I’m up to my ears this week, so just you watch how succinct I am today. It will be a lesson in brevity! (I can hear you! Stop that snickering. I can be brief – I’ll prove it! :))
Since this weekend is Easter, our Something Chocolate today shall be Rabbit Hole Cupcakes! 🙂
Today’s pitch comes to us from none other than This Kid Erik! Eleven-year-old Erik plans to eventually take over the world. Right now he’s a bit too young, so he is spending time as a fifth grade student, book review blogger and hopeful writer. Erik blogs at This Kid Reviews Books.
Working Title: The Adventures Of Tomato And Pea Age/Genre: Chapter Book (ages 7 and up) – intended as the first of a series. The Pitch: For years the evil villain Wintergreen has tried to destroy super crime-stopper, Tomato, and his sidekick, Pea, and take over planet Oarg. In a plan gone wrong, Wintergreen and his gang tangle with Tomato and his friends in a runaway rocket ship that crashes on a strange planet called EAR-TH. Follow this brawling bunch of aliens as they try to get along, survive all the dangers on the strange planet, and find a way to get back to Oarg.
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 Erik 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 Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in June so polish up your pitches for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Erik is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch! I am looking forward to jelly beans… and chocolate 🙂
No, seriously, I know you’ve been on pins and needles all weekend, wondering who the winner of a picture book manuscript read and comments by editor Laura Galvin of Kidsbooks was going to be.
And I fully intend to tell you, right after I recite Moby Dick.
“Moby Dick: Or The Whale, by Herman Melville. Chapter 1. Loomings. Call me Ishmael. Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world….”
Hang on. This is a really long book. I think I need a drink of water.
Also, it’s really heavy.
And I’m already bored.
Now. Where was I?
Oh yes. You were wondering about who won the In Just Spring Contest.
Which reminds me that when I was little, one of my favorite things about spring was that it was finally warm enough to take my pogo stick outside and jump. I was (and still AM if I may say so) an extremely good pogo sticker. If only pogo sticking were an Olympic Sport…. Anyway, I grew up in a fourth floor apartment in New York City, and though my mom would let us do many things in the kitchen (roller skate, skate board, climb the walls in the back hall… well, okay, maybe she didn’t exactly let us, but we did it :)) she was very firm about the pogo stick. It was an outdoor toy. And our downstairs neighbors had enough trouble dealing with the sound of roller skates and skateboards, and the water damage from the bathtub flooding we perpetrated every night… but that’s another story… But anyway, technically, a pogo stick is a big spring. In a way. So you can see how relevant this story is. About springing in spring.
Okay. I’m sorry. I’ll stop fooling around 🙂
We had the best turnout of writers we’ve ever had for this contest – 42 – a record we’ll have to aim to beat next time 🙂 – and the best turnout of voters for the finalists. After 4 days of voting (which I know from the comments caused everyone trouble – all the entries were SO GOOD!) the results are in.
AND THE 1st Place WINNER IS: (DDDRRRUUUMMM RRROOOOOOLLL PLEASE!)
TERESAROBESON for her story WHAT HENRY KNEW!!!
Congratulations, Teresa! Winning this contest was no mean feat! And now, in addition to the fame of winning a Pretty Much World Famous Susanna Hill Contest, you have the opportunity to send one of your picture book manuscripts to editor Laura Galvin at Kidsbooks! Please email me for details, or, if for some reason you want the alternate prize, please let me know!
2nd Place, and winner of a $25 Amazon gift certificate as well as her choice of the books listed below (unless Teresa for some reason doesn’t want the first place prize in which case they’ll swap) is:
WENDY LAWRENCE for her story LITTLE FOX’S SPRINGS!!!
Congratulations, Wendy! Fame for you too! 🙂 Please email me with your choice 🙂 3rd place, and winner of her choice of the craft books listed below is:
JILL PROCTOR for her story BREAKFAST TIME FOR A HUNGRY BEAR!!!
Congratulations, Jill! And there’s plenty of fame to go around 🙂 Please email me with your choice 🙂
Congratulations again, not only to the winners and other finalists, but to ALL the writers who worked hard, polished stories, bravely posted them for all of us to read, and provided us all with wonderful entertainment.
Thank you to all the writers who entered, all the readers who read and commented, and all the voters who agonized and chose.
The contests couldn’t happen without you all! 🙂
Sigh. So now it’s back to normal blogging life. I have such fun with the contests that I’m always sorry when they’re over. But we still have great things to look forward to: a new Would You Read It on Wednesday, new Perfect Picture Books on Friday, Easter candy… although that’s not technically limited to my blog… 🙂
So have a happy and productive Monday, everyone!
Now. I’m off to hunt down a certain small brown marmot who has some explaining to do about why it’s SNOWING! 🙂
I am not letting the fact that it continues to be 20 degrees, windy, and snowy get me down. It is officially spring! Time is on our side 🙂 I haven’t seen Phyllis is days… she’s keeping a low profile. I think she might actually be on the lam, hiding out in sunny Mexico where it feels like spring has arrived. She and I are going to have words when she gets back! 🙂
Speaking of spring, if you have not yet had a chance to vote for your favorite finalist in the In Just Spring Contest, please go HERE – the voting is open until tomorrow – Saturday Match 23 at midnight. It’s quite a tight race, and there’s an amazing prize on the line, so pretty please vote!
I had actually intended to skip Perfect Picture Book Friday today, so that the post with the vote would stay up until the poll closed, but I realized I forgot to say that ahead of time, and I thought some of you dedicated bloggers probably had PPBs scheduled to post today and I didn’t want to stand you up. My compromise, such as it is :), is to not post a PPB today myself, but put up the contest voting reminder in pretty colors, and then post the link up list for you all to attach your wonderful books to so we can all come visit 🙂 So please add your post-specific link to the list below and we’ll all come add to our weekend library list! 🙂
Have a great weekend, everyone, and stay tuned Monday for the announcement of the In Just Spring Contest winner! Ooh, the suspense!!! 🙂
Well folks, the voting day has arrived, and I barely survived the selection process to tell the tale!
My goodness! I must tell you that narrowing down this FANTASTIC field of entries to a manageable number of finalists was nearly impossible.
Seriously.
I had to call in an extra assistant judge!
There was much gnashing of teeth debate as we argued calmly discussed the merits of each entry and fought tooth and nail for presented our favorites.
Before I present the list of finalists for you to vote on, I would like to thank each and every one of the 42 writers who submitted a story to this contest. It was such a pleasure to read so many wonderful stories from so many talented people. There wasn’t a single entry that was easy to discard, and we really agonized over our decision. You all deserve a prize. Reading these stories really helped make it feel like spring was coming in spite of the exceedingly wintry weather we’ve been having 🙂
I’d also like to remind you that judging this contest is no different from the overall editorial process that happens in publishing houses every day. Ultimately the judges’ (or editors’) opinions are subjective – what one doesn’t care for particularly, another loves. If your story did not make the list of finalists, it is NO REFLECTION on your abilities as a writer, or even on this particular story, which another set of judges might have chosen. Every one of you should feel proud of your efforts!
Now, to the finalists.
The criteria we used to choose the finalists were: 1. Kid friendliness – this is, after all, a contest for children’s stories. Entries which made reference to something too mature for a child audience, or whose content or ending we deemed a little harsh for our young readers, had to be cut no matter how much we loved the rest of the story and writing. 2. Spring-ness 🙂 – how well did the story evoke spring? This was tough, because some of the stories that evoked spring the best, didn’t measure up as well in terms of kid-friendliness and overall quality of writing. Ah, compromise, compromise! 3. Overall quality of writing – which, across the board was pretty darn good 🙂 4. Completeness/satisfaction level of story – I realize the 350 word limit was the culprit in a lot of endings that felt a little hurried and incomplete. There are quite a few stories here that would be fabulous at 400 words 🙂
So here they are. We narrowed the 42 down to 7 (for which I think WE deserve a prize… or at least a little something for the ulcers we developed whilst agonizing 🙂 how about chocolate? :)). Please read through them and then vote for your favorite in the poll below. You will have until midnight Saturday March 23rd to cast your vote. The winner will be announced on Monday March 25th. And since we got so many entries, prizes will be given through 3rd place, or maybe more, depending on what goodies I have kicking around 🙂
Ready?
#1 Breakfast Time For A Hungry Bear
When Bear awoke from a long winter’s sleep, he poked his head outside his den; he expected spring to whack him on the nose. But all he saw was white. Snow. Everywhere.
Bear clambered out of his den. A faded sun hung high in the gloomy sky. “The woods seem to be stuck in winter,” Bear thought. “No smell of grasses in the air. And it’s breakfast time for a hungry bear.” Then Bear saw a rainbow in the distance and he plodded through the snow until he came to the rainbow’s end.
The bright rainbow colors were flowing into a swirling pool. Bear stuck his paw into the pool and raised it to the sky. He painted the faded sun yellow, and the air grew warm.
Bear placed his paw into the pool again and painted the sky and the river blue. The ice melted and the river began to flow.
Fish began jumping and orioles began singing. Bear painted them orange.
Bear dunked his paw back into the pool and painted the trees and grasses green. A flock of bunting birds flew from the trees and Bear painted them indigo.
Bear dabbed again and painted a field of red tulips and yellow daffodils. With a dainty stroke of his paw, Bear painted yellow and violet patterns on fluttering butterfly wings.
Bear climbed a pine tree and settled on a thick branch to gaze at his colorful handiwork. A swarm of bees buzzed his nose.
“Mm, mm, mm. I smell honey in the air. It’s breakfast time for a hungry bear!”
A beehive hung above Bear’s head. He stood on the branch and stretched and stretched, but he could not reach the hive. Then Bear slipped. Kerplop! He landed softly on his back among the daffodils. Grateful to Bear for melting winter away, the bees dropped a sweet, golden piece of honeycomb into Bear’s hungry mouth.
”Mm, mm, mm.
Wintertime is in the past.
Spring,” sang bear, “is here at last!”
#2 Best Buds
Sam skipped across the kitchen. “Squitch! Squitch!” Froggy feet tracked muck across gleaming white tiles. “Mum! Look what I found,” she exclaimed, thrusting out her fist.
Her mother grimaced. “Samantha Ann Davis,” she screeched through gritted teeth, “see what I found, after I spent my entire morning spring cleaning.” “Boots, off! Outside with your mess!”
Cheeks flushed, shoulders slumped, Sam turned towards the door. Even the blossoms in her sweaty palm seemed to droop.
“Woah! Watch where you’re walking, kiddo,” Dad cautioned. “Don’t wanta bop you with this bat.” “Dad! Look what I found,” Sam exclaimed, thrusting out her fist.
“Cool, Sam,” Dad replied, as he rummaged for a water bottle. “See ya later. Gotta run! First team practice. Tim! Hurry up! I’ll be in the car!”
Tim sprinted past, bumping Sam’s arm. Daffodils dropped, crocuses careened, and grape hyacinths tumbled across the floor. “Sorry, sis,” he mumbled through a mouthful of Lucky Charms. “Team’s waiting!”
Sam scrambled to reassemble the bedraggled bouquet. CLOMP! CHOMP! A daffodil dangled between clenched teeth. Pumpkin quivered; her tail thumped; she eyed Sam.
“Pumpkin! No!” Sam hopped towards the hound. Off she bounded. The chase was on!
“One fewer won’t matter,” Sam sighed, tossing daffodil remains into the compost bucket. “The rest won’t last anyway, unless I set them in water.”
Sam stared at the high shelf where vases shimmered in the sunlight. She spied the stepstool on the far side of the kitchen. Could she drag it over, climb up and grab just one tiny vase?
But she could imagine glittering glass blanketing tiles, Pumpkin shrieking in pain, and Mum screaming, “Samantha Ann Davis…”
Sam collapsed on the back stoop. Sun-warmed bricks eased the chill seeping through her worn jeans and torn hoodie. Robins wrestled worms from steaming soil as chick-a-dees chattered.
Sam heard a “tap, tap, tap.” Glancing around, she spotted Mrs. Young waving from her curtained window. She was pointing a gnarled finger towards a plate of steaming cookies.
With a broad grin, Sam raced towards her neighbor. “I picked these for you!”
Sam knew, Spring was really here!
#3 What Henry Knew
Henry spotted snowdrops unfurling their leaves and bobbing their little white heads.
“Look, Pappy,” he said to his grandfather. “Spring is here!”
Pappy scratched his white-as-snowdrops head. “I don’t know, Henry,” he said. “Sniff the air; does it smell like spring yet?”
Henry took a deep breath. “I smell snowy clouds and drippy icicles,” he said.
Pappy nodded. “Me, too.”
“Not spring yet,” said Henry.
The next morning, Henry awoke to a light snow covering everything, including the brave little snowdrops that had tried to bloom yesterday.
But the sun came out and melted the snow. Henry spied some pointy crocus leaves piercing the soil.
“Look, Pappy,” he said to his grandfather. “Spring is here!”
“I don’t know, Henry,” said Pappy. “Does it smell like spring yet?”
Henry took a deep breath. “I smell frosty air and frozen ponds.”
Pappy nodded. “Me, too.”
“Still not spring yet,” said Henry.
The next morning, Henry awoke to a frosted yard and icy plants. The crocus tips sparkled like glass.
But the sun came out and thawed the frost. Henry saw the golden glint of daffodils up by the house.
“Look, Pappy,” he said to his grandfather. “Spring is here!”
“I don’t know, Henry,” said Pappy. “Does it smell like spring yet?”
Henry took a deep breath. “I smell wriggly worms and muddy grass.”
Pappy smiled. “Me, too. And look, there’s a grape hyacinth!”
Henry knew Spring was really here!
#4 Spring
Up squirmed the worms from their homes in the ground,
Inching along never making a sound.
Down plopped the ducklings in puddles to play,
Splishing and splashing on this rainy day.
Under the leaf with its dainty wings dry,
Butterfly hung looking up at the sky.
Over its web stretching fuzzy legs out,
Spider watched raindrops fall gently about.
Into their hives for the afternoon showers,
Bees dreamed of nectar in blossoming flowers.
Out of the earth waking up from the rain,
Blades of green grass were appearing again.
Raindrops and clouds disappeared without trace.
Sunshine and blue skies smiled down in their place.
Spreading her wings gently butterfly flew.
Bees dreamed no more. There was now work to do.
Spider inspected her web with most care.
Worms found their homes to have no water there.
Ducklings fluffed feathers to dry in the sun.
Another new season of spring had begun.
#5 The Sweet Smell Of Spring
Everyone was talking about SPRING, but Roxy had no idea what that meant.
She trotted to the treat cupboard. No one paid any attention. SPRING couldn’t be about food.
She dropped her rubber bone in a lap. It fell to the floor. SPRING wasn’t about fetch.
She flopped on her bed and sighed. SPRING obviously wasn’t for dogs.
Her leash jingled.
“Come, Roxy. Let’s go on a Spring walk,” said her girl.
Roxy danced through squishy grass. She barked at a bright-chested bird. And she stared longingly at a ball slapping into a boy’s gloved hand.
Which one was SPRING?
“Mmmm,” said her girl. “It smells like Spring.”
SPRING was a smell? Roxy absolutely loved smells. But there were so many.
The leftover people smell of a soggy mitten.
The earthiness of a wriggly worm.
Puddles. Leaf shoots. New grass. Rubber boots.
Which one was SPRING?
Roxy caught a whiff of something fresh. Something different. That had to be it!
She lunged for the smell. Her leash slipped free.
“Roxy, wait!”
But Roxy had to find SPRING.
She splashed through trickling water.
Quack!
A fat bird snapped. A whole line of little ones peep, peep, peeped.
Roxy sniffed, but they were not SPRING.
She scrambled up a muddy bank.
Plunk!
A small, spotty lump hop, hop hopped.
Roxy sniffed, but it was not SPRING.
The fresh, sweet smell of SPRING filled her nose. She was close.
Her girl called, “Roxy, stop!”
But Roxy couldn’t. SPRING smelled too delicious.
Her nails clicked on the sidewalk.
Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling! Wheels gritted to a stop.
Roxy’s nose twitched. She drooled. She shook off the mud, ready to sniff up SPRING.
“Euw!” someone said.
“Get that muddy dog away from the ice cream!” cried someone else.
PLOP!
At last! SPRING! Roxy licked as fast as she could.
Her girl snapped on her leash. “Roxy, you found the ice cream truck! Now I know Spring is really here.”
#6 Little Fox’s Springs
Little Fox was almost one year old.
LIttle Fox remembered summer. He played in the sun and swam in the brook.
Little Fox remembered fall. He hid in the leaves and ran with the wind.
Little Fox remembered winter. He cuddled with his mama and tunneled in the snow.
But he didn’t remember spring. It was so long ago!
“What’s spring?” he asked his mama.
“Spring is when you were born,” said his mama.
“Hmmmm,” said Little Fox.
Little Fox tiptoed out of his den. He found Jackrabbit.
“What’s spring?” he asked Jackrabbit.
“A spring is a bounce!” said Jackrabbit. “Here, I’ll show you.” And Jackrabbit sprung around the meadow and back to Little Fox.
“Hmmmm,” said Little Fox.
Little Fox now had a spring in his step. But he still wasn’t sure how he would know when spring was here. He found Raven.
“What’s spring?” he asked Raven.
“A spring is a coil that wiggles and jiggles. Here, I’ll show you.” And Raven flew to his nest, rifled through twigs and toys and carried a spring back to Little Fox.
“Hmmmm,” said Little Fox.
Little Fox now had a spring in his step and a new toy spring in his paw. But he still wasn’t sure how he would know when spring was here. He saw Moose.
“What’s spring?” he asked Moose.
“A spring is delicious!” said Moose. “Here, I’ll show you.” And Moose trod to a small hole in the moss where clear water was bubbling. Little Fox took a drink.
“Hmmmm,” said Little Fox, licking his lips.
Little Fox now had a spring in his step and a toy spring in his paw and some fresh spring water in his tummy. But he still wasn’t sure how he would know when spring was here. He saw Deer.
“What’s spring?” he asked Deer.
But Deer couldn’t talk. She was busy with two very tiny, very spotted fawns.
Little Fox remembered what his mama had said. He was born in the spring. The fawn gave Little Fox a slobbery kiss.
Little Fox knew spring was here at last.
#7 Spring’s Promise Since Dad’s accident, Mom was at the hospital all the time.
Instead of pizza Friday night, Maya and Pearl had to eat whatever the neighbors had kindly delivered.
It had only been a week, but nothing was the same.
“I want to go outside,” Pearl complained. “Grandma promised. But she fell asleep.”
Maya forced a smile. “C’mon,” she said. She couldn’t make Dad better. She couldn’t cook dinner. But she could play with Pearl.
She flipped her collar up against the wind.
“Look!” Pearl pointed to a nest on the ground.
“It probably came down in the wind,” Maya said. “Don’t worry. It’s from last year. Most birds haven’t come north yet.”
She walked toward the metal pole in the middle of the yard. The bottom half of the pole to their purple martin houses. Purple martins were Dad’s favorite birds. He even talked back to them, imitating their joyful gargling sound. She helped him clean the houses each winter.
“We’ll put the houses back up on Saturday,” Dad had said last weekend. “To be ready for the scouts.”
Then the truck rear-ended Dad’s van.
What would happen if a scout came, and the house wasn’t up?
Dad would be sad. Their yard would be quiet. And buggy. Purple martins ate a lot of mosquitoes. Maya thought of Dad again.
He wanted the houses up.
Maya could barely lift the houses. Another pole attached to the underside. She couldn’t balance it over her head to slip it onto the pole in the ground.
“Let’s go!” she told Pearl.
“I don’t want to go in,” Pearl groused.
Maya took Pearl’s hand and went next door.
Mr. Landers answered her knock. “What can I do for you?”
Maya explained the problem.
Before Mom came home, Mr. Landers had the house up.
“You shouldn’t have,” Mom said. “Everyone has done so much already.”
“Just glad to hear Don is doing better,” Mr. Landers said.
“Look!” Maya pointed to a lone bird circling overhead. “It’s a scout!” And she smiled for the first time in a week.
Maya knew Spring was here at last.
The In Just Spring Contest 2013I would also like to extend Honorable Mention to the following writers: To Vivian for Waiting For Spring – a lovely, poignant story. To Erik for Spring Schming – what a great twist to have story told from the POV of a melting snowman 🙂 To Bradin for Spring And The Bear With Golden Fur – a creative story told in a wonderful fable/folk tale style To Delores for Maddy’s Spring Surprise – so perfectly kid – we could completely imagine Maddy speaking! And to Meg for Stella’s Spring – full of lovely language and imagery that made us feel spring was knocking on our door – “tweet tweedle wicka wicka wicka” 🙂
Again, thank you all – the writers who worked hard to entertain us with these amazing stories, the readers who took the time to read and comment on them all, and everyone who takes the time to vote. Someone is going to have the chance to put a picture book manuscript in an editor’s hands 🙂
I can’t wait to see who the winner will be. The suspense will be thrilling 🙂
Hurray! It’s here!! The In Just Spring Contest!!! And so timely, because I’m really ready for spring and it doesn’t seem to be obliging just yet 🙂
The Contest: Write a children’s story, in poetry or prose, maximum 350 words. The story must be about something that really says “SPRING” to you – something that really makes you feel that spring is here! It can be nature oriented – the robins or geese returning, eggs hatching, flowers blooming, baby animals being born, bears waking up, sunshine or rain, etc. It can be holiday oriented – St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, April Fools’ Day etc. It can be school oriented – the spring pageant, spring vacation, the spring talent show. It can be activity oriented – picnics, bike riding, baseball – anything at all that makes you think spring. The only other requirement is that the last line must be “[Character Name] knew Spring was really here!” or “[Character Name] knew Spring was here at last!” (You can also write in first person if you want – e.g. I knew Spring was really here…. and present tense is fine too.) I’ve given the rhymers amongst you a choice… but if you can’t make either option work with your rhyme scheme you have permission to tweak it slightly as long as the essential meaning stays the same.
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between Friday March 15 at 12:01 AM EDT and Monday March 18 at 11:59 PM EDT, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on this post which will remain up through Tuesday March 19 (no new post on Monday March 18). If you don’t have a blog but would like to enter, please copy and paste your entry into the comments here. (If anyone has trouble commenting, which unfortunately happens, please email me and I’ll post your entry for you!)
The Judge: My lovely assistant and I will narrow down the entrants to five finalists (or possibly a couple more if we get a lot of entries :)) which will be posted here on Wednesday March 20 (no WYRI that day) for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed at midnight March 23 and the winner will be announced on Monday March 25.
The Prizes!: The First Place Winner will get the chance to put one of his/her picture book manuscripts in the hands of editor Laura Galvin of KidsBooks for a read and comments! (and who knows? she might love it! :)) If we get more than 20 entries, prizes will be give through 3rd place. 2nd Place will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate, and 3rd place will receive his/her choice of the craft books listed below. Should the winner happen not to be a picture book writer or for some reason not want to show his/her work to an actual real live editor at an actual real live publishing house, he/she will receive a $25 gift certificate to Amazon and a choice of Writing Picture Books: A Hands On Guide From Story Creation To Publication by Ann Whitford Paul, Writing With Pictures: How To Write And Illustrate Children’s Books by Uri Shulevitz, How To Write A Children’s Book And Get It Published by Barbara Seuling, The Writer’s Guide To Crafting Stories For Children by Nancy Lamb, or 2013 Children’s Writers And Illustrators Market by Chuck Sambuchino, and the editor prize will go to the highest placed finisher who wants it. Here is my sample, squeezing in just under the wire at 348 words:
That’s Better
As soon as the hockey rink opened in November, Charlie shot out the door with Dad to go skating.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
Charlie skidded to a stop.
Mom pulled a hat down over his ears. She wound a scarf around his neck. She slid mittens on his hands. “That’s better.”
Charlie didn’t think so. “I itch,” he complained.
Mom shrugged. “No warm clothes, no skating.”
That was a no-brainer. Hat, scarf, and mittens stayed on, and Dad and Charlie went to the rink.
When the first snow fell in December, Charlie raced outside to build a snowman.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
Mom pulled the hat over his ears, wound the scarf around his neck, and slid the mittens on his hands. Then she zipped him into his winter jacket and stuffed his feet in clunky boots. “That’s better.”
Charlie didn’t think so. “I’m hot,” he complained.
“You won’t be when you get outside,” said Mom. “Now scoot.”
Charlie scooted.
In January, when the deep cold gave the snow a perfect icy crust, Charlie sped out to sled.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
Out came the hat, the scarf, the mittens, and the boots, but this time Mom bundled him into his snowsuit. “That’s better.”
“Mo-om,” said Charlie. “I can’t even walk!”
“You can stay in and help me fold laundry,” Mom offered.
“Hmmm,” said Charlie, “maybe I can walk,” and out the door he shuffled.
All through February and March, for tobogganing, fort-building, and snowball-fighting, Charlie could not get out the door without every inch covered in warm clothes.
“I’m tired of winter,” he said.
Then the days got longer. The sun got warmer. The snow melted, and one day there were robins on the lawn.
Charlie opened the door and the air was soft and warm.
“Hold it, mister!” said Mom.
“Please, Mom,” begged Charlie. “I don’t want all those clothes.”
Mom smiled. She put his baseball cap on his head and handed him his ball and glove.
“That’s better!” said Charlie. He hugged her and laughed. “Now I know spring is really here!”
Now. I KNOW you can all do better than THAT – talk about circling the drain! – so take heart and get those stories posted! I can’t wait to read them! 🙂 Don’t forget to add your post-specific link to the list below so that we can all come read your stories and feel like spring is coming! The list will stay up through midnight Tuesday March 19.
Good luck! 🙂 And please remember to check the comment section! There are already entries there from Linda, Jill, Pat, Marie-Therese, Nancy C, Jenny, Doris, Nancy M, Kimberly, and Lizzie. (You may have to scroll down aways…)
Woo-hoo! It’s Wednesday! And you know what that means 🙂
Something Chocolate!!!
Help yourselves, dahlings 🙂
Before we get started, I’d like to thank everyone who participated to help our young Jedi friend, Renn, get through his long days in the hospital. If you didn’t get a chance to see all the wonderful creations from our large-hearted community, please go HERE and hop through the link list. Prepare to be blown away! 🙂 Just so you know, and can all send extra thoughts and prayers, today is the really tough day, but he will hopefully be able to go home at the end of it or tomorrow.
Also, I’d like to remind you all (and let’s be honest, I’m reminding myself while I’m at it :)) that the In Just Spring Contest (details HERE) opens on Friday March 15 (that’s in 2 days, peeps!) and the first place winner will get to have one of their picture book manuscripts read by editor Laura Galvin at KidsBooks (or, should the winner happen not to write picture books or want a read by an actual real live editor at a real live publishing house, the winner will get a writing book and gift certificate and the editor prize will go to the next highest placed finisher who wants it! :)) So I hope you’re all getting your stories finished up!
This also means that there will be no Perfect Picture Book Friday link up this Friday because we will be reading the fabulous stories written by you! 🙂 and there will also not be a new post Monday (so we can keep reading your stories) or a WYRI next Wednesday because we will be voting on who should win. Hopefully we will actually get some entries for this contest or it will be a very boring blog week here on Blueberry Hill 🙂
Now, onto WYRI business! Anyone need another slice of cake? 🙂
The winner of the February Pitch Pick is Wendy with her pitch for Why Fireflies Should NEVER Drink Soda! Congratulations, Wendy!!! (Apparently Wendy is the name to have – we’ve had Wendys win two months in a row :)) And congratulations to all our pitchers for excellent pitches, all of which were improved thanks to reader feedback.
Today’s pitch comes to us from Denise. Denise says, “I’m a lover of all things Anne of Green Gables and Maud Montgomery so am so thankful to live on PEI. I’m also a Christian mom of 4 wonderful children, all named for Lucy Maud Montgomery characters of some sort. When I’m not cleaning, baking, playing, I do get to go to Bible Study and take Rilla, age 7, and Emily. (boys aren’t ready for that yet lol)… I think it’s important that our kids go so they will learn more about God and get used to hearing about God, thereby loving Him more. I also collect paper dolls. My daughter is in the works of making some more clothes just for Phyllis, who’s a very patient lass, she is 🙂
Working Title: Phewie Hughie Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8) The Pitch: Hughie loves his toots. The louder the better, but because Hughie thought everyone should love his toots, he had a hard time understanding why no one appreciated his wonderful ability until two children come to an important dinner and Hughie’s dad reminds him to remember his manners. Mayhem happens after Hughie realizes he just can’t hold it in.Will Hughie find a way to control his engine’s noise and find friends along the way?
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 Denise 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 Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in May so send in your pitches for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Denise is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to the In Just Spring Contest (for which I haven’t even begun writing my sample, so you can only imagine how dreadful it’s going to be :)) I can’t wait to read lots and lots of stories about spring, lovely spring!… so I really hope we get some 🙂
Strap on your lightsabers, fasten your X-Wing Fighter safety harnesses, and make sure your R2 units are securely aboard, everyone!
Today we’re doing something special!
We are gathering the kidlit community to send encouragement and hopefully a little bit of happiness and fun to our friend, Renn.
Renn has a challenging week ahead. He has epilepsy, and the doctors are having a difficult time figuring out how to control his seizures. He has to go into the hospital for several days to undergo a number of tests, and last time I checked, that wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. If you’d like to learn more, you can join the blog at The Brain Of A Jedi, or the Face Book Group at Purple Day, but suffice to say he is only 5, and facing some things no 5 year old should have to.
Renn is made of tough stuff – he’s got Jedi Warrior written all over him. I have no doubt he’ll make the jump to hyperspace without a hitch and come through this week with flying colors.
But I thought maybe we could make his week a little easier by helping to take his mind off where he is and why he’s there, and giving him some things to look forward to. What should we do? I asked Beth, my co-conspirator who is always willing to go along with me on my hare-brained schemes. She kindly let me bounce ideas off her and was very supportive, and then helped me write the email to invite people to join in, so please give her a big round of applause and a pat on the back! 🙂
So we are posting virtual cards, fun photos, games, activities, stories, songs, videos – anything at all we can think of that would be fun and entertaining – especially for Renn (who, if you haven’t guessed yet, loves Star Wars :)). Anyone else who has a child-friendly blog and would like to post something for Renn, please feel free to do so and add your post-specific link to the list below any time today or tomorrow. (I respectfully request that you keep in mind that he is five years old.)
Renn and his mom can come here when they have a few minutes and check the list for new posts, and each time something new goes up, Renn will have something fun to look forward to. Hopefully it will break up the long hours in the hospital with some bright moments, so the more we get the better!
And before I post the list, I would just like to say to Renn’s mom, dad, and little brother that we are all thinking of you too, wishing you strength to get through this, and hoping for the best of all possible outcomes for your Renn. If the collective thoughts and prayers of this generous-hearted community can exert any influence, please know that we are all in your corner.
The book I have to share today is a little different and very cute and fun. For starters, how can you not love a book that’s called A LIttle Book Of Sloth? 🙂
A Little Book Of Sloth Written By: Lucy Cooke Photographed By: Lucy Cooke Margaret K. McElderry Books, March 2013, Non-Fiction
Suitable For Ages: there is no recommendation from the publisher – the photographs are suitable for all ages, the text has some higher level vocabulary, but I think would be enjoyed by ages 5 and up.
Themes/Topics: nature, animals, sloths
Opening: “It all started with Buttercup. Baby Buttercup turned up on Judy’s doorstep as a tiny orphan. She was a few weeks old and desperately needed a new mom. Buttercup’s new home provided more slouching opportunities than your average tree branch. So she chose the best seat in the house and decided to stay.”
Brief Synopsis: This is a photographic story about a sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. Wonderful photos of the many sloths-in-residence are accompanied by anecdotes and facts about sloths.
Why I Like This Book: I don’t know about you, but I’ve never read a book about sloths before. This book is beautiful, fun, and educational. Written by Lucy Cooke, a British filmmaker, zoologist, photographer and founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society, it highlights this lesser-known animal in an irresistible way. Ms. Cooke takes pains to mention at the end of the book that sloths are wild animals, not pets, and that children (and adults :)) can show their appreciation for these sweet creatures by joining the Sloth Appreciation Society. A great choice for the animal lovers in your life 🙂
Roses are red Violets are blue Chocolate donuts Are good for you 🙂
Have some, won’t you? 🙂
Take two if you want because we have a full schedule today and you will need your strength! 🙂
First, here is Straight From The Editor for Wendy’s winning pitch from January. You will recall her pitch:
Working Title: Civil Age: MG Five seventh graders are thrust into a secret time-traveling society and are soon fighting for their lives in the bloody battlefields of Gettysburg. The sensitive jock, popular cheerleader, African transfer student, feared social outcast, and 9-year-old technical genius had better work fast: Their own world is becoming increasingly dystopian and their own school hallways increasingly dangerous.
And here are Erin Molta’s comments:
Sounds intriguing but a little too harsh for middle grade. Are they actually on the battlefield and fighting with bayonet’s and guns or have they just arrived and are trying to escape before they get caught up in the battle? That is an important distinction to make when dealing with a middle grade topic.
Also, you might want to allude to the actual problem they have to solve. It’s a bit confusing trying to figure out what exactly is going on –were they sent to Gettysburg by accident and they have to get back to their own world which is deteriorating fast and their school is becoming dangerous? What links it all together? Their dystopian world and their dangerous school hallways are related to Gettysburg (or the time travelling) how?
Once you can pinpoint that, I think you’ll have a pitch that will draw an editor in.
As always, I find Erin’s insight very educational. I hope it’s helpful to you too!
Next up, we have the February Pitch Pick. Below are the 4 pitches from February. Please read them over and then vote for the one you think is best and deserves a read by Erin!
#1 Julie Just Call Me The Kid (PB ages 4-7) Pip the mouse longs to be a cowboy, and does his best to rustle up some skills. His mother gets kinda ornery though, as Pip’s attempts turn the household on its head. But that doesn’t sour his milk, and neither does the neighbor’s cat!
#2 Sue How Many Shoes Does A Princess Need? (PB ages 4-8)
Cindy’s dad always called her “princess” but now, living with great-aunt Prue, Cindy feels more like a kitchen slave. When she asks for a new pair of Mary Janes for the County Spelling Bee, great-aunt Prue snaps, “How many shoes does a princess need?” Cindy decides to investigate “must have” footwear, from frog boots to glass slippers, and learns just how much is enough.
#3 Wendy Why Fireflies Should NEVER Drink Soda (PB ages 3-7)
Life is good for the insects at the campground—until something attracts a hungry bullfrog. When Herman, a feisty firefly, takes a sip the hiccuping winged beacon learns why he’s been taught that fireflies should NEVER drink soda.
#4 Yvonne Oakley’s Keys (PB ages 3-6)
Intruder Alert! Wherever Oakley hides, drooling baby brother Dan finds him. Now, not even Oakley’s fantasies are save – from loop-the-looping around a star to playing tag with tigers – Dan is there. But when creepy creatures crawl out of a pirate treasure chest, it’s up to Oakley to rescue Dan, drool not included.
It’s a tough decision, I know!, but the poll will be open until Friday, March 8 at 11:59 PM for you to cast your vote.
Now, onto our final item of business, today’s Would You Read It pitch! 🙂
Today’s pitch comes to us from Linda, whom you may remember from her pitch for Alpha Bitty in October and The Good For Plenty Bibs in January. Linda is a former gifted and talented teacher and the author of a number of books including the multi-award winning picture book, The Blue Roses. Please take a moment to visit her website at www.lindaboyden.com. Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Twitch Age/Genre: MG The Pitch: After Twitch Taylor turns twelve, his world flips over. Uncle Dell’s wife, Jewel, is killed in a freak accident. His father, Eldon, disappears but leaves a note that forces Twitch to live with Uncle, an old-time Cherokee custom where uncles teach nephews the ways of men. Twitch quickly learns there’s more to life than cell phones: an ancient curse is attacking his family, something only he can stop. Can he learn enough, fast enough to become a Cherokee warrior? Can a kid save the world?
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 Linda 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 Itor on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above. There are openings in May so you have a little time to polish your pitches for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Linda is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to Spring. But that’s not news 🙂
Happy Monday, everybody! I hope you all had an excellent weekend!
I would like to start this week by congratulating my friend Renee LaTulippe on the publication of the first 2 pieces of writing she ever submitted (seriously, that kind of talent doesn’t come along every day!) in The Poetry Friday Anthology For Middle School! Congratulations, Renee! We are all mucho proud of you (and I’m hoping in this case that mucho might pass for something Italian because that’s all I’ve got :)) You can enter to win a copy HERE or you can purchase a copy HERE.
I would also like to let you know that my friend Iza Trapani is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her wonderful book, The Itsy Bitsy Spider. She has spun the familiar rhyme into a delightful and engaging story and accompanied it with her gorgeous art. This book has been a favorite in our family for years, and if you have a young one in your life this is a story you won’t want to miss. You can enter to win a copy on her blog HERE just by writing a few lines about the continuing adventures of Itsy Bitsy 🙂
In other news, since today is the alternate Monday from Short & Sweets, we have an Oh Susanna question, which I hope you will find enlightening 🙂
Alayne asks: “Manuscript formatting question. If a glossary and author note/fact sheets accompany your picture book manuscript, how is the back matter formatted? Are they just a continuation of the manuscript, double spaced after the end? Are they brand new sheets starting five inches down on the page? Here’s a totally different question: Would you send the back matter with the manuscript? Or only mention it in the cover letter?“
Good question, Alayne. I think many fiction writers are accustomed to submitting their story manuscripts, but if a story idea comes up that lends itself to some educational back matter, they might not know how to handle that, so I’m glad you asked.
To begin with, I would recommend researching titles at the house you’re submitting to to see if they publish books with back matter of any kind. Not every house does, and you don’t want to submit a story with back matter to a house that doesn’t publish them.
My opinion on this issue is that if you have back matter you should mention it in your cover letter (I believe it is an added hook if there is an educational component and/or a curriculum connection) and include the back matter with your story. (But a little note on this below…)
Write and format your story manuscript as you usually would. When you get to the end of the story and are ready to supply the back matter, begin it on the top of a new page with whatever title it requires (Glossary, Fun Facts About Teeth, Pictorial Guide To State Flags, etc.), and continue your header (last name and manuscript title in the upper left, page number in the upper right), with the page numbers continuing (e.g. if your story ended on page 3, the first page of back matter would be page 4, not page 1 of back matter.) If you have more than one type/category/section of back matter, I would begin each separate section on a new page (e.g. a new page for the Glossary, another new page for Fun Facts About Teeth, etc.)
Any time you include back matter, you should also include a bibliography to show where you got your information, and that can be the last page of your submission. A bibliography should be formatted according to any standard method – MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style, etc. You will want to show solid sources – not just Wikipedia 🙂 If you include an explanatory Author Note of some kind you should likewise back that up with evidence/reference to personal knowledge, interview, research etc.
Edit 3/4/13: Huge thanks to Joanna and Tina for reminding me about word count! The word count for the back matter should be separate from the word count for the story. So put your story’s word count on the first/cover page of your manuscript in the upper right, and then put the word count for your back matter in the upper right of the page where the back matter begins.
That is how I would approach it. However, here is my “note below” 🙂 Some might argue that it depends on how critical the back matter is to the story. If the story can stand completely on its own without the back matter, so that the back matter is essentially an optional bonus, some might say that you could mention in your cover letter that you have back matter (or that you would be willing to write it if the editor is interested) on Phases Of The Moon (or whatever) to accompany the story. If the editor feels it might enhance the book, you will submit it at their request. I think this is a matter of personal preference. But of course, if full comprehension of the story depends on the explanation provided by the back matter, then there is no option and the back matter should be mentioned in the cover letter and submitted with the story.
My approach is to lay all my cards on the table, as it were. When submitting to houses that publish books with back matter, if I’ve got back matter, I submit it. The way I see it, it may be an added appeal for the book. If the editor doesn’t feel it’s necessary, she can always say she’d like to publish the story without the back matter. But the presence of the educational component might be a deciding factor for an editor who is on the fence – a book that has a possible market in schools and libraries as opposed to retail-only has added potential for sales.
I hope that answers your questions somewhat, Alayne, but I would be very grateful to hear from our readers on this issue. How do you handle back matter? Do you format it differently than I do? Please share – we can always benefit from the knowledge of the group!
Thanks, everyone, and have a great Monday and a great start to your week! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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