Perfect Picture Book Friday has rolled around again!
Although this book came out a few months ago, I’ve been waiting to review it for today – a perfect Friday for this Perfect Picture Book about Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have A Dream Speech since we will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.
Title: A Place To Land: Martin Luther King Jr. And The Speech That Inspired A Nation
Written By: Barry Wittenstein
Illustrated By: Jerry Pinkney
Neal Porter Books, August 27 2019, nonfiction
I don’t normally include awards, but this one has won so many I thought I should mention them 🙂
Selected for the Texas Bluebonnet Master List
Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children A 2019 Booklist Editors’ Choice A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Nominated for an NAACP Image Award
Suitable For Ages: 7-10
Themes/Topics: history, civil rights, following your dreams, inspiration and revision
Opening: “Martin Luther King Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin. ‘No,’ he said. ‘The hardest part is knowing where to end. It’s terrible to be circling up there without a place to land.’”
Brief Synopsis: (From the publisher) “On the night before the historic March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. debated, worked, and wrote late into the night, trying to decide what to say— and how to say it. This little-known story celebrates not only the famed ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, but the influences of many other pioneering Civil Rights leaders who helped shape those famous words.”
Links To Resources: the book itself is a resource, both in the true story it tells and in the substantial back matter which include both a note from the author and note from the illustrator along with short bios of the Willard Hotel Advisors, “Other Voices”, and “Who Spoke At The March On Washington.”
Why I Like This Book: As a writer who often searches for the right words, the right way to say something, the right thing to say, I really appreciate this look at how Martin Luther King Jr. crafted his famous I Have A Dream Speech. Not only will young readers learn about the facts surrounding the writing of this speech – the people whose thoughts contributed and the history of the moment – they will also learn something about the writing process – about considering, articulating, revising, perfecting (as much as possible), and finally delivering a finished piece. About the uncertainty of wondering, have I said it right? Have I done the best job I can do? I think it’s encouraging for children to know that adults also write and revise, wonder and doubt, struggle to get things right. And in this case, not just an adult, but a famous, influential historical figure. It’s also really interesting to hear about this famous speech from this perspective – the crafting of it – rather than just the finished words themselves.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific 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!
But before we get to Would You Read It, let’s have a go at You Can Write It!
Ready?
Put these three things in a story!
My Wednesday gift to you! Have fun! 🙂
I’m guessing you’ll need a little Something Chocolate to get those writing synapses firing, (also maybe some caffeine because let’s face it, coffee was put on earth to go with chocolate 🙂 ) so how about a little Chocolate Cheesecake? (Or a lot… no one is judging you here! 🙂 )
This is (supposedly) an easy recipe for those with an Instant Pot. I technically have an Instant Pot… but I’m a little afraid of it 🙂 Nothing like a delicious-looking Something Chocolate, however, to give me the incentive to try something new! 🙂
Yum! Doesn’t that look creamy and chocolate-y? Let’s just call it Picture Book Pie because it’s sure to give you the energy and creativity you need to write!
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Paul. Paul Rondema spent his formative years in China and Nigeria before moving to central Indiana (talk about culture shock). He finally settled in Portland, Oregon where he teaches, writes and enjoys life with his wife and daughter. He can be found at: https://paulrondemachildrensauthor.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/paul.rondema.18.
Here is his pitch:
Working Title: Does It Rain?
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-6)
The Pitch: In a whirlwind tour of the world, Does It Rain? makes a persuasive argument for the commonality of us all, for the shared joys and hopes and fears and dreams of each and every person who walks this home we call Earth.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Paul improve his pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in March, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Paul is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch! I am looking forward to writing Cupcake Kid Flies A Plane! Or maybe Special Delivery For Baby Goat, or Sky High Picnic, or Greedy Goat And The Great Cupcake Heist! Who knows???!!! Check in with me after Picture Book Pie and Coffee 🙂
Wow! It’s been a while since we had a Tuesday Debut, hasn’t it?!
That is partly because of the writing contests and the holidays, but also partly because I only have Tuesday Debut posts when people want to share their first-ever brand new picture books. (That said, I have a lot of availability in the coming weeks, so if you’ve got a debut picture book you’d like to get a little attention for, email me! 🙂 )
But we’ve got one today – the second self-published one we’ve had the opportunity to learn about here – so some interesting and different information.
Please help me welcome Ciara O’Neal as she shares her debut picture book Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone!
Flamingo Hugs Aren’t For Everyone
Written by Ciara O’Neal
Illustrated by Alicia Young
Published November 2019
Fiction, ages 6-10
Hugs are hard for a clumsy flamingo. But with daring disguises, delightful dances, and a few more tricks up her feathers, this bird is determined to win a little love from zoo-goers everywhere!
SUSANNA: Welcome, Ciara! Thank you so much for joining us today! We’re delighted to have you and opportunity to learn a thing or two about the self-publishing process for picture book writers! Where did the idea for this book come from?
CIARA: Flaminga’s story arose during a very loooooong trip to the ER with my daughter. After rejecting kisses from my stuffed flamingo keychain, our star was born! My daughter and I whiled away the endless hours by brainstorming all the different ways a flamingo might try to win affection. And, voilà Flamingo Hugs came to life. I still have my daughter’s first sketch of Flaminga in her hat. Alicia drew a wonderful rendition of it in our book!
Idea generation is one of my favorite phases in the whole process of creating picture book magic. I find that I am a very visual person. So whenever I want to find inspiration, I take a walk around my corner of the world. I try to look at ordinary things from odd perspectives. Sometimes, it’s hunkering down in the grass or leaning against a tree. (There might have been that time I flipped upside down on my kids’ playground. But we won’t talk about that.)
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
CIARA: Some stories demand I tell them from beginning to end in one sitting. Flamingo Hugs and many of my other picture books materialized in a matter of hours. But that being said, NONE of those stories look anything like the original draft. Especially not once my incredible critique partners got to them. (Love my critique partners!)
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
CIARA: All of my stories go through MANY rounds of revision. But I think my favorite stage is probably my second round of revisions. (My first round always focuses on plot, stakes, and character development.)
During the second round, I research. I find picture books with similar themes, Youtube videos, and Pinterest pins to help me develop my language. I create a list of verbs, nouns, and adjectives that fit my manuscript. I begin playing with the words, generating jokes, and flushing out “the world” in my story.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for publication?
CIARA: This question is SO difficult to answer. I’m not sure there is a right one. I feel most confident about my story when my critique partners only give me words to tweak as opposed to fixing plot holes, etc. Once I reach that stage, I have done several paid critiques.
SUSANNA: At what point did you decide to self-publish rather than submit to traditional publishers? Did you try traditional first? Or did you have specific reasons for wanting to self-publish?
CIARA: A little over a year ago, I decided I wanted to finally chase my dream of being an author. I wrote my first few manuscripts and began querying agents and traditional publishers. During that time, I started sharing my stories with my dad.
We had so much fun brainstorming and dreaming up what characters would do. One day, he told me he believed in my stories and wanted to help make my dream a reality. Together, we decided my clumsy flamingo needed a little self-publishing love, and here we are!
SUSANNA: How did you find an illustrator?
CIARA: I found my first illustrator, Alicia Young, after searching the SCBWI page. I saw her illustrations and fell in love!
SUSANNA: Did you and the illustrator have a contract of any kind? What types of items did it address?
CIARA: Alicia and I did have a contract. I did a mini-interview with her before we agreed to work together. During the illustration process, we spoke often. It was important to me to find someone that I clicked with and shared my vision for the story.
SUSANNA: Are you able to give a ballpark figure of any kind about the cost of the illustrator?
CIARA: Illustrators are fabulous people! But they have to eat too! When it comes to cost, you will get what you pay for. Spot illustrations can cost anywhere from $20-$45. Elaborate full spreads can cost even more depending on the time needed to complete the page. It’s hard to give a ballpark figure because each story calls for a different number of spot illustrations and spreads. So needless to say, self-publishing with great illustrations can be costly.
SUSANNA: What was the illustration process like since you were directing it? Any particular challenges? Anything you particularly enjoyed?
CIARA: The illustration process was thrilling. Each email from Alicia was like Christmas morning. She is so creative and such a joy to work with. That’s not to say we didn’t do our fair share of revision, both my words and her illustrations. But it was one of my favorite parts of this journey!
SUSANNA: How did you format your book for publication?
CIARA: My beautiful illustrator formatted my story. Most illustrators I’ve had contact with an offer this as part of their services.
SUSANNA: How did you select a printing service?
CIARA: Alicia also helped me find our printing service. She had published with them previously. We were both impressed by the price, quality, and turn around time.
SUSANNA: Did you do a print run so you’d have inventory, or is your book print-on-demand? (And where is your book available – online bookstores? brick and mortar bookstores?)
CIARA: I did a print run. My book is also available on Amazon and through my personal website. I have it for sale in a few indie bookstores. I also tote around a few copies to sell at fairs, schools, etc. I even had it for sale at Christmas Tree farm. 🙂
SUSANNA: How long was the process from writing through publication of your book?
CIARA: For Flamingo Hugs, the whole process took about eight months.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
I also created an educational guide to accompany my book. It is on the link above as well. Feel free to check it out. In my guide, there are coloring pages, word searches, stationery, and lesson ideas.
Aside from the trailer and guide, I have visited several blogs, sent out postcards to schools, and visited fairs. Near Valentine’s Day, I will be having a little giveaway. It’s all very exciting.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
CIARA: I would love to definitely thank you. Last October, I found your “Would You Read It?” It was my first foray into the “critiquing” world. Your supportive community gave me the confidence to keep writing and dreaming!
SUSANNA: That is really wonderful to hear, Ciara – that Would You Read It helped you in your writing pursuits! Thank you to all our generous, helpful readers for their part in that. And to anyone who is considering submitting a pitch to Would You Read It, maybe this will give you a little incentive 🙂 Thank you so much for joining us today, Ciara, and for sharing all your helpful advice! We so appreciate it and wish you all the best with this and future books!
Readers, if you have questions for Ciara, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond! (And if you’re interested in the other self published Tuesday Debut, please see HERE)
You may purchase Ciara’s book at:
(all links below are book-specific) Amazon
We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:
– purchasing their books
– recommending their books to friends and family
– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians
– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores
– suggesting them as visiting authors at our children’s schools and our local libraries
– sharing their books on social media
– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, and other sites where people go to learn about books.
Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂
Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!
Hi Everyone! Welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Fridays!
I know we took a bit of a break between the Holiday Contest preempting regular posts and then the holidays preempting everything 🙂 , so if you have posted Perfect Picture Books over the last few weeks you are welcome to add them all to today’s list!
As you all know, I am partial to books about counting sheep 🙂
So I am thrilled to share a new one with you! And, not only will I share the book with you on PPBF today, the author, Pippa Chorley, has generously offered to give away 2 copies in celebration of her launch to the US market this week! If you’re interested in winning a copy, she asks that you like and comment on post, and share this post on social media tagging her on Twitter:@PippaChorley and/or Instagram: @pippachorley! And if you’d like to learn a little more about her journey to publication with this book, please check out Tuesday Debut – Presenting Pippa Chorley!
Title: Counting Sheep
Written By: Pippa Chorley
Illustrated By: Danny Deeptown
Marshall Cavendish, January 20 2020, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-6
Themes/Topics: bedtime, ingenuity/problem solving
Opening: “One dark stormy night, when Sam couldn’t sleep, Her mum suggested, “Try counting some sheep.”
Sam closed her eyes and pictured a flock, But the white, woolly sheep were running…AMOK! ‘Please stop, please stop! Slow down, slow down! I cannot sleep with you clowning around.‘”
Brief Synopsis: When Sam can’t sleep, her mother suggests counting sheep, but bedtime becomes bedlam as the sheep pile up and can’t be counted because Little Shep is unable to clear the fence. One outrageous solution after another fails to do the trick until Sam comes up with just the right answer.
Why I Like This Book: this story is cute, energetic and entertaining. When Little Shep is unable to get over the fence, holding up the line and making it impossible for Sam to count herself to sleep, the sheep come up with one ridiculous proposition after another to solve the problem. Of course they don’t think their ideas are ridiculous! and their suggestions are believably kid-like (I speak from experience having come up with similar schemes myself 🙂 ), seeming perfectly plausible to them and making for a humorous story and illustrations. Ultimately Sam is the one who comes up with a sensible solution – the perfect answer to the problem – showing that sometimes a little careful thought is better than a lot of wild ideas. Young readers will enjoy watching the story unfold and wondering how will Little Shep get over that fence???!!! The illustrations are light-hearted and fun, including such entertaining details as the “spring plan” 🙂
text copyright Pippa Chorley 2020, illustration copyright Danny Deeptown 2020 – Marshall Cavendish
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific 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!!! 🙂 And don’t forget! You could win a copy of this delightful book by liking and commenting on this post and sharing this post on Twitter and/or Instagram and tagging Pippa (Twitter:@PippaChorley and/or Instagram: @pippachorley!)
Look for upcoming contests including the Valentiny Writing Contest here on this blog in early February, and hopefully Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 Precious Words Contest in March (last year’s link) and Kaitlyn Sanchez and Ciara O’Neal’s Spring Fling in April (last year’s link)
Or join Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Group and try to write a new picture book each month for the whole year!
Perhaps you’d like to go larger and look ahead to an SCBWI Conference, either one of the big ones in New York or LA, or a more regional one – they’re all good!
And of course you can always hang out here for Tuesday Debuts to learn details of how others in your field are getting published, Would You Read It Wednesdays to practice your pitches, Perfect Picture Books for examples of great writing in every area of children’s picture books, writing contests, and whatever other high jinks and shenanigans I may decide to get up to around here 🙂 Who knows? This could finally be the year I start that newsletter or write that new course I’ve been intending to get to for the last a-hem years! 🙂 One never knows! It could happen! 🙂
Wow! So much great stuff to get you up and writing!
How about Something Chocolate to spur you along even more? Nothing like a few Easy Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites to get your creative motor revving!
Easy and delicious! Just the thing for a Wednesday morning breakfast and creativity fuel-up! 🙂
Now then, let’s get started on this new year of writing success with today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah who is a retired librarian, a member of SCBWI and Storyteller Academy. She has fallen in love with Highlights Foundation Workshops and will attend two this year. Sarah is drawn to characters and stories where friendship has no bounds. She has a sister with developmental disabilities and this has helped her to see and encourage the abilities in others.
The Pitch: Like the unlikely friendships of Jim Averbeck’s Trevor and Marianne DuBuc’s The Lion and the Bird, Wheels, a toy duck, and Waddles, a real duck become friends. Together their summer is filled with adventure as Waddles quacks and takes the lead. Wheels Clickety tickety, follows along. When fall arrives Waddles must migrate. Though he tries to take Wheels with him, Waddles realizes must leave Wheels behind. As always, Wheels waits for spring and Waddles.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Sarah improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in February, so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to seeing what writing wonders 2020 will bring! Hopefully good things for all of us! 🙂
This is the second time this week you’ve come to visit on a day I don’t post!
But that is delightful in every way because I am ALWAYS glad to see you!
And as it turns out, I kind of thought you might wander in, so I made you something.
Yes! I really did!
All by myself!
It IS the holiday baking season after all . . .
. . . which got me to thinking, wouldn’t we all like to know what kind of holiday cookie we are?
I mean, I know wondering about that keeps me up at night. . . !😊
The rest of the world may be busy figuring out their elf names or their reindeer names, but that is so last year.
You are so special that you are the ONLY people IN THE WOLRD who get to discover what kind of cookie you are! Check it out!
And now you know how I spend my time – thinking up cookie flavors and types, randomizing the lists, and employing canva to make festive charts. No wonder I haven’t vacuumed😊
Allow me to introduce myself: Chocolate ChipCrinkleCookie!!! (which I think describes me to a T since I love chocolate and I am quite crinkly-looking now that I’m more than half a century old!😊)
So now that you all know what kind of cookie you are (please feel free to share in the comments!) you can all go off happily to your holiday whirlwind of shopping and wrapping and cooking and baking and traveling or tidying depending whether your visiting or hosting and etc, etc, etc!
Bon voyage!
See you next year!
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Tra-la-la…
Oh!
You’re still here?
Not that I mind, but . . .
. . . was there something you wanted?
Besides your cookie name?
It’s almost as if you’re hanging around . . .
. . . waiting for something . . .
. . . like . . .
. . . maybe . . .
. . . to find out who won
THE9THANNUALHOLIDAYCONTEST!!!
~forchildren’swriters~
As always, I was thrilled to see so many wonderful stories! Really! It is amazing and inspiring, not to mention VERY entertaining! There is just so much talent out there amongst you all!
But as you well know by now, with large entry numbers, all of high quality, come hard choices. My assistant judges and I worked hard to winnow the total down to a manageable number of finalists that we felt were truly all-around deserving of that distinction, and those were the ones we presented to you on Monday for your vote.
There were, however, a few entries that barely missed being finalists, and many other entries that were outstanding in certain areas even though they might not have qualified all-around for one reason or another, or that the judges couldn’t reach a consensus on.
So my assistant judges and I would like to award recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1. For Honorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (entries we truly wrestled with not including in the finalists!)
Carmen Castillo Gilbert for Andres SAVES la Navidad (beautifully written with a natural interweaving of Spanish vocabulary and a lovely depiction of a grandmother/grandson relationship)
Colleen Murphy for The Recipe (beautifully written and poignant – a tug-on-the-heartstrings story with a hopeful ending)
Janet Smart for Ho! Ho! Ho! Yum! (fun and kid-friendly with a delightfully conscientious mouse 🙂 )
Sarah Meade for Claire’s Big Christmas Trip (we could imagine her special outing to New York City perfectly!)
Maria Antonia for Last Christmas Cookie (great portrayal of sibling interaction and a nicely executed twist ending!)
Lori Sheroan for Watch And Learn (an entry we loved for its beautiful setting and wonderful characterization done in very few words as well as its Appalachian folk tale flavor)
Deb Sullivan for A Great Treat (energetic, kid-friendly and fun!)
Kathy Halsey for Likin’ Lichen . . . Or Marshmallows? (fun and believably kid – favorite line: “Their eyes – how they twinkled. Their noses – So hairy. Their antlers – so tall and a teensy bit scary.” 🙂 )
Katrina Swenson for The Great Cookie Escape (original, creative and entertaining Point of View (the cookies!) very well written!)
Kelly Pope Adamson for Recipe For A Snowman (very creative – who knew you could make a snowman without snow?!)
2. For Fun, Well-Written Twists on Familiar Tales:
Brenda Covert for A Surprise For General Gingerbread (well written and fun, not exactly based on the tale, but the main character is technically a Gingerbread Man 🙂 )
Jill Lambert for Even Trolls Deserve A Treat (a kind-hearted twist on The Three Billy Goats Gruff)
Angela Verges for Cora’s Christmas Cookies (a cute twist on The Little Red Hen)
Stacey Miller for A Fairy Tale Treat (a twist on Hansel And Gretel with a touch of the The Three Little Pigs thrown in – favorite line: “A book of 101 Things To Make With A Turnip” 🙂 )
3. For Top Of The Naughty List:
Sarah Hetu-Radny for A Trickster’s Treat (that Ellery was up to every kind of no-good! – good job with character!)
4. For Poetic Writing and Original Format:
Tracy Curran for The Choice Of A Tree (lovely language, poignant story which she somehow wrote in the shape of a Christmas tree!)
5. For Excellence In Representing A Different Holiday Tradition: (not already in the Finals or All-Around HM)
Jyoti Rajan Gopal for Luscious Laddoos: A Sweet Story (wonderfully descriptive and mouth-watering!)
6. For Best Entry Based On A True Story:
Pat Finnegan for A Taste Of Peace (based on the Christmas Eve truce in hostilities on the Western Front)
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! You may all email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com subject line Prize Winner to collect your award badge and prize, which is five dollars in a format that can be emailed for you to put toward something you’d like at a large online store (and I’m being cryptic because when I did this for Halloweensie I got a ton of problematic spam mail because of the way I worded the post, but hopefully you can figure it out. The store starts with the letter A 🙂 )
And now…
…the moment you’ve all been waiting for…
The announcement of the WINNERS OF THE 2019 HOLIDAY CONTEST as voted on by you, our esteemed readers!!!
rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat
DDDRRRUUUMMM RRROOOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
In First Place…
Winner of the whole shebang…
who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Rebecca Gardyn Levington for The Greatest Latke Topping!!!
Congratulations, Rebecca, on a fun, kid-friendly story written in spot-on rhyme with a delightfully humorous ending that was clearly very popular with a LOT of readers!!! It ain’t over til Ketchup comes to the table! 🙂
In Second Place
Laurie Carmody for All I Want For Christmas
Congratulations, Laurie, on a fun, kid-friendly entry that made us laugh at yet another use for the poor. much-maligned fruit cake 🙂 You get to pick your prize after Rebecca.
In Third Place
Kelly Kandra Hughes for Christmas Peach Pie
Congratulations, Kelly, on an entry that made us long for peach pie and admire your little main character for being willing to embrace the naughty list to get that pie! 🙂 You get to pick your prize after Rebecca and Laurie.
In Fourth Place
Sue Lancaster for Grandpa Ted’s Garden Shed
Congratulations, Sue, on a fun story about a holiday treat that wasn’t food!!! with a great ending that left us wondering what exactly Grandpa gets up to in his spare time… 🙂 You get to pick your prize after Rebecca, Laurie, and Kelly!
In Fifth Place… a tie! between
Kailei PewAnne Lipton for for A Christmas Treat For Mama Vinarterta With Amma
Congratulations, Kelly, on a sweet story that embraced the true spirit of the season, and Congratulations, Anne, on a beautifully-written story full of lovely language that introduced us to a different holiday tradition! Great job both of you! You get to pick your prizes after Rebecca, Laurie, Kelly, and Sue… and we may have to negotiate a little (which is why I try to avoid ties, but when they happen they happen!)
In Seventh Place…
Lara Elliot for Gingerbread Family
Congratulations, Lara! We loved how Isabel found a way to make the best of things, not only saving the cookies but celebrating each member of the family for their uniqueness! I’m sure you get the idea of how the prize picking goes by now 🙂
In Eighth Place…
Gabrielle Cardwell for Biscuit’s Christmas Treat
Congratulations, Gabrielle! We loved that your story celebrated a dog’s POV of a Christmas walk through the neighborhood, and we felt like we knew Biscuit! You get to pick after Lara 🙂
In Ninth Place
Tracy Curran for The Gingerbread Sleigh
Congratulations, Tracy, on your mouth-watering entry written in excellent rhyme with a wonderful ending! You get to pick after Gabrielle 🙂
In Tenth Place
Brenda Whitehead for Christmas Eve Treats
Congratulations, Brenda, on a lovely entry that celebrated the love between a grandmother and granddaughter and came around to such a sweet ending where their roles were reversed. You get to pick your prize after Tracy!
In Eleventh Place
Deborah Bence Boerema for Christmas Kitchen Chaos
Congratulations, Deborah, on an entry that perfectly portrayed the way things seem to go in the kitchen this time of year with a lovely ending that showed it’s the who not the what that matters! You get to pick after Brenda!
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! (The sooner the better!) And for your convenience, the whole prize list is included at the bottom of this post.
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause and a Holiday Treat (see what I did there? 🙂 )
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals, or by donating a prize. It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
As I… hmm… maybe didn’t mention…? but seem to do every year so you’re probably not surprised, I’m taking a little blogging break so I can spend time with my family – I’ve got children to fetch, cookies to bake, Christmas presents to shop for and wrap, and my sister and her family arriving from Georgia! 🙂 So I will see you all in a couple weeks – most probably the first week of January 🙂
So now, I want to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday filled with love, laughter, joy, and family, and a happy, healthy and successful new year! It is a pleasure and a privilege to get to spend time with you all, and I’m happy and grateful to know each and every one of you!
Looking forward to all the things we’ll do in 2020!
Happy Holidays, and all best wishes for a wonderful New Year!!!
The Prizes!: OMG! So much awesomeness!!!
Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Children’s Literary AgentMelissa Richeson of Apokedak Literary!!! Melissa will read and give a written critique of your picture book manuscript plus a 10 minute phone call to talk!!!
MG/YA First 1500 Words Critique from Children’s Literary AgentMelissa Richeson of Apokedak Literary!!! Melissa will read and give a written critique of the first 1500 words of your MG or YA manuscript!!!
Literary Agent Melissa Richeson
Melissa is currently looking to build her client list and is focusing on children’s book authors—picture books through young adult. She’s drawn to witty wording and whimsical design for picture books, humor and quick pacing for chapter books, charming mysteries or magic in middle grade, and fresh, character-driven stories in young adult. She’s not the best fit for horror, high fantasy, or graphic violence of any kind
Art of Arc is an independent-study picture book writing course. Most stories have some sort of arc. Many successful picture books are built around an arc. Understanding story and character arcs will help give your story order and the tension that will energize it from the beginning to the end. This energy will not only drive your protagonist forward – it will also drive readers to turn pages and keep reading.
The purpose of this course is to deepen your understanding of picture books written with a classic arc and to introduce you to many other picture books structures. The course also addresses a number of common issues that weaken a story and common writing mistakes that authors make.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
So what brings you to this neck of the woods? I don’t post on Monday.
Ah! I know!
You came for treats!
Hang on. Let me rummage about for a moment and see what kind of goodies I have squirreled away.
Hmm. . .
The cupboard is alarmingly bare.
It’s empty of cookies.
It’s empty of pies.
It’s empty of gooey marshmallow surprise!
No gumdrops! Or twizzlers!! Or peppermint sweets!!!
No chocolate! NO CHOCOLATE! NOT ONE CHOCOLATE TREAT!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!!!! EMERGENCY!!!!!!!
AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
It’s okay.
I’m not panicking.
I just had a little . . . moment.
But all is well.
Nothing a little shopping trip and an hour or two of baking won’t fix in a jiffy!
I forgot that, in a desperate bid to maintain sanity, the other judges and I ate every single treat this weekend whilst trying to winnow your many, many amazing entries down to a handful of finalists.
Which, I imagine, is the real reason you’re here 🙂
So, I just want to say three little things before I post the actual finalists (shocking, I know, because normally I’m so quiet you can hardly get a word out of me 🙂 ):
First, I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time and care to write an entry for this contest. You all did a fabulous job and provided great enjoyment for many!
Second, I’d also like to thank EVERYONE – writer, reader, or both – who took the time to go around and read as many entries as you could and leave supportive comments. This means so much to the writers who worked hard on their stories. It helps them see what they did well, as well as giving them the joy of knowing that their stories were read and enjoyed. I hope you all got as much delight and entertainment out of the reading as I did! Plus, we got to meet quite a few new people which was a wonderful added bonus! 🙂
Third, I want to reiterate how difficult it was too choose! There were so many amazing entries. Really. I could find at least something terrific about every single one. The sheer volume of entries meant that many good ones had to be cut. So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. There was a huge amount of competition. Judging, no matter how hard we try to be objective, is always subjective at a certain point – we all have our own preferences for what makes a great story. And the fact that you didn’t make the final cut DOES NOT mean you didn’t write a great story. Everyone who plonked their butt in a chair and worked hard to write a story for this contest is a winner! You showed up. You did your best work. You practiced your craft. You wrote to specifications and a deadline. You bravely shared your writing with the world. And you have a brand new story that is now yours to revise, expand, and polish if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. A lot of people have successfully done that at this point – we have quite a few books in the world that were born in Halloweensie, Holiday, or Valentiny Contests, plus a chapter book series that came out of the Fractured Fairy Tale Contest one spring! So bravo to everyone who entered!
You will recall the judging criteria:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Treat! – the rules state a Holiday Treat story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about a treat of some kind that is specific to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate. The story must center on the treat – the treat must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
As I said above, you all did a stellar job – there were no bad stories. But we had to pick the 11 we thought were the all-around best on all 5 counts listed. (11 because we have 11 prizes)
So, without further ado, I present to you the 2019 Holiday Contest Finalists. A mix of poetry and prose, stories for younger readers and slightly older (but still kid) readers, funny, poignant, and cute. Please read through them carefully, take your time, think it over, and vote for your favorite. To help with objectivity, finalists are listed by title only, not by author.
And I’d like to be very clear about the voting process. You are MOST welcome to share a link to this post on FB, twitter, or wherever you like to hang out, and encourage people to come read ALL the finalists and vote for the one they think is best. Please do that. The more people who read and enjoy these stories the better, and the more objective votes we get the better. HOWEVER (and I want to be very clear on this) please do notidentify yourself or ask others to identify you as a finalist on social media, please do not ask people to vote for a specific number or title, and please do not ask people to vote for the story about the unicorn-riding gingerbread princess or whatever. Trolling for votes or trying to influence the outcome is counter to the spirit of this competition which is supposed to be based on merit. I thank you in advance for respecting this.
So here we go! Read! Enjoy! VOTE! 🙂
#1 – Gingerbread Family
The warm scent of ginger and cloves tickled Isabel’s nose. “Mami, the timer’s going off!”
“Okay, stand back, Isa. It’s hot.” Mami pulled the pan out. “Oh no!”
“What’s wrong?” Isa climbed up on a stool to get a closer look. The cookie dough had spread! All the little gingerbread men were plump and lopsided.
Mami put her hand on her hip. “They’re ruined. We can’t serve these.”
“Why not?” Isa licked her lips. They still looked yummy.
“Christmastime with family is special. I want everything to be perfect.”
“Can we make new ones?” Isa asked.
Mami shook her head. “We don’t have enough ingredients.”
“Can we fix them?”
“They would probably break.”
Isa thought for a moment. “Maybe the family won’t mind that they’re crooked.”
“I don’t know.”
Isa pointed at one of the cookies. “Look! This one looks exactly like Abuela with her poofy hair.”
“I guess.”
She pointed to another with a big round belly. “And that one looks like Tío Emanuel.”
Mami laughed. “You’re right. It does.”
“This crooked one looks like Abuelo.”
“Mija, I love the way you see things.”
Isa and Mami carefully decorated their unique treats. When the family visited, they each were delighted to get a cookie that looked like them.
Isabel felt so proud. “You were right, Mami. Christmastime with family is special.”
“Sí, Isa. Everything was perfect.”
#2 – A Christmas Treat For Mama
Melody grinned as she rushed home. She had planned the perfect Christmas treat for weeks. And today, Grandma helped her make a mountain of fudge for Mama.
“Wow!” Someone said from behind. “Is that a mountain of fudge?!”
Melody turned to see her new neighbor, Jason.
“Yes!” Melody boasted. “All for my Mama!”
“Oh,” Jason said, looking at his toes. “Sure wish I could make a treat like that for my Mama.”
“Go tell your Daddy.” Mindy suggested. “I’m sure you can make a fine treat for your Mama.”
“Yeah…” mumbled Jason. “Maybe…”
Melody continued on her way. But she slowed as she approached her house…
Maybe it was the way that Jason’s coat hung much too big around his small frame.
Or the way his sad eyes had never quite met hers.
Or perhaps something in her heart just told her…
…Jason couldn’t make a treat like this for his Mama.
She hurried back and clumsily pushed the fudge into Jason’s hands.
“I think your Mama would like this even more than mine,” she said hastily.
“Oh boy! Thank you!” He whooped. “Mama! Mama!” He called as he ran inside.
Melody raced back to her house, hot tears burning in her eyes.
She burst through the door and fell into her Mama’s arms. The entire story tumbled from her lips.
“And now,” she sobbed, “I don’t have a Christmas treat for you!”
“Oh baby girl,” Mama said, “Don’t you see? You’ve given me the greatest treat of all!”
#3 – Christmas Peach Pie
Twas the night before Christmas,
and I was in bed.
No visions of sugar plums
danced in my head.
All I could think of
was Grandma’s Peach Pie.
Just one slice remaining,
I’m not gonna lie….
I wanted that slice
to be mine alone;
to not have to share it
with big sister Joan.
Or Mama or Papa,
Uncle Bob or Aunt Sue.
Or my three little cousins,
John, Mark, and Lou.
Just thinking about
that perfect pie slice,
I crept out of bed
each step so precise.
Into the hall,
I moved like a snail.
Just one creaky floorboard
could cause me to fail.
I made it downstairs!
Just one room to go.
Crikey, that hurt!
I stubbed my big toe.
I limped to the fridge.
I opened the door. Oh, peachy delight! My tummy did ROAR.
Onto a plate
I set down my slice.
Wait just a second,
Warm pie would be nice.
OMG, that was close!
I almost forgot.
The microwave beeps;
I nearly was caught.
Now it’s just me
and my peachy pie. A Christmas Eve treat, I thought with a sigh.
“Naughty or nice?”
boomed a voice from behind.
I whirled around
And then lost my mind.
Santa was there
wagging his finger.
I looked at my pie,
and I didn’t linger.
I gobbled it up;
I shoved it right in!
“Naughty,” I said,
through my peachy-pie grin.
“No regrets,” I told Santa.
And to my surprise,
Santa agreed,
“I do love peach pies.”
#4 – Grandpa Ted’s Garden Shed
Grandpa Ted has a garden shed, but the door stays firmly closed,
Whenever I visit, I try to peek in, but he won’t even show Granny Rose.
Whatever it is Grandpa keeps inside, he will not let me see.
I beg to him: “pleeeeease let me in,” but he keeps it a mystery…
Maybe Grandpa’s a super hero, and it’s where he keeps his cape?
Then, when he thinks no-one’s looking, he quickly makes his escape…
Maybe Grandpa’s a time-traveler, and his shed is a time machine?
Transporting him far in the future, the things he must have seen…
Maybe Grandpa’s a secret spy, and it’s where he keeps his tools?
Night vision goggles, invisible ink – now, that would be really cool…
Maybe Grandpa’s an astronaut, and his shed is a rocket ship?
Whenever he steps inside, he takes an intergalactic trip…
Then, one afternoon when I visit, Grandpa opens the shed door wide,
“Come in,” he says, “I’m finished. Let’s see what’s hidden inside.”
Grandpa has made me a playhouse, as a special Christmas treat!
“It’s filled with all my favourite things! Oh, Grandpa, you’re so sweet!
A train track with a wind-up train… a doll’s house with four floors…
Jigsaw puzzles… board games… and picture books galore!”
So now the mystery’s over, but something’s made me pause:
A suit so bright tucked out of sight… is Grandpa…
Santa Claus?
#5 – All I Want For Christmas
Franny’s Big Front Tooth would not move.
Not a wiggle or a jiggle. Not a shimmy or a shake.
Its pearly white neighbor jumped ship on a regular old Tuesday.
The bottom chompers both popped out with the help of an apple.
Even the other Big Front Tooth had taken the plunge last fall.
One by one, each and every tooth bit the dust.
But not Big Front Tooth.
Franny tried tugging and tapping.
Even prodding and pleading.
Big Front Tooth WOULD. NOT. MOVE.
“All I want for Christmas is my tooth to come OUT!” Franny begged while sitting on Santa’s lap.
“Try a candy cane,” said Santa.
Crunch!…Nothing.
“…a molasses cookie?”
Chomp!…Still nothing.
“Peppermint bark will surely take the bite out of your bite!”
Crack!…The tooth stayed firmly rooted.
And so Franny woke up on Christmas morning, frantically feeling with her tongue.
There it was. Big Front Tooth, parked squarely in her gums.
She plodded downstairs, wondering if Santa had given her some magical dental equipment or something.
Instead, she found a package under the tree and a note that read:
“Dear Franny,
Please enjoy my famous fruitcake. No teeth can chew it. No glass of milk can soften it.
-Tooth Fairy”
“No teeth can chew it?” repeated Franny.
She took a bite.
Big Front Tooth wiggled and jiggled.
It shimmied and shook.
And POP!
That stubborn sweet tooth came right out.
Whistling through the new gap in her smile, Franny cried…
“Merry Christmas tooth all!”
#6 – Christmas Kitchen Chaos
Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the kitchen
Mom was so flustered; I just had to pitch in.
Church potlucks, class parties, and family dinners . . .
This volume of baking was not for beginners!
Treats for teachers and neighbors and coaches and sitters . . .
The list kept on growing. It gave us the jitters!
We Googled ideas for cookies and breads,
While lists of ingredients danced in our heads.
We spoke not a word, but went straight to our work.
Things started out fine, then they just went berserk!
The counter dusted with flour like new-fallen snow;
We were getting it ready to roll out the dough.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But our KitchenAid mixer, jammed in high gear!
I looked on in horror as eggs splashed everywhere
On the floor, on the walls, and of course in my hair!
And then, in a twinkling, I thought I smelled smoke.
Oh no! Not burned cookies! This must be a joke.
It was time for the icing, confetti, and such.
Slather, squirt, sprinkle! Oops! Did I use too much?
When the last gift was packaged, Mom plopped on a chair,
Asking, “Which Christmas treat is your favorite to share?”
I said, a bit puzzled, “I thought that you knew . . .
The best treat for me is just baking with you!”
#7 – The Gingerbread Sleigh
The day is drawing nearer,
for our yearly Christmas treat.
We’re heading off to Grandma’s
to whip up something sweet.
A gooey, sticky biscuit house,
with walls of gingerbread.
And a roof that’s draped in icing;
white and green and red.
We cover it in sweeties,
Pipe windows on, then doors.
And roll some golden marzipan
to carpet all the floors.
But my brother is not happy.
“We do this every year!”
So Granny gives him full control.
“Make something else, my dear!”
My brother looks delighted
(though I am not too keen).
He cuts out complex templates
and pipes a background scene.
Till, finally, I come on board
and help to mix and weigh
and bake and glue his good idea…
a jolly Christmas sleigh.
It stands so proud and regal
Piped with gleaming gold.
But still, it’s needing something more
and so we start to mould…
We sculpt and shape the marzipan,
we work till they appear.
We paint, then add the antlers…
a fleet of nine reindeer.
Our holiday treat is finished;
a sleigh of gingerbread,
but we never get to eat it…
for next day the sleigh has fled!
And still the neighbours whisper
about the strange-shaped sight…
a biscuit sleigh with reindeer
flying out into the night.
#8 –
#9 – Biscuit’s Christmas Treat
Biscuit the bulldog is taking a nap,
snoring and drooling on Oliver’s lap.
She rolls to the floor but continues to snooze
as he wipes off the slobber and laces his shoes.
She opens her eyes as he tickles her chin,
“Let’s go for a walk, it’s too nice to stay in.”
He strolls down the path, through the gate to the street.
She waddles behind, smelling good things to eat.
Turkey with stuffing at house number four.
Ham at the place with the wreath on the door.
Warm apple pie at the home with the tree.
Pudding with custard at house number three.
Gingerbread stars at the home with the lights.
Biscuit inhales all these Christmas delights,
Roasted potatoes and mixed berry crumbles.
Her tummy is hungry. It growls and it grumbles.
“It’s time to go home for it’s getting quite late.”
They turn and walk back to the house through the gate.
In Biscuits blue bowl – surprise! It’s a bone,
a fabulous Christmasy treat of her own.
After the feasting is done for the night,
Biscuit is tucked in her bed, snug and tight.
She snuffles and snorts while she dreams of her treat
and all of the wonderful scents from the street.
#10 – Christmas Eve Treats
We have a tradition, my Grandma and me,
To make a new treat every year Christmas Eve.
And each little treat comes along with some fun,
A story, a dance, and a mess when we’re done!
When I was three we made gingerbread friends,
We practiced the ginger waltz kitchen to den,
She told me a story of button gumdrops,
That made me so strong I could climb the treetops!
When I was four we made cinnamon swirls,
And while they were baking we practiced our twirls.
She told me a story of dresses so rare,
That when twirled fast took me up in the air!
When I was five we made candy cane sweets,
And we danced the twist arm-in-arm through the streets.
She told me a story of red-striped balloons,
That when I held tight floated me to the moon!
This year I’m six and in charge of the treat.
See, Grandma has moved, and she has a wheeled seat.
Grandma, I made us some gingerbread friends,
I’ll push you, and we’ll ginger waltz once again!
Grandma, I made us some cinnamon swirls,
I’ll help spin your chair into special wheeled twirls!
Grandma, I made us some candy cane sweets,
Now let’s go outside and roll-twist through the streets.
Grandma, I brought some more presents for you,
Button gumdrops, a dress, and a red-striped balloon.
Now you can climb, fly, and float up with me!
We’re the story this year, the best Christmas Eve treat.
#11 – Vinarterta with Amma
Góðan daginn! Hello from New Iceland!
Amma and I are making vinarterta for Þorláksmessa, Saint Thorlak’s Day, and Christmas.
We cream sparkling sugar into fluffy butter and sprinkle in spicy cardamom for warmth.
Crack! Each egg yields a yolk as precious as the winter sun,
which shines for only a few hours each day
in Manitoba
and Iceland.
Whoosh! Flour sifts into the bowl
like the drifts of snow
in Manitoba
and Iceland.
We roll the dough into seven pans and bake them in the oven.
Why seven?
Wait and see.
We hum “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” as the dried plums bubble into glossy jam.
Amma lifts the pans from the oven, two by two, and then the last, odd one out.
“Are we Icelandic or Canadian?” I ask.
“Já,” says Amma.
“Yes?”
Amma smiles, her blue eyes twinkling, and squeezes my fingers in her warm palm. “Two hands, one heart.”
I spoon the plum filling on top of each layer.
It flows like lava over the warm cake.
We stack the seven layers,
pressing them paper-thin,
making stripes of fire and ice,
as red and white as the Canadian flag,
or the red and white cross of the Icelandic flag.
We slather the cake in icing and wrap it like a present.
Gleðileg jól! Merry Christmas!
Takk! Thank you for coming.
We hope you enjoy our vinarterta.
But you must wait a week before you eat it,
letting the seven layers soften
over seven long short days.
Wow! Did those entries knock your socks off or what?! 🙂
Now that you’ve had a chance to read through the finalists, please vote for the entry you feel deserves to win in the poll below by 7PM EST Wednesday December 18.
Tune in Thursday December 19 to see THE WINNERS!!! – same bat time, same bat station 🙂
Thank you all so much for taking the time to write (if you did), read, and vote! These contests simply wouldn’t be what they are without all of you!
I can’t wait to see who you choose as the winner! Good luck!!! 🙂
⭐️Deck the Halls! ⭐️ Light the menorah! ⭐️ Fill the Kikombe cha Umoja! ⭐️
It’s time for . . .
THE9THANNUALHOLIDAYCONTEST!!!
~forchildren’swriters~
The Contest: Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about A Holiday TREAT!
Your treat can be any kind of treat – a delectable holiday food specialty – Grandma’s Sugar Cookie Reindeer, or the Brown Family Gingerbread House; an event or experience that is a treat – the town Holiday Parade, attending the Nutcracker Ballet, or getting to light a candle on the menorah; making a treat for someone else – baking peppermint crunch brownies for the residents of a local shelter, or doing something special for a favorite teacher or neighbor – sky’s the limit 🙂
Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 250 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest 🙂 ) (It can be as short as you like (the judges will be grateful 🙂 , you are welcome and encouraged to write shorter, but no more than 250! Title not included in word count.) The field is wide open! Have fun! The more creative the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between right now this very second and Wednesday December 11 at 11:59 PM EST, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list below. This post will remain up for your reading pleasure until I post the finalists. There will be no regular posts (Tuesday Debuts, Perfect Picture Book, or Would You Read It) for the duration of the contest so the links will stay up for everyone to visit and enjoy. If you don’t have a blog and would like to enter, you can simply copy and paste your entry in the comments section below (please include your byline! If your posting handle is something like MamaWritesByNightlight I can’t identify you.) If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! Please do not submit entries before the start of the contest! Please submit your entry only ONCE! If you add it to the blog link list, and the comments, and email me to post it, things get very confusing! I try to stay as glued to my desk as possible, but sometimes I have to get up so if I don’t respond to your email or approve your post immediately, don’t panic! I’ll get to it as soon as I can!
The Judging: My lovely assistants and I will narrow down the entrants to approximately 10 finalists (depending on the number of entries – if we get a lower turnout we’ll post fewer finalists, a higher turnout possibly one or two more.) In the interest of finishing up the contest in a timely fashion so everyone can go about their holidays, we will do our best to post the finalists here by Monday December 16 for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Wednesday December 18 at 5 PM EST. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place (or wherever we place to), and the winners will be announced on Thursday December 19.
Judging criteria will be as follows:
1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
2. Holiday Treat! – the rules state a Holiday Treat story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about a treat of some kind that is specific to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate. The story must center on the treat – the treat must not be just an offhand mention/reference in a story about something else.
3. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 🙂 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
4. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 🙂 Overall writing quality and use of language are also important.
5. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
The Prizes!: OMG! So much awesomeness!!!
Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Children’s Literary AgentMelissa Richeson of Apokedak Literary!!! Melissa will read and give a written critique of your picture book manuscript plus a 10 minute phone call to talk!!!
MG/YA First 1500 Words Critique from Children’s Literary AgentMelissa Richeson of Apokedak Literary!!! Melissa will read and give a written critique of the first 1500 words of your MG or YA manuscript!!!
Literary Agent Melissa Richeson
Melissa is currently looking to build her client list and is focusing on children’s book authors—picture books through young adult. She’s drawn to witty wording and whimsical design for picture books, humor and quick pacing for chapter books, charming mysteries or magic in middle grade, and fresh, character-driven stories in young adult. She’s not the best fit for horror, high fantasy, or graphic violence of any kind
Art of Arc is an independent-study picture book writing course. Most stories have some sort of arc. Many successful picture books are built around an arc. Understanding story and character arcs will help give your story order and the tension that will energize it from the beginning to the end. This energy will not only drive your protagonist forward – it will also drive readers to turn pages and keep reading.
The purpose of this course is to deepen your understanding of picture books written with a classic arc and to introduce you to many other picture books structures. The course also addresses a number of common issues that weaken a story and common writing mistakes that authors make.
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazone, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
This is the part in the proceedings where I would normally post my sample to entertain and encourage you, but I’m afraid today, without burdening you with the details, my heart just can’t be in it. Bad timing, I’m sorry 😦
But I know you guys are going to come up with great stories, and I’m so looking forward to reading them all. I know they will lift my spirits! 😊
I can’t wait to read all of your entries! With so many great prizes up for grabs I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And you’ve still got a couple days to write, so you can squeeze in under the wire if you haven’t written yet. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well. And your reading friends – parents, teachers, etc. The more people who read and enjoy your stories, the better!!!
Contest Entrants, remember to add your post-specific link to the google form below so we can all come read your awesome stories! (Post-specific means not your main blog url, but the actual url of the post that has your story in it – otherwise if you post again before the contest ends, your link will take readers… and judges!… to the wrong place!)
Eager Readers – just go along the list of links, click on them, and enjoy the stories!
Happy Writing and Happy Holidays!!!🎄⭐️ ✡️❄️☃️🕎
And don’t miss the 77!!! fabulous entries that are posted in the comments below! The titles are linked and will take you directly to the stories!
It’s been way too long since we had a Perfect Picture Book Friday!
Between Halloweensie, being away, Thanksgiving, etc, there either wasn’t time in the blog schedule or Ididn’t have time. I apologize to the faithful who have posted every week and invite you to add all of your recent titles to this week’s list to make up for my absence from the front lines!
Since the Holiday Contest opens Monday and will preempt all regular posts, and then it will be the holidays, I will likely not have another PPBF post here until January, so anyone who continues to post may add their books for the next couple weeks to this list as well (or add them to the first post in January – whichever you prefer!)
I can’t wait to show you the book I’ve chosen for today. It is so lovely! I think even folks who don’t celebrate Christmas will find it very appealing.
Title: The Gifts Of The Animals: A Christmas Tale
Written By: Carole Gerber
Illustrated By: Yumi Shimokawara
Familius, October 2019, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-8
Themes/Topics: holidays (Christmas), birth of Jesus
Opening: “The gentle beasts of sky and earth prepare their stable for Christ’s birth.
The ox that stands in the drafty shed drops straw into a manger bed.”
Brief Synopsis: The Gift of the Animals shares the miraculous offerings the humble animals in the stable gave to the baby Jesus.
text copyright Carole Gerber 2019, illustration copyright Yumi Shimokawara 2019
Links To Resources: The Friendly Beasts music video; make Christmas (or other holiday) cards for your friends and family to show them how much they mean to you; practice wrapping skills with boxes and paper from the recycling bin and make them into a pretty windowsill display.
Why I Like This Book: I am personally extra drawn to the story because when I was in kindergarten we sang The Friendly Beasts for the Christmas concert and I have always loved it. This sweet and lovely story is beautifully written and illustrated – a real Christmas treasure. There is something so appealing about each of the animals bringing something to make the baby’s arrival more warm and comfortable. All of them find something perfect to contribute, even though they are just humble creatures. Kids will love seeing all the animals and what each one has to offer, and the story’s message is one of love and giving. One of my favorite pages (since I am a mother and have done this 🙂 ) is the page where “Mary counts His tiny toes and wraps the Child in swaddling clothes.” I feel sure that even if the bible doesn’t specifically tell us so, Mary marveled over His perfection and couldn’t get enough of looking at Him the same way we all do with our babies.
I hope you enjoy this beautiful book as much as I do 🙂
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific 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!
Therefore I believe it is our duty to jump straight to Something Chocolate without a moment’s delay!
Today we’re going super healthy with vegan cookies. For those of you who may not know, vegan is a word that means “made out of air” because that is all that is left to make things out of when you take out wheat, eggs, milk, butter, and all the other usual ingredients involved in baking – hence, super healthy! 🙂
Mmmm! There’s nothing like confectioners sugar to melt on your tongue – like snow but sweeter 🙂
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Sarah whose mother shared a special bedtime wish, and Sarah didn’t realize until she was older, that everyone’s bedtime wish wasn’t the same. While her vivid imagination prevents her from always getting a great night’s sleep, she also uses it to hear her mother send her off to sleep. Sarah is an active member of SCBWI, 12 x 12, and Storyteller Academy.
Working Title: Lilly’sGet A Great Night SleepBook: Trust Me! It Works!
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Lilly had a hard time sleeping. Maybe it was all the TV, the lack of bedtime snacks, or her wild imagination, but she finally figured out the (sort-of) perfect pre-sleep routine. Now she wants YOU to get a great night sleep too! In her made-for-TV style, Lilly shares her seven step method including bedtime buddies and a just right way to say good night.
So what do you think? Would You Read It? YES, MAYBE or NO?
If your answer is YES, please feel free to tell us what you particularly liked and why the pitch piqued your interest. If your answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Sarah improve her pitch. Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome. (However I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful. I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks! For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on Would You Read it in the dropdown under For Writers in the bar above. There are openings in February, so you have time to polish your pitch before putting it up for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on by editor Erin Molta!
Sarah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to my upcoming school visits! I need to put on my Santa hat and think up some fun things to do with DEAR SANTA and MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET! Feel free to suggest any ideas you have in the comments – I am always open to helpful suggestions!!! 🙂
Art of Arc is an independent-study picture book writing course. Most stories have some sort of arc. Many successful picture books are built around an arc. Understanding story and character arcs will help give your story order and the tension that will energize it from the beginning to the end. This energy will not only drive your protagonist forward – it will also drive readers to turn pages and keep reading.
