Tag Archives: reading to kids works

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

It’s been a while since I did this. But about half an hour ago, I challenged myself to make up a rhyme out of thin air. No muse or other silly little inspirational fairy dropped by. I just make a decision, every once in a while, to fire up a skill I’ve worked most of my life to get good at. Lately I have been working on other projects, and I came up against a technical wall that stymied me. So I decided to change the rhythm. And for some reason, I came up with the idea of Cousin Aaron the heron.

The name wasn’t the first thing that popped into my head.

So, I didn’t start out with the idea to write about a bird character. Instead, the first line that flashed across my mind simply referenced where I live now. And the so-called experts say to write what you know. So I wrote, through the backdrop of a city twinkling on the Emerald coast.  And I looked at the line for a couple minutes and then started writing what bubbled up after that. It took me five lines before I came up with…

Cousin Aaron, the Heron

Through the backdrop of a city twinkling on the Emerald coast,
A reflection in the water of a heron on a post,
But the sun is in my eyes and I can not make out its face,
So, I’ll make up my own story as to why it’s in this place.
I will call him Cousin Aaron, and I bet he made some plans
To enjoy this sanctuary from the winds and pelicans.
And he just wants peace and quiet and a break from all his chores.
And he’ll get it from the rhythm of the waves up on the shores.
Several seagulls, circling tourists, check him out as they fly by.
Cousin Aaron couldn’t care less. He just hears a lullaby
In the waterfront cacophony of birds and winds and sea.
He’s oblivious to everything and that’s interesting to me.
But I must admit his lack of action, sleeping on that post,
I’ll go look for other twinklings somewhere on the Emerald coast. © 2026 TF

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I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

“They” say if you’re gonna write Bible stories for kids, then those stories should be adapted to their ability to understand. I agree. To a degree.

Because I also believe Bible stories for kids can entertain with facts.

But what do I know. I never had kids. So, I have nothing to go by. Wait a sec. Believe it or not, once upon a time, back in the olden days, I WAS a kid. And I remember enjoying Bible stories that came directly from the Bible and delighted my senses.

And just about 99.99% of the time those stories were told in rhymes. I know. Big surprise. But there was always something about rhythm and rhyme that sent words into the stickiest places of my brain. And there they remain. I bet you had similar experiences. Right?

Anyway…

I brought up Bible stories for kids because, as you might know, I’ve shared a few of them right here in the FunderSphere. And some of them have magically (or at least methodically) turned into books for kids.

Did someone mention books for kids?

Oh yeah, that was me.

Par dona moi. That’s Lithuanian for “oops.” Or Portuguese. Or some language or another. No matter.

Back to the books thing. I’ve been making some entertaining updates to my book “The Very First 6 Days.” And I’ve also been working on a more efficient buying experience for you. Because if there’s anything you need, it’s a better way to get FunderBooks into your kids’ hands faster.

So, that techie stuff is on its way. In the meantime, here’s a snippet from the book. Appropriately it’s…

The Very First Day

Before there were created things, and darkness filled the air…
No world or human beings were existing anywhere.
Then God created earth and sea and all the heavens too.
There was no sun, no moon, no stars, and only God shone through.

He looked down at the waters and the dark face of the deep.
The earth was still and quiet just as we are when we sleep.
He said, “Let there be light” the way a perfect, true God could,
And then He saw the brand new light and knew that it was good.

Then God divided light and dark, and darkness He called Night.
The light would be called Day, and it was pleasing in His sight.
That evening and that morning wouldn’t be the total sum…
No, that was just the very first day…five were yet to come.

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my books and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy. Then, I’ll do my best to encourage you to sing a new song with the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

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In The Funny Pages

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

When I was a kid, one of the expressions we had when we were about to leave someone’s house and knew we weren’t going to see them again for a while was: “See you in the funny pages”.

In today's Rhyme Time writing for kids, Tony Funderburk says " See You In The Funny Pages".

Silly I know, but times were more innocent back then. And we were talking about the comic strips you see in the newspapers. We called them the “funny pages”. I remember my Grandmother would read certain comic strips to me while we were waiting to go to church. Old favorites like “Alley Oop” and “Beetle Bailey” and “Gasoline Alley” were weekly standards…and one of the ways I learned to read before I ever went to school. (see…reading to and with kids works)

Even though actual paper newspapers are fading away, there are still lots of ways you can share innocent, fun reading with kids. (hey, you’re right here in the middle of one of those ways right now) And whether you’re in the funny pages, or a fairy tale, or interactive ebooks for kids…as long as you make it fun…they’ll never know they were “in a class”.

Now, here’s a fun way you can get them to enjoy reading. There’s a way they can see themselves in the mirror of your computer when you read them this Rhyme Time poem. Read the whole poem, and then click on the link. They’ll be so surprised when they see themselves in the mirror…

See you in the funny pages.
See you in the soup.
See you in the cracker barrel
And the chicken coup.
See you in the snickerdoodle.
See you in the trees.
See you in the jellyfishes
In the seven seas.
See you in the television.
See you in the sink.
See you in the macaroni
See you in this link.

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk's signature can be found on almost all of his writing for kids.

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