Book Excerpt
From “Batter Up, Norman”
“Here,
I’ll show you what to do. First stand up on your hind legs,” instructed
Matthew.
Norman
stood on his hind legs.
Then
Matthew put the bat into the bear’s front paws. “Now when the ball is thrown
towards you, swing the bat and try to hit the ball. Remember to keep your eyes
on the ball, Norman. After you hit it, run to first base as fast as you can,”
said Matthew, pointing to first base. “Okay,
let us know when you’re ready!”
Norman walked up
to home plate. The little bear took a few practice swings and then yelled,
“Okay, I’m ready!”
The
pitcher threw the first pitch. It was a good one, but the little bear was so
frightened to see the ball flying right at him that he squeezed his eyes shut.
He
swung the bat around wildly—and missed!
“Try
again!” yelled Matthew. “And don’t close your eyes!”
The
second pitch was a really good one, right over the plate. Norman kept his eyes
open, but he looked right away as he swung his bat and the ball landed behind
him.
“I
missed again,” he said sadly.
“Just
keep your eyes on the ball when you swing,” shouted Matthew.
This
time, when the pitcher threw the ball, Norman kept his eyes wide open and glued
on the ball. He gave a
mighty swing.
About the Book
Title: Grandpa Bernie’s Bedtime StoriesAuthor: Bernard Ditchik
Genre: Children’s Books
These delightful tales are sure to help your little ones settle down and drift contentedly off to sleep. Written by a grandfather for his own kids and grandchildren, these eighteen entertaining stories feature lots of talking animals, including a kangaroo who teaches a pony how to jump, a little bear who wants to play baseball, a coyote who learns to fly, a magic balloon that takes a little girl all the way to Japan and back, and some resourceful ants who build a swimming pool so they can play as well as work. It’s full of positive images and plots that inspire creative solutions to various challenges. A lovely read-aloud adventure the whole family will enjoy!
Author Bio
I
didn’t begin my career as an author by writing stories. First, I was a
storyteller. Let me explain. Many years ago, when our children were very
young, I would sit on their beds at bedtime and tell them a story.
Instead of reading a story written by someone else, I preferred to make
up my own story right on the spot. They were stories about animals who
learned to fly, children who talked to birds, alligators who were
friends with elephants, and even one about a horse that learned to jump
like a kangaroo. Our children loved them. So I made up lot of stories.
Then there was a long period of time when there was no one who wanted to
listen to my stories because they had all grown up!But then, something wonderful happened. We had our first grandchild—and I became Grandpa Bernie. One day, one of my daughters said, “Dad, you have so many stories. I think other children would like to hear them.” That’s when I became an author.
At the age of 93, I am still playing tennis (doubles only) five times a week in a 60+ league. I have been married 64 years to my wonderful wife, Faigie, had three children, and five grandchildren. I continue to sit in my favorite chair, with a large pad on my lap, and a pen in my hand, lean back, and let my imagination soar.
Links
Red Sky Presents Grandpa Bernie’s Bedtime Stories
Thanks so much for hosting Grandpa Bernie on this stop of the blog tour. We love telling readers of all ages about these delightful stories.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenCharlene Keel, Editor
Red Sky Presents Publishing
www.redskypresents.com