Before reading the enclosed stories, the teacher or parent can ask the children to look and listen for something specific as it pertains to traditional values.
At the conclusion of each story, the teacher or parent can have a discussion with the youngster about the importance of these values and how these values can effect their lives.
For very young children with short attention spans, the teacher or parent can read each story and point out the lessons to be learned.
By doing so, the teacher or parent will help children develop an understanding for the importance of these values.
An audio CD of the author reading the enclosed stores and poems is available for this book.
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Artie Kaplan is a robust, friendly, and fun loving guy. He is the kind of person that every little boy and girl would like to have as a real or imaginary friend.
His songs and stories about real and imagined happenings leave children spell bound and delighted. Sometimes with a lesson learned, and sometimes, "just for the fun of it." There is always an underlying message that subtly imparts important universal values regarding children’s relationships with other people and the world in which they live.
Kaplan has been associated with the music industry for over forty years. As a musician during the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, Artie Kaplan appeared on many hit singles and albums recorded by the leading recording artists of the era.
As a songwriter, producer, and music publisher, Artie Kaplan wrote and produced the music for Metromedia’s "Wonderama" television show, a Sunday morning favorite among children. Some of the more memorable songs from that show were Kids Are People Too, and Oh Gee It’s Great To Be A Kid, both titles being the theme song of the show at various times in its development. Artie has also produced a number of recordings of international acclaim. Harmony and Bensonhurst Blues stand out among his best work. His songs also appear in several films as theme songs.
Most recently, Artie Kaplan has changed his direction from popular music to creating beautiful songs and stories for and about children and their situations.
What emerges from Artie Kaplan’s writings is the devilish little boy who was within us in our youth and is still within Artie Kaplan today.
Barnyard Stores and Poems is but one of Kaplan’s recent creations.
The Chicken family were a big family. There were always lots and lots of chicks around the Chicken house. Mama and Poppa Chicken had their hands full, tending to one family problem or another. By the time Poppa did his daily chores and climbed to the top of the barn to crow every morning, he was one tired old rooster. And Mama Chicken, sitting on all of those eggs every day and hurrying around the coop getting all of the chicks fed, was also very tired.
"Did all of you chicks brush your teeth, wash your hands and faces and change your clothes this morning? I don’t want any of my chicks going to school with dirty hands and faces or wearing yesterday’s clothes," she cackled.
"Yes Mama," they answered.
That is, all except... Charlie Chicken. "Who ever heard of a chicken brushing his teeth, washing his face and hands, and changing his clothes?" he mumbled to himself. "I’m just not going to listen. A Mother is not always right, and that’s that!"
All of the Chicken children kissed Mama and Poppa goodbye as they went off to the barnyard school to learn how to scratch and peck, kick pebbles around and chirp, chirp, chirp the morning away.
But not Charlie. Charlie didn’t want to go to school. Charlie was kind of an independent soul. Charlie always wondered what was really out there beyond the big brown fence that separated the barnyard from the rest of the world. Yes, Charlie was an adventurer. And so, Charlie decided to skip school and instead planned to slip away from the barnyard to have a look at the world outside. He packed his little bookbag with a days ration of Mama’s delicious corn feed, an apple, and a few oatmeal cookies from the cookie jar. He took a bottle of his favorite Chocolate Cola and a little hat to shade his eyes from the afternoon sun, and off he went to see the world. Well, not the whole world, just the world outside the barnyard.
Charlie didn’t tell Mama or Papa where he was going. He thought that he’d be home before supper and no one would ever miss him.
Once outside the big brown fence, Charlie crossed the dirt road that separated the barnyard from the rest of the world. He headed straight for the big field, the one filled with honeysuckle vines and clover.
"My, oh my, oh my! I’m finally out in the world on my own, with no one to tell me what to do. I don’t have to brush my teeth. I don’t have to wash my hands and face. I don’t have to change my clothes. I don’t have to do anything that I don’t want to do. I can just sit here under this big old shade tree, smell the honeysuckle and clover and have a drink of my very own Chocolate Cola." And so it was.
But not for long, Charlie. Because at that very moment Farmer Brown’s big shepherd dog Rex came trotting by. When Rex saw Charlie alone under that big old tree, he ran to the very spot where Charlie was sitting. "Woof, Woof, Woof!" barked Rex. "Who are you sir, and what are you doing under my tree?"
"Well, Mr. Rex," Charlie answered, "I’m Charlie, Mr. and Mrs. Chicken’s son, and I thought it would be interesting to take a little trip and discover the world outside the barnyard."
