February 2, 2010

Ms. Marzollo,

I just wanted you to know that your I AM books are wonderful! Presently, I am using I Am a Rock to teach our KY core content about the properties and uses of rocks. My kids love the riddles - they keep them engaged.
To teach application of word recognition strategies (lips ready, stretch it out, blends, dipthongs, hop over unknown word and reack back through, etc.), I type the riddles and kids read in partners. Then I pass out the student books and they read aloud to find the answers. We discuss what strategies we used to figure out the riddles. I bring in real objects made from rocks and they are AMAZED. It's so funny. My daughter and I made a Power Point of the riddles, answers with pictures and properties that make each rock useful (core content). Thanks for making books I can teach reading and science from at the same time. They are few and far between for kindergarten students.

Sincerely
Melinda Neal
K Teacher
Campbellsville, Kentucky

	Click here for more information on I Am a Rock

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December 2009

Hello!

I fell in LOVE with the book I Love You: A Rebus Poem a few years ago when I was given it as a gift from a favorite 2 year old of mine. I wasn't just given the book, but had this 2 year old climb into my lap and read it to me from beginning to end. I SOBBED because of the pride that was beaming from this child's face, the love behind the words they read to me, and the creativity of a unique and meaningful gift.

I am an early preschool teacher at New Horizons Academy now, and I teach 2 and 3 year olds in my own class. I focus a lot on early literacy in my room, and have carried this book with me from year to year and used it at every opportunity!

Last year at our Christmas program I gathered the parents and had them hold their child in their lap as their child read the book to them. They cried, I cried, it was simply beautiful.

This year, I thought about ordered copies for my families to take home as gifts to read with their child. I would like it to become a tradition that I do with my class each year as I teach each new class the value of words and pride in learning.

Thank you for your gift to me and to many! I'd love to pass it along as much as possible.

Catherine Weller
New Horizon Academy
Eden Prairie, Minnesota

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October 8, 2009

Dear Jean Marzollo,

I am writing in regards to the wonderful "I SPY" books. I have an eleven year old boy (Jordan) who also has Down Syndrome, Hirschsprungs disease (bowel) and Perthes disease (hip) he ended up getting a bit more than the average child with Down Syndrome has.

Jordan has a hard cover book called "I SPY: A Book of Picture Riddles". The size of this book makes it easy for him to see (compared to the smaller paperback versions) and scan the pictures etc. It has been a wonderful book for him and has held his interest very well. I think that the I spy books are excellent for any child who has a disability like Down Syndrome, when they find the picture asked for it is rewarding and of course when there are so many other pictures it starts up conversation as well. Jordan loves the book!

Sincerely,

Kim Hollis
New Zealand

Click here for more
information on
I SPY: A BOOK OF
PICTURE RIDDLES

August 2, 2009

Dear Jean Marzollo,

I am writing just to thank you for writing "Shanna's Doctor Show." I first came across this book in the home of one of my very good friends -- whose name is in fact Shanna! She was visiting a book vendor's table years ago and your book's title caught her eye, for obvious reasons. Upon reading the book, she could not help but envision herself on each page. At the time, she was a pre-med college student persistently pressing her way through the arduous journey that is higher learning.

Shanna graduated from college -- with honors. Today, she is about to enter her third year of medical school in pursuit of her unrelenting childhood dream -- becoming a doctor. Honestly, such an occurrence is much more than a mere coincidence. To her and I, it is both undeniable affirmation and sheer inspiration. Today there is another "Shanna" reading your book somewhere -- and imagining the possibilities. May she too be inspired to transcend any, and all, supposed limitations on what an African-American young woman can achieve.

Recently, I purchased a new copy of "Shanna's Doctor Show" as a surprise gift for Shanna's 25th birthday. Do you plan on having any upcoming book signings or workshops in the New York City area? If so, I would love to attend. I think that it would be very special if you would be able to personally sign her copy of your book. I absolutely look forward to any details on any future events.

Continue writing the stories that encourage a child's dream one day to become a reality. Thank you, in advance.

Sincerely,
Mark Phillips

May 1, 2009

Hi Jean!

My name is Tricia Edmonson and I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how thankful I am for your sweet book, "I Love You: A Rebus Poem".

I found your website as I was searching online for copies of this book, and I was tickled to find our what a prolific and popular author you are - I guess I had never put it together that you were so widely published, and I can't wait to get more of your books for my children.

I found your "I Love You" book when my twin sons were two and a half years old, and I wanted to share with you why that book in particular is so special to us. Shortly after purchasing that book as a valentine's gift for them, our boys were diagnosed on the autism spectrum. It was a very sad and scary time for our family - our boys were non-verbal and very isolated. They were so closed off, and we feared we might never hear them speak, know their thoughts and feelings, or discover their little personalities.

There were many things that we did do and still do - therapies, programs, training, etc., but your book was the "key to their lock", :) so to speak. The pictures gave them confidence in their own understanding, the rhythm and rhyme entranced them and helped them eventually replicate the words, and the sweet sentiment connected a mama to her sons and allowed me to hear those 3 little words for the very first time from my own children's lips. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this sweet little book!

We read your books nearly every day for many months, and it was during this time that I got to see glimpses of personality coming from both my little guys - whether they were fighting over who got to turn the page, or my favorite, when Drew read "every ghost loves a Wooooohoohoohoo!" with his own best Scooby Doo scary voice instead of just the word "boo" for the first time; your book has been a joy for us all.

Left to Right:
Becca, Marisa, T.J. and Nora

		Click here for more information on I SPY.

April 8, 2009

Dear Jean,

Hello!

We are Oren, Becca, Nora, and TJ, the Maple group at Ruth Staples Child Development Lab in Lincoln, Nebraska. We are writing you a letter because we wanted to thank you for writing the I SPY books and to share with you what we have been doing with our own I SPY work. We already made our own I SPY pages, where we hid things that we could glue down on paper. But now, we are trying to BUILD our own I SPY structure! We used a lot of different materials, like pieces of wood, beads, and paperclips. We thought the most fun things to hide were stickers and tiny bells because we thought those were the hardest things to find!

We also have a few questions for you. How long does it take you to write a whole I SPY book? And what do you think the hardest I Spy book you have written is? Do you write the words AND pick the pictures? Our favorite I SPY book is the Gold Challenger. Becca also wanted you to know that she thinks you should create an I SPY with maps involved!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our letter. We can't wait to hear back from you!

Your friends,
The Maples

Jean Marzollo says: I answer letters directly, but want to share with you what I told the children. It can take about a year to make an I SPY book. The hardest I SPY book for me to write was I SPY TREASURE HUNT. Walter Wick makes the pictures, and I write the words.

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May 18, 2009

Dear Jean,

My son, Maxwell, has had a difficult first three years. He was born 13 weeks early as a 2 pound 4 ounce preemie, and required heart surgery at 3 weeks old. He is now a handsome and healthy three year old who just adores your books! I love that he really associates pictures easily. Your books have taught him so much about association and rhyming and recognizing pictures appropriately.

It was because of your book, "I Love You" that he was finally able to learn to say, "I love you", which as you can imagine, is music to his parents' ears!

The books have helped him grow developmentally. He loves sharing his "Papa Papa" and "I Love You" books with his favorite teacher at his pre-school. Thank you for writing such great children's books. We will truly cherish all of your books for years to come.

Kimberly Hoffman New Bern, North Carolina

Click here for more information on Mama Mama Papa Papa.