Category: Perfect Picture Book Fridays

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Neville

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Golly gee willikers!  We have just been so busy this week!  Today, in addition to PPBF, I also have the pleasure of announcing the February Pitch Winner.  And knowing me, I’ll think of a few other things…  But you know the rules 🙂  PPB first!

Neville
Written By: Norton Juster
Illustrated By: G. Brian Karas
Schwartz & Wade, October 2011, Fiction

Suitable For: ages 4-8

Themes/Topics: moving, making new friends

Opening: “The big gray van pulled away from the curb, moved slowly down the street, and disappeared around the corner.  Now it was quiet, and there he was, where he really didn’t want to be.”

Brief Synopsis: (from Amazon’s book description): “This is a simply told story about a boy who moves to a new neighborhood and finds a unique way to make friends.”

Links To Resources:  Although this book has been out for 6 months, I was not able to find any online resources.  I was surprised.  (Granted I was cross-eyed tired when I looked and may have missed something – feel free to point it out if you know of any!)  So.  This book would make a good jumping off point for a discussion about either being “the new kid” or being kind to someone else who is.  How can one meet people and make friends?  Alternatively, how can one help others feel welcome?  It would be equally good for discussions about moving. What are some hard things about moving?  What are some good things?  A child who is moving to a new home could make a keepsake book to remind him of the home he’s leaving behind.

Why I Like This Book:  This is a simple story, but so nicely told that you feel the boy’s emotions perfectly, from sadness and loneliness to hope to contentment.  I like the fact that he goes out and tries to make friends – he doesn’t just sit home and mope, he takes positive action in spite of his feelings.  This is one clever boy.  He finds a very innovative way to make friends, and it works like a charm.  I bet the ending surprises a lot of kids 🙂  I love the line where he says, “People always say you’ll love something when they know you won’t” – something a kid would say!

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

Now, before I get to the Pitch Winner :), I knew I’d think of other things!  I forgot to mention on Wednesday that I was interviewed on Kai Strand’s blog.  I posted it on FB and a few of you lovely people visited and commented, but I wanted to mention it here too because Kai was so nice to have me and I don’t want her to be disappointed at the turn-out!  So if you have a moment, and you need something to do, and you want to hear about my childhood 🙂 hop on over to Kai’s.  (BTW, Kai keeps an eye out for other authors who might want to participate in her Three Times A Charm interviews, so some of you might like a turn!)

Also, sources close to the hog have indicated that Phyllis has arrived in California!!! and we should be hearing from her Florida any time now… maybe in time for Monday! Wouldn’t that be exciting!  Phyllis is especially happy to be on tour since today, at a school visit, someone mistook her for a chipmunk!  (Sometimes I wonder if kids go outside enough to see animals!  A chipmunk?  Really? :))

Okay.  Enough with the stalling 🙂  The February Pitch Winner, whose Pitch has been sent to editor Erin Molta for critique and comments is….

Sharron

Congratulations, Sharron!  And congratulations to everyone who bravely put forth their pitches for critique.  I hope you all got some valuable and helpful feedback so that even if you didn’t win a read by Erin you still gained from the experience!  Thank you all for participating and, judging by the voting results, everyone had a tough choice – three people were fairly close in the running so you all must have done a good job!!!

PPB bloggers, please leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit 🙂  Have a great weekend, everyone, and we’ll meet back here Monday for a new Oh Susanna question, and maybe Straight From The Editor and maybe a report from Phyllis 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Z Is For Moose

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I’m so excited that it’s Perfect Picture Book Friday because this week I found a brand new book that is so good I can’t wait to share it with you!

(As we have not yet settled on an official PPBF snack, grab your cheesecake, popcorn, milk and cookies, or fruit inspired treat and get ready:))

I don’t know about you, but for me, there are some books I love because I loved them as a child, and some I love because I loved them with my children.  There are some I like that end up growing into love.  But of the many, many picture books I read, there aren’t a lot that grab me from the first read and make me want to tell everyone I know about them.  Today’s book is one of those books.  I was genuinely delighted when I read it, and afterwards all I could think was man! I wish I’d thought of that and written that book!!! 🙂

Are you ready?  Here it is 🙂

Z Is For Moose
Written By: Kelly Bingham
Illustrated By: Paul O. Zelinsky
Greenwillow Books, 2012, Fiction

Suitable For: ages 3-7

Themes/Topics: alphabet, friendship, humor, patience, problem solving

Opening: “A is for Apple.  B is for Ball.  C is for Cat.  D is for Moose.  “Moose? No. Moose does not start with D.  You are on the wrong page.”

Brief Synopsis:  (from the book summary) “Moose, terribly eager to play his part in the alphabet book his friend Zebra is putting together, behaves rather badly until Zebra finds a spot for him.”

Links To Resources: This book was released on February 28 (I told you it was brand new!) and try as I might, I couldn’t find any activities online!  No coloring pages or anything – nothing on Kelly’s or Paul’s sites.  So here are a few other things to try: Alphabet Activities, More Alphabet Activities, How To Draw A Moose, How To Draw A Zebra, have kids “direct” their own alphabet book – what would they choose to illustrate each letter?  Now have them do the illustrations!

Why I Like This Book:  Well, it’s just perfect!  It’s so simple, yet so fun!  It starts out as you’d expect an alphabet book to – A is for Apple.  But by the D page things have already turned topsy-turvy.  D is not for moose!  But Moose is so eager to get involved he can’t wait (and what child can’t relate to that?!)  On the E, F and subsequent pages he wonders, now? now?  He bumps into Elephant,  He sneaks in around the edges.  He runs along the label of the jam jar.  K.  L.  And at last, M!!!  But Moose is in for a rude surprise… followed by angry Moose…. followed by sad Moose… until in the end, Zebra finds a way to make it right, leaving Moose so delighted that on the end papers he begs, “Can we do it again?”  The story plays on the alphabet’s predictability/familiarity by going in an unexpected direction.  The art is absolutely fabulous, chock full of humorous detail, making the most of every opportunity for fun.  Do you want to know how much I love this book?  I am buying a copy for my granddaughter!

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

As you all know, as a small thank you to all of you who work so hard on Perfect Picture Books, I randomly pick a winner from the PPB bloggers each month to receive a prize – you get one entry for every book you add in the month.  November’s winner was Stacy, December’s winner was Clar, and January’s was Miranda.  This month 32 bloggers added 112 books (not counting me)!  Thanks to the wonder that is random.org I am happy to announce this month’s winner is Jackie C of The Castle Library!  Jackie, please email me (handy button in sidebar) and let me know which prize you’d like.  I always have a random mixed bag of goodies lying around which changes from month to month… this month’s choice is hmmm…. you probably don’t want raccoon nest material… or those old socks… Here!  How about one of the following: a copy of Ann Whitford Paul’s book Writing Picture Books, or a copy of Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter’s book Spilling Ink, or a copy of The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, or a signed copy of April Fool, Phyllis! from yours truly.  Your pick!

Perfect Picture Book bloggers, please remember to add your post-specific link to the list below, and I hope you’ll all join me on Monday for the February Pitch Pick – it promises to be a good one!  Have a great weekend! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Top Job

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I love Perfect Picture Book Fridays!  The only hard part is choosing just one book to share each week when there are usually about 50 I’d like to add to the list! 🙂

Before we get to today’s choice though, I think we need to have a serious discussion about the Official Perfect Picture Book Snack.  Something Chocolate has already been taken for Would You Read It Wednesdays, so put on your thinking caps boys and girls, and let’s come up with something scrumptious! 🙂  Because I’m a mite peckish!  The comment section is open for suggestion….

But back to PPBF….  I love books that turn out to be something you didn’t expect.  I love getting to the end and thinking to myself, “Wow, that author was clever!”  I love books that I like better every time I read them.  And that is just the kind of book I’m sharing today!

The Top Job
Written By: Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Illustrated By: Robert Neubecker
Dutton Juvenile, July 2007, Fiction based on fact

Suitable For: ages 5-8

Theme/Topic: Careers, Standing up for yourself, Coping with rudeness and bragging.

Opening:  “On Career Day, Mrs. Feeny asked her students to stand up in class and talk about their parents’ jobs.  Emma Sweetpaw said her dad was a UFO hunter.  She said he used a two-ton telescope to search the sky for flying saucers and a giant satellite to receive alien transmissions.”

Brief Synopsis:  One by one, the students stand up and brag about what their parents do – a UFO hunter, a jeweler, a NASCAR driver.  When it’s the narrator’s turn, she says her dad changes light bulbs, which seems pretty tame compared to what everyone else does… until she reveals which lightbulbs!

Links To Resources:  Careers (grades K-5),  Careers (grades 6-8) (these are both link lists to info on all kinds of careers), Amazing Facts About The Empire State Building, Fun Facts About The Empire State Building

Why I Like This Book:  What kid wouldn’t love to have a parent with a really cool and unusual job?  This book is set up very cleverly.  The first few kids to introduce their parents careers all brag – their parents are UFO hunters, jewelers, and NASCAR drivers.  Pretty hard to top!  When it’s the narrator’s turn, she sets them up, saying her dad changes light bulbs.  Of course they make fun… until they find out where the light bulbs are.  The pacing is great, letting the reader discover a page at a time that all isn’t exactly as it seems.  I also love that the story is based on fact – someone really does have to change those light bulbs and it’s a pretty tricky job!  This book offers a great deal of information about a little-known job as well as a great opportunity to talk about all the different careers that are open to kids when they grow up.  It’s interesting, educational, clever, and fun!

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

In other news, I wanted to share the Reach Out And Read report with you but I don’t have the pictures yet, so I’m going to save that for next week.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Perfect Picture Books everyone else chooses today – it’s always so much fun!  And then we all have tons of great new choices for the weekend – to read to our kids, plan upcoming lessons, or to learn from as writers!  What could be more fun than that?  Please post your Perfect Picture Book link below and have a great weekend!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Monster Returns

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Oh, boy, do we have fun in store today!

But you know the rules – Perfect Picture Book first, other stuff after 🙂  So let’s start with the book!  Today’s choice is by one of my favorite author/illustrators.  Don’t be surprised if some of his other books show up on PPBFs in the future 🙂

The Monster Returns
Written and Illustrated By: Peter McCarty
Henry Holt & Co., January 2012, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 3-7

Themes/Topics: art, friendship, imagination, surprises

Opening:  “One beautiful day, Jeremy was up in his room.  Jeremy didn’t like to be disturbed when he was drawing.”

Brief Synopsis:  (From the jacket copy) “Jeremy thought he’d seen the last of his monster when he sent him away with a one-way bus ticket.  But suddenly the phone rings… The monster has returned!”

Links To Resources: Mad Monster Activity, Monster Songs and Poems, have kids draw their own monsters or make them out of whatever craft materials you have to hand!

Why I Like This Book:  This is a sequel to Jeremy Draws A Monster (also excellent!)  Jeremy is perhaps a little too inclined to spend time on his own drawing, and this book shows both that it’s okay to spend time alone being creative and that it’s nice to have friends to do things with.  Jeremy is imaginative and resourceful in dealing with the monster.  The end is a fun surprise where the monster’s intent turns out to be different than the reader might have expected, with the message that everyone needs friends – even monsters 🙂  The art is simple and engaging with plenty of white space to draw your eye to the monster 🙂

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

Before we get to the fun part (announcing the winner of the Valentines Day Writing Contest!) just a little business about Perfect Picture Books.

A few stats:

– This is PPBs 14th week.
– 37 Bloggers are participating, of which 25 have contributed at least 4 books and 5 besides me have contributed every week since the beginning.  (Also 1 has contributed 12, and 2 have done 11, so we have some very dedicated PPB bloggers! :))
– There are 245 books on the list before today’s go up.
– They fall across 145 categories/subjects/themes.
– With possibly one exception, every single one posted has resources!

So thank you all for your fantastic work.  We are building a great resource here for parents, teachers, home schoolers, writers, and gift-givers!  That said, I think we have enough of a list going now that we should all be talking this up to everyone we know who might find the resource useful – it’s only really great if people are actually  benefitting from it.  So I encourage you all to spread the word in whatever capacity you can.  Tracy (known to many of you as A2ZMommy) is writing a review about it for her local news site today!  You can read it HERE.

Since some bloggers are new to PPBFs, and some people may need a refresher, I’d just like to take a second to remind you all of a few key things:
1.  Please check the list on the Perfect Picture Book tab before you choose a book to post.  I try hard to keep it updated.  If I’m behind, it’s usually only by the previous week’s list, so check that too.  We are trying to avoid multiple postings of the same book.

2.  When you add your link to the list, please add the post-specific link (not the general link to your blog.)  It doesn’t matter that much for the actual day of posting, but for anyone who comes along afterwards, your link then links to whatever the next post you did was – not the PPB.  And for me going along updating, I then have to search for the post and get the right link for the archive page.

3.  Please only post favorite books WITH RESOURCES!  The resources are what set our list apart from many others.  The resources can be links online or things you make up, but there must be something that people can use to expand their use of the book.  Books without resources will NOT be added to the master list.

4.  Please follow the PPB format (available at the bottom of the Perfect Picture Book tab) as closely as possible.  This allows for consistency across blogs, making it easy for people using the list to find the information they want.

5.  Please make sure to post themes, age appropriateness, and fiction or non-fiction clearly.  It’s a lot of work updating the list, and if I have not read the book, I can’t guess where it’s supposed to fit or how to archive it.

Thank you so much for your attention to these details.  I’m sure it seems nit-picky, but it’s really about making the list as useful as possible and preserving my sanity in trying to keep it up-to-date 🙂

NOW.  AT LAST.  THE MOMENT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!

Who won the Valentine Contest?

Oh, wait.  I think I hear my doorbell.  I’ll be right back….

JK 🙂

Once again, I’d like to thank everyone for their terrific entries.  Many of us readers are writers.  We know how hard it is to put your work out there.  And we appreciate your bravery.  All the entries were worthy and fun to read, and I wish you could all win!

But I don’t have that many prizes…. unless you want raccoon nest material?  I think there’s some of that in the garage…

It was a closely contested race – the most competitive of any of the contests so far.  But eventually, someone pulled ahead and stayed there.  So, without further ado, the voters have spoken, and the winner of our Valentine Contest is:

PENNY!!!!! with Frankenstein Valentine!!!!!

Congratulations, Penny!  This is the second time you have won a contest here.  You may have a future as a writer 🙂  You get your pick of Ann Whitford Paul’s book, or a picture book ms critique from me.  Let me know via email what your choice is!

2nd Place goes to Erik for Love Has No Point.  He gets a copy of Spilling Ink (if he doesn’t already have it :))

3rd Place goes to Vivian for Whom Do I Love?  She gets our admiration for being 3rd out of 30 entries 🙂

Thanks again to everyone for making the contest such a success!

Now have a great weekend, and PPB bloggers, please remember to add you post-specific link to the list below, which I will hopefully remember to attach this week! 🙂  OH!  And remember our awesome interview which will take place on Sunday with Donna Farrell, website and blog designer for children’s authors and illustrators!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Slugs In Love

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You know, I just LOVE Perfect Picture Book Friday!  All week I’ve been downright tingly with excitement because I’m going to share arguably one of the best love stories ever.  Are you ready?  It involves slugs.  What’s not to love? 🙂

Slugs In Love
Written By: Susan Pearson
Illustrated By: Kevin O’Malley
Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books, November 2006, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: love, friendship, perseverance, humor, Valentines Day
Opening:  “Marylou loved everything about Herbie – how his slime trail glistened in the dark, how he could stretch himself thin to squeeze inside the cellar window, how he always found the juiciest tomato.  Though she never spoke a single word to him – she was too shy – she thought about Herbie every morning and every night and most of the hours in between.


On Monday, while she grazed in the strawberry patch, Herbie filled her mind and a love poem filled her heart.  She wrote it in slime on the watering can.”

Brief Synopsis:  (From Publishers Weekly) “Herbie keeps finding Marylou’s poems, etched in slug slime and full of devotion, but Marylou keeps missing the longing letters he writes in return.  While she watches his every move, he can’t find anyone who knows where she is so he can meet her.”  How will the “slime-crossed” lovers ever meet?

Links To Resources:  Cool Facts About Slugs, Doorknob Valentine, Finger Puppet Valentine – (and with a little ingenuity, the last two could incorporate slugs! :))  Kids could make up their own poems like Herbie and Marylou.

Why I Like This Book:  It’s sweet and it’s funny.  It’s maybe not technically a Valentines Day book (as in, it’s not about Valentines Day) it is about love/friendship on a level that I think kids can relate to.  Because Marylou and Herbie can’t seem to connect, there’s the added fun of rooting for the heroes. And the art complements the story perfectly.  It’s so wonderful – really, I think it takes a genius to make slugs look so expressive 🙂

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

Now then.  I hope you’re all geared up for our Valentines Day Contest which opens tomorrow!  Having spent some time (I’m not saying days, but, seriously, days!) trying to come up with my sample entry, I am deeply regretting setting the 150 word limit.  Kudos to any of you who pull it off!  After extensive MERCILESS cutting mine is only down to 178.  I realize that I tend to the verbose, so maybe no one else is having a problem.  But if you’re struggling, I’ve decided to up the word limit to 200.  Because it’s Valentines Day and all about sharing the love, right? 🙂  So a little recap on the contest guidelines:

A children’s story, poetry or prose, maximum 200 words, about unlikely Valentines, posted on your blog (or in the comment section of mine) between Saturday February 11 and Monday February 13 at 5 PM EST.  Add your entry-specific link to the link list on my blog so we can all come read your entries!  There will be no new post on Monday so the link list will stay up.  Instead, I will have a hitherto unheard of Tuesday post to celebrate Valentines Day, and that post will list 3 finalists (or possibly a couple more – you know how bad I am at choosing :)) for you all to vote on.  The winner will be announced on Friday February 17 and will receive his/her choice of a copy of Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide From Story Creation To Publication or a picture book ms critique from yours truly.

See you tomorrow with Valentines stories.  I can’t wait to read yours and I sincerely hope there will be more than one entry 🙂

And now, since I forgot last night – SO SORRY everyone, please blame the fever 🙂 – here is the link list for this weeks Perfect Picture Books.

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Shark Vs. Train And A Few Extras! (Including A New Contest!)

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WOW do I have lots to share with you today!  I’m going to try very hard to be concise… we’ll see how I do 🙂  Let’s start with the Perfect Picture Book! (But definitely read to the bottom because there’s good stuff down there!!!)

As I mentioned briefly in Wednesday’s post, I’m very interested in adding another category to the Perfect Picture Book List – Best Books For Boys – because of the amount of discussion I’ve been involved with recently over getting boys engaged in reading.  So I bumped another book so I could post this one today:)

Shark Vs. Train
Written By: Chris Barton
Illustrated By: Tom Lichtenheld
Little Brown Books For Young Readers, April 2010, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Topics/Themes: Humor, Imagination, Play
Opening: “Who will win?  Well, that depends on if they’re… in the ocean… or on railroad tracks.”
Brief Synopsis: (from SLJ starred review) “When a boy with a toy shark faces a train-wielding companion, it sets off a series of imaginative and very funny contests between fish and machine.  The result of each battle depends on the setting.”

Links To Resources:  Downloadable Shark Vs. Train poster and activity sheets, Shark Vs. Train Activity Guide.  Challenge kids to pull out their own two toys for a competition and see who they think will win at what.

Why I Like This Book:  It’s fun!  The reader sees two boys pulling toys from a toy chest before there are even any words.  One gets a shark, the other, a train.  This leads to the imaginary world of who will win? in a variety of ridiculous situations where sometimes the shark has the upper hand (as in high diving), sometimes the train is favored (as in the burping contest) and sometimes neither one is cut out for the job (as in their scoreless video game where they say, “It sure would help if we had thumbs!”)  The pictures are hilarious, as are the scenarios in which the shark and train compete.  I think any child would enjoy this book, and it may be one that is especially appealing to boys, even those who aren’t big on reading, because the text is very short but the imagination (and potential for play) can run on long after the story is over!

I hope you all enjoy Shark Vs. Train as much as I do!

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

OK.  Now onto a couple other important things…

Yesterday, Phyllis and I went on a school visit for Groundhog Day.  (If I get a picture I’ll insert it, but as of this writing I don’t have any yet 😦 )  Anyway, one of the kids asked Phyllis, “What is your middle name?”

Well.

I had never thought about it!

Shocking, I know.

But of course Phyllis must have a middle name.

So I had some ideas…  and so did they…  and so I now present you with Phyllis’ full name.  Are you ready?

Punxsutawney Phyllis Princess Snowy Sunshine Macaroni Hotwheels Groundhog Hill!

How’s that for fancy?

Phyllis and I LOVE it!!!

We are going to say it as many times every day as we can possibly think up excuses for.  As in, “Would you be so kind as to pass the maple syrup, Punxsutawney Phyllis Princess Snowy Sunshine Macaroni Hotwheels Groundhog Hill?”

In other news, we have a winner for the December/January Pitch Pick!  It was a tough choice, as always, and as usual I wish everyone could win, but since it can only be one, the voters have spoken.  This month’s winner, whose pitch will be sent to editor Erin Molta for review and critique, is

Margaret!!!!!

Congratulations, Margaret!  Your pitch is winging it’s way through cyberspace as we speak.  Actually, I hope it’s already there because I sent it last night right after I wrote this 🙂  To everyone else, thank you all so much for submitting your pitches.  I know how hard it is to put your work out for others to see and critique, so you’re very brave.  And we all learn so much from every pitch, so thank you all!

And now, last but not least – definitely not least! – it’s contest time again!!!

Valentines Day Contest
google images

Having skipped January, I really couldn’t pass up February because, as we all know, it has way better holidays than March for contest fodder 🙂  SO. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a children’s story, poetry or prose, 150 words maximum, about unlikely Valentines.

You must post it on your blog, (or in the comment section of this blog if you don’t have a blog), between Saturday February 11 and Monday February 13, and add your entry-specific link to the link list that I will put up on Saturday February 11.  (There will be no new post on Monday February 13 so that the contest post and link list can stay up.)  Entries must be posted by 5 PM EST Monday February 13.  Three finalists (which, judging by my track record probably means anywhere between 3 and 6 :)) will be chosen and posted in a special Valentines Day post on Tuesday February 14 for you all to vote on for a winner.  The winner will receive their choice of either a copy of Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide From Story Creation To Publication, or  a picture book manuscript critique from me.  For all you 12X12ers out there, look on this as a chance to get your February story written along with potential for a prize!!!

OK.  That’s it.  I’m done.  How’d I do on brevity? 🙂

Perfect Picture Book bloggers, please remember to add your links below!  Have a great weekend, everyone, and start dreaming up those unlikely Valentine stories – only 150 words – you can do it! 🙂

(P.S.  I apologize in advance for the fact that I will be late visiting everyone’s blogs today as I have 9 hours of driving to do starting at 7 AM followed by my husband’s birthday party when I get home… but I’ll get there eventually :))

Would You Read It Wednesday – The 25th Pitch

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Oh, joy!  It’s Wednesday!  That means grab Something Chocolate and settle in for Would You Read It 🙂

google images

(Mmmm!  Excellent choice!  (And yes, that is too a perfectly healthy breakfast!  Look!  There’s fruit!  Also something green!))

First, though, I’d like to remind anyone who hasn’t voted for the December/January Pitch Pick to please go here and vote.  The winner will be announced Friday!!!

Second, as you know, I like to sweeten the pie a little (tee hee) by offering a random prize each month to one of our dedicated Perfect Picture Book bloggers.  You get one chance for every book you posted in the month.  (There were 96 books posted in January – not counting mine which makes an even 100!!! – not too shabby, eh?)  I enter them all (except mine) into random.org and voila! we get a winner.  November’s was Stacy, December’s was Clar, and January’s duhn duhn-duhn duhn-duhn duhn DUHN! is Miranda!!

Miranda, come on down!  This month’s bag o’ goodies (which changes every month depending what I’ve got kicking around :)) contains hardcover copies of Red Sings From Treetops, The Busy Life Of Ernestine Buckmeister, and April Fool, Phyllis! and a paperback copy of Jean Auel’s The Land Of Painted Caves (which is not for kids, but I just happen to have a brand new spare copy!)  Please select one and Email Me (see that handy button over there?) with your choice and it shall be yours 🙂  All you other PPB bloggers, thank you SO MUCH for the wonderful job you do every week!  We are growing such a great resource!  The next thing I want to add to it is Best Books for Boys (since it seems many people have a harder time engaging boys with reading) so please let me know if you have found any of the titles already on the list especially engaging for boys, and if you add a title that fits that category, please be sure to bring it to my attention!  And who knows?  Next month YOU could be the lucky winner!

And now – got your Something Chocolate? – it’s time for Would You Read It!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Dede who says she quit writing more times than she can remember. She stashed her drafts and turned her attention to more practical pursuits – her day job, the ever-present laundry pile, the bills. Despite her lack of attention, characters kept nudging until she gave in and finished writing their stories. Here’s one of them. The others can be found on her website.


Ready?

Working Title: Summer of ’71
Age/Genre: MG
The Pitch:  When eleven-year old Fiona peered through the broken slat of the caretaker’s shed at the back corner of the West End Cemetery, the last thing she expected to see was a girl about her own age, asleep on the dirt floor. Thus begins an unlikely friendship that carries them through a summer of bullies, a best friend’s betrayal, and a life-changing tragedy. 

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 Dede improve her pitch.  Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome.  (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful.  I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  Pitches are currently queued through April 4, but there are lots of openings after that, so send your pitch for a chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!
Dede is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Busy Life Of Ernestine Buckmeister

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Hurray!  It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!  (And, right after the book, we’ll find out who won the Michael Garland giveaway!!!)

Today’s choice is as much for parents and teachers as it is for kids!

The Busy Life Of Ernestine Buckmeister
Written By: Linda Ravin Lodding
Illustrated By: Suzanne Beaky
Flashlight Press, October 2011, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 5 and up
Themes/Topics: the importance of play, over-scheduling
Opening: “Each morning, while Ernestine ate breakfast and Nanny O’Dear prepared lunch, Ernestine’s father zoomed out to work and called, ‘Live life to the fullest, Ern!’  And each morning Ernestine’s mother zipped out to catch the bus and said, ‘Make every moment count, E!‘”

Brief synopsis: Ernestine’s parents want her to have every experience she can, so they pack her days with sculpting and tuba,  yoga and yodeling.  It takes Ernestine to show them that one thing she absolutely shouldn’t miss is having time to just play.

Links to resources:  What I really should say here is, “No resources!  Just go play!”  But here are some resources that are also playing 🙂  Coloring Page, and for activities, try making a daisy crown (or any kind of outdoorsy crown), or make clouds out of cotton or shaving cream and see what shapes you see in them, or build a fort out of sticks, or blocks, or an empty cardboard box.  Use you imagination!

Why I Like This Book:  Kids will enjoy Ernestine’s ridiculous schedule, her amusing list of lessons, her teachers’ funny names, the bold bright colors of the pictures, and Ernestine’s inspired solution to her problem.  As a grown-up, I appreciate Ernestine’s message that while organized activities arranged and taught by adults have their place, so too does the unstructured time to be a child and simply play.

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

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, when I announce…  that I will be vacuuming this afternoon!

Nah!  I’m just foolin’ with ya!

(I know you don’t care whether I vacuum.  Although there are others who feel differently… :))

The winner of a Michael Garland book is none other than our delightful Robyn!!! Wahoo!  Yay Robyn!

So Robyn, please Email Me and let me know if you’d like Icarus Swinebuckle, Miss Smith’s Incredible Storybook, or Grandpa’s Tractor (which was added by popular demand :))

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and join us back here Monday for the first Oh Susanna and the December/January Pitch Pick which will have to share a post unless I boot Oh Susanna for another week.  You may feel free to share your opinion on the matter in the comments – I’m happy either way 🙂

Also, if you have a few free minutes over the weekend, please pop round to some of the wonderful bloggers who have been so kind as to interview me and Phyllis this week 🙂  I’ll copy and paste the list from Wednesday to here for your convenience:

(From Tuesday Jan. 24):  Clarbojahn’s Blog: Part 2 of our interview and a giveaway of a hard cover copy of Punxsutawney Phyllis.
From Wed. Jan. 25):  Sylvia Ramsey’s Blog, Thoughtful Reflections.  This one I’m not too familiar with. I wrote the interview for her at the beginning of September so it will be all new to me too! 🙂
(From Thurs. Jan. 26): Corey Schwartz’s Blog, Thing 1 and Thing 2.  This one is all about where the idea for Phyllis came from and will be in two parts.  I’m not sure yet when part 2 will be.
Friday Jan. 27:  Leigh Covington’s Blog.  This one is a (brief!) interview with Phyllis herself!  She emerged from her burrow just because she likes Leigh.  There will be a giveaway of a hard cover copy of Punxsutawney Phyllis here too!
Sat. Jan. 28: Iza Trapani’s Blog, In And Out Of My Studio.  A chat with one of my favorite author/illustrators who may or may not be appearing on this blog soon (I could tell you, but then it wouldn’t be a secret :))  There will be a giveaway of a hardcover copy of Punxsutawney Phyllis on this one, too!

Perfect Picture Book bloggers, please remember to post your links in the list below so everyone can come see the wonderful books you’ve chosen this week!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Red Sings From Treetops

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Fasten your seat belts, everyone!  It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!  And if last week is anything to judge by we’re in for quite a ride!

I’m REALLY excited to share today’s book with you.  It is so incredibly beautiful.  Beautiful art, and even more beautiful language.  There, now see?  I’m getting ahead of myself telling you why I like it before I’ve even told you what it is!  But get ready, because this one is really special!

Red Sings From Treetops: A Year In Colors
Written By: Joyce Sidman
Illustrated By: Pamela Zagarenski
Houghton Mifflin Books For Children, April 2009, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 5 and up
Themes: Colors, Seasons, Poetry
Opening:
“In SPRING,
Red sings from treetops:
cheer-cheer-cheer,
each note dropping
like a cherry
into my ear.


Red turns
the maples feathery,
sprouts in rhubarb spears;
Red squirms on the road after rain.”


(Don’t you just love that?  Can’t you just hear that cardinal singing and see the worms wiggling on the pavement?)


Brief Synopsis:  From the jacket: “Color comes alive in this whimsical, innovative book.”  That pretty much sums it up!


Links To Resources: Junior Library Guild Activity Guide, Poem Starters, Readers Guide


Why I Like This Book:  I love the lyrical language of this book.  The author was so creative in her thinking – the way she describes the colors makes you see, feel, hear, touch, and taste Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.  The art is exquisite and perfectly suited to the poetry.  How can you not love lines like,
“Green waits
in the hearts of trees,
feeling
the earth
turn.”

I hope you’ll get a chance to read this book, linger over the language, enjoy the images it evokes, maybe challenge yourself or your children to come up with your own descriptions!

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

As a special and related note, for parents who might be interested, I wanted to share something from Vivian over at Positive Parental Participation.  Vivian is encouraging parents to read with their children via her 2012 Challenge.  She describes it as follows:

The 2012 Positive Parental Participation Challenge
This is a challenge to read a book with your child every day and participate with your child in other activities like a craft project that might relate to the story.  To take part, just post a comment on my blog and tell us what book you read and what activity you did.
At the end of each month, we will randomly choose one comment to win the picture book prize.  In addition, everyone who comments is eligible to receive a $5 discount on my Show Me How book.  Please join in the fun…you will be helping build your child’s self-esteem and literacy skills and it will be great to see what other parents are reading and doing…we can all use fresh ideas!

It might be a fun way to interact with other parents, share your reading choices and experiences, and win some books 🙂

I also want to say a special thanks to Penny who totally baled me out of my posting time quagmire.  Several of you (subscribers) commented that you weren’t getting posts until very late at night or even the next day.  I can relate to this, as I have the same problem with several of your blogs, but I had no idea how to fix it.  Penny, bless her heart, worked google magic and found a link with step-by-step instructions that even I could follow 🙂  A little experimentation may be necessary but I’m hoping the problem is fixed.  Thank you, Penny 🙂

PPB Bloggers, please remember to add your link below – if you don’t I can’t promise I’ll find you!  And it helps me tremendously to have the ages and themes listed on the post – it makes the archiving much easier!  Thank you all so much!  Our list is coming along beautifully.  We’re up to 140 books covering 95 categories, posted by 29 devoted bloggers – you guys are awesome!  Can’t wait to see what gets added today!

And don’t forget to tune in specially on Sunday for our interview with Michael Garland, and Monday for our first installment of Oh Susanna!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Officer Buckle And Gloria

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My Perfect Picture Book is really here, I promise, and if you’re in a hurry you can scroll down, but remember that special celebration I mentioned Wednesday?  Well, today is a special day so I have to digress for one second!

Not only is today Perfect Picture Book Friday, it also happens to be my Brown Dog’s birthday!  She is 5 today – a very nice age if you ask her 🙂  so please join me in a rousing chorus of

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday, dear Scout-y!
Happy Birthday to you!

You are all invited for yellow cake with vanilla icing (which dogs are allowed to have a small piece of on their birthdays) after the post 🙂  (In case you hadn’t noticed, we’ll pretty much take any excuse for cake around here :))

And so you can see just how wonderful she is, here is a picture of her when we first met her:

how could anyone this cute have needed to be rescued?

And here she is in her mature beauty 🙂

Best Brown Dog Ever!

And now, in honor of Scout’s birthday (and because this is one of my all-time favorite picture books in the whole world) today’s selection will be Officer Buckle And Gloria.  In case you were wondering, Gloria is a Brown Dog too 🙂

Officer Buckle And Gloria
Written and Illustrated By: Peggy Rathmann
Putnam Juvenile, September 1995, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: friendship, safety, being sensitive to others’ feelings
Opening:  “Officer Buckle knew more safety tips than anyone else in Napville.  Every time he thought of a new one, he thumbtacked it to his bulletin board.  Safety Tip #77 NEVER stand on a SWIVEL CHAIR.”


Brief Synopsis:  Officer Buckle gives the most boring safety speeches ever until Gloria comes along.  All of a sudden, the students sit up and take notice.  When Officer Buckle realizes what’s going on, his feelings are hurt.  “No more speeches,” he says.  But Gloria is no better without him than he was without her.  In the end, they both learn the most important tip of all – “always stick with your buddy.” 🙂

Links To Resources: Classroom Activity, More Classroom Activities, Safety Tip Poster Activity, Captioned Media Program, Home School Lesson Plan


Why I Like This Book:  This book is a touching and delightful story about friendship.  The illustrations are hilarious, bringing Gloria’s outrageous antics to life.  The safety tips are true and a good lesson, but presented in such an amusing way that kids won’t feel like they’re being taught or preached at.  The same is true for the message about friendship and being sensitive to the feelings of others.  This is a book you will be happy to read again and again 🙂

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

Also, another note about Perfect Picture Books.  Our list is growing so beautifully that it’s getting harder to search.  I’m working on adding an alphabetical listing by book title (so it will be easy for you to see at a glance what’s already been done) and by blogger (in case you love someone’s particular style!)  If anyone finds any errors, please let me know!  Just so you know, before today’s posts are even up, we have about 110 books on the list in about 75 categories, from about 24 devoted bloggers!  And that’s after only 8 weeks!

And now- because I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t teasing you about something 🙂 – tune in Monday for the announcement of a brand new feature!!!  It’s going to be a good one (I think!), but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until Monday to find out what it is 🙂

PPB bloggers, don’t forget to add your link to the list below!

Have a great weekend, everyone!