Teacher’s first children’s book caters to early readers

As a teacher for the past 15 years, Modestina “Modie” Golnick knows that young children learn in many different ways, so she wanted to engage multiple learning styles with her first children’s book.

The result is “Uncle John Comes Over for Dinner” (Lakeview Press, $19.99), which she’ll read aloud Saturday morning at Schuler Books in the Meridian Mall. 

“The goal is for children to actively participate, not just listen. It’s interactive, engaging and — most importantly — fun!” Golnick said.

Born in Macomb Township, Golnick is the second of four children. She lives in Haslett with her husband of six years, David. The couple has two daughters: Modestina (who goes by Minnie), 5, and Gia, 2. 

A graduate of Eisenhower High School in Shelby Township, Golnick holds bachelor’s degrees in musical theater from Central Michigan University and early childhood education from Rochester Christian University. 

“I’ve always been a singer, ever since I was really little. I grew up in a home filled with the music of Motown and jazz,” she said. “I love little children. I love their innocence, and I also love how they have no inhibitions — they say what they mean. I get so much joy from interacting with them and seeing that lightbulb go off when they make a connection.”

Golnick was teaching in the Metro Detroit area when she got the idea for “Uncle John.” During National Reading Month, her husband would come into her preschool classroom and read to her students dressed up as a pirate. 

“One of my students asked him what his pirate name was, and he said, ‘I’m Pirate No Beard,’” she recalled.

The student replied, “Oh, that’s really good that you don’t have a beard because food can’t get in it. My dad has a beard, and food is always getting stuck in his.”

“I thought, ‘Gosh, that would be such a good children’s book! If food kept getting stuck in the character’s beard, how would we get it out?’” Golnick said. 

The book has predictable text, which is important because young children need that repetition, according to Golnick. 

“The inspiration for writing this book was my students. I wanted to create a book they would enjoy reading but was also intentional for early childhood literacy. There are subtle learning objectives throughout the book. I had the busy parent and the busy preschool teacher in mind when I wrote it,” she said. “A lot of times, parents don’t have the time to create a math activity for their child, but they can look at the pages and say, ‘This is a square’ or ‘This is a circle.’ 

She explained why the book occurs at dinnertime.  

“Every child, hopefully, has a meal with their family or a caregiver, so that was also important because young children cannot think in abstract ways, they retain what they know, so that’s why I put in the dinner element,” she said. “I made it an Italian dinner because that’s my heritage. Most children like pasta!”

She also wrote a song to accompany the book.

“My family’s sick of me saying this: Music is the only thing that activates and stimulates the entire brain,” she said. “You can sing the song that goes with the book, and they’re going to learn that and retain it, and that’s meaningful.” 

Keep up with Golnick at musicwithmodie.com.