The Origin Story
Hey Friends! I can’t believe Clark Monkey has already been available on Amazon for a month!
It feels like it wasn’t all that long ago that I was up with a crying baby in the wee hours of the morning. Bouncing my son, Clark, on my shoulder trying to get us both back to sleep, I was desperate. A prayer must have been answered because a tune started playing in my head and words started flowing from my lips. It started with his name and his favorite stuffed animal and just went on from there.
Now, twelve years later, that baby is finishing his first year of middle school. I am left with so many questions. How has so much time passed? Why did it take me so long to turn his song into a book? How am I old enough to have a twelve-year-old?
My Favorite Part
Clark Monkey was always begging to be a story for other children to enjoy. One of my favorite parts of the book is having young readers hunt for Clark Monkey on each page. He isn’t on every page but sometimes you can find a little monkey hand or tail hanging in the trees. My daughter, now two, loves reading the Clark Monkey book and pointing out where Clark Monkey might be next. It probably doesn’t hurt that the monkey is named after her favorite person in the world, her big brother.
What Is Good For One, Is Good For Two
If you do it for one child, you have to do it for all of them, right? So, of course, I have a couple of songs that are my daughter’s special songs too. They have made it into the rotation along with Twinkle Twinkle Litte Star and ABC’s. Who knows, maybe they will be turned into books eventually too.
Grandma Started It
One of the reasons I started making up songs for my children is because when I was young, I had someone make up a song for me. My grandmother always said she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. However, she has been singing me my song since I was my daughter’s age maybe even longer. I still remember all the words and that is our special song.
What About You?
Do you have a special song or story that you have created for the little ones in your life? Do they beg you to sing it over and over? If not, do you have another special tradition that you do with your little ones? Let me know in the comments. I would love to hear all the wonderful moments you share with the special children in your life.
This story brought back so many memories of Clark when he was a baby. I’m so blessed to have you and your family in my life. My niece and nephew LOVE the Clark Monkey book. It’s just long/short enough to hold their attentions and they love the bright colorful pictures. My 1-year old niece even started trying to mimic the song-song tones in my voice while reading! How exciting to be able to pass such good memories along to them!
Thank you Radi! Sharing these songs and stories is so important for the little ones. I am sure your nieces and nephews will remember the songs and stories you share with them for years and years to come. I appreciate that you have been in my life and my children’s lives for so long and can share in those memories with us too!
When you were young, I couldn’t carry a tune so we had a special version of the verse I love you a bushel and a peck instead and of course I also sang you your favorite songs and even some made up ones. I never thought to publish them. I am glad you and your grandma have your special song and you did publish it for Clark and to carry on tradition and for the enjoyment of so many others.
I read this to my 4 yr old students and they loved the book as well.
Jeanie, I remember you making up all sorts of stories for us and the daycare children. I love that those songs and stories can be passed down for generations. Thank you so much for sharing Clark Monkey with your students. It always makes my day to hear that little ones are enjoying it.
I am a VPK and I got a copy of Clark Monkey and read to my class. They loved it.
It got their imagination going and conversation about where all Clark monkey could be.
Huge thanks to the author
Thank you Misty! I am so glad your VPK class enjoyed the book. I love hearing that their imaginations were in action while finding Clark Monkey. Thank you again for sharing with your class!