The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister
Written by Linda Ravin Lodding
Illustrated by Suzanne Beaky
Written by Linda Ravin Lodding
Illustrated by Suzanne Beaky
If you think YOU have a busy schedule, take a look at Ernestine Buckmeister's weekly
calendar:
On Mondays she sculpts with Clay Lumpkin.
On Tuesdays she does water ballet with Miss Goldfisher.
On Wednesdays she knits with Mrs. Pearl Stitchem.
On Thursdays she takes tuba lessons with Mr. Oompah.
On Fridays she yodels with Little Old Lady Hoo.
On Saturdays she studies karate with Grand Master HiYa!
And on Sundays she practices yoga with Guru Prakash Pretzel
Her well-meaning, busy parents have packed her after-school hours, turning Ernestine
into the over-scheduled poster child of today.
But Ernestine is about to opt out and do what no Buckmeister has ever done before:
just PLAY.
calendar:
On Mondays she sculpts with Clay Lumpkin.
On Tuesdays she does water ballet with Miss Goldfisher.
On Wednesdays she knits with Mrs. Pearl Stitchem.
On Thursdays she takes tuba lessons with Mr. Oompah.
On Fridays she yodels with Little Old Lady Hoo.
On Saturdays she studies karate with Grand Master HiYa!
And on Sundays she practices yoga with Guru Prakash Pretzel
Her well-meaning, busy parents have packed her after-school hours, turning Ernestine
into the over-scheduled poster child of today.
But Ernestine is about to opt out and do what no Buckmeister has ever done before:
just PLAY.
Endorsements and Reviews
From PW
Lodding makes her children’s book debut with an addition to the growing bookshelf of titles about overbooked and overworked children.
And like many of its predecessors, its message is more for the parents making the schedules and paying for the after-school classes than
for kids who, like Ernestine, innately know that bouncing on a trampoline and playing imaginary games outside beats an exhausting week
packed with organized activities. Both Lodding and Beaky (the Hailey Twitch series) deploy abundant humor to make the story’s earnest
message more palatable. Lodding’s prose is studded with punny quips and names (Ernestine’s instructors include sculptor Clay
Lumpkin, yodeling expert Little Old Lady Hoo, and yoga guru Prakash Pretzel). For her part, Beaky provides acrylic caricatures that
really take off once Ernestine and her nanny start to mix up her schedule (Ernestine is seen playing tuba during swim lessons and
accidentally giving her knitting teacher a karate kick) and when Ernestine’s parents try to track her down after Ernestine and Nanny O’
Dear play hooky on a grassy hilltop.
From Kirkus Reviews
What does it mean to "live life to the fullest"?
Young Ernestine Buckmeister's parents pack her schedule, with a different activity daily after school, with yoga and karate on the
weekend. They've even hired brusque Nanny O'Dear to keep her on schedule. As mother says, "Make every moment count!" Ernestine
has no time to play, though it's clear from her longing looks at neighbor Hugo and his soccer ball that she wants to. The big schedule
board that covers a wall of her bedroom fills her with dismay. One afternoon, Ernestine rushes out the door past Nanny, shouting, "Today
I scheduled something new!" It's a trip to the park, to play with other kids. When the yodeling teacher calls home to report Ernestine's
absence, the news sends her parents into a tizzy. They visit all her activities, from knitting to water ballet to tuba practice. Just following in
their daughter's footsteps exhausts the Buckmeisters, and, when they spot her in the distance, they barely have enough energy to trudge
up a hill to meet her. Both Ernestine and Nanny seem happy and renewed. From that day forward, sometimes it's activities, and
sometimes..."she just played." There's great energy in both Lodding's storytelling and Beaky's bright acrylic illustrations.
The valuable lesson is all the more effective for being shown, and not preached—though perhaps it's meant more for adults than the
children they are reading to.
From School Library Journal
Ernestine has a full schedule. Every day after school, she has a different lesson with a different teacher. Mondays, it’s sculpting with Clay
Lumpkin. Tuesdays, water ballet with Miss Goldfisher. On Sundays, Ernestine has yoga with Guru Prakash Pretzel. During one of her
meditation sessions, she has an idea. She convinces her Nanny O’Dear to play in the grass on the hilltop with her. When her parents
finally catch up with the pair, she talks them into slowing the pace a bit. Beautiful acrylic illustrations in vibrant colors show the child’s
myriad activities and frenzied lifestyle. However, the story seems to be written more for parents than children. Taking time to play without
a schedule is one of the overarching themes here, but Ernestine seems to realize this all along.
From Library Media Connection - RECOMMENDED
"...This will be a fun story for kids to read to their parents. The comical illustrations will have readers engaged. A good read-aloud...."
From The New York Journal of Books
"The illustrator has created beautiful and detailed artwork that really helps emphasize Ernestine and her crazy life. The images are creative
and funny. Children ... will delight in the moral of the story: Sometimes a kid just needs to have time to play, have fun, and exercise only
the imagination."
From KaBOOM!
"This book is a joyful and funny reminder to kids and parents alike about the importance and power of play. ...Our children will all
be happier and healthier if we lessen all those lessons and get out to play." --Darell Hammond, New York Times best-selling author and
CEO of KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to creating community play spaces within walking distance of every child in the US.
From Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, co-author of The Over-Scheduled Child
“This charming children’s book about Ernestine, the over-scheduled poster child of today, has a lovely message delivered in an elegant
and straightforward way: Maybe we would do better if we could add some real play back into our hurried lives. Maybe living life to the
fullest has to include time to imagine and just be. I love this book; it is a wonderful accomplishment, beautifully – and playfully –
illustrated. Bravo!” --Alvin Rosenfeld, MD, co-author, “The Over-Scheduled Child,” Lecturer, Harvard University School of Medicine
From Pat Kane, author of The Play Ethic: A Manifesto for a Different Way of Living
"Like all the best children's books, when an adult reads about Ernestine Buckmeister, they're the ones who are learning the real life
lessons. Linda Lodding and Suzanne Beaky deliver a funny, pertinent and moving message to all moms and dads about the dangers of
over-scheduling - and about the transforming, re-energising benefits of play, for all ages and stages. Kids will love it too - but, of course,
they already understand..."
From Dr. Peggy Sharp
Dr. Sharp has listed The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister in her workshop handbook for teachers and librarians: "It certainly is a
timely topic, and I do hear people responding favorably." Dr. Peggy Sharp is one of the foremost experts in North America on children's
literature and literature programs. She is well known for her presentations about new children's books, connecting the books to all areas
of the curriculum, and motivating children to read. Read more about Dr. Sharp and her workshops at www.peggysharp.com
From award-winning children's book author Tammi Sauer
"Ernestine Buckmeister is on the go-go-go every day of the week. When she's not yodeling, knitting, tuba-playing, and karate-chopping,
she's busy doing water ballet, sculpting, and mastering yoga poses. But...she longs for something more. In this wildly funny take on the life
and times of an over-scheduled kid, Ernestine is a character worth celebrating." --Tammi Sauer, award-winning author of Cowboy
Camp, Chicken Dance, Mostly Monsterly, and Mr. Duck Means Business
From Author Christine Hohlbaum
“Take life by the scruff of the neck and shake it for all it’s worth!” That’s what my mama likes to say. But how can you grab life and give
it a nudge if you don’t have any strength? Play is the best way to access your scruff-of-the-neck vision.
This October author Linda Ravin Lodding and illustrator Suzanne Beaky will release a most delightful tale of Ernestine Buckmeister, the
most overbooked child on the planet. Her well-meaning parents assign her to daily afternoon lessons ranging from yoga to yodelling to
knitting to karate. She longingly watches her neighbor Hugo bounce around his yard while she dashes from one appointment to the next
(with the help of her nanny, aptly named Nanny O’Dear). One day she strikes all her time commitments to watch the clouds and
discovers a whole new world of creativity in the park.
Once again Nature plays a central role in capturing our amazing imaginations. When the parents learn Ernestine has gone missing from one
of her lessons, they attempt to track her down at each of them. By the time they end up in the park, they are frazzled. It’s a beautiful
moment of realization that life can be lived to the fullest by simply being who you are.
The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is a great power of slow read for kids ages 4 to 8 and the parents who love them.
From the San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review:
"Linda Ravin Lodding teaches an important lesson in her story without being didactic, but with charming characters and happenings. The
brilliant illustrations of Suzanne Beaky are an absolute treat, full of fun and telling details in bright colors."
From Perfect Picture Book Friday
"Kids will enjoy Ernestine's ridiculous schedule, her amusing list of lessons, her teachers' funny names, the bold bright colors of the
pictures, and Ernestine's inspired solution to her problem."
From NY Journal of Books and Crypto-Capers
“In this story the author captures the chaotic life of most children and their parents… The illustrator has created beautiful and detailed
artwork that really helps emphasize Ernestine and her crazy life. The images are creative and funny.”
From There's a Book for That blog
"So many kids would be able to relate to Ernestine's dilemma, from elementary-aged children all the way through high school. The
activities may be different, but the feelings are the same."
From OC Family blog
Play Mom blogger Michele Whiteaker said: "I like the happy illustrations and especially the rich imagination that comes to life on the play
pages with funny pets and funky facial expressions. What I really love is the message that sometimes what’s best for our kids is time to
play."
From The Corner on Character blog
The Importance of Being Ernestine
Think you know what it means to be over-scheduled? Think again. My Flashlight Press preview copy of The Busy Life Of Ernestine
Buckmeister by author Linda Ravin Lodding came in today's mail and I cannot wait until October, when Ernestine makes her debut on the
children's literature stage, and you get to meet the queen of the extracurricular.
The scene is all-too familiar: this precious prodigy can't ever play with her friend over the fence because she's rushing off to the next event
on her calendar, kindly kept by Nanny O'Dear. Her parents, who've advised "live life to the fullest" and "make every moment count," have
her scheduled solid with something extra every day of the week - sculpting and swimming, taking musical arts and martial arts, yodeling
and yoga, knitting and no free time. She is one busy beaver!
And guess what? Just like a beaver, she'd rather be playing around outside. So Ern concocts the perfect plan to ditch her personal PDA
and, when she doesn't show up on schedule one day, her parents get to walk in her shoes for a spell, crossing the bridge she built
between what the child-in-her needs and what her parents want for their little girl. Not only do they get a healthy dose of empathy, but
they ultimately learn a very valuable lesson about the importance of being Ernestine.
The eye-catching illustrations by Suzanne Beaky totally pop off of the pages, adding a marvelous magic to this terrific text. Put this one on
your wish list; it'll undoubtedly serve an important reminder (that you'll want to revisit time and time again!) about encouraging your busy
beavers to engage in purposeful play.
From Access Magazine, The Netherlands (see page 35)
In her new book, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, Netherlands-based author, Linda Lodding gives us a glimpse into Ernestine's
world of rigid schedules, where afterschool time is spent exclusively on taking more classes. What Ernestine really longs to do is play in
the park with her friends. This book, which reminds us that a happy life is a balanced life, is a delightful read that is enhanced by a cast
of colourful characters and humorous illustrations by Suzanne Beaky.
From Bookfoolery and Babble blog
"...a meaningful but nicely silly story with cheerful, goofy, colorful illustrations. The author was particularly clever at naming
Ernestine's teachers. She takes sculpting from Mr. Lumpkin. Mrs. Goldfisher teaches water ballet. Mrs. Stichem is her knitting instructor.
Karate is taught by Grand Master Hi Ya. Nanny O'Dear says "Oh, Dear," quite a bit as she finds Ernestine's calendar of activities
complex enough to make the occasional error. Illustration-wise, I particularly love the fact that the "cast" -- teachers, friends and
classmates -- is ethnically mixed. And, Ernestine's two cats add a bit of adorable fun to the depictions of Ernestine's home interior. The
bottom line: A bright and playfully illustrated, immensely clever story about how living life to the fullest can be accomplished
without exhausting oneself by cramming in as many activities as possible...."
From Midwest Book Review
The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is a paean to play, especially for kids. Well-meaning adults end up pressuring children to fulfill
busy schedules of performance expectations without realizing that one of the most precious experiences only children will have is free time
to play, experiment, imagine, and just be. Ernestine’s busy life should be fully satisfying, with sculpting, water ballet, knitting, tuba lessons,
yodeling, karate lessons, and yoga. But something is missing, even though the Buckmeisters hire Nanny O’Dear to help keep Ernestine on
schedule. Ernestine begins to look pale and tired. What Ernestine would really like to do is just spend some time playing ball outdoors
with Hugo, her neighbor. Ernestine decides to schedule something new for herself. This alarms her parents, who are unable to find her at
any of her exhausting, scheduled activities. Finally they find her on top of a big hill, just looking at clouds and inhaling, enjoying the view,
with Nanny O’Dear. All adults gradually see the light, and though Ernestine continues to do some of her scheduled activities, sometimes
she just plays! The vibrant, colorful illustrations help lift each page of spunky narration. The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister
will appeal to overachieving kids of all ages, or 4-8.
From Wonder of Children blog
Lodding’s tongue-twisting names, hilarious text, and lessons on the importance of play are complimented by Suzanne Beaky’s whimsical
illustrations. It’s a combination that immediate attracts and then sustains the readers’ attention to create a lasting story that lets us all find
personal connections. Ernestine is sure to earn her place among such classic literary heroines as Clementine, Eloise, Madeline, Ramona
and Junie B. Jones!
From My Shelf.com
"...The text is filled with lively action and the illustrations are fun with a bit of whimsy. I could see it as a huge favorite in library storytime,
and what child wouldn't like seeing the story child teach the parents something new?"
From The Childrens Book Review blog
...Linda Ravin Lodding’s amusing send-up to overscheduled children who don’t have time to frolic and just enjoy being kids imparts a
very wise lesson disguised as a comic adventure tale.... Suzanne Beaky’s lightheartedly silly illustrations, of Ernestine’s teachers like Pearl
Stitchem, Grand Master Hi Ya and Mr. Oompah, make this book even more playful and fun.
From Tortoise on the Loose blog
"...While the book’s message can be sobering, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is far from serious. This light-hearted story will
entertain any elementary school-aged child as they read about Ernestine knitting with Mrs. Pearl Stitchem and practicing yoga with Guru
Prakash Pretzel. The illustrations by Suzanne Beaky are bright and engaging."
From The Children's Book Review blog
" amusing send-up to overscheduled children who don’t have time to frolic and just enjoy being kids imparts a very wise lesson disguised
as a comic adventure tale.
From Mommy Secrets blog
"...This book is packed full of character lessons around goal-setting, communication, integrity, social skills, time management, planning,
decision-making, and family relationships. It’s a great tool for teachers, counselors, librarians and parents."
From SFC (Stories for Children): Families Matter blog
"...The book is entertaining but also offers food for thought on just how we plan our time with our children. What is important to you and
your child? The story will be read over and over again bringing an opportunity for frank discussions about what activities matter and what
can be changed or eliminated .Take time to read this with your child today. You will be glad for the moments shared."
From Imagination Soup blog
One of Best New Picture Books for Emotional Intelligence
From PlayEverything blog
"...It’s no wonder that she’s exhausted, and regular readers will be entirely unsurprised to hear that what she really needs is more time to
play. Beautifully illustrated and charmingly written,The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is a funny, warm-hearted and insightful story
about one child’s need and right to play – and how she cleverly educates the adults around her about the importance in play in everyday
life...."
From Parent Pages News
This is a charming book to share with kids and parents as the new school year gets underway. There will be many new things kids will
beg to get involved in, but wise parents will make room for lots of “free” time as well. This would be a great book to add to a school
lending library.
From Once Upon a Book blog
"...Linda Lodding does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the story with a reminder to “live life to the fullest!” A good message,
certainly. But before long, Linda has the reader questioning this motto and how people can take it to unhealthy extremes. After all, how
can poor Ernestine live life to the fullest if she never has time to play?
I must confess an immediate attraction to Suzanne Beaky’s colorful illustrations. The characters’ expressions are poignant without
becoming exaggerated. The character placement and attention to detail encourage the reader to imagine and relate with all the silly and
funny elements, while emphasizing a real concern over burning out due to an overabundance of activities. My favorite illustration, by far, is
of Ernestine with her arms thrown wide open, inviting the characters around her and the reader to stop and inhale.
I love it when I stumble into – or have sent my way by well-meaning souls – a book that speaks to adults as much as it speaks to children.
Linda Lodding does this very well. She reminds adults, children, and the parents and caregivers who love them about the importance of
play without being preachy. While this book is aimed at children ages 5 and up, I highly recommend it to parents and caregivers as well
for its insight into the mind of a child who is suffering more than benefiting from a packed schedule.
This picture book encourages the reader to ask questions such as: What does it mean to live life to its fullest? How can we encourage our
children to live life to the fullest? Why are learning activities such as the ones Ernestine participates in considered essential to having a full
life? What is the importance of play?
I’d like to thank Linda for sending this wonderful book my way for review. It came at the most opportune time where “busy” has become
synonymous to my name. It has reminded me to stop and inhale and remember what is most important. And to get back to blogging
kidlit!"
From Pink and Green Mama blog
Your book looks adorable, I love the message you’re sending. It’s our parenting philosophy for our two girls. Right now is the time for
them to be kids and play; they can have schedules and busy routines later in life when they’re adults (if they want to).
-- MaryLea Harris
From Librarians, Teachers, and Parents
As they encourage their daughter to “live life to the fullest” and “make every moment count,” Ernestine Buckmeister’s parents haven’t a
clue that their over-scheduled child has no time for that all important activity: play… imaginative, self-directed play! In reply to their well-
meaning directive, Ernestine can only yawn from exhaustion. By the end of this revealing romp through her adult-inspired week, Ernestine,
her parents and her nanny have all learned the importance of child’s play. Hopefully, parents reading this delightful book with their children
will absorb this lesson, as well. --Davis James, Lower School Librarian, Pace Academy
From Modernizing Mary Poppins blog
"...The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister... embodies what I believe is so vital for children. It’s done in such a fun way. I loved
the idea of losing track of what you are supposed to be doing, when, and where. I get being that nanny who needed to juggle it all. I
understand the child saying no to it all, and the caregiver supporting her in her decision! The illustrations by Suzanne Beaky are
fabulous. My charges love them. To us they added so much to the written words I read to the children. They are colorful and funny. I
also am pleased to announce that when I was in a vintage store recently I came across a hat that looks very similar to Nanny O’Dear’s. It
now sits on my mantle at my home.This is a great book for children and their parents. Also, when a nanny colleague looked at it the other
day she smiled and said, "I must get a copy of this book too."
From Fans:
As the mother of 6 years old twins with very busy schedules, I loved this book. Entertaining and fun - it's a lesson for parents as well as
kids. I just decided NO classes this Summer...just lots of time playing, playgrounds and the beach! -Leanne Schild, 6/9/2011
Dear Linda,
My son and I really enjoyed meeting you at The English Bookshop on Sunday. Your book has become a firm favourite with my little
people. The message is joyful, playful and real in this busy world. Personally, I felt so inspired by you. I have been writing for a
while now and recently attended an event about getting your book published. I was very disheartened. After meeting you I have worked
on my two stories again and feel more optimistic that some day a child other than my own will enjoy them!
Thank you so very much for your story and Ernestine's.
I wish you every success.
Be well,
Anna O'Kane
What an adorable book! It teaches all of us a very valuable lesson. Sometimes it’s best to just play and not be overscheduled. This
book is perfect for elementary students and all of us type “A” moms who need to be reminded our little ones just need time to play! -
Teresa Webb, Media Specialist, Jackson Primary School, Atlanta, GA
From PW
Lodding makes her children’s book debut with an addition to the growing bookshelf of titles about overbooked and overworked children.
And like many of its predecessors, its message is more for the parents making the schedules and paying for the after-school classes than
for kids who, like Ernestine, innately know that bouncing on a trampoline and playing imaginary games outside beats an exhausting week
packed with organized activities. Both Lodding and Beaky (the Hailey Twitch series) deploy abundant humor to make the story’s earnest
message more palatable. Lodding’s prose is studded with punny quips and names (Ernestine’s instructors include sculptor Clay
Lumpkin, yodeling expert Little Old Lady Hoo, and yoga guru Prakash Pretzel). For her part, Beaky provides acrylic caricatures that
really take off once Ernestine and her nanny start to mix up her schedule (Ernestine is seen playing tuba during swim lessons and
accidentally giving her knitting teacher a karate kick) and when Ernestine’s parents try to track her down after Ernestine and Nanny O’
Dear play hooky on a grassy hilltop.
From Kirkus Reviews
What does it mean to "live life to the fullest"?
Young Ernestine Buckmeister's parents pack her schedule, with a different activity daily after school, with yoga and karate on the
weekend. They've even hired brusque Nanny O'Dear to keep her on schedule. As mother says, "Make every moment count!" Ernestine
has no time to play, though it's clear from her longing looks at neighbor Hugo and his soccer ball that she wants to. The big schedule
board that covers a wall of her bedroom fills her with dismay. One afternoon, Ernestine rushes out the door past Nanny, shouting, "Today
I scheduled something new!" It's a trip to the park, to play with other kids. When the yodeling teacher calls home to report Ernestine's
absence, the news sends her parents into a tizzy. They visit all her activities, from knitting to water ballet to tuba practice. Just following in
their daughter's footsteps exhausts the Buckmeisters, and, when they spot her in the distance, they barely have enough energy to trudge
up a hill to meet her. Both Ernestine and Nanny seem happy and renewed. From that day forward, sometimes it's activities, and
sometimes..."she just played." There's great energy in both Lodding's storytelling and Beaky's bright acrylic illustrations.
The valuable lesson is all the more effective for being shown, and not preached—though perhaps it's meant more for adults than the
children they are reading to.
From School Library Journal
Ernestine has a full schedule. Every day after school, she has a different lesson with a different teacher. Mondays, it’s sculpting with Clay
Lumpkin. Tuesdays, water ballet with Miss Goldfisher. On Sundays, Ernestine has yoga with Guru Prakash Pretzel. During one of her
meditation sessions, she has an idea. She convinces her Nanny O’Dear to play in the grass on the hilltop with her. When her parents
finally catch up with the pair, she talks them into slowing the pace a bit. Beautiful acrylic illustrations in vibrant colors show the child’s
myriad activities and frenzied lifestyle. However, the story seems to be written more for parents than children. Taking time to play without
a schedule is one of the overarching themes here, but Ernestine seems to realize this all along.
From Library Media Connection - RECOMMENDED
"...This will be a fun story for kids to read to their parents. The comical illustrations will have readers engaged. A good read-aloud...."
From The New York Journal of Books
"The illustrator has created beautiful and detailed artwork that really helps emphasize Ernestine and her crazy life. The images are creative
and funny. Children ... will delight in the moral of the story: Sometimes a kid just needs to have time to play, have fun, and exercise only
the imagination."
From KaBOOM!
"This book is a joyful and funny reminder to kids and parents alike about the importance and power of play. ...Our children will all
be happier and healthier if we lessen all those lessons and get out to play." --Darell Hammond, New York Times best-selling author and
CEO of KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to creating community play spaces within walking distance of every child in the US.
From Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, co-author of The Over-Scheduled Child
“This charming children’s book about Ernestine, the over-scheduled poster child of today, has a lovely message delivered in an elegant
and straightforward way: Maybe we would do better if we could add some real play back into our hurried lives. Maybe living life to the
fullest has to include time to imagine and just be. I love this book; it is a wonderful accomplishment, beautifully – and playfully –
illustrated. Bravo!” --Alvin Rosenfeld, MD, co-author, “The Over-Scheduled Child,” Lecturer, Harvard University School of Medicine
From Pat Kane, author of The Play Ethic: A Manifesto for a Different Way of Living
"Like all the best children's books, when an adult reads about Ernestine Buckmeister, they're the ones who are learning the real life
lessons. Linda Lodding and Suzanne Beaky deliver a funny, pertinent and moving message to all moms and dads about the dangers of
over-scheduling - and about the transforming, re-energising benefits of play, for all ages and stages. Kids will love it too - but, of course,
they already understand..."
From Dr. Peggy Sharp
Dr. Sharp has listed The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister in her workshop handbook for teachers and librarians: "It certainly is a
timely topic, and I do hear people responding favorably." Dr. Peggy Sharp is one of the foremost experts in North America on children's
literature and literature programs. She is well known for her presentations about new children's books, connecting the books to all areas
of the curriculum, and motivating children to read. Read more about Dr. Sharp and her workshops at www.peggysharp.com
From award-winning children's book author Tammi Sauer
"Ernestine Buckmeister is on the go-go-go every day of the week. When she's not yodeling, knitting, tuba-playing, and karate-chopping,
she's busy doing water ballet, sculpting, and mastering yoga poses. But...she longs for something more. In this wildly funny take on the life
and times of an over-scheduled kid, Ernestine is a character worth celebrating." --Tammi Sauer, award-winning author of Cowboy
Camp, Chicken Dance, Mostly Monsterly, and Mr. Duck Means Business
From Author Christine Hohlbaum
“Take life by the scruff of the neck and shake it for all it’s worth!” That’s what my mama likes to say. But how can you grab life and give
it a nudge if you don’t have any strength? Play is the best way to access your scruff-of-the-neck vision.
This October author Linda Ravin Lodding and illustrator Suzanne Beaky will release a most delightful tale of Ernestine Buckmeister, the
most overbooked child on the planet. Her well-meaning parents assign her to daily afternoon lessons ranging from yoga to yodelling to
knitting to karate. She longingly watches her neighbor Hugo bounce around his yard while she dashes from one appointment to the next
(with the help of her nanny, aptly named Nanny O’Dear). One day she strikes all her time commitments to watch the clouds and
discovers a whole new world of creativity in the park.
Once again Nature plays a central role in capturing our amazing imaginations. When the parents learn Ernestine has gone missing from one
of her lessons, they attempt to track her down at each of them. By the time they end up in the park, they are frazzled. It’s a beautiful
moment of realization that life can be lived to the fullest by simply being who you are.
The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is a great power of slow read for kids ages 4 to 8 and the parents who love them.
From the San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review:
"Linda Ravin Lodding teaches an important lesson in her story without being didactic, but with charming characters and happenings. The
brilliant illustrations of Suzanne Beaky are an absolute treat, full of fun and telling details in bright colors."
From Perfect Picture Book Friday
"Kids will enjoy Ernestine's ridiculous schedule, her amusing list of lessons, her teachers' funny names, the bold bright colors of the
pictures, and Ernestine's inspired solution to her problem."
From NY Journal of Books and Crypto-Capers
“In this story the author captures the chaotic life of most children and their parents… The illustrator has created beautiful and detailed
artwork that really helps emphasize Ernestine and her crazy life. The images are creative and funny.”
From There's a Book for That blog
"So many kids would be able to relate to Ernestine's dilemma, from elementary-aged children all the way through high school. The
activities may be different, but the feelings are the same."
From OC Family blog
Play Mom blogger Michele Whiteaker said: "I like the happy illustrations and especially the rich imagination that comes to life on the play
pages with funny pets and funky facial expressions. What I really love is the message that sometimes what’s best for our kids is time to
play."
From The Corner on Character blog
The Importance of Being Ernestine
Think you know what it means to be over-scheduled? Think again. My Flashlight Press preview copy of The Busy Life Of Ernestine
Buckmeister by author Linda Ravin Lodding came in today's mail and I cannot wait until October, when Ernestine makes her debut on the
children's literature stage, and you get to meet the queen of the extracurricular.
The scene is all-too familiar: this precious prodigy can't ever play with her friend over the fence because she's rushing off to the next event
on her calendar, kindly kept by Nanny O'Dear. Her parents, who've advised "live life to the fullest" and "make every moment count," have
her scheduled solid with something extra every day of the week - sculpting and swimming, taking musical arts and martial arts, yodeling
and yoga, knitting and no free time. She is one busy beaver!
And guess what? Just like a beaver, she'd rather be playing around outside. So Ern concocts the perfect plan to ditch her personal PDA
and, when she doesn't show up on schedule one day, her parents get to walk in her shoes for a spell, crossing the bridge she built
between what the child-in-her needs and what her parents want for their little girl. Not only do they get a healthy dose of empathy, but
they ultimately learn a very valuable lesson about the importance of being Ernestine.
The eye-catching illustrations by Suzanne Beaky totally pop off of the pages, adding a marvelous magic to this terrific text. Put this one on
your wish list; it'll undoubtedly serve an important reminder (that you'll want to revisit time and time again!) about encouraging your busy
beavers to engage in purposeful play.
From Access Magazine, The Netherlands (see page 35)
In her new book, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, Netherlands-based author, Linda Lodding gives us a glimpse into Ernestine's
world of rigid schedules, where afterschool time is spent exclusively on taking more classes. What Ernestine really longs to do is play in
the park with her friends. This book, which reminds us that a happy life is a balanced life, is a delightful read that is enhanced by a cast
of colourful characters and humorous illustrations by Suzanne Beaky.
From Bookfoolery and Babble blog
"...a meaningful but nicely silly story with cheerful, goofy, colorful illustrations. The author was particularly clever at naming
Ernestine's teachers. She takes sculpting from Mr. Lumpkin. Mrs. Goldfisher teaches water ballet. Mrs. Stichem is her knitting instructor.
Karate is taught by Grand Master Hi Ya. Nanny O'Dear says "Oh, Dear," quite a bit as she finds Ernestine's calendar of activities
complex enough to make the occasional error. Illustration-wise, I particularly love the fact that the "cast" -- teachers, friends and
classmates -- is ethnically mixed. And, Ernestine's two cats add a bit of adorable fun to the depictions of Ernestine's home interior. The
bottom line: A bright and playfully illustrated, immensely clever story about how living life to the fullest can be accomplished
without exhausting oneself by cramming in as many activities as possible...."
From Midwest Book Review
The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is a paean to play, especially for kids. Well-meaning adults end up pressuring children to fulfill
busy schedules of performance expectations without realizing that one of the most precious experiences only children will have is free time
to play, experiment, imagine, and just be. Ernestine’s busy life should be fully satisfying, with sculpting, water ballet, knitting, tuba lessons,
yodeling, karate lessons, and yoga. But something is missing, even though the Buckmeisters hire Nanny O’Dear to help keep Ernestine on
schedule. Ernestine begins to look pale and tired. What Ernestine would really like to do is just spend some time playing ball outdoors
with Hugo, her neighbor. Ernestine decides to schedule something new for herself. This alarms her parents, who are unable to find her at
any of her exhausting, scheduled activities. Finally they find her on top of a big hill, just looking at clouds and inhaling, enjoying the view,
with Nanny O’Dear. All adults gradually see the light, and though Ernestine continues to do some of her scheduled activities, sometimes
she just plays! The vibrant, colorful illustrations help lift each page of spunky narration. The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister
will appeal to overachieving kids of all ages, or 4-8.
From Wonder of Children blog
Lodding’s tongue-twisting names, hilarious text, and lessons on the importance of play are complimented by Suzanne Beaky’s whimsical
illustrations. It’s a combination that immediate attracts and then sustains the readers’ attention to create a lasting story that lets us all find
personal connections. Ernestine is sure to earn her place among such classic literary heroines as Clementine, Eloise, Madeline, Ramona
and Junie B. Jones!
From My Shelf.com
"...The text is filled with lively action and the illustrations are fun with a bit of whimsy. I could see it as a huge favorite in library storytime,
and what child wouldn't like seeing the story child teach the parents something new?"
From The Childrens Book Review blog
...Linda Ravin Lodding’s amusing send-up to overscheduled children who don’t have time to frolic and just enjoy being kids imparts a
very wise lesson disguised as a comic adventure tale.... Suzanne Beaky’s lightheartedly silly illustrations, of Ernestine’s teachers like Pearl
Stitchem, Grand Master Hi Ya and Mr. Oompah, make this book even more playful and fun.
From Tortoise on the Loose blog
"...While the book’s message can be sobering, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is far from serious. This light-hearted story will
entertain any elementary school-aged child as they read about Ernestine knitting with Mrs. Pearl Stitchem and practicing yoga with Guru
Prakash Pretzel. The illustrations by Suzanne Beaky are bright and engaging."
From The Children's Book Review blog
" amusing send-up to overscheduled children who don’t have time to frolic and just enjoy being kids imparts a very wise lesson disguised
as a comic adventure tale.
From Mommy Secrets blog
"...This book is packed full of character lessons around goal-setting, communication, integrity, social skills, time management, planning,
decision-making, and family relationships. It’s a great tool for teachers, counselors, librarians and parents."
From SFC (Stories for Children): Families Matter blog
"...The book is entertaining but also offers food for thought on just how we plan our time with our children. What is important to you and
your child? The story will be read over and over again bringing an opportunity for frank discussions about what activities matter and what
can be changed or eliminated .Take time to read this with your child today. You will be glad for the moments shared."
From Imagination Soup blog
One of Best New Picture Books for Emotional Intelligence
From PlayEverything blog
"...It’s no wonder that she’s exhausted, and regular readers will be entirely unsurprised to hear that what she really needs is more time to
play. Beautifully illustrated and charmingly written,The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is a funny, warm-hearted and insightful story
about one child’s need and right to play – and how she cleverly educates the adults around her about the importance in play in everyday
life...."
From Parent Pages News
This is a charming book to share with kids and parents as the new school year gets underway. There will be many new things kids will
beg to get involved in, but wise parents will make room for lots of “free” time as well. This would be a great book to add to a school
lending library.
From Once Upon a Book blog
"...Linda Lodding does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the story with a reminder to “live life to the fullest!” A good message,
certainly. But before long, Linda has the reader questioning this motto and how people can take it to unhealthy extremes. After all, how
can poor Ernestine live life to the fullest if she never has time to play?
I must confess an immediate attraction to Suzanne Beaky’s colorful illustrations. The characters’ expressions are poignant without
becoming exaggerated. The character placement and attention to detail encourage the reader to imagine and relate with all the silly and
funny elements, while emphasizing a real concern over burning out due to an overabundance of activities. My favorite illustration, by far, is
of Ernestine with her arms thrown wide open, inviting the characters around her and the reader to stop and inhale.
I love it when I stumble into – or have sent my way by well-meaning souls – a book that speaks to adults as much as it speaks to children.
Linda Lodding does this very well. She reminds adults, children, and the parents and caregivers who love them about the importance of
play without being preachy. While this book is aimed at children ages 5 and up, I highly recommend it to parents and caregivers as well
for its insight into the mind of a child who is suffering more than benefiting from a packed schedule.
This picture book encourages the reader to ask questions such as: What does it mean to live life to its fullest? How can we encourage our
children to live life to the fullest? Why are learning activities such as the ones Ernestine participates in considered essential to having a full
life? What is the importance of play?
I’d like to thank Linda for sending this wonderful book my way for review. It came at the most opportune time where “busy” has become
synonymous to my name. It has reminded me to stop and inhale and remember what is most important. And to get back to blogging
kidlit!"
From Pink and Green Mama blog
Your book looks adorable, I love the message you’re sending. It’s our parenting philosophy for our two girls. Right now is the time for
them to be kids and play; they can have schedules and busy routines later in life when they’re adults (if they want to).
-- MaryLea Harris
From Librarians, Teachers, and Parents
As they encourage their daughter to “live life to the fullest” and “make every moment count,” Ernestine Buckmeister’s parents haven’t a
clue that their over-scheduled child has no time for that all important activity: play… imaginative, self-directed play! In reply to their well-
meaning directive, Ernestine can only yawn from exhaustion. By the end of this revealing romp through her adult-inspired week, Ernestine,
her parents and her nanny have all learned the importance of child’s play. Hopefully, parents reading this delightful book with their children
will absorb this lesson, as well. --Davis James, Lower School Librarian, Pace Academy
From Modernizing Mary Poppins blog
"...The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister... embodies what I believe is so vital for children. It’s done in such a fun way. I loved
the idea of losing track of what you are supposed to be doing, when, and where. I get being that nanny who needed to juggle it all. I
understand the child saying no to it all, and the caregiver supporting her in her decision! The illustrations by Suzanne Beaky are
fabulous. My charges love them. To us they added so much to the written words I read to the children. They are colorful and funny. I
also am pleased to announce that when I was in a vintage store recently I came across a hat that looks very similar to Nanny O’Dear’s. It
now sits on my mantle at my home.This is a great book for children and their parents. Also, when a nanny colleague looked at it the other
day she smiled and said, "I must get a copy of this book too."
From Fans:
As the mother of 6 years old twins with very busy schedules, I loved this book. Entertaining and fun - it's a lesson for parents as well as
kids. I just decided NO classes this Summer...just lots of time playing, playgrounds and the beach! -Leanne Schild, 6/9/2011
Dear Linda,
My son and I really enjoyed meeting you at The English Bookshop on Sunday. Your book has become a firm favourite with my little
people. The message is joyful, playful and real in this busy world. Personally, I felt so inspired by you. I have been writing for a
while now and recently attended an event about getting your book published. I was very disheartened. After meeting you I have worked
on my two stories again and feel more optimistic that some day a child other than my own will enjoy them!
Thank you so very much for your story and Ernestine's.
I wish you every success.
Be well,
Anna O'Kane
What an adorable book! It teaches all of us a very valuable lesson. Sometimes it’s best to just play and not be overscheduled. This
book is perfect for elementary students and all of us type “A” moms who need to be reminded our little ones just need time to play! -
Teresa Webb, Media Specialist, Jackson Primary School, Atlanta, GA
| Picture Books That Explore and Illuminate |
Hardcover, 32 color pages, ages 4-8
ISBN 9780979974694, October 2011
ISBN 9780979974694, October 2011
| Read excerpts from a New York Times article, "Effort to Restore Children's Play Gains Momentum" |
| Reviewers: read our Press Release here |