bienville Parish Library, Arcadia & Ringgold, LA
June 26 at 10:00 & 1:00, Bienville Parish Library, Saline & Castor, LA
June 29, Vermillion Parish Library, Delcambre & Kaplan, LA
June 30, Cameron Parish Library, Cameron, LA

Dixieland Jazz For Children CD Reviewed on Punny Bop

Here is a great review that appeared recently on Punny Bop:

We started out with Dixieland Jazz for Children by Johnette Downing and Jimmy LaRocca's Original Dixieland Jazz Band. You can buy it on CD or for just $9 in MP3 format - Amazon's MP3 page for the album has samples of every song. Z's favorite song on this CD by far is the first one, "Dixieland Jazz' - "Dixieland Jazz, Dixieland Jazz the best jazz in the land..." - the song then goes on to introduce all the different instruments in the standard Dixieland Jazz band. Other favorite songs from the album include "Throw Me Something Mister" - all about getting some beads and doubloons from a float in a Mardi Gras parade (I can't wait to take Z to a proper Mardi Gras parade), "I've Got Happy Feet" - which for some reason reminds me of that famous New Orleans con where the con bets the mark that he can tell you where you got your shoes. (The answer plays on the New Orleans' substitution of "you've" with "you," and it's whatever street you're standing on - if you're on Decatur, for example, it's "you got your shoes on Decatur right now.") But the song is really about dancing your way through New Orleans.


http://www.punnybop.com/

Mailbox - Letters from Friends and Fans

Hi Johnette,

My name is Angie C. I am a 3rd grade teacher at Zachary Elementary School. We enjoyed your visit so much. I purchased some of your books (two that I didn't have already) and couldn't wait to try them out with my 3rd graders. Yes, I said 3rd graders. Even 9 year olds LOVE them. During iLEAP testing (standardized state testing) week, we try to create a relaxed and non stressful environment. This is where your books came in. We first read My Aunt Came Back. I gave the kids Louisiana cut outs, and I printed pictures of the different gifts that "my aunt" brought back. When I got to each city, students had to paste the gift in the location of that city on the LA cutout. They loved it! We extended it to include what their aunt would bring back if she visited Zachary.

We also read Chef Creole and created him. What's so amazing about this is that I let the students have free range to create him. We did not use templates. So, although each one looks almost the same, there are no two chefs alike in my room. The students worked hard, and loved creating him.

I have enclosed pictures of our work that I've put on display on a bulletin board in my classroom. Just like the title of the board says, you truly did inspire us!

Thank you,
Angie C
3rd grade teacher
Zachary Elementary School

Tour Dates - May 2009

May 2 at 11:00, Book Signing, Book Tent, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Fairgrounds, New Orleans, LA
May 2 at 12:45, Concert, Kids Tent, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Fairgrounds, New Orleans, LA
May 3, at 2:45 & 4:45, Children's Tent, Fest For All, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
May 9 at 10:00, Concert, APPLE Parent Conference, Metairie, LA
May 11-15, Banners Series School Tour, Lake Charles, LA
May 16 at 10:00, Concert, Central Library, Lake Charles, LA
May 23 from 9:30-11:30, Book Signing, Sams Club, Harvey, LA
May 23 from 1:30-3:30, Book Signing, Sams Club, Metairie, LA
May 26 at 1:30, Covington Branch Library, Covington, LA
May 27 at 10:00, Causeway Branch Library, Covington, LA
May 28 at 1:30, Slidell Branch Library, Slidell, LA

Mailbox - Letters from Friends and Fans

"Yesterday I took Elise to the library to see Johnette Downing, a children's author and musician. She writes the most wonderful childrens books and we got her to sign our copy of Chef Creole. She played guitar and sang for the children and everyone danced and sang along. Elise loved it!"

-Leatherman Baby Blog

Mailbox - Letters from Friends and Fans

"My 6 year old was just slurping cereal singing…today is Monday, today is Monday…and I thought about you!"

Cheers!

LeAnne, parent, Mandeville, LA

Reader Views: By Kids for Kids

This review appeared in Reader Views: By Kids for Kids

Reviewed by Grayce Richardson (age 5) for Reader Views (4/09): 

“Chef Creole is a cook man. Oooh, boudin! I liked his nose. I want some of those ingredients and I 

liked it when they said his name is Chef Creole, Creole, Creole. I think I would add to this book 

pickles for his cheeks. He’s missing ears.” 

Parent’s Note: 

Grayce really enjoyed the repetition in this book and the idea of ingredients making the Chef’s face. 

It’s nicely written with a New Orlean’s flavor and feel. At the end, I might suggest adding a recipe 

from the Chef’s kitchen that a child could make. Overall, “Chef Creole” by Johnette Downing is a 

fun book and one Grayce likes to read.

Just One

Here is another cute thing a child said to me that I just had to share with you. I had a reading and book signing for my Chef Creole book last night at the Barnes & Noble in Harvey, LA. Since my books are songs, I sang the book. During the song, there was a little three year old boy in the front row dancing up a storm. After the reading/singing, I signed books. After patiently standing in line for quite some time, the three year old dancer made it to my table. I commented on this fabulous dancing and he just blushed. His parents had purchased one of my books and he gave it to me to sign. I asked the little boy, "Can you spell your name for me?" He proceeded to spell his name very slowly like a three year old would; L......a........n........d........o..........n.  I patiently waited for him to spell his name and I wrote each letter down as he recited it to me. I then said, "So, I am going to write To Landon." Landon immediately corrected me, "No, I'm just one." 

Appetite for Culture: Food as Identity

Check out this feature about yours truly in Louisiana Cultural Vistas!


Appetite for Culture: Food as Identity
Editor's Column from Louisiana Cultural Vistas, Spring 2009
http://www.leh.org/editorials/appetite_culture.html


Here in Louisiana while our cultural identity is characterized by our uniqueness, we inevitably begin to take it for granted and develop contempt for the familiar, sometimes to the point of succumbing to alien cultural influences, in other words Americanization. One of the most distinct markers of culture is cuisine, and with good reason Louisiana cuisine is widely bruited as the best and most distinctive in the country. Yet, with so extraordinary a cuisine native to our own state and family traditions (81 percent of Louisiana residents were born here), how does one account for the proliferation of McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Shoney’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and other such American atrocities to good taste, which far outnumber the local gastronomic options?It wasn’t until my friend, the children’s musician and author Johnette Downing, was contracted to expand her book about Louisiana cuisine, Today is Monday in Louisiana, into a series featuring other states such as New York, North Carolina, and Texas that I fully realized how sadly limited are the rest of the states in having distinctly defined foods. Johnette’s book, written for children, is structured simply around assigning a distinctive food for each of the days of a week, commencing with the classic red beans and rice for Monday. For Louisiana, finding seven distinctive dishes is literally child’s play, because there is such a plethora of options that could be only specific to Louisiana and no other state. By way of illustration, here is a quick two dozen: jambalaya, blackened redfish, beignets, shrimp creole, crawfish pie, red beans and rice, chicory coffee, chicken etouffee, fried softshell crabs, ersters Rockefeller, ersters Bienville, pralines, roux, gumbo, crawfish bisque, barbeque shrimp, corn maque choux, calas, redfish courtbouillon, cochon de lait, boudin, alligator sausage, andouille, and tasso. Once one gets momentum, even more start to tumble from memory of great meals and common foods: po’boys, dirty rice, bananas foster, creole tomatoes, satsumas, Natchitoches meat pies, king cake, turtle soup, Tabasco sauce, alligator sauce piquant, café au lait, cracklins, creole cream cheese, mirlitons, not to mention all the inventive variations on a theme: crawfish etouffee, crawfish sacks, fried crawfish ... a week would hardly be enough to encompass a catalogue; we would need a month.

Identity Crisis
Trying to employ the same principle of selection — i.e. a food that was not only widely consumed in a particular state, but could not equally be claimed by another state — leads to an exercise in futility for any other state, even ones such as New York or North Carolina which are more populous and longer-settled. For New York, for example, a few items come quickly to mind: bagels, NY cheesecake, Manhattan clam chowder, pastrami, buffalo chicken wings, Long Island duckling (apparently now all raised in the Midwest as suburbia chewed up the chicken farms), but the list of dishes unique to New York quickly comes up short. The state fruit, the apple, is hardly unique to New York, any more than is wine or cheddar cheese, and while there is some debate as to the origin of pizza (Trenton, New Haven, and Chicago all seem to have competing claims), it is now so ubiquitous that the connection to New York seems tenuous at best. One could make a case for an occasional esoteric item such as “beef on weck” a roast beef on a caraway roll (kummelweck) sandwich unique to Buffalo, but virtually unheard of in the rest of the state. One consultant in all seriousness actually suggested Chinese take-out as an option, which only serves to illustrate the point about how limited is cuisine as a definer of culture in the five boroughs.

Regional versus Local
North Carolina serves as an interesting case of how regional influences supercede local identity. Surveying locals as to regional dishes one learned of a few truly esoteric dishes, some with good reason, such as “liver mush” — a concoction of pig’s liver and cornmeal highly touted in the town of Shelby. While there are a few other foods or culinary traditions that might be distinctive to the state, such as the scuppernong grape, and the Sunday “pig pickin’”, most of its other claims actually originate in other states: Brunswick stew, which hails from Virginia, and shrimp and grits, which originates in South Carolina. Of its other most common food markers — barbeque ribs, fried chicken, and pecan pie — all are clearly regional dishes common to virtually every southern state and not unique to North Carolina, any more than was the suggestion of one informant who proposed spaghetti and meat balls for the state’s list.The evidence of regional and nationalizing influence on cuisine and its encroachment on our own communities should both give us pause, and spur us to cherish even more fiercely our distinctive cuisine and its centrality in defining who we are. Louisiana may not lead the nation in many markers of civilization, but in cuisine we stand unchallenged.

—Michael Sartisky, Editor-In-Chief

Mailbox - Letters from Friends and Fans

Just wanted to say that your last concert for TNT was your best! The children are still talking about you! Thanks again so much for the wonderful night. You are so very talented and your gift is truly making children happy!

-Leslie Domingues, Tots N Tunes, Northlake Academy of Music, Mandeville, LA
http://www.totsntunes.net/

Back in the Studio!

As promised, I am going into the recording studio next week to record the songs that accompany my books, and a new CD titled Boogie Woogie Bugs. It will take a month or two to finish the recording and then I will ship them off to be manufactured. So stay tuned for news about the new CD release.

Updated Tour Dates - April 2009

April 5 from 12:30-2:30, Book Signing, A Tisket A Tasket, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
April 5 from 3:00-5:00, Book Signing, Louisiana Food Festival, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
April 9 from 7:00-9:00, Book Signing & Reading, Barnes & Noble, Metairie, LA
April 11 at 2:00, Concert and Book Signing, Southern Food & Beverage Museum, Riverwalk, New Orleans, LA
April 18 from 7:00-8:30 p.m., Book Signing, Barnes & Noble, Harvey, LA
April 19 at 3:15, Concert, Kids Stage, French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, LA
April 24 at 5:30, Concert, Grand Opening of Westside Regional Library, Alexandria, LA
April 25 at 10:00 and 11:00, Concert, Peyton Arts Festival, First United Methodist Church, Alexandria, LA
April 25 from 3:00-4:00, Book Signing, School Aids, Alexandria, LA

Plenty of Smiles and Giggles - Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud Review

"Johnette Downing has shaped a clever just-so story out of the flora and fauna and mud of south Louisiana. There are plenty of smiles and giggles, and readers will even pick up a few Cajun expressions along the way. Once again, Downing has created a tale as lively and melodic as her wonderful song-and-story performances."

-Michael Tisserand
author of Sugarcane Academy and The Kingdom of Zydeco

Tour Dates - April 2009

April 9 from 7:00-9:00, Book Signing & Reading, Barnes & Noble, Metairie, LA
April 11 at 2:00, Concert, Southern Food & Beverage Museum, Riverwalk, New Orleans, LA
April 18 from 7:00-8:30 p.m., Book Signing, Barnes & Noble, Harvey, LA
April 19 at 3:15, Concert, Kids Stage, French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, LA
April 25 at 10:00 and 11:00, Concert, Peyton Arts Festival, First United Methodist Church, Alexandria, LA
April 25 from 3:00-4:00, Book Signing, School Aids, Alexandria, LA

Mailbox - Letters from Friends and Fans

"Douglas has been playing guitar for 6 years now and for almost 2 years has been playing stand-up bass in a couple of orchestra groups. We always tell people that he got his inspiration from his amazing Pre-K music teacher who made him want to play guitar. I use your music with my first graders all the time!!"

- Robin Snyder, Parent and Teacher

Thanks Robin! Douglas was always a dynamic and kind student in my class. I feel blessed to have inspired him along his journey. He certainly inspired me.

Tour Schedule - March 2009

March 1-3, Middle East Performance and Workshop Tour, Oman

March 4-10, Middle East Performance and Workshop Tour, Bahrain

March 11-19, Middle East Performance and Workshop Tour, United Arab Emirates

March 26 at 5:30, Tots N Tunes, Mandeville, LA

March 28 from 11:00-12:00, Book Signing and Reading, Playville, Covington, LA

March 31 at 3:30, Jeff Davis Library and Carnegie Library Co-sponsors, Jennings, LA

On Tour in the Middle East - Oman

Well, I'm in the Middle East again and having a great time. I just finished my tour in Oman. It was my first visit to the country and I was so impressed with the beauty and warm hospitality.  I stayed in Muscat and conducted workshops for educators in Sohar and Nizwa.  Dedicated teachers traveled from all over the country  (Batinah North, Dhahairah, Buraimi, Musandam, Batinah South, Dakliyah, Sharqiyah South, Sarqiyah North and Wusta) to attend my workshops and they were eager to learn techniques for using music as a teaching tool in the classroom. They even taught me a song or two (many thanks)! 

Many ladies made delicious homemade dishes such as halwa (the official dessert of Oman) to delight our taste buds and I was treated to some tourist treasures such as the Al Hoota Cave. The cave is home to the eight-eyed spider found only in the that cave. Luckily, the eight-eyed spider didn't have his eyes on me or me on him, but I did see some local bats hanging around. 

My hosts Walter and Michelle went above and beyond to make my tour enjoyable and successful. Michelle gave me many Omani gifts including a book of folk tales that she assures me will make my hair stand on end! I hope to return to Oman again soon, Inshallah, and want to thank everyone who made my tour so enjoyable. Shokran!

Next stop, Bahrain!

More Praise for Upcoming Book!

Here is more praise for my upcoming book Why The Crawfish Lives in the Mud:

"Snappy dialogue spiced up with French words and phrases make this jaunty story a sure-fire winner. Young readers will be delighted by this amusing, lively trickster tale that explains how the conniving Crawfish tries to fool Crab, but ends up digging himself into a hole. The cut-foam illustrations are colorful and lively. Facts about crawfish and a helpful glossary are appended. Johnette Downing, Louisiana’s popular children’s musician, has written and illustrated a charming book about critters that live in the bayous."

-Gale Criswell, former Children's Services Coordinator, Louisiana State Library

Why The Crawfish Lives in the Mud - Advance Review

Here is another wonderful advance review for my upcoming book Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud:

"Johnette Downing possesses an uncanny knack for engaging children and charming them with words and pictures or as a musician capturing and expressing the essence of musical styles and making them come alive and engage children. I have literally seen an entire auditorium sprout a sea of arms swaying to her musical summons. Her books are lively and original and speak "children" as if it were a language unto itself. Both her books and music teach without seeming to by invoking joy and cleverness."

-Dr. Michael Sartisky, President and Executive Director, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

Why The Crawfish Lives in the Mud - Review

Here is another advance review for my upcoming book Why The Crawfish Lives in The Mud:

Move over Anansi, the Spider!! You have competition from trickster Crawfish in a delightful story, visually appealing and rich in text, focusing on animal life in the Bayou between a crab and a crawfish. Crawfish Fun Facts add a nice touch for the reader to gain knowledge about crawfish.

- Nancy O'Connell, Children's Services Librarian, Schaumburg Library, IL