Fun Filled Weekend

What a fun weekend! I performed six shows in two days. My weekend concerts began on October 23, 2009 with two shows at the Washington Parish Fair. As always, the children came out ready to jam with me and we danced and grooved all afternoon. Then I drove back to New Orleans for a night time performance at Boo at the Zoo. The children and parents put down their trick or treat bags and joined me for a RIP-roaring time of slightly spooky songs.

On October 24, 2009 I had three more shows beginning at Monster Mash in Covington. I have included some photos of my performance there sent to me by a friend/fan named Chantel. In one photo, Jordan and the other children make-believe they are butterflies while I performed my new "Mariposa" song.

Next was an afternoon performance at the Buddy Walk as part of the National Down Syndrome Association. Talk about a blast! Everyone got into the groove even a high school girls basketball team! Now that's hip!

The weekend ended with another night performance at Boo at the Zoo. We howled, jumped, jiggled, wiggled, danced, sang and shivered to more slightly spooky, mostly silly songs!

One more weekend of Halloween performances to come. I'll be in Abbeville, La at Scare on the Square at 5:00 on Halloween night, October 31, 2009. Be there....if you DARE!!!

Mailbox - Letters from Fans and Friends

My girls (7 & 3) saw you when you were in Wilmington last February & LOVE your music - your Fins & Grins CD has been our 'most frequently purchased' for gifts as of late! We are studying Brazil right now in school & we've looked up all of your Amazon ABC animals, but I can't seem to find what a "quesan" is... can you help me out? Thanks so much!

-Kati, Wilmington, NC

To answer your question Kati, a queztal is a beautiful bird. It is the official bird of Costa Rica.

Tour Dates - October 2009

October 1-11, North Carolina
October 14 from 7:00-8:30, Educator Night, Barnes & Noble, Mandeville, LA
October 17 from 10:00-10:45, Book Talk, State Library Seminar Center, Louisiana Book Festival, State Library, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
November 17 from 11:00-11:30, Concert, Storytelling Tent, Louisiana Book Festival, State Library, Baton Rouge, LA
November 17 from 11:45-12:30, Book Signing, Barnes & Noble Tent, Louisiana Book Festival, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
November 17 from 12:45-1:45, Book Signing, Pelican Publishing Booth, Louisiana Book Festival, Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
October 23 at 2:00 & 3:00, Children's Stage, Washington Parish Fair, Franklinton, LA
October 23 at 7:00 p.m., Boo at the Zoo, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
October 24 at 10:30, Monster Mash, Bogue Falaya Park, Covington, LA
October 24 at 2:45, Buddy Walk, Zephyr Stadium, Metairie, LA
October 24 at 8:00 p.m., Boo at the Zoo, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
October 31 from 12:00-2:00, Book Signing, Barnes & Noble, Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA
October 31 at 5:00, Scare on the Square, Downtown Abbeville, LA

Mailbox - Letters from Fans and Friends

Hi Johnette!!!

We are so grateful for the WONDERFUL music you have created!!!!!!! My students love so many of your songs. Below is the link to the page that shares with our parents the music KinderJam LOVES!!!

http://www.kinderjam.com/musicwelove.html

Thanks so much for the message and information! Today my students and parents JAMMED to your "Rhythm in the Scarves" and had a blast!!!!!

Thanks a Million!!!

El Brown

www.kinderjam.com

NWI Parent picks Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud as a "Kids Pick"

KIDS PICK

AGES 6 TO 8

Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud
by Johnette Downing (Pelican Publishing, $15.95)

Author Johnette Downing does double duty for this clever story about what happens one very hot and humid day on the bayou to a hungry and lazy crawfish. With the author providing her own clever illustrations, as the story unfolds, there’s also a generous seasoning of Cajun phrases and fun crawfish facts. Filled with lessons to be learned and other fun characters like a dedicated crab, this book is swimming with fun for young readers. It’s available in stores or at pelicanpub.com.

-Philip Potempa,

NWI Parent, Northwest Times of Indiana

Kirkus Digs Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud!

Downing, Johnette

WHY THE CRAWFISH LIVES IN THE MUD

Illus. by the author

In this original pourquoi tale, hungry Crawfish spies the fish that Crab has just caught for his dinner. Wily Crawfish convinces Crab that the fish is much too small for him, goading him into relinquishing his catch into Crawfish’s clutches and scuttling further down the bayou in search of a bigger challenge. Contrary to Crawfish’s story, Crab finds no big fish in the bayou. He threatens to throw Crawfish into the mud, and Crawfish protests so much that it seems this is heading straight into Br’er Rabbit territory. It turns out Crawfish’s protests are genuine, though. As he tries to back away from Crab he accidentally digs a tunnel in the mud and falls into it, where he will live from now on. A serviceable trickster tale jazzed up with Cajun French phrases defined both in the text and in a glossary.... (Crawfish Fun Facts) (Picture book. 4-8)

-Kirkus Reviews