06 Oct 2014 Author creates educational stories

A local author has created two books featuring her grandsons from Greenbrier.

“Smarty Britches: Nouns” and “Smarty Britches: Verbs” are educational stories created by national board certified teacher Cyndie Sebourn.  

The author will host a book signing at Hastings in Conway from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Each person who purchases a book will receive a free iPad download of the interactive storybook app. The real “Smarty Britches Brothers” – Jackson and Wyatt Kelley of Greenbrier – whom the books’ main characters are based on, will attend and be available for photos.  

Readers travel to the Deep South and meet Smarty Britches Jackson, a southern boy who owns a pair of magical britches. These magical britches teach him the people, animal, place, thing, and idea nouns in The Natural State of Arkansas. Readers discover the South’s famous musicians, Jackson fishing on the Arkansas River, Dad going to the make believe Place Noun of Hog Heaven when his Razorbacks win, the charming, southern accents and the pesky raccoons that move in on PaPa’s deck. Smarty Britches Wyatt, the main character in “Smarty Britches: Verbs,” pops up to enhance the story with reading strategies that provide a deeper level of thinking and with fun facts.

Wyatt is also a southern boy who owns a pair of magical britches that teach him about rowdy action verbs in The Natural State of Arkansas. Readers discover the South as croaking frogs, singing locusts, fireflies, bears, armadillos, skunks, squirrels, raccoons and more inhabit the tree house and PaPa’s Peaceful Paradise. The subplot introduces Sheriff Cowboy Wyatt riding in on his horse Ms. Sassafras to round up rowdy action verbs that are disturbing PaPa’s Peaceful Paradise. Readers meet Izel and Abigail, Latina girls from Texas who teach Spanish and provide fun facts. Smarty Britches Jackson, the main character in “Smarty Britches: Nouns,” reappears in this book to point out the nouns in Smarty Britches Wyatt’s story.  

Italy’s Manuela Soriani is the illustrator of both books.

Curriculum is included within the books and is available at appswithcurriculum.com.

“Smarty Britches: Nouns” and “Smarty Britches: Verbs” are also available as interactive storybook apps for the iPad on iTunes and are available online in printed format at BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com.

Sebourn is currently teaching writing at the University of Central Arkansas.