Mornin’ folks!
What’s new and exciting in your lives?
I spent a fair part of the last two days at the Get Read online conference. It was very well run and interesting, but now I’m feeling behind in my work (for a change :)) so I’m going to put on my Succintness Hat and try to be brief and to the point today. (And you all know how THAT’S likely to go… :))
First, here is my Perfect Picture Book:
Title: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!
Written & Illuatrated By: Bob Barner
Chronicle Books, 1999, Non-Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 2-6
Themes/Topics: Bugs
Opening: “Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! I want to see bugs! Butterflies that flutter in the sky. Spotted ladybugs that go creeping by.” (This is actually the first three spreads.)
Brief Synopsis: Simple facts about familiar bugs in a rhyme.
Links To Resources: One back page of the book includes a display of actual-sized bugs so young readers can see how big they are in real life and how they compare with each other. Another back page compares facts about all the insects mentioned in the book: can it fly, where does it live, etc. Here are a few activities, and here are a bunch of coloring pages.
Why I Like This Book: This book is delightfully simple. Easy enough for youngest readers to enjoy, but with enough information in the back to interest slightly older children. The pictures are bright, colorful, and engaging and do a great job of making bugs look friendly and non-threatening. I’m not really much of a bug person, but I find this book very appealing 🙂 This is also an interesting example for writers to study. The author gets across information in a fun way in only 76 words!
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
Before we go, a few housekeeping details:
On Monday, I will announce who won the October Pitch Pick, who won the giveaway of SARAH GIVES THANKS by Mike Allegra, and who won the giveaways from Faith The Heroic Pony’s special Would You Read It post on Wednesday.
The wonderful and delightful Vivian Kirkfield has invited me to her blog where I will be a guest on her Will Write For Cookies series tomorrow (Saturday Nov. 16), so please go visit her!
Anyone who would like to submit to the Linda Ashman Rhyme Clinic which will take place here on Monday December 2, you still have a few days. Linda has extended the deadline to Wednesday Nov. 20. Complete details HERE. (But the gist is, submit the first 20 lines of your rhyming picture book manuscript to susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with Rhyme Clinic in the subject heading and Linda will help out with whatever rhyme troubles you’re having. She has asked that writers submit their complete ms to her so she can see how well the beginning fits the whole story, but only the first 20 or so lines will be used for the clinic.)
Finally, I would like to announce a couple of scheduling things. There will be NO Perfect Picture Books on Friday November 29. It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and I’m assuming most of you will be busy with family. (And I am trying to take the hint from my family that there are some days when I should not be on the computer :))
Likewise, I think I’m going to take the last two weeks of December off from blogging since that is also a busy family time. The Holiday Contest will run from approximately December 9 -18 so that we can all enjoy it and still have time for holiday related madness (a whole week left before Christmas.) We WILL have Perfect Picture Books on Friday December 20 (so we can sneak in a few more of everyone’s favorite holiday titles… unless everyone wants more of a break… please let me know!) and after that I think we’ll just all have a little rest over here so we can start up fresh and revitalized in January! (Which means there will be NO Perfect Picture Books Friday December 13 or 27, and we can skip the 20th too if you guys want – let me know, and NO Would You Read It December 11, 18, or 25.) So mark your calendars (and I’ll try to remember to remind you! :))
So. How’d I do? Not SO bad on the succinctness given how much we covered (and given that it’s me), don’t you think? 🙂
PPBF bloggers, please leave your post-specific links in the list below so we can all come visit you and see what terrific books you’ve chosen this week!
Have a great weekend, everyone! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
I will have to study this one at 76 words. I'm in favor of taking the PPBF break for the whole time. I think I was tentative for a Would You Read it during the period (maybe Dec. 11). so let me know my new date. Going to put these dates on my calendar.
I like it because it's just so simply done – short, sweet, to the point, and yet still interesting and fun. I have a lot to learn from Bob Barner's level of succinctness 🙂 I will email you about WYRI.
It IS a cute book, Catherine – I'm glad you like it! 🙂 And glad you approve of my scheduling plans – thank you for being so nice and supportive 🙂
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You did well using your Succinctness Hat. I'm not the biggest fan of bugs (eek!) but it sounds like today's PPBF choice presents them in a fun way even I can enjoy. I also think you are quite right about making sure to enjoy that special family time. That is the kind of quality time well spent.
Have a great weekend 🙂
Kids are so fascinated with bugs. This would be such a fun read for all ages. Really like your choice. The cover is engaging for kids. Such a nice choice for our list.
As far as PPBF, you have to do what is best for you. You've been super busy. Many will want a break. With the holidays, it's a great time to share books for parents to purchase as gifts. So, I will publish a few reviews anyway, whether or not they make your list.
Morning to you, Susanna. Lovely picture book and Oh my, only 76 words! Thanks for the posting of new dates. Will mark on calendar. You certainly need the break. Have a great weekend.
Guess what arrived yesterday?
Show & Tell
In A Nutshell
By Jessica Bell
THANKS!!!
See you over at Vivian's tomorrow ~ who wouldn't want to write for cookies?
I love the sound of this book. My library has it and I just put it on hold. 🙂 Also, Little Red Writing just popped up as “Ready” on my hold list this morning!!!
I will do whatever you need to do for the PPBF schedule. I have two Christmas books for review…yes…already chose them 🙂 I know you have to leave time for the contest, so don't overwhelm yourself. You need to enjoy the holidays! Gobble! Gobble! and Ho! Ho! Ho!
I wholeheartedly endorse your plan to take some time off over the holidays (both holidays). If you decide to make the 20th a non-PPBF day as well (thinking of all there is to do in the lead-up to the holidays, plus all you will have done for the contest), that works for me.
The book you've chosen today might even make a bug-shudderer like me enjoy bugs (at least those safely in illustrations on a page!).
Cute book, Susanna! My Dad always thought that getting up close and personal with bugs relieved kids fear of them. Not to sure it worked with me!
I love the idea of taking off as many days as possible around the holidays. That will relieve all of us, so we can spend time with the family (and maybe get a little extra writing in!
Kudos for thinking of it, and being brave enough to mention it.
WOW! Can I hire you as my social secretary and schedule organizer?:)
Seriously…thank you again, Susanna, for all that you do for us…I'm so glad you will be taking a little time to enjoy your family. I know that you truly enjoy the blogging…and we are very appreciative of the contents, PPBF, writing prompts, WYRIW and everything else…but it does take a huge chunk of one's life.
I love this book you have chosen…I'm always trying to write such complex complicated rhyme…I need to take a lesson. On the rhyme note…I read what you said about Linda wanting to see the entire ms for the Rhyme Clinic…I only sent 20 lines…so I guess I should send you the entire thing…I will do it later today.:)
Have a beautiful weekend!
Ahh, the gift of time!
I think we all need some of that gift, Lauri! 🙂
Thank you for being so kind and understanding about my slacking off, Vivian! 🙂 And as for organizing you, you've already read my answers to your interview questions, so you know that organization is NOT my strong suit… which is why I work all the time… which is why my family demands that I pay some attention to them 🙂 And thank you for sending your ms to Linda – she decided after she started getting submissions that she needed the whole context to be able to really make good judgments. Have a lovely weekend, too! 🙂
I really like the idea of this book! A simple bug book for little ones. Great idea! And it looks nice and bright. Another good idea. Kids I know love bugs and are always catching them. I'll have to look for this book. Thanks
Is it just me? Clicking on the link for #2, Posy, doesn't take me anywhere…
I'll check it, Beth…
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That's exactly why I like this book, Rhythm! It's cute and bright and very kid-friendly. I hope you like it 🙂
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This book is so cute it even makes me think bugs are fun 🙂 Thanks for being so supportive of my “break-around-the-holidays” plan. My family wasn't very happy with me last year, so I need to get a little better at planning time off when they need me 🙂 And I figure if it's like that for me, other people must feel the same way… 🙂
Thanks so much for your support, Beth! I hesitated to mention it – I don't like to feel like I'm wimping out or letting people down – but I figure I'm not the only one who needs time around the holidays and maybe we can all benefit. And yes, I'm not so fond of bugs either, but this book is super cute 🙂
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Thanks, Penny, you're so sweet! 🙂 I really appreciate it. I'll see what to do about PPBF – I do want to give people time to post holiday favorites 🙂 I think you will like Little Red Writing, which I just found out last week was one of my agent's sales!, and the bug book is a cute one for youngest readers 🙂
Oh yay! so glad you got it! Hope you find it helpful 🙂 And I don't know who wouldn't want to write for cookies. I'll do anything for cookies 🙂
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Thank you for being so understanding, Diane! I was kind of figuring I might not be the only one who needed a break. I'm sure you all can use a break from me! Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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Glad you like the bug book, Pat 🙂 And yes, I do know that it's a good time to post books for gifts, and also the only time where it feels appropriate to share out favorite holiday titles (even though of course technically we could do it in March or July :)), so I will see what the general consensus is. I can always put the list up for anyone who wants to use it, and it may just be a short list. It tends to be anyway during that time – usually only 9 or 10 people participate in those busy holiday weeks.
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Yeah, this is about the only level I can handle bugs on, Angela 🙂 Glad you approve of slowing down around the holidays – I think it's probably good for all of us 🙂
“…not really much of a bug person…” is the understatement of the century for me. *shiver* One of my friends blogged about jumping in a pile of leaves, yesterday. My first thought was – There could be spiders in there!
LOVE today's pick! I applaud you for taking some time off. I'm thinking of doing the same but not quite sure how I'll manage it with the next round of 12 x 12 coming up… I missed the Get Read conference this week due to my Kickstarter campaign launch, but I'm going to catch up over the weekend. How did you like it? I hope you learned tons since I was the one who suggested it! LOL
Hahaha! You are so funny, Genevieve 🙂 There is a daddy longlegs in this book, but no spiders 🙂 And they're all very cheerful and friendly looking! 🙂
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I missed both mornings, Julie… too busy!… but I'm looking forward to watching the recordings. What I saw was interesting and informative. I would have liked to see a little more relevance to picture books writers, but as I said, I missed a lot so maybe it's in there. You should take some time off!
I love the idea of unplugging for the holidays, Susanna. Thank you! And I love the idea of writing for cookies.
YAY! A contest a contest! WOO!!! 🙂
I'm so glad you're excited, Erik! 🙂
It's a brilliant idea, isn't it? Now, I believe, I have a very good excuse to eat cookies all day while I'm working 🙂
Your holiday schedule sounds perfect! I hope you'll get in good family time and still maintain your professional life to your satisfaction. 🙂 My family always tells me I spend too much time online.
Hope you're having a great weekend!
I have this book in my classroom!
Trying to catch up on all my blog-reading. . . what is it about rhyme that makes bugs so much more appealing?! 'Gotta check this out. Thanks.
Hahaha! I'm laughing Joanne because as you may have noticed via your blog comments, I've been catching up on PPBF all afternoon! 🙂
Don't you think it's colorful and cute, Andrea? And makes bugs palatable? (Not that we're planning on eating any… but as a concept :))
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I'd like to hear about Get Read conference. Maybe a post on MPBM?
TAKE…TIME…OFF!
Thanks, Teresa! 🙂 It's hard, because so much of my work is online – blogging, MPBM, etc… and the rest is writing so either paper and pen or computer. And I work from home, so I'm right there which is great because I'm there, but hard because I'm there 🙂 So I'm thinking I need to take a little break while everyone is home and enjoy them all without having to worry about whether I read and commented on someone's blog or whatever. And I'm figuring (hoping!) a lot of other people might be feeling the same way around the holidays 🙂
I've got some of the sessions from Get Read still to watch, so I'll try to post about it on MPBM when I've done that. And I'm not sure I can really take time off… but I'm going to try to at least slow down a lot for 2 weeks at Christmas 🙂 I want to enjoy having my babies home 🙂
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