OMG! SUCH exciting news! The lovely Wendy who blogs over at Noodling With Words submitted #PPBF to WriterUnboxed and they accepted it for sharing! Look!
Parents, teachers, writers looking for picture book recs? Check out the hashtag #PPBF every Friday. Thx for the head’s up, @WendyGreenley!
— Writer Unboxed (@WriterUnboxed) October 24, 2013
Aren’t we so official now? Our little hashtag mentioned by Writer Unboxed! Do you feel famous? I do! 🙂
I am embarrassingly bad at twitter, although I’m really trying to get better at it, but now I must really make an effort to remember to use our PPBF hashtag!
Phew! That was a lot of excitement! But now it’s time for today’s Perfect Picture Book, a sort of Halloween-y choice since it’s about witches 🙂
Title: Alice And Greta
Written By: Steven J. Simmons
Illustrated By: Cyd Moore
Charlesbridge, July 1999, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 5-8
Themes/Topics: consequences, behavior (listening, what goes around comes around), perspective, good vs. bad
Opening: “Once, a long time ago, two witches lived on top of a mountain. Although they looked out at the same view, they saw things differently.”
Brief Synopsis: Alice and Greta are two young witches who use their power in opposite ways. Alice helps people. Greta makes mischief. But it’s important to watch out for “the Brewmerang Principle: Whatever you chant, whatever you brew, sooner or later comes back to you!”
Links To Resources: Alice And Greta Coloring Page, Alice And Greta Mystery Maze, The Master Magic Wand Maker’s Guide To Creating Wonderful Wands, Classroom Guide (from the Picture Book, Teacher’s Edition.)
Why I Like This Book: This book has a fun story about two little witches, and a nice message about reaping what you sow 🙂 It’s full of spells and enchantments and mischief. But it’s the delightful art that takes it over the top for me. The drawings are full of fun details that kids can spend lots of time looking at and that bring the story so appealingly to life.
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
Before we all head off to read everyone’s amazing picks for today and then on to our weekends, I just have to say that I’m so excited for the Halloweensie Contest which opens MONDAY!!! If you haven’t written your entry yet, you still have the weekend and a lot of next week – the deadline isn’t until midnight on Halloween (so appropriate, no? :)) This is one of the most fun contests we do because the entries are short, so I hope you’ll all participate! (If you haven’t seen the rules, mosey on over HERE.)
First Prize is a PB Critique from the amazing Corey Rosen Schwartz, author of The Three Ninja Pigs, Hop! Plop!, and the forthcoming Goldirocks, Ninja Red, and What About Moose? AND a copy of Linda Ashman’s new Nuts And Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books (your choice of e-book or PDF)!
Second prize is a PB manuscript and query letter critique from talented author Heather Ayris Burnell, author of Bedtime Monster.
Third prize is a set of personalized signed picture books just in time for the holidays – Charlotte Gunnufson‘s Halloween Hustle, Tiffany Haber’s The Monster Who Lost His Mean, and Amy Dixon’s Marathon Mouse (perfect timing because NYC Marathon Sunday is next weekend!)
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books for holiday purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N or anywhere else if you like them, or supporting them in any other way you can dream up 🙂
And now, off to read everyone’s fabulous choices! PPBF bloggers, please put your post-specific link in the list below, and then tweet with #PPBF to your hearts’ content! 🙂
Have a great weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Oh, I need to use the hashtag! Nice choice and am working on my entry … among other things this weekend.
I never knew we had a hashtag either, cool! What a fun book Susanna! So we have to post by Thursday night and no PPBF next week. Got it! Your picture is ready I'm posting it tomorrow because Mortimer is coming on Monday. It's all go!
I, too, am not at all consistent with Twitter. I need to take a class, and make a better attempt to write my own instead of falling back on retweeting. How exciting to be noticed!
Now, off to work on my entry for the Halloweensie Contest. . . the prizes are certainly a motivation!
I didn't know there was a hashtag! Very cool. Congrats on the recognition!
This book looks cute. I always like holiday-themed picture books.
Have a great weekend, Susanna!
Happy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines
Wow! there is so much going on! I'm going to our Midatlantic SCBWI Conference tomorrow and I won't have time to write my story. I do have an idea though.
I did not know we had a hash tag! how do we incorporate it to our own posts, Susanna? or others? do you know? So cool to be recognized by writer unboxed.
This does sound like a cute little halloween book. So witchy brewery style. Love the cover.
Writer Unboxed is great!
I love the illustrations in this book- very appealing!
With Halloween coming in the middle of next week, there are already so many holiday events taking place…it will be a busy weekend…but I will surely find some time to work on my Halloweensie Contest entry.:) Great prizes, Susanna…hats off to the generous contributors!!!
I love your PPBF choice! Very clever and fun way to get an important message across to kids. And wonderful resource/activity list also.
And congrats on #PPBF…let's see if I can remember to use it…I'm so bad about remembering the importance of hashtags.:)
Brewmerang, great word! Looks like a fun pick that I'll probably have to wait to get my hands on. Oy, those holiday books!
I hope I can manage a story after checking out those prizes, but as usual it's just so much fun to participate. Really looking forward to reading the entries!
Oh, and Susanna, you are already famous in my book, boxed or unboxed!
Gosh, I didn't realise there was a hashtag. Love your book choice Susanna, looks very cute and colourful. Not sure if I will have time to join in the contest, but it will certainly be fun to read the entries. Enjoy your weekend.
SO exciting! I'm going over to twitter today to check out the PPBF buzz. I never even thought of that. Thanks!
Aw, thanks for the shout out, Susanna. Let #PPBF roar!
Lovin' your book choice for Halloween. Wonder if schools allow witch stories? Are they PC because the message certainly seems to be.
Alice & Greta looks like a fun book to read. I don't have a title to share today – just dropping in to see what other folks have in their reading baskets.
Love the idea of #PPFB. Thanks Wendy!
Susanna, great choice for Halloween! I love the cover, the story and the message. Sounds like a winner for kids.
Alice and Greta looks like a cute one! Gretta is a special name at our house. A dog by that name used to live here. She has now passed on to Sainthood. She was the angel though and not the mischief maker. I like stories with mischief makers and lessons to be learned. I'll have to check out Alice and Greta! Thanks!
Great news about Writer Unboxed sharing our PPBF!!!! I must start tweeting with the hashtag. Neat book you've shared today, Susanna! Can hardly wait for the Halloweensie contest…
I love the opening lines of Alice and Greta. I will definitely be getting this one. Thanks for telling me about it.
This book looks great, Susanna! I will look for it. I love the 'brewmerang principle.'
I've been busy, but I'm glad to be back to PPBF after a long absence AND I had time today to work on my Halloweensie contest entry. Can't wait!
Yay for the Halloweensie Contest and the new hashtag parade!
That book sounds like it's right up my alley!
Whoa Mama! 100?? Did I read you right? *blinks* Yup. Oh man! Oh man! Cheryl said it was 100. YIKERS!!!!!!!! I'd better get busy.
Brewmerang Principle??? That has to be the best thing I've heard all week!! The book is on my list.
Yippee for Wendy and the hashtag. I need to get better at Twitter, too!!!
Yay … we both picked Cyd Moore as the illustrator this week!! It looks amazing … you reap what you sow is a HUGE lesson.
Wow, am I late. I'm kind of embarrassed that it took so long for me to get here. 😦 Anyway, CONGRATS on getting noticed by Writer Unboxed! 😀 Your book is a great PPBF pick, especially for Halloween! I like the Brewmerang principle!
No reason to be embarrassed, Erik – you're WAY ahead of me! I haven't even started the PPBF rounds for this group of books because I wasn't home Friday and then had a busy weekend. Glad you like the pick, and I'll be over to see yours eventually 🙂
Love the picture! Can't wait to read your story! Have fun with Mortimer 🙂
Well the twitter thing is all thanks to Wendy! She brought PPBF to the attention of Writer Unboxed. Can't wait to read your entry!!!
I didn't know there was a hashtag either, Laura 🙂 Wendy gets all the credit! I'm so late in commenting on this post that I have to say hope you HAD a great weekend! 🙂
Have fun at the conference! Don't worry about your entry – as long as you have an idea, you'll still have a few days to write it after you get back – you have until midnight Thursday! I didn't know we had a hashtag either, and I don't know how to incorporate into posts! Let me know if you find out 🙂
I know, aren't they great? They are my favorite part of the book… along with the Brewmerang Principle 🙂 And yes – I love WU!
I'm not sure I've ever used a hashtag! I'm going to have to learn 🙂 I hope you'll have time for an entry – I always look forward to yours! 🙂
Glad you like the book, Julie 🙂 And oh I HOPE you'll have time for an entry! You have a title to defend 🙂
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Aw! So sweet 🙂 (And definitely unboxed – I don't think I fit in the box :))
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Glad you like the book, Diane! Sorry I'm so behind in getting around PPBF this week – I'll be there eventually 🙂 I didn't know there was a hashtag either – I'm so bad at twitter! – we have Wendy to thank! And I do hope you'll find time for an entry! Only 100 words. So teeny. You can do it while you sip your morning coffee 🙂
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I'm such a twit I don't even know how to tell if there IS a buzz! 🙂 I seriously have to learn about this hashtag thing – I'm sure there are others besides PPBF 🙂
Gosh! I never even thought of that! I don't think of witches as real, or witchy, or anything really bad – just fun for Halloween stories. Thank you again for getting #PPBF on the map 🙂
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That's so nice of you, Sue! I hope you find some good ones for your library bag 🙂
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It's very cute, Pat. The art is really fun 🙂 Apologies for my extreme tardiness in getting around PPBF this week. I'm coming…!
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I'm sure your Gretta was much much nicer than the one in the book (who is not very nice at all!) I hope you enjoy this fun story, Rhythm – the pictures are delightful 🙂
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Glad you like the book, Beth, and I must start tweeting with the hashtag too! Can't wait to read your contest entry… and given that I'm only replying to this on Monday because I'm so behind, I guess I won't have long to wait 🙂
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Glad you like it, Rosi! Will we be seeing an entry from you for the Halloweensie Contest??? 🙂
So glad to have you back, Carrie! Can't wait to see what you posted for PPBF (as you can tell I'm behind this week!) and can't wait to read your entry!!!
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Three cheers! Hip hip hooray! 🙂
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You can do it Robyn! I can't wait to see what you come up with! 🙂
I know – don't you love that? So clever! 🙂
Can't wait to see what you picked, Barbara! I'm so behind! But I'll get there… eventually 🙂
Sign up for Tweet Deck. It's how I follow the hashtags I'm interested in.
What is that? Like a list of hash tags? I have hoot suite…
Pumpkin-sized congratulations are appropriate for PPBF being shared on Writer Unboxed, Susanna!
Thank you, Joanna! It's all thanks to Wendy! 🙂
Not sure, but I think it is equivalent to the streaming feature on Hoot Suite. You make a column dedicated to a particular # which is easy to review. No need to check it constantly for fear of missing #PPBF mentions. It archives 7 days worth of tweets per column.