Category: Perfect Picture Book Fridays

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 🙂 )

choc bunny

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

sloth:cheetah

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.

owl:panda

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:

IMG_0755

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!

 

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Lemonade In Winter

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It’s Friday, everyone, and you know what that means!

Perfect Picture Books! 🙂

I’m posting today’s Perfect Picture Book here, but I have a confession to make: I have not figured out how to get a link list on WordPress.  Actually, I’m told it can’t be done because of WordPress security issues.  So that’s a bit of a conundrum.  I rely on the link list for Perfect Picture Book Friday (also for my writing contests, but that’s another story…)

So that raises the question can I actually blog on WordPress?  The answer might be sadly no.  Option B is that I have to think up a new way to run PPBF and my contests… which I might be able to do… but I am definitely open to suggestions if anyone has any bright ideas!

Meanwhile, I will post here for today, and also on my old Blogger blog which WILL have the list where you can add your link as usual. http://susannahill.blogspot.com/  What I can try to do is, if you put your PPBF link in the comments, I might be able to edit this post to include your links – or I can try lifting them off Blogger – but that is an extra step which I unfortunately won’t have time for until later in the day…  Not an ideal solution…

Meanwhile, I have the Perfect Picture Book for a winter day 🙂  I especially love it because it reminds of when my kids did a very similar thing – set up a lemonade stand on the corner of a completely untraveled country road, certain they would make their fortune and with no inkling that they had no hope of a single customer.  (Of course, I couldn’t bear for them to be out there waiting so hopefully only to get crushed with disappointment, so I made some phone calls to make sure at least a few cars came along full of thirsty passengers 🙂

Lemonade

Title: Lemonade In Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money

Written By: Emily Jenkins

Illustrated By: G. Brian Karas

Schwartz & Wade, September 2012, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-7

Themes/Topics: math/money, cooperation, hope, entrepreneurship

Opening: “An empty street.

Outside, a mean wind blows.

Icicles hang from the windowsills.

Inside, Pauline presses her nose to the frosted glass.

“I know!” she says.

“Let’s have a lemonade stand.“”

Brief Synopsis: Undeterred by the wintry weather, Pauline and her little brother John-John gather up all their quarters, buy supplies, and set up a lemonade stand.  Alas, customers are few and far between, forcing Pauline and John-John to be creative to try to increase sales.  In spite of their best efforts, they spend more than they earn… but they earn enough for something that pleases them both.

Links To Resources: the book itself is a resource in terms of showing creative business management 🙂 – Pauline and John-John try advertising, sales, decorations, and entertainment.  It also shows money and math in action, and there is back matter in which “Pauline Explains Money To John-John.”  Ask your child or students to think up their own business ideas.  What would they sell?  How would they go about it?  What supplies would they need?  How much would they need to charge and how much would they need to earn to make their business a success?

Why I Like This Book: This book is so cute, and so completely believably child-like!  Only kids, full of hope and belief in themselves and their abilities, would set up a lemonade stand in a howling snowstorm on a mostly deserted street 🙂  In spite of the poor odds, they’re determined to make their business a success and come up with all kinds of creative ideas.  Unfortunately in the end they learn a hard lesson about business… but at least something good comes of it (which I hate to give away, but it’s so cute I have to tell you – they lose money, but have enough for two popsicles – the perfect treat in a snowstorm, apparently :))

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

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

(And at some point tomorrow, Sunday or Monday, I will post the promised new writing contest guidelines!  I’m trying desperately to scrounge up some prizes for you! :))

Perfect Picture Books for Friday January 15, 2016

1. This Is NOT A Pumpkin

2. Lincoln Tells A Joke: How Laughter Saved The President (And The Country)

3. Shmulik Paints The Town

4. Mango, Abuela And Me (on Miss Marple’s Musings)

5. Bowls Of Happiness

6. On The Train

7. Mango, Abuela And Me (on Children’s Books Heal)

8. What Does It Mean To Be Kind?

9. One Family

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Almost Terrible Playdate

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This is so exciting!  It’s the first Perfect Picture Book Friday of 2016!

(Because I know you guys are a bunch of wild revelers and would have been too tired on January 1st to appreciate PPBF 🙂  Really.  That’s the reason.  I was thinking of you.  It had nothing whatever to do with the fact that I spent the holidays not working :))

Woo hoo!

Just think of all the terrific books we’re going to read and share this year!

And my pick for today is one that none of you have read or probably even heard of because it’s not out yet! 🙂  You’ll just have to drool with anticipation until February 16! 🙂

Before we get to it, though, one quick housekeeping note!

As I mentioned Wednesday, I’m about to have a brand new website and blog!  Actually, I kind of already do – it’s up!  Which, if you’re reading this on wordpress you know because you’re here 🙂 We’re just still working out a few kinks…  so don’t be shocked or horrified if you see a typo or something looks a little off kilter (but do please let me know! 🙂 )  I hope you like it as much as I do!

For now, I’m posting blog posts on blogger and wordpress, but I’m hoping to switch to only wordpress by next week… I just don’t want to leave anyone behind *sniff sniff*  That would be so sad!  So please add the new blog ( https://susannahill.com/blog/ ) to your reader, or sign up to follow it by email, or whatever system works for you so you don’t miss any of the fun and I don’t miss you!  I’m looking forward to a new year full of high jinx and shenanigans serious writerly pursuits 🙂 – among other things very possibly including a writing contest in about 3 weeks, judging by the poll response so far from Wednesday (if you haven’t voted, please go HERE so you can express your opinion :)) so PLEASE!  Come along! 🙂  Remember… I have chocolate… not that I’m trying to bribe you or anything… 🙂

So I hope everyone is flocking over here and dragging all their friends and relations along to join the fun and now let’s get to this fabulous book already!

Title: The Almost Terrible Playdate

Written & Illustrated By: Richard Torrey

Doubleday Books For Young Readers, February 16, 2016, Fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-7

Themes/Topics: friendship, compromise, getting along, imagination

Opening: “What do you want to play?”

“What do you want to play?”

“How about I’m the queen of the universe and my doll, Pippy, is my sister queen, and you visit my castle?”

“Or how about I’m the giantest dinosaur ever and you’re a dinosaur too – but not the giantest – and we stomp around smashing stuff?”

Brief Synopsis: A girl and a boy with active imaginations each have very different ideas about what makes a fun game.  Will the afternoon end with two kids playing alone on opposite sides of the room, or will they find something that is fun for both of them?

Links To Resources: Class Compromise Activity for grades 3, 4 & 5 – Planning A Class Party; let your child or student draw a picture of what they think would be a fun game to play; discuss the meaning of compromise and the importance of getting along – what would happen if everyone insisted on getting his/her own way?  Give examples of situations where people might have to compromise and have kids discuss how it could be handled, for example if one child wants to go to the zoo and the other wants to go to the playground, or how to plan a family picnic that will be fun for a variety of interests, etc.

Why I Like This Book: First of all, how fun is it that I got to read this book and share it with you when it’s not even out yet?!  🙂  This is a delightful story, told completely through dialogue and illustration (a good mentor text for writers who are working on similar stories.)  The writing is spare and there is no written narrative – it’s all a conversation.  The girl is completely sure that her idea is best, her game the most fun…and not surprisingly it gives her the starring role.  The boy is equally convinced that his totally different idea is best, his game the most fun…and not surprisingly it gives him the starring role 🙂  Anyone who has ever spent time around kids will recognize this dynamic.  The children’s imaginative descriptions grow more and more elaborate as they try to convince each other, but it is not to be.  Before long the girl is playing her game, and the boy is playing his.  But they are side by side… sneaking glances at each other… ultimately unable to resist their curiosity about each other’s games and the allure of having someone to play with, not just next to.  The resolution is just right – very believable – and brings young readers full circle.  But one of the best things about this book is the art!  Childlike crayon drawings depicting the imagined games – SO much fun, and not to be missed!

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

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you! (Which will hopefully appear… I haven’t tried this on wordpress yet…)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  And don’t forget (hopefully I won’t forget! :)) that we’re going to have a special blog post on Monday to vote for all the best Would You Read It pitches from September, October and November!

 

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Oskar And The Eight Blessings

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Hey there!

Surprised to see me?

After last week’s debacle…???

I still can’t believe I forgot to post last Friday!  I’m so sorry!  There I was, all caught up in family and leftover pie, and I never even realized it was Friday until it was suddenly Saturday and I hadn’t posted!  Any of you who had a Perfect Picture Book last week are welcome to add that link to today’s link list in addition to your titles for today!

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that this will be the last official Perfect Picture Book post for 2015, as the next few Fridays will be taken up with the Holiday Contest and then the holidays themselves.  So I’ll meet you back here for the next PPBF on Friday January 8, 2016!!!

Now then, I hope you will all enjoy the today’s story.  I think it’s beautifully done, and has much to offer young readers!

Title: Oskar And The Eight Blessings
Written By: Richard Simon and Tanya Simon
Illustrated By: Mark Siegel
Roaring Brook Press, September 2015, Fiction (with some fact)

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: Hanukkah, kindness/compassion, looking for the good

Opening: This is an unusual picture book.  It has what could almost be called a prologue before the actual story starts – a set up to explain why Oskar happened to be traveling alone to New York City in December 1938 – with the text in italics and the illustrations on a black background.
Opening of the book: “Oskar’s mother and father believed in the power of blessings.  So did Oskar…until the Night of Broken Glass.”
Opening of the story: “Oskar arrived in New York on the seventh day of Hanukkah.  It was also Christmas Eve.  He knew his Aunt Esther would be lighting the menorah at sunset. To reach her before the sun went down Oskar would have to walk over a hundred blocks on the avenue called Broadway.”

Brief Synopsis: Oskar is a refugee, seeking sanctuary from the horrors of Kristallnacht.  He arrives in New York City with nothing but a photograph and an address for an aunt he has never met. It is both the seventh day of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve, 1938. As Oskar walks the length of Manhattan, he views the city’s many holiday sights, and encounters various people. Each offers Oskar a small act of kindness, welcoming him to the city and helping him on his way to a new life in the new world, and proving the truth of his father’s last words to him: “Oskar, even in bad times, people can be good. You have to look for the blessings.“

Links To Resources: The book is a resource unto itself.  An author’s note details the origin of the story and the historical accuracies, including the presence of both Count Basie and Eleanor Roosevelt in New York City on Christmas Eve 1938.  There is also a map of Manhattan, showing Oskar’s route from the ship to his Aunt’s house with some of New York City’s well-known landmarks.  Older children/students can discuss Kristallnacht and the holocaust.  All children/students can discuss the power of kindness and think about what small acts of kindness they might be able to perform during the holidays and all year round.

Why I Like This Book:  This story tackles a difficult subject in an accessible, child-friendly way, and it reminds us of the true meaning of the holidays with its emphasis on compassion and human kindness, looking for the blessings in life even when times are hard – lessons that should not be reserved for the holidays, but carried with us throughout the year.  The art has the feel of an old photograph album, like pictures your grandparents might have shown you.  The inclusion of historical fact makes the story feel believable even though it’s mostly fiction.  Though on some levels a more serious holiday title, the story is uplifting, and the ending emotional.  A wonderful addition to any library!

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

Now then, before we all go off for our weekend of fun, I want to remind everyone that the Holiday Contest opens on Monday!!!  Whoopee!!!  Think of all the stories we have to look forward to!  Think how much fun it will be to read them ourselves and share them with our children and students!  I can’t wait!

except for the teensy weensy difficulty of not having an inkling of what I will post for a sample…

Polish up those drafts!  Put the finishing touches on your masterpieces!  There are some pretty great prizes on offer!

PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  See you Monday for the Holiday Contest extravaganza!!!

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