Category: Perfect Picture Book Fridays

Oh Susanna – What Should A New Author Look For/Watch Out For In A Contract?

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I am so full of happy announcements today!  I like to think I’ll be spreading joy and cheer like sunshine 🙂

I assume you all have plenty of Easter candy left over, so feel free to snack while I spread cheer 🙂

First off, I would like to announce the winner of the March Pitch Pick!  As always, all the entries were terrific, and all the entrants were so brave to put their work out there for everyone to comment on.  Thanks to you, we all learn something new each week.  It would be lovely if everyone could win, but since we have to pick one each month, the polls have spoken and this month’s winner is………

Miranda, with Reef Stew!

Congratulations, Miranda!  Your pitch has already been sent to editor Erin Molta for critique, and we will all look forward to her comments!

Next, as you may or may not remember :), I so appreciate all the work the devoted Perfect Picture Book bloggers do each week that I like to spread a little thank-you cheer by randomly selecting one person each month to win a little prize.  Bloggers get one entry for every Perfect Picture Book they post that month, so in March quite a few people got 5 entries!  In case you are wondering, this month 33 bloggers posted anywhere from 1-5 books each, resulting in 128 new books being added to the list!  I didn’t do an exact count, but we now have upwards of 450 books on the list all together.  It’s getting to be quite an impressive resource!  Hopefully, parents and teachers out there are beginning to discover it and put it to good use 🙂

But I digress… 🙂  I was announcing the March gift winner which is

… dddrrruuummm rrrooollllll…

Thank you so much, Kirsten, for your wonderful additions to the list this month, and thank you to EVERYONE who participates in PPBFs – you are all wonderful!!!

So, hmm… let me rummage around in my goody bag and see what I come up with for this month’s prize…  Kirsten, you may email me to receive your choice of one of the following:  The Giblin Guide To Writing Children’s Books, An Egg Is Quiet, or Little Bunny Foo Foo: The Real Story.

My next happy announcement is that you folks seem to like the writing contests over here – thank you so much!  Quite a lot of people voted, and the general sentiment seems to be that we should have the birthday story contest in May because April is just a little too busy.  I am happy to oblige.  I want it to be fun for everyone, not stressful :), so if more people will enter and everyone will enjoy it more in May, than May it shall be!

Next on the happy announcement list is that we should have 5 or so new Tour Posts coming from Phyllis in the upcoming week from Vermont, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Australia, and 2 from the UK… if all goes according to plan… which it doesn’t always 🙂  But do stay tuned 🙂

Also, for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, Phyllis now has her very own Punxsutawney Phyllis Face Book Page for anyone who wants to like her!  She’s very excited and hoping to become more popular than Punxsutawney Phil, who currently has 20,885 “likes”.  Phyllis currently has 48 “likes” so she has a ways to go, but she is very optimistic 🙂  Phyllis’s page is still evolving, but she will certainly be featuring a Fun Fact Friday!

Finally, my last happy announcement for the day is that I get to babysit for my granddaughter today… which also means I will not be online much as she is 8 months old and crawling 🙂  So please forgive me if I get a little behind in blog post commenting!

Now that you are all hopefully feeling very cheerful, we shall move on to today’s Oh Susanna question.  Donna has a good one.  She asks:

What are some of the key things a new author should find in a “good” contract? The flip side to that would be what are some of “bad” things in a contract that should set off warning alarms for a new author to run for the hills?

Donna, my experience is that contracts are not all that different from publishing house to publishing house. I have dealt with 5 different houses, and they all seem to cover the same basic, standard things.  These include (but may not be limited to):

  • where the publisher has the right to publish your book (USA only, or foreign?)
  • your assurance that your work is original
  • when your manuscript is due in final form
  • the time frame the publisher agrees to publish the book in and at whose expense
  • when galleys and/or proofs will be delivered by the publisher and how much time you have to review them and make any corrections, as well as how much you can change the work without incurring cost to yourself
  • the amount of your advance and when and how it will be paid (full amount on signing, or half on signing, half on delivery of ms, etc.)
  • subsidiary rights (such as book clubs, audio, film rights etc.)
  • how many free copies the publisher will supply the author
  • when statements of account and royalties if they are due will be delivered (usually semi annually, and the publisher will supply the dates)
  • author’s right to examine publisher’s accounts
  • agreement by author not to publish competing work
  • reversion of rights and termination

I don’t think any reputable publishing house would try to hoodwink or cheat an author, but there’s no doubt that publishing is a business. The publisher is laying out the money to produce your book and they want to make sure it’s worth their while, so the contract will likely be written in their favor.  You as an author, especially a first-time author, may have to consider how hard you want to push for things.  Do you really need a bigger advance/higher royalties/to keep the audio rights etc. if by insisting on such things you may cause the publisher to withdraw their offer?  Many people do push.  Other’s (like me) tend to be more complacent.  This is a reason many authors like having an agent – it is the agent’s job to negotiate higher advances, better royalties etc.

I’m generalizing here to give you an idea of what to expect, but I think a typical advance to a new picture book author can be anywhere from $1000 – $5000 (depending on the book and the size of the publishing house and other factors), royalties of 5% on hardcover, 6% on paperback are common, publication in 12-24 months (but it can be shorter or longer), and 10-15 free copies of your book are typical.  I don’t know how frequently you can expect to get audio rights, or foreign rights, or things like that – sometimes I get them, sometimes the publisher does and I don’t have enough data to make a guess.

I’m not really sure what to tell you to be wary of –  certainly any situation where the publisher asks you to pay for things.  Many vanity publishers will do this, but it’s not something that should show up in a traditional publishing contract.  And I guess a contract that varied hugely from the generalities above might be something you’d want to look at pretty carefully.

I would recommend having someone look over your contract if you’re not familiar with publishing contracts.  I believe there are even resources in SCBWI for this, although I’m not sure.

So I hope that answers your questions somewhat, Donna, and I would be most appreciative of any readers who have knowledge or expertise in this area who would be willing to chime in in the comments!

Have a great Monday, everyone.  See you Wednesday for the next pitch – this one a picture book from Rebecca C!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Day The Goose Got Loose

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!  Grab a fortifying snack (perhaps a potpourri of Robin’s Eggs, jelly beans, chocolate eggs, and marshmallow peeps to get us in the mood for this weekend :)) and let’s dive into today’s wonderful selection of picture books!

My book today is actually one I’ve never read!  I’m posting a PPB from Cheryl Ashley, the children’s librarian at Verona Public Library in New Jersey.  This is one of her favorites, and I don’t know of a much better resource for recommendations than a children’s librarian so I, for one, am going to hustle on out and read this!  And what better for Easter weekend than a spring farm story?

The Day The Goose Got Loose
Written By:  Reeve Lindbergh
Illustrated By:  Steven Kellogg
Puffin, April 1, 1995, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: farm animals, chaos, mischief, humor
Opening:  “When the goose got loose
she caused a riot.
Nobody ever thought she’d try it!
There wasn’t any more peace and quiet.
The day the goose got loose.”

Brief Synopsis:  (From Scholastic website) “Just how much havoc can one goose cause? Take a gander at the chaos that results when a long-necked mischief-maker flies the coop. Soon the bull’s broken through the fence, and cows and horses are galloping all over town. The stampede will go on until dawn — and the laughter will last even longer. Full color.”


Links To Resources:  Fun At The Farm Teachers Guide

Why I Like This Book: (from Cheryl):  This longtime favorite was written in 1990 and is available in paperback today.  The story of the dreadful day the goose got loose is told in near perfect rhyming that will have youngsters bopping their heads keeping time.  The text almost needs to be sung, it is that rhythmic.  Among other mischievous deeds, goose ate the hens grain, frightened the sheep, enraged the ram,inspired the horses to get up to no good, made the cows tense, provoked the bull named Spence, annoyed Dad and upset Mom.  The pictures are a riot.  This silly story is a feast for the eyes, ears and funny bone.

Thank you so much for sharing your recommendation with us, Cheryl!

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

Still got some jelly beans left?  Good.  Because we have a few more items of interest.

If you haven’t had a chance to vote on the March Pitch Pick, please hop over HERE and vote for which pitch should get a read and critique from editor Erin Molta.

In World Tour News, Phyllis had a delightful visit to Debbie in South Dakota where she made friends with a bison and was interviewed by a very cute dog named Sherlock!  She is currently with Melissa in Australia and on her way to Alison in Georgia.  She is also lost in the UK somewhere between Rebecca and Clare… I have no idea…!  She has also been to Vermont, and that post will be up sometime this weekend from Kathy!  Be sure to check back here to the Tour Page, and I will also post any new links on Face Book as soon as I get them!

In contest news, I’m still on the fence, so I’m going to let you decide with the click of a button!


<a href=”http://polldaddy.com/poll/6112976/”>Contest?</a>

I’m very democratic around here 🙂  You can vote until 5 PM EDT on Easter Sunday, April 8.

(Oh, and this just in at the eleventh hour!  Goodies have arrived from Saskatchewan and New Zealand!!!  A package!  And a box!  Par Avion!  Also a postcard from Rebecca in the UK!!!  I will share… but not now because as I am writing this it is past my bedtime :))

Now, off you go to enjoy everyone’s picture book recommendations!  For those of you who celebrate, have a wonderful Easter, and everyone have a great weekend!  PPB bloggers, please add your post-specific link to the list below 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Flap Your Wings

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Buenas Dias, Peeps!

(You didn’t know I was multi-lingual did you!  I am just always full of surprises.  Although, if we’re being honest, that is my complete knowledge of Spanish except for ola which I don’t know how to spell… and no, which is pretty much the same in any language… )

Where was I?

Oh, yes!  It’s PPBF!  How fun is that?  I declare this morning’s snack (since we never picked an official one) to be surreptitiously snitched Easter candy (you know, from those bags of jelly beans and chocolates that you bought yesterday and have stowed away in the closet ready to make Easter surprises for your kids, and that you really shouldn’t be raiding but it’s there, so maybe just a few…?  Or is that just me… :))

so pretty 🙂  also tasty 🙂

Got a handful of jelly beans?  Okay then, here we go!

Flap Your Wings
Written & Illustrated By: P.D. Eastman
Random House, 1969, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 3-8
Themes/Topics: assumptions, non-traditional family, unconditional love, responsibility
Opening: (this is actually the first three pages.)
“An egg lay in the path.
A boy came down the path.  He saw the egg.  “Someone might step on that egg and break it,” he said.
He looked around.
He saw flamingos and frogs, and turtles and alligators.  “Whose egg is this?” he called.  But no one answered.”

Brief Synopsis:  A little boy finds an egg.  He doesn’t want it to get damaged, so he looks around until he finds the nest and carefully puts it back.  When Mr. and Mrs. Bird come home, they are surprised to find an egg in their nest… it wasn’t there when they left!  But Mr. Bird says that if an egg is in their nest it must be their egg, so they must take care of it.  So they do… with very surprising results!

Links To Resources:  Ideas And Activities For Guided Reading, Incubation & Embryology Activities, use with An Egg Is Quiet (from PPBF link list), talk about what kind of animals, insects and reptiles lay eggs and how the eggs are the same and different.

Why I Like This Book:  This book is fun to read as a picture book, but is also an I Can Read type book that is very accessible to new readers.  The pictures are delightful – Mr. and Mrs. Bird’s expressions are very entertaining.  But I really love the story because it doesn’t go where you would expect.  It’s funny.  And it’s a great example of what agents, editors and reviewers mean when they talk about re-readability.  This book delighted me as a child, and delighted my children in their turn.  I’ve read it so many times that even now, years since I last read it to my kids, I can recite almost the whole book.  It’s fun every time 🙂

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

I would like to take this opportunity to remind all you fabulous PPB bloggers (especially anyone who is new to PPBF) to please check the comprehensive alphabetical list on the PPB tab as well as the previous week’s list (because I am sometimes (ahem, like this week!) behind updating – it takes a while!) before selecting your book for the week.  Although we do have some double-ups, our goal is not to repeat books, but to always be adding new ones.

Also, and this is Very Important, the whole point of PPBs is the resources.  They don’t have to be online links.  Lots of you think up GREAT activities and discussion questions etc…  But the book you post must have at least one good resource of how to expand on its use at home and/or in the classroom in order to be added to the comprehensive list.  And it must be self-explanatory and applicable – by which I mean, saying a book can be used for finger rhymes or a math activity doesn’t help a reader who doesn’t know any.  That’s why they come to PPB – to find out exactly what they can do.  So please tell us which finger rhyme and how to do it, or what math activity etc.  Thank you so much!

I would also like to add that Tracy (aka A2Z Mommy) started writing up PPB every Friday in her local online newspaper, MyVeronaNJ!  For the past several weeks, she has chosen a few books she especially liked and added their titles and links to her article, so a number of you have been mentioned and linked!  Thank you so much, Tracy, for helping to get the word out to people who can really make use of the work we all do for PPBFs!!!  Here are links to the last couple articles:  March 23, March 16, March 9.

Finally before we all head off to check out today’s fantastically fun picture book offerings, I know you’ll want to be sure not to miss any of the high jinx and shenanigans that Phyllis’s amazing hosts have kindly and very creatively written up!

She had an Amazing Visit to Maine with Heather N (there’s a whole homeschool unit in this post!)

She visited Mrs. Hembree and her 2nd Grade Bulldog Readers in Seattle, WA on her School World Tour!

She was also Visited A Ghost Town In Washington with Heather B!!!

And you can catch up on anything you might have missed on the Official World Tour Page 🙂

AND!!!  Big News!!!  It looks like I’m finally going to get that map I wanted of the World Tour.  Stay Tuned!  Maybe Monday!!!

PPB bloggers, please add your post-specific link to the list below, and everyone, have a great weekend!  (and that’s no April Fool :))

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Kiss The Cow!

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Hurray!  It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday once again.  If you’re casting about for a little smackerel to go with today’s story, I would have to recommend chocolate milk 🙂

(And please stay tuned after the book for an update on Phyllis’s World Tour and a fun activity for kids!)

Kiss The Cow!
Written By: Phyllis Root
Illustrated By: Will Hillenbrand
Candlewick Press, 2000, Fiction

Suitable For: ages 4-8

Themes/Topics: curiosity, behavior (stubborness), gratitude, kindness

Opening:  “Mama May lived where the earth met the sky, and her house was as wide as the prairie.  It needed to be.  Mama May had so many children she couldn’t count them all.  Among Mama May’s children was one called Annalisa. She wasn’t the youngest, and she wasn’t the oldest, but she was the most curious and the most stubborn.”

Brief Synopsis: Every day, Annalisa watches her Mama milk Louella the magic cow.  Magic words make Louella’s milk flow.  More magic words make it stop.  And always, always, Mama finishes by kissing the cow.  Annalisa begins to wonder.  What would it be like to milk a magic cow?  Before you know it, her curiosity has gotten the better of her.  Against her mother’s wishes, she milks Louella.  But she forgets the kiss with disastrous results!

Links To Resources:  Here are some Facts About Cows, All About Cows For Kids with links to video clips on cheese and butter making as well as printables, songs and poems, stories and more, and Pictures Of Cows along with links to information of all kinds.

Why I Like This Book:  This book is very reminiscent of Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola in its plot and structure.  As such, they are a great pair to read together so kids can see the similarities and differences.  Both offer lessons in not taking things for granted.  This story has a delightfully stubborn main character (if you have kids, you’ve probably met her :)) who learns that generosity must be repaid with gratitude and kindness, but she comes around in her own way and her own time.  The art is very bright and engaging – who could resist that cow with her gorgeous long eyelashes?  The rhyme of magic words is fun to read and say.  Just an all-round fun book!

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

Now, before you all rush off to your weekends, I just want to let you know that everyone’s favorite groundhog has been a busy girl this week!  I hope you saw her visits with Beth in Saskatchewan and Erik in Philadelphia earlier this week.  And in case you might have missed it since it was a non-posting day for me, she was in both Abilene, Texas with Penny and Nice, France with Joanna yesterday!  Rumor has it she is back in California with Elizabeth today, as well as on her way to Maine and another location in California (apparently she loves The Golden State – she may never come home :)) so more fun posts should be on the way next week!  (Especially because she is also journeying to New Zealand and Italy and who knows when she’ll get there – it could be any time!!!)  Here’s a little sampling of the fun:

Phyllis trying to convince Beth to let her drive the John Deere in Saskatchewan
Phyllis trying to convince Erik to let her ring the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia
Phyllis trying to convince the street player to let her have a turn with the accordion in France during her stay with Joanna
Phyllis having convinced Penny to let her ride off into the Texas sunset on an armadillo 🙂

For any teachers who might be reading this post, there is a Phyllis dress-up activity on my website which can be printed on paper or card stock (for free download.)  The Phyllis figure can be colored and cut out (don’t worry about the dress up extras for this activity) and makes a perfect, easily portable (or mailable) Phyllis!  She can travel with students when they go on Easter break soon, or be mailed to a pen pal class, or students’ relatives all over the USA and the world to gather weather reports, photos, or any other fun activity you and your class can dream up (a la Flat Stanley.)  If you do anything with her, please let me know!  I’d love to share it here with other teachers.  (And if you are a parent, please feel free to suggest this idea to your children’s teachers!)

PPBF bloggers, please add your post-specific link to the list below, and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and get to enjoy this lovely weather 🙂  See you next week with more exciting adventures from the marmot queen 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – The Quiltmaker’s Gift Plus Straight From The Editor #6

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Boy has his week flown past!  It may have something to do with trying to keep up with a certain wanderlust groundhog who is cavorting about the globe in a way that suggests time has no meaning 🙂  But before we catch up with Phyllis, let’s relax for a moment with today’s Perfect Picture Book.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift
Written By: Jeff Brumbeau
Illustrated By: Gail de Marcken
Pfeifer-Hamilton Publishers, 2000, Fiction

Suitable For: ages 4-8 (publisher’s rec, but text-heavy so maybe preferable for older end or kids with a good attention span.)

Themes/Topics: generosity, greed, helping others

Opening: “There was once a quilt maker who kept a house in the blue misty mountains up high.  Even the oldest great, great grandfather could not recall a time when she was not up there, sewing away day after day.  Here and there and wherever the sun warmed the earth, it was said she made the prettiest quilts anyone had ever seen.”

Brief Synopsis:  A kind-hearted quilt maker makes the most beautiful quilts the world has ever seen, but rather than sell them she gives them away to the poor.  When a greedy king wants one, he must learn the joy of giving before he can hope to receive.

Links To Resources: The end papers of the book show numerous quilt patterns by picture and name, and the inside of the dust jacket has a fabulous illustration where kids (and grown-ups :)) can search for all the items given away by the king – the ultimate hidden picture!  Here is a Teacher’s Guide suitable for upper elementary.  And here is The Quiltmaker’s Gift Website which is full of great resources including puzzles and games, stories of generosity from around the globe, and many other things – even a book on how to make the quilts pictured.

Why I Like This Book:  Although this book got rather luke warm reviews, I love it, and my children all loved it.  It’s one of an increasingly rarer breed of picture book these days – the kind with more than 500-1000 words.  As such, it’s better suited to the older end of the picture book age group (or good listeners) and I love picture books that fall into that category.  The language is lyrical, the pictures are gorgeous and full of details, and the story has a nice message about what is really important in life.

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

Next up is our latest Straight From The Editor with Erin Molta.

Here’s what Erin had to say:

This seems like it will be cute. Just a couple of minor suggestions.
(Original pitch): Three frolicking baby giraffes try to find a place to play on a hot and crowded savannah. They find it isn’t an easy task. They run into a troop of baboons, a dazzle of zebras, and a pride of lions. At last, they turn to the river, only to be confronted by hippopotami. Our giraffes find fun and friendship at the end of a long a grueling day.
Confronted indicates confrontational and doesn’t provide quite the right lead-in to, “Our giraffes finding fun and friendship . . .”  so you need to say something like, “Finally, the giraffes find fun and friendship. . .” or mention what it is that the giraffes did to change the hippos’ minds so that they are welcomed rather than confronted. It would also be cool if you added the group name for hippopotami (bloat, herd, pod?)

I hope everyone finds something helpful to take away!

Finally, I hope you’ve all been keeping up with that whirlwind Phyllis!  I can’t believe how wonderful all her hostesses have been so far!  They have been showing her SUCH a good time.  She is seeing the sights and learning all about the USA – geography, history, fashion 🙂 (yes, leave it to Phyllis to try to figure out how to wear her sombrero and her coonskin cap at the same time!)  If you haven’t had a chance yet, please check out Phyllis’s World Tour on the tab above, as well as Kirsten‘s, Natalie’s First, Second and Third, Kelly‘s, and Hannah‘s posts detailing Phyllis’s visits to California, Texas, Florida, and Colorado!  They have all taken Phyllis to wonderful places, and been so creative, and posted such fantastic photos, I urge you all to take a look when you have a spare minute.  Phyllis also left for New Zealand and the UK this morning, and arrived in Missouri around noon.  It would seem the space-time continuum does not apply to her 🙂

Keep your eye on Phyllis’s World Tour tab which will be updated even when it’s not a posting day here, and tune in next week for more adventures.  Also, on Monday, instead of Oh Susanna, we will have a visit from the delightful Iza Trapani for our monthly interview which promises to be amazing!

PPBF bloggers, please add your post-specific links to the list below!  Have a great weekend everybody!

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.