Hi Everyone!
It’s Friday, so you know what that means!
A fabulous list of Perfect Picture Books just in time for the weekend!
But FIRST! I’m happy to announce the randomly selected winner of last week’s giveaway, Rosanne Kurstedt’s beautiful AND I THINK ABOUT YOU!
ANDREA MACK, come on down! YOU are the lucky winner! Congratulations!!! Please email me (you can use the handy contact form in the menu above if you don’t have my email) and let me know your snail mail address so I can send you the book!
Lovely!
Onward!
Today I have a very entertaining book to share called I CANNOT DRAW A HORSE.
Now, I don’t want to brag, but I actually CAN draw a horse.
Look:
I drew that myself – a Susanna Hill original – no artistic training whatsoever!
I know. It’s a gift.
But for those of you who might need a little instruction, (not to mention a fun story) check out this book!
Title: I Cannot Draw A Horse
Written & Illustrated By: Charise Mericle Harper
Publisher: Union Square Kids, October 11, 2022, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-8
Themes/Topics: creativity, imagination, self-belief, art
Opening: “This is my shape.
Hello, shape!
“What am I?” asked the shape.
I am a nothing shape.
You are not a nothing shape.
Look!
I can draw a cat.
I want a horse.
Brief Synopsis: The book has a shape. It can make the shape a cat. The cat wants a horse. The book cannot draw a horse, but it can draw lots of other things to give the cat fun and excitement. But the cat still wants a horse. Can the book find a way to supply one?
Links To Resources: the book itself is a fun art resource. The pages are like graph paper, and all of the images are made from simple, easy-to-copy shapes and lines that kids can have fun trying their hands at. Start by trying the ones from the book, then see what you can make on your own! Topic for discussion: how important is it to believe you can do something? Does believing you can do something make you able to do it? Does believing you can’t make it impossible?
Why I Like This Book: For starters, this book is a clever departure from standard story telling. The book itself plays an important role by creating all the images that appear. It begins with a shape that looks like a gumdrop. When the shape complains it is nothing, the book makes it into a cat. The cat demands a horse, which the book says it cannot draw, but it willingly supplies other friends – a squirrel, a beaver, a bunny, and a dog. It provides fun in the form of a pool for splashing and a skateboard for going fast. The cat, however, will not be happy until it gets a horse. So at last the book grudgingly makes an attempt. I will not give away the ending – you must read it for yourself or it will be spoiled – but it made me laugh out loud! This picture book, which is like an introduction to graphic novels, is sure to have kids giggling, and experimenting with shapes to see what they can draw!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊 Practice your horse drawing 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Susanna, I love your horse! What a fun book. I love your discussion questions. I look forward to seeing how the book solves the problem. So glad you featured it. And congrats Andrea!
Thank you for loving my horse, Maria! There were those who needed to be told that it WAS a horse (not mentioning any names to protect the guilty from being chased with pitchforks 😊) I hope you get to see the book when it comes out – it’s really fun!
Sounds like a clever idea, Can’t wait to see the whole book, especially the ending.
I hope you love it as much as I did, Bru. It took me by surprise 😊😊😊
What a fun book! And perfect timing to pair with The Dot.
That is so true, Patricia! I should have thought of it and totally did not! Thank you for mentioning it!
Congratulations, Andrea! And yes, I enjoyed your pick today too, Susanna. Have a lovely weekend practicing more drawing – your special little someone will need your encouragement!
Are you suggesting that I NEED more practice, Jules? 🤣🤣🤣 My special little someone will always be able to feel far superior to me when it comes to drawing! Also, dancing. I’m enthusiastic but not talented! 🤣🤣🤣
This really is a unique and clever story. Think kids will love this book! Great share today!
Congratulations, Andrea!
I know, Pat! I thought it was so original! It has also inspired me to try drawing the cat and the squirrel etc. because the book makes it look possible!
Wow! What a brilliant concept! And so engaging. Everyone loves a demanding cat, too, LOL. I may have to try my own hand at a horse. Thanks for the rec, Susanna!
I know, right, Jilanne? Really, I think cats, by nature, are demanding – they like to have the world on their terms 😊 I should probably try to draw a horse the way it’s done in the book – I might have better luck!
What a fun sounding book!
It is SO fun, Sue! I hope you get to see it when it comes out!
Thanks for sharing this PB, Susanna! It sure looks like a great read! Can’t wait to discover the ending! 🙂
Congrats, Andrea for winning AND I THINK ABOUT YOU
I hope you enjoy the ending as much as I did, Susan! It really made me laugh – partly because of being funny and partly because I wasn’t expecting it 😊
This is so clever. It reminds me of Ed Emberley’s books from years ago, which I always loved. Can’t wait to check this one out.
This does remind me of Ed Emberley’s books. But funnier! What a sensational book!
This will sell like hotcakes! Thank you, Susanna for bringing this to our attention. It’s wonderful!!!
This looks so fun!! What a unique and cool concept!! Can’t wait to read it when it’s out in October!
Lots of fun! Love the drawings too! Horses are a challenge to draw!