Would You Read It Wednesday #106 – The Light Bulb And The Lab Coat (PB) PLUS The August Pitch Pick Winner!

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Do you know what time it is?

It’s time for Would You Read It Wednesday!

Come on down, everybody!

There are still a few seats in the front row.

Don’t worry.  I won’t call on you unless your hand is raised 🙂

Okey dokey!  First, it is my pleasure to announce the winner of the August Pitch Pick and that is

LISA! with her pitch for The Golden Egg!

Congratulations, Lisa!  Your pitch is already on its way to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts!  And congratulations to all our brave pitchers.  You all did a wonderful job!  And thank you to all our stalwart voters without whom a winner would not be possible.  You are all lovely! 🙂

Speaking of snacks…

Oh.  We weren’t?

Well, we are now 🙂

So, speaking of snacks, today, thanks to the lovely Kathy, we have the perfect Something Chocolate!  Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars!  Allow me to wax poetic about their many virtues:

1. Plenty of chocolate (obviously!) which, as I keep reminding you, is a vegetable since it is derived from a bean.  = Health Food!

2. Plenty of peanut butter, which is an excellent source of protein, so important for fueling our brains for a long day of writing.

3. People often refer to peanut butter as PB (as in PB&J) and here we are in the world of picture books – also PBs!!!  Coincidence?????  I don’t THINK so!

Let’s eat some and see if we all have an amazing-better-than-usual-brilliantly-productive PB writing day!

Now that our mouths are all full (glass of milk anyone?) today’s pitch comes to us from Donna.  Donna is the author/illustrator of children’s picture book, LUCCI- THE NO SMOOCHIE POOCHIE.  She loves kids, books and animals, but most of all, kids’ books about animals. She lives, writes, and pursues learning the craft out in beautiful Central Texas Hill Country with a husband and a menagerie.  You can find her online at:

Blog- http://donnalsadd.wordpress.com
Twitter- https://twitter.com/DonnaLSadd
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/DonnaLSadd
Amazon AuthorPage- http://www.amazon.com/Donna-L.-Sadd/e/B006X1KOII/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Pinterest- http://pinterest.com/donnalsadd/

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Light Bulb And The Lab Coat
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 8-12)
The Pitch: What if a bird building her nest was responsible for Thomas Edison’s first successful light bulb? My story finds Edison and his associates up against the clock and investors’ expectations to deliver an incandescent bulb, capable of bringing safe, economical light to homes. Mr. Edison befriends an orphan robin by providing it a home in his lab, and the robin, in turn, provides the inventor companionship, inspiration and the answer to his quest. The Light Bulb and the Lab Coat, intended for ages 8 – 12, combines a small ‘element’ of fiction with factual information to elicit a child’s sense of wonder, and what could be a complex process becomes a fun read.

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 Donna 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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in January so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Donna is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to announcing a writing contest pretty soon…  Maybe next week! 🙂

Alrighty folks.  That’s it for today’s show.  Please tune in Friday, same bat time, same bat station!

Have a wonderful Wednesday! 🙂

NYS Sheep And Wool Festival Contest/Giveaway for Can’t Sleep Without Sheep

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[To all my regular devoted readers, this post is a special one for the NYS Sheep And Wool Festival and you may read it or skip it as you wish :)]

Come Join The Fun At The 2013 New York State Sheep And Wool Festival!!!
October brings fresh apples, autumn leaves, and the NYS Sheep And Wool Festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY!
Come join me on Saturday October 19 from 11-3, with a special story time at 12:15 when I’ll read Can’t Sleep Without Sheep!
While you’re waiting for the Sheep & Wool Festival to get here, you can do something fun!
In Can’t Sleep Without Sheep, Ava has a hard time falling asleep so she counts sheep.  But she has to count them so many times that they get tired and quit!  Ava has to find something else to count instead!
illustration copyright Mike Wohnoutka 2009
For a chance to win a free, signed copy of Can’t Sleep Without Sheep, you can do one of two fun things!
1.  On a piece of paper, write down what animal Ava could count instead of sheep and why it would be a good choice for falling asleep.
OR
2. Draw a picture of an animal Ava could count!  (You can draw on your own piece of paper or use this free downloadable page)
Bring your entry with you to the Merritt Bookstore booth in Building B on Saturday October 19 by 1 PM (but come at 12:15 if you want to hear the story!)  Please make sure your name is on your entry.  After the story, we will randomly choose one winner to receive a free, signed copy of the book.  You must be present to win.
My friend, Iza Trapani, will also be at the festival reading her delightful book, Baa Baa Black Sheep!  Please visit her site for a chance to win a book from her, and be sure to come see her at the festival on Saturday between 9 and 12:30 or on Sunday from 10-5!
If you’re excited to share you entry ideas or drawings, you are welcome to post them in the comment section below.  You can also take a picture of your drawing and email it to me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I will be glad to add it to this post so visitors can enjoy your artwork!
Have fun writing and drawing!  I look forward to seeing you at the festival!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Day The Crayons Quit PLUS A Giveaway Winner!

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Yay!  It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!

I have a FANTASTIC book to share with you today, and I know I usually try to put the book at the very top of the post for people who visit later just to see the book, but today I have to squeeze one little housekeeping detail in first.  (And a mention to please read to the end for the announcement of who won Erik’s book from Monday!)

As you know I intended (ahem) to catch up on the updating of the PPBF list over the summer.  Well, that was a ridiculous fantasy.  I can never seem to remember that I have LESS time in the summer, not MORE.  Needless to say, I haven’t done it yet.  But, I am doing it now!  Yes I am!  And I have a new plan.  Which I hope is going to work and make it much more user-friendly for everyone!  (It’s only a little bit hare-brained :))

But I need to ask you guys one little favor.

Well.  Two.

Er.  Three.

1. Can you please be sure to put the intended age range on your post.
2. Can you please say if it’s fiction or nonfiction.  I usually assume fiction if it doesn’t say, but sometimes it’s just not clear.
3.  Can you please just list the 3 or so most prevalent themes.  It’s a time-consuming job to update the list, and adding a book to 1- 4 theme groups is manageable, but 12 makes me want to crawl in a hole 🙂 And if I haven’t read the book it makes it very hard for me to know which 3 or 4 I should pick.

I promise to reveal the whole scheme when it’s a little closer to completion, but I’m still in the early stages of working on it and have a LONG way to go, so bear with me 🙂

Oh, and one other thing.  Penny very kindly let me know this week that the old Perfect Picture Book link was no longer working.  Aarrgghh!  Somewhere along the line the URL for Perfect Picture Books changed.  I have no idea how.  But Beth was able to ascertain that it happened last January.  I, of course, was oblivious.  So, could you all please check that the link back to PPBF that you’re adding is the correct one from here on out?  It should be:  http://susannahill.blogspot.com/p/perfect-picture-books.html

Alrighty!  Now onto this book which you are going to LOVE! 🙂

Title: The Day The Crayons Quit
Written By: Drew Daywalt
Illustrated By: Oliver Jeffers
Philomel Books, June 2013, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-7

Themes/Topics: colors, emotions, getting along, humor

Opening: “One day in class, Duncan went to take out his crayons and found a stack of letters with his name on them.
Hey Duncan,
It’s me, RED crayon.  We need to talk…“

Brief Synopsis: One day when Duncan wants to color, he opens his crayon box to discover that the crayons have quit.  RED needs a rest.  PURPLE wants Duncan to be neater.  BEIGE is tired of feeling less important than BROWN.  What’s a boy to do?  Luckily Duncan comes up with the perfect solution!

The green page from The Day The Crayons Quit
copyright 2013 Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

Links To Resources:  In this book, Duncan’s crayons write to him to express their feelings about the way he uses them.  Try writing a letter back to one or more of the crayons.  Write a letter that you imagine one of your toys might write to you.  Why would the toy be happy or sad or jealous or angry or any other emotion you can think of?  Classroom activities, writing activities

Why I Like This Book:  This book is imaginative and clever and fun!  The letters are laugh-out-loud funny.  The drawings are perfectly and believably child-like (and all done in crayon!)  It’s a perfect marriage of text and pictures which is what picture books are all about 🙂  And because the crayons all behave like kids, there are plenty of feelings and behavior that kids can understand – jealousy, competition, feeling unappreciated, etc. – all things that everyone struggles with from time to time.

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Now, before you all go off to read each other’s PPBF selections and then onto your weekends,  I’d like to announce that the winner of Erik’s book from Monday’s giveaway (as randomly chosen by random.org) is…

 Robyn!!!

Yay for lucky Robyn!!!  (Who, very fittingly, claimed that the vegetable she was most like was chocolate.  My heart over-floweth!  Someone besides me is finally counting chocolate as a vegetable!  After all, it does come from a BEAN! :))  Congratulations, Robyn!  Please email me so we can work out how to get your signed copy of The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea, Book 1: A Bad Idea to you!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  And PPBF bloggers, make sure to add your links below!

Would You Read It #105 – The Superhero Rejects (MG) PLUS The August Pitch Pick!

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Good Wednesday, Everyone!

First off, I have to apologize for not posting the winner of Friday’s book giveaway on Monday as I promised.  Monday’s post was all about Erik and his new book, and I didn’t want to steal any of his thunder. (Also, that post was WAY long enough already and I was afraid you might doze off and not fully appreciate the news :))

So, that being explained, I would like to announce the winner NOW.  Are you ready?

The winner (as randomly chosen by random.org) of Iza Trapani’s brand new, hot-off-the-presses, beautiful, fabulous Little Miss Muffet which shall be personally signed by Iza is:

Sue Heavenrich!!!!!

Congratulations, Sue!!!  Please email me so we can organize Iza signing and mailing you the book!  And thanks to everyone for reading about Iza’s wonderful book, bravely sharing your fears, writing some pretty amazing Muffet verses, and just generally joining in the fun!

Now, before we go any further, I realize many of you are fainting from lack of proper nutrition, so let’s get right to Something Chocolate, shall we?  There’s a nip in the air this morning, so I’m in the mood for a lovely mug of hot chocolate.  How does that sound?

Mmmmm!!!  Delish!  In case you were wondering, yes, there are mini marshmallows under the whipped cream 🙂

Now that you’re feeling fortified, let’s give someone a chance to have their pitch read by editor Erin Molta!  It’s time for the August Pitch Pick!

Our 4 wonderful pitches are:

#1 Darshana
Karina The Dancer (PB ages 4-8)

Free-spirited Karina wants to be a dancing star like her older sister. So she signs up for Indian classical dance, but her colorful attire, hip-shaking moves, and improvisations land her in hot water with Guruji, the teacher. Karina learns that to be a star, you just follow your heart, and do what you love.

#2 Lisa
The Golden Egg (PB ages 5-8)

The golden egg that doesn’t hatch creates quite a stir among the feathered friends on the farm. The Eggsperts are called and the Whisperers weigh in. In the end, Mother Hen must decide whether to follow their advice or listen to her heart.

#3 Carrie
The Cartwheel Queen (PB ages 3-6)

Overjoyed with her new-found ability to do a cartwheel, Queen Carina assumes the throne over her backyard kingdom of Cartwheelandia. Cheers and cartwheels explode through the crowd, but stop short with Carina’s heart-broken little brother. Carina makes it her mission to turn her brother’s “I can’t” into the confidence of a Cartwheel King.

#4 Alicia
The Savage Queen (YA)

Roma Whitewood is charged with treason for trying to protect the only family he has ever known as they are murdered before his eyes at the hands of the King’s Royal Army. The country Roma has always called his own, betrays him as his punishment is to be stripped of his citizenship and sent to work in the treacherous labor camps, where he meets Lyra and she opens his eyes to the truths of the world that he had been overlooking his whole life. All of the stories his mother told him as child, that he never even dared to believe, all begin to come true and Roma must face the ultimate decision: be oppressed or join the Uprising with Lyra. There’s more to Lyra than she’s telling him, but Roma can only put his trust in the hands of the girl who had been by his side every moment in the camps. She was going to escape, or die trying, and Roma was going with her, no matter the outcome.

Please choose the one you think is best and most deserving of a read by Erin and cast your vote in the poll below by Sunday September 22 at 5 PM EDT.

Thank you!!!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Wendi.  Wendi Silvano quit teaching in 1994, when her 3rd child was born. She has been writing for children ever since. She writes picture books, emergent and early readers, early chapter books and educational materials. Two of her picture books have won the Children’s Choice Award. She lives in Grand Junction, Colorado. You can visit her website at www.wendisilvano.com. This pitch is for her first MG book.

Working Title: The Superhero Rejects
Age/Genre: Early MG
The Pitch:  Morphus is ashamed that he doesn’t have a normal, exciting superhero skill. All he can do is morph into lame objects like paperclips, rubber bands and light bulbs. And it’s particularly embarrassing when you are the brother of one of the most infamous graduates of ZITS (The Zapdor Institute for the Training of Superheroes). He and the other Superhero Rejects are relegated to practice their pathetic skills in the old gym in the basement when the villainous Scorpius attacks the school and puts everyone into a hypnotic trance… everyone that is, except the Superhero Rejects. Can they save the school and prove they are “real” superheroes too?


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 Wendi 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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in November so polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Wendi is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to sharing a very fun book with you on Friday for Perfect Picture Books and also announcing the winner of Erik’s very first published book, The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea, Book 1: A Bad Idea!  If you haven’t had a chance to read his interview and enter to win, there’s still time!  Hop on over HERE.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!  May the muse be with you 🙂

Meet Erik Weibel – Author of The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea WITH A Giveaway!

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Happy Monday, Everyone!

Boy do I have a terrific way to start off your week!

An interview, a giveaway of a personalized signed book!, and a chance to ask questions of the newest author on the block!

Today, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to Erik, writer of the blog ThisKidReviewsBooks.  At age 11 he has just published his first chapter book for middle grade readers, and I have to tell you, I have read work by adults that is not as good as what this young man has written!  He’s in the middle of an extensive blog tour.  I will post the complete list at the bottom, so if you’re interested in reading reviews of the book or entering other giveaways for it, you may follow the links.

But I have the privilege of interviewing Erik so we can get to know him a little and have a glimpse into the mind that created The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea Book 1: A Bad Idea, so fasten your seat belts everyone! 🙂

(Susanna in black, Erik in blue)

      So, Erik, tell us a little about yourself…
I’m 11 ¾ -years-old and in 6th grade. I started reading comic books when I was very young (my mom said around 4). I love books and reading! I write a blog where I review books (ThisKidReviewsBooks.com) and I write a monthly book column for the Upper Bucks Free Press. I have a black belt in Taekwon-Do. I also study Okinawan Karate and Jiu-Jitsu. In my spare time I like to fish and build with Legos. I’d like to be an inventor and a published author when I grow up.
Meet Erik, published author!
When did you decide to become a writer?
I don’t think I ever actually decided to be a writer, it is just something I like to do.  I always liked making up stories. I have notebooks filled with ideas and stories that I made up ever since I could write.
Can you share any of your earlier work?

Well, I’ve always loved superheroes (I STILL love superheroes, but that’s beside the point). Ever since I can remember, I came up with my own superhero characters. I had over 500 superheroes in my head and I wrote about 20 (or so) of them. I constantly was telling my superhero stories to my parents and they got me a journal notebook and convinced me to write the stories down. After I filled the first journal with stories and drawings, they got me another one, and I just kept writing. Here is the opening of a story about one of the first superheroes I made up. I wrote it when I was five. Sorry that there are a ton of typos (but I was five). 🙂
Mountain team beginning
Episode 1     
When Mountain Man was a boy he was called Mountain boy because he liked mountains. He lived with his family on a mountain. He liked to go fishing up in the mountains and swimming up in the mountains. Then one day there was a
TORNADO!
It was a gray tornado but it was made of power not wind. It sucked up …              MOUNTAIN BOY! He changed. Then he was a grown up. He called himself…
MOUNTAIN MAN!  
Inside the tornado he saw his, future of his team. He found out what his powers were. They were, turn into a rock, make mountains, and speed, but still he wasn`t happy, he needed friends. 
This is Erik’s illustration of “Fireball” who was the villain in the Mountain Man story!
I am actually still working on this story but I changed the main character from Mountain Man to a guy named Techno and made a bunch of changes (Mountain Man is still in there, just under a different name and is a minor character with a big temper).
I wrote my first “picture book” in 2nd grade. It’s a collection of folktales from different countries. I interviewed a bunch of people from different countries at my mom’s work (and I got to miss a day of school to do it!). I asked them questions about their home country and what their favorite folk tale from their country was. I made it in Microsoft PowerPoint. My second grade teacher let me do it as an outside project because I wanted to learn how to use PowerPoint. My school liked it so much they posted it on their website. J
Cover of Erik’s 2nd grade book
The part about Norway 🙂
I’m actually using the folktale idea right now to try to make it into an actual picture book. I am also working on the next Tomato and Pea adventure. It will take off from where Book 1 ended.
Has anyone been particularly helpful to you in your writing journey?
I want to thank everyone who helped me in some way, whether they know it or not. My blog followers help with all of their encouragement and constructive criticism. My teachers for helping me be a better writer. My Aunt, for being one of my proof-readers! My Dad, for reading tons of drafts of my book and telling me what he thinks. I thank my Mom, who helps me stay organized and tells me when something I write doesn’t sound right. I won a critique from Julie Hedlund and she pointed out (in a very good way) where my characters were weak. Her comments really helped me make the book better. Author Michelle Isenhoff was very helpful and encouraging too. Mrs. Isenhoff, helped me edit the book. She gave me great lessons on grammar and writing conversation. She also really supported me when I didn’t think I could do another re-write. The whole Kid Lit community has been very nice and helpful to me. Whenever I had a question, someone was always there to answer it! Thank you all!
Your book, The Adventures of Tomato and Pea Book 1: A Bad Idea, features “super crime stopper, Tomato and his sidekick, Pea”.  How did your heroes come to be named after vegetables?  Are tomatoes and peas your favorites?  If you had to describe yourself as a vegetable, which one would you be?
My Uncle Dave (Dave Costella) made me two stuffed toys and told me their names were Tomato and Pea. He named the toys after the color of the material he made them from. Dave challenged me to write a story about the stuffed toys so I did!
Here they are!  The Superheroes, Tomato and Pea!
I like tomatoes and peas, but now, I don’t feel right eating them. That would be cannibalistic.
I think I’m a tall thin asparagus. An asparagus is not usually the first vegetable you think of, but when you do, you think, “Yes, I really like asparagus!”
Your villain is named Wintergreen.  What diabolical qualities of wintergreen prompted this name choice?
After I made my first Tomato and Pea story up (it was only like 500 words long), I showed it to Dave. He liked it and made me more characters including the villain Wintergreen. Dave thought it was funny to name Wintergreen, because he’s actually blue. I thought it was great because the other characters could point that fact out and annoy him. J Wintergreen is pretty cranky because he looks a lot like his arch-enemy Tomato and his color is all wrong.
I’m pretty sure this is what Erik looks like when he’s writing the scenes
with the evil villain, Wintergreen! 🙂
Do you share characteristics with any of your book characters?  If so, which character would you say is the most like you and why?
I think the character I most relate to, is Poppy Cornelius Lobster. I am full of random facts (that usually come at the wrong time). I made Tomato into the hero I would like to be; brave, athletic, and awesome. I am good with computers and figuring out how electronic stuff works so that’s where I got the idea that Pea is good with electronics. Skew loves to cook because I love to cook.  I also want to take over the world just like Wintergreen.
What was the easiest part of writing your book?
The funny parts. I would get “on a roll” when I wrote a funny scene. The words just came out.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Edeting Editeng Editeing Editing.
Also, when I decided to make my story into a stand-alone book that didn’t need any pictures. I had to add many details without overdoing it and boring the reader. It was hard to write down what I was picturing in my head.
Which is your favorite scene/moment in the story?
My favorite is after the bunch crash-lands on EAR-TH and they are looking for somewhere to take shelter. Here it is –
“We are in some sort of book depository,” Tomato observed.
“It’s called a library,” Poppy replied.
“Is this one of those facts that you just know?” Tomato asked.
  Poppy pointed up. “No. The sign says it up there, see? ‘Public Library, Free Wi-Fi.’”
“Oh. Well, this could be very useful,” Tomato said.
The library was humongous. Huge shelves stacked with books with strange titles lined the walls.  “Look, over there,” Tomato whispered pointing to a very large desk. “That female creature must be the commander of this book depository. The minions at their work terminals must be doing something top secret because the commander keeps SHUSHING them and won’t allow them to communicate with each other. I think we should set up camp here. It is very quiet. Most of the giants in this building are too interested in their research to notice us,” Tomato observed.
(See?  I told you he wrote well! :))
To help our readers figure out if they would enjoy your book, are there any books that you could say, if you liked that book, you’ll love The Adventures of Tomato and Pea?
I think that if you like silly books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, Big Nate, Clueless McGee, etc., you’d (hopefully) like Tomato and Pea. I tried to write it at a chapter book level so young kids can have a fun adventure if they read it. 

Well, I know I want to read it!  (Oh wait.  I have read it… :))

If any of you have questions for Erik, he will be checking in to the blog (after school!) and will be happy to answer them, so fire away!

Thank you so much for joining us today, Erik!  It’s been great learning a little something about you and your book!  And I am thrilled to announce that we have one copy of the book to give away, which Erik will personalize and sign for the winner!

Now, I know you’re all going to enter the giveaway, but alas, only one person can win.  For those who don’t win, you can buy your copy of The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea Book 1: A Bad Idea at the following online booksellers (and I recommend you do it now… if you end up winning you can always give your extra copy to someone as a gift :)):

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

Create Space

In order to enter the giveaway, all you HAVE to do is leave a comment on this post.  But if you WANT to join in the spirit of fun, Erik and I would LOVE it if you would tell us what vegetable you are most like and why 🙂

I’ll go first (well, second, because Erik already told us he was asparagus :))

I am a potato.  I am small and a little rounder then is absolutely necessary.  I am pretty gosh-darn white (that Dutch Friesian heritage :)).  And I’m pretty down to earth.  I don’t think you can get much more down to earth than a potato 🙂

Okay!  Your turn!  Please enter your comment by Wednesday September 18 at 11:59 PM EDT.  The winner will be announced on Perfect Picture Book Friday!

And if you’d like to read reviews of Erik’s book and explore what he has to share on the other stops of his blog tour, some of which took place last week and some of which are still upcoming, you may follow the links below:

September 8 Erik’s blog  – cover reveal and announce blog tour
September 9 Michelle Isenhoff’s blog  – Book review
September 10 KidLit Reviews  – Book review
September 11 Mother Daughter Book Reviews  – Book review
The Story Reading Ape  – Guest post by Erik
September 12 Catherine Johnson’s Blog  – Book review
September 13 Julie Grasso’s Blog  – Book review
By Word of Beth  – Book review and giveaway
September 14 Diane Tulloch’s blog  – Book review
September 15 Picture Books Help Kids Soar – Book review
September 16 Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog  – Interview – Q&A with Commenters and giveaway
September 17 Reading with Rhythm  – Book Review
September 18 Julie Rowan-Zoch’s blog – Interview
September 19 Dr. Niamh Clune’s blog – Book Review in rhyme
September 20 S.W. Lothian’s blog  – Book review

Thank you all so much for visiting with me and Erik today!  We can’t wait to see what kind of garden develops in the comments and who will be the lucky winner of Erik’s book!

(And remember, if you have questions for Erik you can ask!)

Perfect Picture Book Fridays Are Back! – With A Giveaway! – Little Miss Muffet

138 Comments

Let the joyous news be spread!

Perfect Picture Book Fridays are back!!

And we’re starting off with tons of fun!!!  A great book and a giveaway!

Today, I am thrilled to be sharing this hot-off-the-presses new book from the one and only Iza Trapani!

Title: Little Miss Muffet
Written & Illustrated By: Iza Trapani
Sky Pony Press, September 10, 2013, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-7

Themes/Topics: bravery, positional and directional words

Opening:
“Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

All through the room,
She zipped and she zoomed
And looked for a place to hide.
A mouse came to find her;
It scurried behind her.
The dainty Miss bolted outside.“

Brief Synopsis:  Poor Miss Muffet is frightened by a spider.  But as she rushes to find a place to hide, she’s frightened by a mouse!  Running from the mouse she is frightened by a frog!  No matter where she runs, she seems to find something to be afraid of.  What is the poor girl to do?

Just for fun, here’s an interior page:)

copyright Iza Trapani 2013 all rights reserved

Links To Resources:  Iza has created many wonderful resources for this book which I’m sure will be available soon on her website, but for now you can get them my emailing her at iza[at]izatrapani[dot]com and asking for them.  (I had hoped to include them here, but blogger won’t allow uploads of PDFs!  I will refrain from sharing my feelings about blogger since this is a kid-friendly blog :))  The resources include a Miss Muffet Coloring Page, a Miss Muffet Hidden Animals challenge, a Miss Muffet Maze, and a page that allows you to make bookmarks.  The book also includes many positional and directional words which makes it excellent for preschool!  Please enjoy the book trailer HERE.  And Iza writes a wonderful blog which you can visit HERE.

Why I Like This Book: If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading Iza’s books, I can’t recommend them highly enough.  Most of them are based on familiar, beloved songs – the kind all children and parents love to sing together – including Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Row Row Row Your Boat, I’m A Little Teapot, Jingle Bells,  Itsy Bitsy Spider (celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year having sold over a million copies!) and many more.  Iza takes the basic verses and spins them into delightful, original stories that are a joy to read (and sing :)) aloud.  Her accompanying art is warm and inviting, a safe-haven for young children, full of comfort, perfect for bedtime or anytime.  Miss Muffet is another brilliant addition to her list and a must-have!

If you’d care to purchase a copy, here is a helpful link: Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Miss-Muffet-Iza-Trapani/dp/1620879867/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378415299&sr=1-1&keywords=little+miss+muffet

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Today, since we are celebrating the release of Iza’s book, she has been kind enough to offer a signed copy as a giveaway!!!  One lucky commenter is going to be a winner 🙂  All you have to do to qualify is leave a comment in which you share your choice of the following things:

1. Name something that YOU are very afraid of!
2. Tell us your favorite Iza Trapani title and why you love it!
3. If you’re feeling writerly and inspired, write your own verse of Miss Muffet in which she is afraid of something besides the traditional spider!

You may do one of them or all of them, whatever you like!

Please leave your comment by Sunday September 15 at 5 PM EDT.  At that time, a winner will be selected randomly by random.org.  The winner will be announced Monday along with a very special post!  Which you’ll just have to wonder about.  All weekend 🙂

PPBF bloggers, please add your post-specific link to the list below.  I can’t wait to come and visit you all after our long summer hiatus!

Have a terrific weekend, everyone!

Would You Read It Wednesday #104 – The Garden Disaster (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor

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I have an announcement to make.

Wonder of wonders, my office is really and truly ALMOST clean!  I’m SO close!  Seriously!  I mean it!

The shelves are full and neatly organized.

All kinds of stuff is packed into labeled drawers (the idea being that I might ever find it again :))

Boxes of stuff are filed!

The desk top is partially visible.

There’s only a small Goodwill pile on the piano (and if you’re wondering why I have a piano in my office it’s partly because I love to play and mostly because it won’t fit anywhere else in the house!)

And there are just a few more odds and ends I have to clean up and decide what to do with.

SO CLOSE!

So y’all have to keep after me to make sure I cross the finish line on this job.  If I do, I’ll share pictures in which you can actually see the floor!!! and we’ll have some sort of fun and fabulous party to celebrate!  There will most likely be chocolate and presents involved, so it’s in all of our best interest if I get this done!

Speaking of chocolate, it’s supposed to be 92 degrees today, so I’m thinking we’d like something frosty and delightful.  Shall we have chocolate milkshake this morning?

I believe we shall! 🙂  And see how I got us one with a strawberry?  Health food 🙂  You’re welcome 🙂

Now, while you are sipping that delicious, chocolatey, ice-cold yumminess, let’s have a look at this month’s Straight From The Editor.

You will recall that Rachel won the July Pitch Pick with her pitch for The Curse of the Shattered Sceptre.  (which reminds me that we haven’t done the August pitch pick… hmmm… better get on that!)

Her winning pitch was as follows:

After accidentally unleashing a torrent of curses, Ollie and his Book Club buddies must use their wits and imagination to unravel a series of twisted clues. In a race against time, will the boys mend the shattered sceptre, restoring the balance of nature, or will they be cursed forever? 

Here is what editor Erin Molta had to say about it:

This looks exciting. A couple of things that might help it, though . . .
 Where did the curse come from? Right now, it seems a torrent of curses could be coming from a person—as in swears. It’s a tad unclear. Also, unravel a series of clues to what? To mend the scepter? If so, I’d clarify it this way and rather than structure it as a question, I’d make it more declarative like: Ollie and his buddies accidentally unleash a torrent of curses  (from what—an antique scepter from the museum—displayed in the library?). Racing against time, the boys must use their wits and imagination to unravel a series of twisted clues in order to mend the shattered scepter and restore the balance of nature—or they will be cursed forever! 
 Good luck!

As always, many thanks to Erin for her very helpful insights.  I always feel we learn something valuable!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Kathy who says, “I live on a little farm in Vermont with my husband and my grandson. Having my grandson around is kind of what led me to wanting to write pb’s. I have plenty of pets, farm animals and wildlife, so I have no shortage of thing to write about 🙂

We do a lot of fishing, exploring and outdoor fun!

Here is my blog address: I don’t have many followers and I’m not really much of a blogger, but I created one because it was suggested that I should have one. Guess I need to go update and brush up on it 🙂

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Garden Disaster
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-7)
The Pitch: What’s a bee to do?  Basil’s daily chore is to collect pollen and nectar, but he never seems to collect enough. His Mom thinks it’s because he plays too much, but Basil knows it’s because of Mrs. Grady’s rotten cat.  One day while Basil is in the garden collecting his pollen and nectar a new hairy beast shows up!  Basil must think up a great idea to outsmart this new beast so he can finally fill his bucket to the tippy top.

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 Kathy 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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in November so polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Kathy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to Friday and the return of Perfect Picture Books, which I will be starting out with a bang and a special surprise give-away that you will NOT want to miss!!!  So mark your calendars!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!  Happy reading, writing, teaching, parenting… whatever you’re doing today! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #103 – Upside Down In Frown Town (PB)

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After 20 odd years of going to school myself, plus the additional years of having 5 children start school ranging from preschool to doctoral candidacy, plus being married to a teacher, I suppose it’s not really surprising that in many ways September feels like the start of a new year.

It’s inspiring and refreshing and invigorating!

It fills me with energy to write new stories!!

It makes me believe I can actually clean my office – this time for real!!!

(But let’s face it… it’s not magic 🙂  If I ever ACTUALLY finish cleaning my office I’ll show you a picture 🙂  I think I’ll have to, just to prove I really did it :))

So with all that energy and inspiration just waiting to be tapped, let’s all make a plan to write something great today, shall we?  I think we can do it!

Of course we’ll be able to do it better with Something Chocolate… 🙂  Can I tempt you with torte?

Dark chocolate is good for you.

That is a scientifically proven fact.

🙂

Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Kirsti.  Kirsti is a writer, a reader, a mother of five, a marriage and family therapist, and her first picture book is coming out with Character Publishing this fall.   It’s called:”The Raindrop Who Couldn’t Fall.”  Her blog/website is www.kirsticall.com. 

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Upside Down In Frown Town
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-8)
The Pitch: Where Sam lives, smiling is frowned upon. But, no matter what he tries, he can’t wipe the smile off his face. Even a frowning contest doesn’t make a frowner out of Sam. But the idea of a challenge may be just what he needs to turn the town around.

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 Kirsti 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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in September, and we are IN September! so we’re pretty desperate for some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Kirsti is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to writing!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!!

Oh, and P.S.  For those of you wondering about Perfect Picture Books, we will be starting up again, but I can’t do it until next week, Sept. 13.  Anyone who wants to go ahead without me on Friday Sept. 6 is welcome to, but I’ve just got too much going on to pretend I’m going to pull it off! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #102 – The Savage Queen (YA) PLUS The July Pitch Winner

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Can you believe it?  Here we are at the last Wednesday in August!  Where did the summer go?

Before we get to all of today’s exciting offerings, I just want to thank everyone who took the time to visit Eric’s website and listen to his music, and especially those who followed him on Twitter and downloaded tracks.  We are both so appreciative and hope you enjoyed what you heard.  (And if you didn’t get a chance to check it out, please feel free at any time :))

Also, while I was listing new things on Monday, I forgot to mention that my blog and website have been revamped a bit to make them more integrated.  I wish the titles for WYRI, PPBF etc. could be in smaller font, but Blogger won’t let you do that, so it is what it is.  Otherwise, I feel pretty good about it.  What do you guys think?

Now then, let’s fortify ourselves with Something Chocolate, shall we?  I’m in the mood for some Chocolate Cream Pie this morning… something I know Clar will back me up on because I think she eats that for breakfast every day 🙂

YUM!

By the way, if anybody out there has Something Chocolate they’d like to share with the group, please feel free to email pictures (and recipes if you have them) as Coleen and Teresa have done recently and I will use them and credit you on Would You Read It!

Alrighty… Let’s get to the July Pitch Pick!  All the pitches were terrific, and the vote was exceptionally close – unprecedentedly so as a matter of fact! – but in the end, the winner was….

RACHEL with her pitch for The Curse of the Shattered Sceptre!

Congratulations, Rachel!  Your pitch is on it’s way to editor Erin Molta for her thoughts.  And congratulations to all our brave pitchers for great story ideas and wonderful pitch revisions.  Good luck to all of you with your stories!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Alicia who says: About me: I am currently a freshman at Wright State University and heading towards a Masters Degree in Middle Childhood Education. Writing is my first and foremost passion, leading me to want to help kids in school achieve their goals through teaching them how to write. I also began writing in middle school, which is exactly why I would like to teach children of that age.

If you’d like to follow her on twitter she’s @TacitLady and you can contact her by email at aliciastew95@gmail.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Savage Queen
Age/Genre: YA (Fantasy/Adventure/Coming of Age)
The Pitch: Roma Whitewood is charged with treason for trying to protect the only family he has ever known as they are murdered before his eyes at the hands of the King’s Royal Army. The country Roma has always called his own, betrays him as his punishment is to be stripped of his citizenship and sent to work in the treacherous labor camps, where he meets Lyra and she opens his eyes to the truths of the world that he had been overlooking his whole life. All of the stories his mother told him as child, that he never even dared to believe, all begin to come true and Roma must face the ultimate decision: be oppressed or join the Uprising with Lyra. There’s more to Lyra than she’s telling him, but Roma can only put his trust in the hands of the girl who had been by his side every moment in the camps. She was going to escape, or die trying, and Roma was going with her, no matter the outcome.

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 Alicia 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 the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in September so we could seriously use some new pitches!  Send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Alicia is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to finishing cleaning my office (which yes, I am attempting once again… we’ll see if I succeed this time or give up in despair as usual 🙂  I may need another slice of pie :))

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!! 🙂

Somethings New

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Happy Monday Everyone!

Summer is always a busy time.

August, apparently, is always busier than July.

And this has been a particularly busy week on Blueberry Hill – a week of Somethings New.

We got a new granddaughter 🙂

Can you imagine ever being that small, or remember when your kids were?  And what is it about babies that just melts us all into puddles of mush?  I don’t think it’s possible to be around babies without feeling like you’re overflowing with happiness 🙂

We have a newly wisdom-toothless child – the second full set of wisdom teeth out in one month at our house (and no, we do not have dental insurance – ouch!)  Not so much sunshine and happiness on this front (and no pictures of the chipmunk cheeks!), but at least it’s over and done with.

And finally, I have something else new to share with you.  (And forgive me in advance… I realize I’m edging into questionable territory here, but I can’t help myself 🙂  If you can’t share with your friends, who can you share with?)  The other new thing is a new album called Don’t Look Back.

My husband, Eric, in addition to his many other wonderful qualities (which I will refrain from enumerating lest you accuse me of sounding like a lovesick teenager :)) is a singer/songwriter who writes all his own music and lyrics and has recorded several albums.

As writers, some of us published, some of us pre-published, some of us published once upon a time but going through a long stretch of nothing new, we can all understand the challenges of trying to become known and/or recognized in a competitive industry.  Especially with the advent of the digital age and the infinite bookshelf (and whatever you’d call its equivalent in music – the infinite playlist? :)) the knowns stay known, and the unknowns get harder and harder to find regardless of how much they may have to offer.  So much talent.  So many wonderful books and so much great music.  It can be hard to get noticed.

As writers, we write so that people will have a chance to read our words, so I think we’re in a better-than-average position to understand musicians who operate on the same wavelength – they write/sing/play so that people will hear their songs.

All of this to say, if you’ve got a few spare minutes and would like to visit Eric’s website, listen to a song or two, and maybe, if you like anything you hear, download a song or two (they’re only .99) it would really make his day to know that some new people were hearing and enjoying his work.  (And it would make my day to see him happy and excited because some new people were liking his music :))  He has not asked me to do this (or even hinted at it) but I thought to myself, maybe some of you in this generous community might be interested, so why not share?  He has just updated his website, added the new tracks, and put up his new music video, so it’s the perfect time 🙂

Probably my favorite track from his new album is called The Question Why.  In addition to being upbeat with the kind of tune that gets stuck in your head, it features our daughters on back up vocals and our son on bass guitar (and not just because they’re part of the family – they are all very musical – and I am not at all biased :))

Anyway, he works very hard all the time on many things, doing so much for all of us as a family, that I wanted to do this for him – let you all know in case you might be interested.  He’s not super active – he doesn’t have time – but you can follow him on Twitter if you care to boost his follower list 🙂  And it would be the best kind of day for him if a bunch of new people purchased some of his songs.

So that’s it.  Thank you for indulging me in this slightly unusual, off-the-track post 🙂  Please feel free to spread the word to anyone you know who might be interested!

Have a marvelous Monday everyone!  I’m off to drool over that sweet baby 🙂