Nana Joanna's Wise New Tales

By UrbanWoods

In our book, Nana Joanna's Wise Old New Tales, we had tried to recapture a gentler time when parents took advantage of opportunities to read poems and stories with their children. The ten original poems and stories are wrapped around "old time" proverbs such as "Every cloud has a silver lining," "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and "Too many cooks spoil the broth." These timeless sayings are still popular and have important messages even today, for both young and old alike.

The poems are in "kid speak" and contain subjects young readers can identify with. Each poem has a corresponding short story that emphasizes and illustrates the meaning behind the proverb. Each story is set in a different surrounding and with a different plot, which keeps it fresh and interesting.

Poetry encourages children to play and learn about language and words. The rhyming verses of these poems highlight the fun and playfulness of language while at the same time offering an easy-to-understand theme within the wordplay. The short stories that follow each poem provide an additional opportunity for the child and parent to read about and discuss the meanings of "two heads are better than one" or how "the pen is mightier than the sword." Simply put, these are age-old sayings brought into the twenty-first century. We hope you enjoy them.

--UrbanWoods

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781637107867

Book preview

Title Page

Copyright © 2021 UrbanWoods

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2021

ISBN 978-1-63710-785-0 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63710-787-4 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-63710-786-7 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

For my grandsons, Owen, Henry, and Beckett, thank you for keeping me young and stretching my imagination to match yours. Keep reading boys!

—Bumpa

Our dad always quoted Tecumseh’s words when he was giving us, his daughters, advice:

A single twig breaks but a bundle of twigs is strong.

We, his daughters, gave heed to those words, and have helped each other and supported each other over many a tough time. Thanks Dad and thank you, Sylvia, Daphne, and Gloria.

—Joan

Contents

Introduction

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

Look Before You Leap

The Pen Is Mightier than the Sword

Song—Pride Comes Before a Fall

Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth

No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe

Introduction

Hi! My name is Joan Wood, a.k.a. Nana Joanna, when these poems and stories were written. Now, working with my writing partner, Rick Urban, we are UrbanWoods.

Just a little about my background. I was born and educated in London, England, before immigrating to the United States. I had wanted to become a stage or screen actress but soon found my true calling on the other side of the camera. After a lot of hard work, I earned the title of producer/director/writer.

I have worked in these various capacities on such great shows as Sesame Street, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, 3-2-1 Contact, and Kids Are People Too. I also was the director of the Department of Children’s Television for the National Geographic Society. While in that position, I wrote, directed, and produced Really Wild Animals, earning an Emmy nomination.

Now that I am a grandmother, seventy is the new fifty you know, I remember with some nostalgia the gentler times for children’s books and television shows. We have tried to recapture that feeling of comfort, security, love, and laughter for today’s children.

The poems are based on these wise old sayings, and the short stories further explain the meaning of the saying in a friendly way—recapturing a gentler time.

We hope we have succeeded. Please let us know, as we would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you.

—UrbanWoods

https://thestewandyouopinion.home.blog/[e-mail]

A wise old owl sat in an oak,

The more she heard, the less she spoke;

The less she spoke, the more she heard;

Why aren’t we all like that wise old bird?

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

Every bad situation holds the possibility of good.

Pussycat, Pussycat, where have you gone?

Pussycat, Pussycat, it’s been so long.

I’m really sad, so please come home,

Don’t leave me here all on my own!

I’ve looked in your bed,

I’ve looked in the shed,

I’ve looked in the hall,

But with no luck at all.

I searched the tree that you like best,

I didn’t give up; I took no rest.

Around the streets I hung up signs,

Have you seen this sweet pussycat of mine?

Upstairs and downstairs I searched our house,