Category: Perfect Picture Book Fridays

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Bloom

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

It’s finally spring – really and truly!  I saw tiny fluffy baby goslings on my way home from the barn yesterday!  And I don’t know about you, but spring makes me think of mud! (Maybe because the horses at the barn where I work spend all their time rolling in it to rub loose the itchy hair of their winter coats! 🙂 )

In addition, today is Earth Day.

So what better day to celebrate a book about mud?! 🙂

(It is also my dad’s birthday, which has nothing to do with mud, but I’d like to take a quick moment to wish a very happy 87th birthday to the best dad I could ever have hoped to have!  Happy Happy Birthday, Dad! 🙂 ❤ )

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That’s my dad on the left – I’m the short one in the middle 🙂

So without further ado, today’s Perfect Picture Book!

Title: Bloom

Written By: Doreen Cronin

Illustrated By: David Small

Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, February 2016, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: girl power, appreciation/gratitude, encouragement, believing in yourself

Opening: “Once upon a time, in a beautiful glass kingdom, there lived an unusual fairy named Bloom.  Her boots were caked with mud.  There was dirt between her teeth.  Beetles rested in her wings.  Bloom’s magic could spin sand into glass, turn weeds into blossoms, and grow a trickle of rainwater into a racing river.  Bloom was a helpful creature, but her footsteps were HEAVY, and she left a trail of tiny cracks and mud wherever she went.”

Brief Synopsis: A glass kingdom is a tough place to be a Mud Fairy. Bloom and her mud fairy magic can turn weeds into flowers and spin sand into glass, but all the people of the kingdom do is complain about the trails of dirt and puddles of mud she leaves behind so, feeling unappreciated, she leaves.  When the kingdom falls into disrepair, the King and Queen search out Bloom, but it takes the most “ordinary” girl in the kingdom to restore the magic.

Links To Resources:  April is Kids’ Gardening Month (which is a little like playing in mud 🙂 ) so here are some resources to get kids outdoors to celebrate earth and gardens.  Plant A Family Butterfly Garden, Big Seeds For Little Hands, Information & Resources For Gardening With Children

Why I Like This Book:  This story has the delightful “Once upon a time” opening that creates the delicious anticipation of a fairy tale about to unfold.  Bloom is an unusual fairy – dirty, willing to work hard, not traditionally “girly”.  Genevieve, the “ordinary” girl whose only job has been to polish the queen’s crystal sugar spoon has never had the opportunity to discover what she’s capable of.  Working alongside Bloom, she learns that she is anything but ordinary and that she can save the kingdom.  Favorite line: “Tell them there is no such thing as an ordinary girl!” said Bloom.

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Ellie

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

I come from a family of elephant-lovers.

My grandmother had all the Babar books in French, printed in spidery script.  Between the French and the illegible script, none of us (me, my siblings, my cousins) could read them, which suited her just fine because that meant she got to read them to us 🙂

Does anyone besides me remember Babar?  I had the books (in regular print in English!), but I also had a record (Eek! my age is showing! 🙂 ) with 6 of the Babar stories on it.  They were accompanied by songs which you’ll be alarmed to know I can remember to this day.  I can’t remember my debit card pin number or where I hid the spare keys to the house, but I can sing you the song about Arthur pushing Pom, Flora and Alexander in the pram!  (“Twenty steps forward… twenty steps back.  Wheeling the carriage… I’ve got the knack…”)  Or the song about what all the little elephants hoped Father Christmas would bring them! (“Alexander wants a butterfly net and Flora wants a doll.  Arthur says a choo-choo train would please him most of all…”)  My head is crammed full of useless knowledge.  Sad but true! 🙂

Elephants (pronounced ed-o-wenta at our house because of a long-standing mispronunciation when our kids were little 🙂 ) are just as popular with our kids as they were with my siblings and my grandmother.  Maybe it’s because they’re so big and prehistoric-looking yet move with such lumbering grace.  Maybe it’s because of their fascinating matriarchal society.  Maybe it’s because it’s so intriguing to watch them actively problem-solve as a group.  Or maybe it’s just because baby elephants are so cute 🙂

No matter what it is that makes elephants so appealing, I hope you’ll like this book as much as I do 🙂

Ellie

Title: Ellie

Written & Illustrated By: Mike Wu

Disney-Hyperion, May 2015, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-5

Themes/Topics: art, helping others, finding your own talents, animals (elephants)

Opening: “On a bright winter day, when Ellie was just finishing her lunch, the zookeeper came by with an announcement.

“Gather ’round!” Walt called.  “I have some news.

“It is a sad day,” he said.  “The zoo is closing.””

Brief Synopsis: The animals are heartbroken when they find out their zoo is closing.  They wonder if there’s any way they can help prevent it.  Perhaps they can spruce the place up?  Lucy the giraffe prunes the trees.  Gerard the gorilla tidies the path.  But Ellie the baby elephant isn’t tall enough to prune trees or strong enough to move rocks.  Is there anything she can do to save her beloved home?

Links To Resources:  YouTube video of real elephants who paint; fun facts about elephants; elephants work together to problem solve (videos) – help baby cross road, save baby stuck in the mud; preschool elephant activities and crafts

Why I Like This Book:  This is a sweet story about friendly animals pitching in to try to save their home.  Ellie wants so much to help, but at first she doesn’t think she has any skills that will serve.  Quite by accident, she discovers a talent that will not only help, but be the driving force behind saving the zoo, and the story comes to a satisfying ending.  The art is gorgeous and so appealing, starting off in soft greens and grays and becoming brighter and bolder as Ellie’s talent develops and her self-confidence grows.  And Ellie is such an endearing character she’s hard to resist 🙂  The story is loosely based on a relatively recent headline about elephants who paint, so has some grounding in fact 🙂

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

Oh, one thing before we go!  I wanted to thank everyone who joined in the #aprilfoolphyllis contest last Friday to help spread the word of April Fool, Phyllis!‘s Kindle debut!  You are all so helpful and wonderful, and I really appreciate your help!  Phyllis does too, and she sends you all a virtual strawberry pie 🙂  The winner of the $25 Amazon gift certificate was Chelanne Green, and the 5 winners of a Kindle copy of April Fool, Phyllis! were Vivian Kirkfield, Genevieve Petrillo, Tina Cho, Tracy Potash, and Rebecca Forester.  Thank you, thank you to everyone for joining in so whole-heartedly!

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see your delightful picks for this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

 

Perfect Picture Book Friday – April Fool…. Phyllis! :)

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It’s April!  It’s April!!!

Hurray!  Hurray!!!

I love April!

Even though it’s supposed to be about April showers, it makes me think of new spring grass, baby animals, the rich scent of warming earth, shy leaves unfurling, apple blossoms… and birthday cake 🙂

And what do you know?  After the hardcover went out of print in January, APRIL FOOL, PHYLLIS! arrived on Kindle on Wednesday – just in time for April Fools’ Day!

I’m so excited I’m running a teensy contest to get the word out.  Every time between now and midnight that you share about APRIL FOOL, PHYLLIS on FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram with hashtag #aprilfoolphyllis (so I can keep track and find them all… and it wouldn’t hurt if you tag me on FB!)) you will get an entry to a raffle.  The more shares, the more chances to win!  Then this weekend I will select at random 1 person who will win a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate, and 5 people who will each win a Kindle copy of APRIL FOOL, PHYLLIS! to be delivered to the person of their choice (yourself, if you’d like it, or a little person in your life who would enjoy it 🙂 )  So please, help me share the good news! 🙂

Although I would never post my own books on Perfect Picture Book Friday (because that is a level of horn-tooting I’m extremely uncomfortable with!), in honor of it actually being April Fools Day on a Perfect Picture Book Friday when a new version just came out bringing my little book back from the land of Out of Print, the lovely and talented Beth Stilborn, who very sweetly reviewed APRIL FOOL, PHYLLIS for PPBF on March 9, 2012, has most kindly and generously given me permission to post her review here on my blog today.  Thank you, Beth, for the lovely review and the permission to reprint from your blog.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you’re the cat’s (or maybe in this case the groundhog’s 🙂 ) pajamas!!!

Any of you who don’t know Beth, please go visit her blog!  She writes a wonderful one!  And she offers copyediting for all levels of fiction through her Flubs 2 Fixes website (www.flubs2fixes.com)

So without further ado…

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Title: April Fool, Phyllis!

Author: Susanna Leonard Hill

Illustrator: Jeffrey Ebbeler

Publisher: New York: Holiday House, 2011

Genre: Picture book, fiction

Audience Age: 5-8

Theme: April Fool’s Day, trusting your instincts, respecting other’s advice, changing seasons, treasure hunts, riddles.

Opening Sentences: Phyllis knew everything about the weather.

After all, she was Punxsutawney Phyllis, Weather Prophet Extraordinaire!

So when she woke up on April first, the day of the Spring Treasure Hunt, it took only one whiff of the morning air to tell her something wasn’t right.

Synopsis: Phyllis is certain that there’s a storm brewing, but no-one will believe her, because it’s April Fool’s Day. Everyone is too excited about the Spring Treasure Hunt to pay attention to Phyllis’ continued warnings. The Treasure Hunt provides clues in riddles that children will enjoy guessing along with the young groundhogs in the story. Each riddle leads them closer to the treasure, further from home – and closer to the snowstorm that’s coming. They finally realize that Phyllis was telling the truth about the weather. (Of course she was! She’s Punxsutawney Phyllis, after all!) They do make it home safely – but Phyllis has the last laugh.

Why I liked this book: As in the first of Susanna Leonard Hill’s delightful Phyllis series, Phyllis shows herself to be a spunky and resourceful little groundhog, wise beyond her years, and a lot of fun to be around. The theme of April Fool’s Day jokes is something children can easily relate to, as is the problem of not being taken seriously. The riddles are great fun, as the obvious answer is not the correct answer, so the reader and read-to have to think. The story keeps the reader turning the pages, eager to find out what will happen next, and the illustrations are a delight. Kids will love that Phyllis gets the last laugh on everyone.

Activities/Resources: The author gives a page of information about April Fool’s Day at the back of the book, and has classroom guides and activities on her website .

There’s some history of April Fool’s Day (in kid-friendly text) at Mr. Donn’s resource site.

A to Z Teacher Stuff has lots of April Fool’s activities.

Lesson Planet has lesson plans using riddles as a teaching tool.

Story Arts has a story treasure hunt.

Lesson Planet’s treasure hunt lesson plans include math treasure hunts, map-reading treasure hunts, even a treasure hunt in the school library.

Availability: Readily available in hardcover. (And now for Kindle!)

Every Friday, bloggers join together to share picture book reviews and resources, thanks to author Susanna Leonard Hill’s brainchild, “Perfect Picture Book Fridays.” Susanna then adds the books (and links to the reviews) to a comprehensive listing by subject on her blog. Find the entire listing at her “Perfect Picture Books.”

Reblogged from Beth Stilborn http://www.bethstilborn.com/april-fool-phyllis-perfect-picture-book-friday/

Thank you all for indulging me and Phyllis in our wild and crazy April Fools’ Day celebrating (and horn-tooting) 🙂

PPBF peeps, please add your post-specific link (post-specific PLEASE!!! not general blog link!) to the list below so we can all come see your fabulous picks for the upcoming weekend (which looks to be a cold/rainy/snowy one perfect for curling up with picture books!)

(And here we go again with this google form/spreadsheet which I feel in my bones I’m going to mess up but don’t worry, if I do I’ll fix it once I get help from my in-house computer genius later in the day!)

 

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

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Happy Friday, All!

So!  I think we had some success with the google form last week.  Do you?  I mean, there were a few kinks, but once I got the size adjusted and such like, it seemed like it worked pretty well.  Yes? No? Maybe so?  What are your thoughts?

I like this model because I can see how easy it would be to archive Perfect Picture Books into the Google Form right from the list here each week – it would be sort of self-managing.  The only part I have to figure out is how to add the themes in an efficient and easily navigable way.  But all the rest will load directly into the form and can be easily viewed by week and searched by book title, author, illustrator, key word, etc… (and eventually theme.)  It sounds too good to be true!  We shall see 🙂

Anyhoo, onto today’s Perfect Picture Book!  As you can probably tell from my recent posts, I have spring on the brain, and what says warm weather like bugs? 🙂

Title: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

Written & Illuatrated By: Bob Barner

Chronicle Books, 1999, Non-Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 2-6

Themes/Topics: Bugs

Opening: “Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!  I want to see bugs!  Butterflies that flutter in the sky.  Spotted ladybugs that go creeping by.”  (This is actually the first three spreads.)

Brief Synopsis: Simple facts about familiar bugs in a rhyme.

Links To Resources:  One back page of the book includes a display of actual-sized bugs so young readers can see how big they are in real life and how they compare with each other.  Another back page compares facts about all the insects mentioned in the book: can it fly, where does it live, etc.  Here are a few activities, and here are a bunch of coloring pages.

Why I Like This Book: This book is delightfully simple.  Easy enough for youngest readers to enjoy, but with enough information in the back to interest slightly older children.  The pictures are bright, colorful, and engaging and do a great job of making bugs look friendly and non-threatening.  I’m not really much of a bug person, but I find this book very appealing 🙂  This is also an interesting example for writers to study.  The author gets across information in a fun way in only 76 words!

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

PPBF peeps, please leave your picture book title and post-specific link in the google form below along with as much of the other information as you feel like putting in (nothing but title and link are required, but you will earn mucho brownie points with Yours Truly if you enter the other info because it saves me having to do it at some later time 🙂 )

NOTE:  As you can see, I’m still learning how to use google forms and spreadsheets.  I’ve made some kind of error that is causing a big blank spot at the top of the list, but all of today’s Perfect Picture Books DO appear on the list… you just have to scroll down.  Technopoop.  That’s me 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and for those of you who celebrate, Happy Easter! 🙂

(And for everyone, Happy Chocolate 🙂 )

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Perfect Picture Book Friday – President Squid

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It’s a brave new world, darlings!  We are going where no technomoron has dared venture before… into the Land of Google Forms!

In my ongoing quest to find a way to get our Perfect Picture Book Link List to show up in the actual blog post, I asked my talented web designer (who made this beautiful new website for me) if he had any bright ideas.

He did.

A Google Form.

So we’re going to try it today and see how it works and how we like it!  Please feel free to share your thoughts on this new system in the comments.

All you have to do is fill in your Perfect Picture Book title on the line that says “Title” (for example, The Opposite Zoo) and then copy and paste your post-specific url into the line that says “link” (for example, https://susannahill.com/2016/03/11/perfect-picture-book-friday-the-opposite-zoo/), and then scroll down a smidge within the form box and hit the Submit button.

In an ideal world, your title and link will then show up on the list below!

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

I’m not sure if it will work instantly… or if you’ll have to refresh your browser to get it to show up… or exactly what will happen…

But that is why we are so daring!  We shall try it!  If it works, wonderful!  If it doesn’t, we’ll move on to Plan J or whatever we’re up to at this point… 🙂

Here is MY Perfect Picture Book for today – tons of fun!  Then we’ll get to the newfangled Google Form and see if all of YOUR Perfect Picture Books line up nicely and behave 🙂

President Squid

Title: President Squid

Written By: Aaron Reynolds

Illustrated By: Sara Varon

Chronicle Books, March 1, 2016, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics:  leadership, politics, responsibility, humor

Opening:  “I HAVE REALIZED SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.  Something that changes everything!

No giant squid has ever been president before!

Which means I will be the first.

President Squid!

Now that has a nice ring to it.

I WILL BE THE GREATEST PRESIDENT WHO EVER LIVED!

Wanna know why?

Here are five important reasons.”

Brief Synopsis: In a persuasive style reminiscent of campaigning politicians, Squid presents the compelling reasons why he should be president… until he decides maybe there’s an alternative.

Links To Resources: US Government For Kids (K-5); discuss with your children or students whether or not they would like the job of president.  How would they go about campaigning?  What kinds of things would they like to change, and how would they go about creating the change they’d like to see?  Write letters to the president and tell him in what ways you think he’s doing a good job and what things you’d like to see him do if he’s able (or she, given that it’s an election year 🙂 )  Write a letter or give a talk in which you present 5 reasons why you’d be very good at something, or why you should be chosen for something (persuasive writing exercise)

Why I Like This Book:  Very simple: it’s funny! 🙂  And Squid has a very believably childlike twist to his personality in that he is absolutely sure he wants something, totally committed to getting it, right up until the moment he decides…actually…he wants something else 🙂  The story is clever, light-hearted and fun, and teaches a good lesson about making sure you know what it is you’re asking for because you just might get it!

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

Okay, PPBF peeps!  It’s time!  Please leave your post-specific links in the brandy-spandy-newfangled google form below so we can all come see what fabulous books you’ve chosen this week!  Fingers crossed it works! 🙂

 

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Opposite Zoo

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Happy Friday, Folks!

Yesterday was a marathon day of quality time with Princess Blue Kitty (which means I was driving all day :))  I may not be able to speak for ALL of America, but it’s certainly true that this American runs on Dunkin’ – they make such good coffee!  (It’s also possible that I have a weakness for chocolate munchkins but I’m not admitting to anything!)

Anyway, given all the driving, you guys will be happy to know that you are spared any long-windedness from me today because I was up against it to get this post finished.  So without further ado, here’s my Perfect Picture Book pick for today!

Opposite Zoo

Title: The Opposite Zoo

Written  & Illustrated By: Il Sung Na

Knopf Books For Young Readers, March 8, 2016, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 2-5

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Themes/Topics:  Concepts (opposites), animals, diversity

Opening: “The sky is DARK, and the Opposite Zoo is CLOSED.  But the monkey’s door is OPEN!  Time to explore…”

Brief Synopsis: When his cage door opens at the same time the Opposite Zoo closes for the night, an escaped monkey tours the zoo seeing all the opposites from an awake owl to a sleeping panda, a shy chameleon to a bold peacock, noisy monkeys to a quiet turtle.  He returns to his cage in the morning just as his door closes and the Opposite Zoo opens.

Links To Resources: Do The Opposite Dance; pair with books such as Sandra Boynton’s Opposites, Eric Carle’s Opposites, and Tad Hills’s What’s Up Duck? A Book Of Opposites; Teaching Opposites To Children; ask children to think up opposites from their own life/experience, giving them hints, if necessary, to help them come up with ones that aren’t mentioned in the book.

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Why I Like This Book:  Spare, simple text allows Il Sung Na’s gorgeous art to take center stage and show youngest readers all about opposites with a friendly cast of colorful animals.  The story is quiet, with a lullaby-like rhythm that makes it a lovely choice for naptime, bedtime, or any time a little settling down is called for.  With the exception of the first and last spreads, each page/animal is accompanied by only one word (e.g. “slow” “fast”, “hairy” “bald”), so it is very text-light allowing young readers to take in the concept of the opposites offered by the illustrations without bogging down in excess verbiage.  (Picture book writers take note – the whole book is only about 57 words – unless you count all the “noisy”s on the monkey page… then it’s 63 🙂 )  But the art is what this book is really all about.  So inviting and appealing!  Friendly animals.  Gorgeous colors (I especially love the owl, peacock, tiger, turtle…oh, never mind – they’re ALL irresistible! 🙂 )  Just look at that tiger on the cover!  How can you not want to open this book?!

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

PPBF peeps, please leave your post-specific links in the we’re-using-this-linky-list-for-the-time-being-until-I-think-of-something-better list below so we can all come see what fabulous books you’ve chosen this week!

And everyone: whether you have a book to add to the list or not, you must click the “click here” link to see the list!!!

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And I apologize for the linky list… I’ve had a couple weeks in a row where I’m short on time to figure out something else, but I’m hoping to try a different system for next week… fingers crossed 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – E-I-E-I-O How Old MacDonald Got His Farm [with a Little Help from a Hen]

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Happy Friday, Folks!

While I was writing up this post, my ever-vigilant dogs suddenly roused themselves from a sound sleep to bark and snarl and hurl themselves at the french doors that look out on the back yard.  Assuming such behavior could only mean an invasion of some type, I went to investigate.  Was the bear up from his long winter’s nap?  Had a pack of hungry coyotes dared to breech The Perimeter?  Were we being attacked by giant meatball-headed spaghetti people from Mars?

Shockingly, no!

Here was the cause of the alarm:

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Yes.  A squirrel.  Clearly a Maximum Security Threat.

My dogs take their duty as Protectresses of the Family Homestead a little too seriously sometimes 🙂

I did not let them out.  I figured this little critter could use a mouthful of birdseed.  So he snacked and the Protectresses sulked and I went back to writing this post.

This is just a little sample of the kind of action-packed, emotionally-charged, wild and crazy life we live up here on Blueberry Hill 🙂

Although it snowed last night, I insist on believing spring  is coming, and I have a fun, spring-appropriate title to share with you all today which is especially fitting in view of the wildlife on my lawn that makes this place feel like a farm (of sorts :))!  (And no jokes about the funny farm! :))

Title: E-I-E-I-O How old MacDonald Got His Farm [with a Little Help from a Hen]

Written By: Judy Sierra

Illustrated By: Matthew Myers

Candlewick, February 2014, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: composting, gardening, perseverance, innovation

Opening: “Old MacDonald had a house E-I-E-I-O!  Around that house there was a yard MOW MOW MOW MOW MOW!  MacDonald said, “I love my yard, but mowing grass is mighty hard.”  So off he went to get a goat E-I-E-I-O!”

Brief Synopsis: In case anyone was wondering how Old MacDonald got his farm, it all started with too much mowing.  Old MacDonald’s solution? Get a goat.  But the goat only ate the edges and then chewed a hole in MacDonald’s hedges.  Luckily, a smart little red hen came along and taught Old MacDonald a thing or two about sustainable farming 🙂

Links To Resources: Do The Rot Thing: A Teacher’s Guide To Compost Activities, all about Worms, Recycling and Composting, How To Plant Seeds With Kids

Why I Like This Book:  I always love new twists on familiar stories.  Judy Sierra has taken Old MacDonald to a whole new level.  The story is humorous (and so is the art – be sure to read the hen’s diplomas and all the picket signs :)) and young readers will learn about composting and growing a garden right along with Old MacDonald.  This is a great story for spring, and a wonderfully fun way to introduce kids to the concept of green farming.

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

PPBF peeps, please leave your post-specific links in the we’re-using-this-linky-list-for-the-time-being-until-I-think-of-something-better list below so we can all come see what fabulous books you’ve chosen this week!

And everyone: whether you have a book to add to the list or not, you must click the “click here” link to see the list!!!

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Have a great weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Big Friends

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Good Morning, my friends!

I guess the title of this post should be Perfect Picture Book Sunday since I’m so far behind.  I sincerely apologize!

I was waiting on a google form to try out a new way of doing the PPBF links, and then I fell ill… which I REALLY try not to do but occasionally even I can’t avoid it apparently – I thought my magical powers were stronger than that.  I must not have had enough chocolate last week 🙂

So anyway, here I am, late, still without the google form, but I’ll add in all the links I know about at the bottom for you, and anyone I’ve missed can try out the linky list for this week.  And I thank everyone who so kindly and sweetly emailed or FB messaged me to ask if I was okay.  It’s one of the loveliest things about this kidlit community – how genuinely everyone cares!  I was really touched ❤

Big Friends

Title: Big Friends

Written By: Linda Sarah

Illustrated By: Benji Davies

Henry Holt & Co, January 2016, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: friendship, loneliness, imagination, play

Opening: “Two cardboard boxes, big enough to sit in, hide inside.  Birt and Etho take them out each day, climb Sudden Hill, and sit in them.

Sometimes they’re kings, soldiers, astronauts.  Sometimes they’re pirates sailing wild seas and skies.”

Brief Synopsis: (From the jacket copy) “Birt and Etho are best friends. Together they play outside in big cardboard boxes. Sometimes they’re kings, soldiers, astronauts. Sometimes they’re pirates sailing wild seas and skies. But always, always they’re Big friends. Then one day a new boy arrives, and he wants to join them. Can two become three?”

Links To Resources: 31 Things To Do With  A Cardboard Box (yes it’s a Buzzfeed link, but there are photos and how-to tutorials for all 31 and they’re so much fun!!!); 101 Things To Do With A Cardboard Box (never mind 31! :)); Make Your Own Friendship Bracelets (video tutorial)

Why I Like This Book: This is a lovely book, filled with the friendship and imaginative play of two boys who get along and understand each other… until a third boy shows up and threatens the balance not because he’s difficult or unpleasant – quite the opposite – but because he’s new and changes the dynamic.  It’s a story about struggling to incorporate someone new without losing the old.  It is not sentimental or sappy in any way, but I promise you will say “Aw!” on the last page 🙂  It’s an important story because integrating new friendships is a skill and a struggle that every child faces at some point.  The pull toward someone new and fun that calls to one member of a friendship, the jealously that threatens the other… or sometimes just the fear that things will change, a true friend will be lost, the friendship will not be the same.  Don’t miss this one!

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

Here are this week’s links that I know about:

  1. The Remarkable Story Of George Moses Horton
  2. The Rooster Prince Of Breslov
  3. Grandfather Twilight
  4. The Queen’s Hat
  5. Maya’s Blanket – La Manta De Maya
  6. Frankencrayon
  7. An Insider’s Guide To Football
  8. Delivering Justice

 

PPBF bloggers whose links I didn’t have, please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!  If you want to see the list, even if you’re not entering a link of your own, you have to use the “Click Here” button below.

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And, since this post is late, I hope everyone is all ready to go for the Valentiny Contest which opens tomorrow (see HERE for guidelines and HERE for prize list update), and for which I will hopefully get my sample written today!!!  I am so excited for this contest.  I think it’s going to be tons of fun with all the amazing prizes!

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

Today is one of those days I love.  Not only do I get to share a truly delightful picture book, it happens to be by an author whose friendship I value and whose work I am already a fan of.  AND I got to read an advance copy, which means it’s like a secret – practically no one else has gotten to read it yet.  I’m like a member of a super special secret club!  Maybe we should have a secret handshake… Ooh! or a password…! but I digress… 🙂

Come on!  Quick!  You’re going to love this one! 🙂

Title: Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep

Written By: Robin Newman

Illustrated By: Chris Ewald

Creston Books, Fiction, April 12, 2016

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: problem solving, communication, fractured nursery rhyme/fairy tale, humor

Opening: “There’s a little-known secret about Hildie Bitterpickles.  She needs her sleep.

Every night Hildie brushes her teeth, puts away her spell book, and goes to bed with her cat, Clawdia.

Until the night when Hildie’s quiet neighborhood changed.

Someone moved in next door.  A very loud someone.”

Brief Synopsis: What’s a desperate-to-sleep witch to do when an elevator-clanking giant, an old woman with a shoe full of noisy children, and a roof-blowing big bad wolf move into her previously quiet neighborhood? Checking the real estate listings and moving seems like the answer, until she learns that a little communication can go a long way and it’s better to deal with your problems than run from them.

Links To Resources: Fabulous Teacher’s Guide!; discuss with your kids or students what things might bother them while they’re trying to fall asleep or do other activities and how they might constructively cope with those annoyances

Why I Like This Book: First off, Hildie Bitterpickles and Clawdia!  Who could possibly not want to read about characters with names like that? 🙂  The story is tons of fun.  Poor Hildie gets grumpier and grumpier and more and more discouraged, until she comes full circle back to a very familiar spot.  She learns an important lesson (in a not-at-all-preachy way!) about the importance of facing problems rather than running from them.  And she comes up with some clever solutions that solve problems for everyone.  Plus there is a whole spread in the middle showing a page from The Daily Witch that will tickle your funny bone 🙂  Favorite line in the book?  When the wolf says, “My specialty is demolition, but I could give repair work a try.” 🙂  Appealing art in soft fairy tale colors for daytime and rich night-time hues round out the book perfectly.  Pre-order your copy, encourage your local library to do so as well, and/or write a really great Valentiny Contest story and possibly win a signed copy! 🙂

 

And if perchance you missed the trailer where it was posted on the Valentiny Contest prize page, check it out!

Click HERE for the complete list of Perfect Picture Books (and by complete, I mean seriously behind but undergoing updating so eventually it will be complete! 🙂 )

 

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!  And keep a weather eye on the… well… on the weather, since the most important weather prediction day of the year is coming up next week!  You all know what day THAT is… 🙂

PPBF bloggers… sorry!  I still haven’t figured out how to get a link list up here, so hop over to the old blog and add your link to that list if you don’t mind.

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Complete Adventures Of Big Dog And Little Dog

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Woo-hoo!  It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!

I’m sure you’ll all be thrilled to know that I’m in a mad rush today, which means I shall attempt brevity (stop laughing – I can hear you!), which means a quicker than usual read for you 🙂

Just a quick note – I still haven’t solved the link list problem here, so this post with the  PPBF link list is also located at my old blog today.

Title: The Complete Adventures Of Big Dog And Little Dog

Written & Illustrated By: Dav Pilkey

Harcourt, June 2003, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: publisher says 4-8, I’d say 3-6

Themes/Topics: friendship, humor

Opening: “Big Dog and Little Dog are hungry.  Big Dog and Little Dog want food.”

Brief Synopsis: (from the jacket) “Big Dog is ready for some fun!  Little Dog is ready too.  Join these irresistible puppy pals on five zippy adventures, together for the first time in one cozy picture book collection.”

Links To Resources: activities to help teach opposites, opposites worksheets, friendship activities

Why I Like This Book: You may be familiar with Dav Pilkey from The Stupids or Captain Underpants.  This is a different side of him – simple and sweet with gentle humor.  These two dog friends do everything together (including get in trouble!) and always look out for each other.  These five stories were originally published separately but are now all together in one book which gives them the feel of George And Martha or Frog And Toad, but with a lot less text.  Simple and fun, I know from experience that these stories appeal to very young readers.  And also, as many of you may have figured out, I like dogs 🙂

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

So there you have it!  Wasn’t that the shortest post ever?

PPBF bloggers, please leave your links in the comments below if you like and I’ll try to find time to add them to this post.  Or pop over to the old blog and leave your link there!

Oh, but one more thing before we all go off to enjoy everyone else’s PPBF picks and our weekends!  Due to the incredible generosity of the people in the kidlit community, the prizes for the Valentiny Contest are rolling in!  So be sure and check the contest post for updates – the prizes will knock your socks off and you will definitely want to work on your entries this weekend as a result!

Have a great weekend, everyone!