April 2022 Issue #18
April 5, 2022
Happy April!
Welcome to the eighteenth issue of The Simpsonian Muse. I am your scribe, Martha Seif Simpson, Author and retired Children's Librarian. As the header says, this monthly newsletter will feature:
- News – Mine as well as other interesting tidbits
- Views – A few photos from my world travels
- Stuff You Can Use – A mish-mash of activities, crafts, recipes, or whatever I am excited about sharing
If you missed the previous newsletters, you can click the button on the left sidebar on my website to catch up or click here:
https://www.martha-seif-simpson.com/newsletter.htm
Thanks for joining me on this adventure. I hope you will find something to inform and entertain you.
~ NEWS ~
I've been retired for over a month now, and I'm as busy as ever! How did I manage to fit in a full-time job at the Stratford Library for all those years?
I spent some time during the past month polishing up some manuscripts and doing research for a few ideas. I also added my information to a wonderful site hosted by Teaching Books. They have an Author and Illustrator Pronunciation Guide that includes sound bites of over 3,000 people explaining the correct way to say their names.
The site can be found here: Teachingbooks.net Pronunciation Guide
And my entry is here: Martha Seif Simpson pronounced
It's fun to check various entries and hear authors and illustrators tell stories about their names. I have a story about my name, too. Click on the above link and listen!
But wait! There's more…
Mother's Day will be coming up next month, and I have a book for that!
Check here to find a printable bookmark, Mother's Day card, and Matching Game based on my book, as well as discussion questions.
BOOK SHARE
This newsletter posts in April, but I started writing during March Madness. My husband and I are big UConn Women's basketball fans, and we go to a lot of games. We went to the first four rounds of the WNCAA tournament and just got back from the Final Four in Minneapolis (which is why the newsletter is late this month.)
In honor of March Madness, here are some kids novels about basketball to enjoy.
Travel Team by Mike Lupica
After Danny Walker, the smallest kid on the basketball court, is cut from the travel team, he forms his own team of cast-offs that might have a shot at victory.
Hoops and Hopes by Jake Maddox
This entry in the popular Jake Maddox sports book series is about Autumn Holloway, who struggles to make friends and fit in at Blazing Hoops wheelchair basketball camp.
Check out other books in the series, too.
Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber
Sarah has always been the star on her basketball team, but suddenly she finds that her body is changing and she can't keep up on the court. Changing her diet may help, but conflicting advice may make things worse.
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
A novel in verse about twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan who wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court. Winner of both the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award.
Also read: Rebound – the prequel about how Chuck Bell (Josh and Jordon's dad) discovers his love of basketball.
CALENDAR TRIVIA
Did you know that April is National Garden Month?
According to the Every Day's a Holiday Calendar, other noteworthy April dates include:
- April 1 – Reading Is Funny Day
- April 3 – Find a Rainbow Day
- April 4 – Vitamin C Day
- April 5 – First Contact Day
- April 9 – Unicorn Day
- April 13 – Scrabble Day
- April 15 – Anime Day
- April 16 – Day of the Mushroom
- April 23 – Talk Like Shakespeare Day
- April 26 – Get Organized Day
- April 28 – Cubicle Day
- April 29 – International Dance Day
Celebrate Appropriately!
~ VIEWS ~
This year I attended my 14th Final Four Women's basketball championship since 2001. I don't have photos from all of them, but here are a few.
The 2011 Final Four was held at Conseco Field House in Indianapolis. UConn lost to Notre Dame in the semi-finals.
Texas A&M beat Notre Dame to win the championship.
The games were held in New Orleans in 2013. UConn and Notre Dame were there again, plus California and Louisville.
That year, UConn beat Louisville to win. It was the first of 4 championships in a row. Breanna Stewart won MVP all 4 years!
In 2014, we went to Nashville to see the Huskies beat Notre Dame.
The Huskies beat Notre Dame again in 2015 in Tampa, Florida.
John and I got to pose with the trophy.
In 2016, UConn won their 11th championship against Syracuse in Indianapolis.
And I got Sue Bird's autograph.
The 2017 Final Four was in Dallas. Mississippi State beat UConn, and South Carolina beat MS to win their first championship.
This year's games were held at the Target Center in Minneapolis. John and I posed with a photo of the UConn team.
This was the view from our seats.
UConn beat Stamford in the semifinals, but lost to South Carolina in the championship game. This was the UConn Women's 14th Final Four in a row. I'll be rooting for them to make a 15th tournament (and 12th championship) in 2023!
~ STUFF YOU CAN USE ~
In honor of the 2022 Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament, I made this matching game featuring this year's Sweet Sixteen teams. Draw a line from the team name to the picture of the mascot. You can search online to check your answers.
That'll do it for this month.
Until next time, remember to amuse your muse!
~ Martha