Category: Would You Read It

Would You Read It Wednesday Double Header! #179 Boys Of Koh Panyee (PB) and How Much Farther (PB)

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What with baseball season in full swing (hee hee) I thought we should do something fun and different!

(And when I say I thought we should do something fun and different as if it were intentional, I mean I totally forgot to skip a week of Would Your Read It to leave room for the Illustration Contest next week, so I’m pretending I planned this :))

But let’s work with me here.

Is there anything more appropriate than a baseball metaphor on a day devoted to pitches? 🙂

And can you imagine anything more delightful on a beautiful June day then a sunny bleacher or stadium seat, the prospect of a whole day of fun, hot dogs (which I will refrain from dipping in chocolate after the response to last week’s chocolate-dipped corn on the cob… although I bet someone’s done it… :)), ice cream cones, and the company of friends at a double header of two picture book pitches?

(See how I snuck that in there?)

In case your answer is yes, I fully intend to bribe you change your mind by offering a prize or two as incentive to everyone who comments on both pitches.  I have some spare copies of friends’ picture books lying around (I can’t imagine how that happens – it’s not as if picture books are my life or anything :)) – Tea Party Rules by Ame Dykeman, My Love For You Is The Sun by Julie Hedlund, Little Miss Muffet by Iza Trapani, What About Moose by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca Gomez, Jeremy Draws A Monster by Peter McArty, Tyranosaurus Wrecks by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, and Me Want Pet by Tammi Sauer, and who knows, maybe a couple of others because it’s just possible that my office floor is not entirely tidy 🙂

So anyone who is kind enough to comment on both pitches by Sunday June 21 will be entered to win one of those awesome picture books!  And Darshana, Johnell and I all thank you a million, billion times for doing two Would You Read Its in one day (bearing in mind that you get Friday off because PPBF is on summer hiatus, and that there will NOT be a WYRI next Wednesday because the Illustration Contest will be running!!!)

Also, I do solemnly swear not to double up pitches ever again (unless I get myself in another scheduling bind at some point and then clearly I will have to up the bribery factor to a publishing contract or something :))

So let’s get in a festive mood with Something Chocolate. . .

The 30 Cup Tower of Doom – a gargantuan tribute to Häagen-Dazs –
and definitely what you get at your average baseball stadium… 🙂

Just a teeny little single-person cone 🙂

Now then, are you feeling fortified (or possibly comatose :))?

Here comes the Double Header!

Today’s first pitch comes to us from Darshana.  Darshana’s special talents by day are solving engineering problems, creating activities for her kids, and concocting ways to spend time with her husband. By night she reads and writes picture books, so one day she can realize her dream of becoming a published author. Check out her book reviews at Flowering Minds, and keep up to date on the latest in the kidlit world by “Liking” her on FaceBook or “Following” her on Twitter.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Boys Of Koh Panyee
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8) – Fiction based on a true story
The Pitch: The boys of Koh Panyee, Thailand dream of becoming football champions, but they live on a floating village with no space to play. Through sheer gumption, the boys withstand the villagers’ jeers to create their own football pitch and become champions.

Today’s second pitch comes to us from Johnell.  Johnell is a former PR exec. who now moves around the globe with her family. She blogs with her writing group at: http://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: How Much Farther
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: In this all-dialogue story a child tries to convince his dad to carry him, but Dad finds creative ways to show the child that he can make it on his own. Between sightings of butterflies, robins and troll holes the child speeds closer to the anticipated destination until he can’t. go. another. step. When Dad offers to carry him, the child realizes his big-kid legs might be strong enough after all. 

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 Darshana and Johnell improve their pitches.  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.  There are openings in October so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Darshana and Johnell are looking forward to your thoughts on their pitches!  I am looking forward to seeing the illustrations for the Illustration Contest next week!  I expect to have my socks completely knocked off… if anyone actually enters… which I’m a little worried they might not…  So please feel free to share the Illustration Contest around the blogosphere and twitter etc. because if we don’t get any entries that will be so sad 😦

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!  An thank you so much for helping Darshana and Johnell on the same day instead of on two different days!  And Happy Father’s Day this weekend, since I won’t be posting again beforehand!

P.S. I looked on google images and there ARE pictures of chocolate-dipped hot dogs!  But they were too revolting even for me to post! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday # 178 – The Sunflower Traveler (PB) PLUS The May Pitch Pick Winner!

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Happy National Corn On The Cob Day!

Really!

I’m not making this up!

I think it’s a great idea for a holiday.  I love corn on the cob.  It is so delicious and summery!

I’m sure it’s a completely genuine holiday and definitely not an elaborate ruse thought up by Oral B or Johnson&Johnson to increase sales of dental floss! 🙂

But here’s what I’m thinking: the Tooth Fairy ought to cash in on this day.  Seriously, the number of teeth under pillows must skyrocket on a day when the world’s 6 year olds are all eating corn on the cob 🙂

What, you may ask, does this have to do with Would You Read It?

Well… as I see it… absolutely nothing 🙂  But I still think it’s important that you know the historic significance of the day!

Now then, if you could all kindly stop comparing corn on the cob recipes and arguing over the exact number of seconds required to perfectly cook corn on the cob, we could get down to the business at hand!

First, I’m thrilled to announce that the winner of the May Pitch Pick was Jason with his pitch for Barnabas Is NOT A Ninja!!!  Congratulations, Jason!  Your pitch has been sent to editor Erin Molta for her comments!

And congratulations to our other brave pitchers who took the time to write, polish and perfect their pitches and summoned the nerve to put them out there for commentary.  You are all winners in my book!  Even if you didn’t win the pitch pick, you should still all have pitches that are worthy of telling famous editors you happen to meet in elevators.

I think a little pick-me-up is in order before we tackle today’s pitch and I have the perfect thing for our  Something Chocolate.  Get ready for it…

YES!  It IS chocolate-dipped corn on the cob!!!

If you google it, ye shall find it!  Chocolate-dipped corn on the cob!  Who (besides me) would have thought of such a thing?  Obviously someone!  I believe I even see chocolate sprinkles on there!  I have no idea how it tastes, but I’m game to try.  And think how healthy we’re being, eating vegetables for breakfast!  Our moms will all be so proud 🙂

And now that we’re all fortified with brain food, today’s pitch comes to us from Michelle who says, “My idea for The Sunflower Traveler began a long time ago via my love of gardening and growing sunflowers. I’m an artist, writer and art instructor. The majority of my writing and art involves nature, critters, endangered species, and our environment. I enjoy including a bit of fantasy to draw my viewers in. I’m an active member of SCBWI. You can find my art and poetry at my blog: http://www.moreart4all.wordpress.com, art at my website: http://www.michellekogan.com, and in my Etsy shop http://www.MichelleKoganFineArt.etsy.com. Thanks for reviewing my pitch!”

Here is her pitch: 

Working Title: The Sunflower Traveler
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 6-10)
The Pitch: Ten-year-old Rhea’s growing sunflowers for Petal Path’s Magazine Contest. Her Dad lost his job, and the prize money would help her family.  But to win she’s got to find something new to share about her sunflowers.  A goldfinch thinks he can help. Together they mysteriously time-travel through one of her sunflowers. They eventually arrive in Past Times, where a new gardener needs help with his own garden woes. There she also has to conquer squirrel antics and deal with a rambunctious raven. Will she solve her sunflower problem, or get back home in time to enter the contest and help her family?


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 Michelle 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.  There are openings in October so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Michelle is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to sampling some chocolate-dipped corn on the cob 🙂  Just for kicks, we should take an informal poll: would YOU be willing to try chocolate-dipped corn on the cob?

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #177 – The Sun, The Moon, And Eve (PB) PLUS The May Pitch Pick!

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Now that the Illustration Contest has been announced, I’m all excited to see what our talented illustrator friends are going to come up with!  How, oh how!, will we wait 3+ whole weeks?

But they don’t call me Clever Sus for nothing!  Nosireebob!  I am a master of distraction technique!

For starters, we can distract ourselves by voting for our favorite pitches in the May Pitch Pick.

Our intrepid pitchers have taken all your good advice to heart and reworked their pitches so that I fear you’re going to have quite a job picking a favorite to vote for!

Here they are:

#1 Zainab – A Case Of Cane-Syrupy-Sugar-A-Bitus (PB ages 4-8)

Samantha’s dream of becoming THE pirouetting star of the school talent show may be shattered when she contracts a case of cane-syrup-a-bitus (a.k.a. the Sugar Bug). Will Samantha be able to rid herself of this high fructose bug or will she be sent home and miss her moment on stage?

#2 Linda – Poindexter’s Particular Procedure For Cold Feet (PB ages )

Poindexter’s Particular Procedure for Cold Feet.  This play on the letter “P” pops the story along as it addresses two-year-old Evan’s problem of cold feet.  Evan is befuddled as his mother puts his socks on, yet no shoes.  Of course he promptly takes the socks off.  Only after consulting Poindexter’s Purple Book of Particular Procedures for Peculiar Problems does the mysterious solution produce toasty warm feet.

#3 Kirk – When Your Best Friend Wants To Be Your Girlfriend and Other Horror Stories (MG)

12-year-old Jared Hoover and Cassie Arnold have been friends since they ate sand together. They’ve attended the same schools, shared family camping trips and even visited Disneyland. Inseparable friends forever, right? Maybe not when Cassie begins experiencing “changes” Jared doesn’t understand. Jared can’t figure out if she hates his guts or (gulp) might actually “like” him in a weird way. Who knew girls were so complicated?

#4 Jason – Barnabas Is NOT A Ninja (PB ages 4-8)

Barnabas is not a ninja.  He wears buccaneer boots, sings sea shanties, and shouts “avast!” at passing strangers. So when his parents enroll him in Ninjagarten, he must contend with a shushing sensei, 19 know it all ninjalings, and an uncontrollable urge to raise a ruckus.  After recruiting the other students to join his pirate crew, Barnabas leads them in a mutiny.  Either he will conquer the classroom, or his first day of Ninjagarten will be his last.

Please vote for the pitch you think most deserves a read by editor Erin Molta in the poll below by Sunday June 7 at 5 PM EDT.  Many thanks!


Next, we can indulge in Something Chocolate which will surely take our minds off the Illustration Contest at least while our mouths are full…!  Since it’s breakfast time, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day, how about some chocolate waffles???!!!

Mmmm!  Great idea!  Not only chocolate!  Not only delicious!  But we’ve got the basic food groups covered: chocolate, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and fruit (for you breakfast purists out there :)).  Yum-MY!

And now, we can focus on today’s pitch which comes to us from Lavanya whom you will remember from last July with her pitch for Sophie vs. The Monster.  She says, “I’m a software engineer by day, and an avid reader of fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and literature by night. I’m also mother to a young girl who has just discovered the magical ability to make meaning out of the printed word. I started putting my own words down on paper last November, and when I went to my regional SCBWI conference in April, I confirmed a suspicion that I had long harbored – writers are the nicest people in the world, and I want to be one of them. :-)”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Sun, The Moon, And Eve
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: In the dawn of the world, a child called Eve sings out her love for her siblings, the Sun and the Moon. But when Eve’s songs reveal her favorite, the Sun and the Moon unleash their fury. Eve must dispel the terrible shadow that follows, and restore their harmony.

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 Lavanya 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.  There are openings in October so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Lavanya is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to the Illustration Contest!  Aarrgghh!  There I go undoing all that fabulous distraction, putting the contest right back in your minds!  Oops! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #176 – Barnabas The Noisy Ninja (PB)

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Avast, me hearties!

We’ve got a piratically fun pitch up today.  But first, a word from our sponsors…

For anyone who is interested (well, and I guess even if you’re not interested… :)), Graduation Weekend was a success.  Everyone from our family who was supposed to graduate did – quite impressively, I might add 🙂  And some family members were in attendance in all necessary locations.  We took “divide and conquer” to a new level.  After all that planning, agonizing, traveling, etc, I can’t believe it’s over!

In other news, I’m heartbroken to report I found out yesterday that Punxsutawney Phyllis is going out of print 😦  After a ten year run, apparently her time is up 😦  I will have to horde as many copies as I can find!

I most definitely feel the need for Something Chocolate after such news, as I’m sure you all do too!   And I have recently heard (much to my delight) that eating chocolate cake for breakfast can help you maintain (or regain) a healthy weight.  I don’t know who thought this plan up, but I’m all for it!  I have long suspected this to be the case.  So let’s have cake!

I feel slimmer and healthier already, don’t you? 🙂

Today’s pitch comes to us from Jason who says, “My inspiration came in part from the many students with Autism I have taught during my 14 years as a special education teacher. I am a member of SCBWI along with a few critique groups out here in Western Massachusetts, where I live with my wife and 5 year old daughter.  When it’s not below freezing outside, I love to grill.  (My new favorite is bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, which is as incredible as it sounds.)”   

Here is his pitch:

Working Title: Barnabas The Noisy Ninja
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Barnabas has pirate fever.  He loves to wear buccaneer boots, sing sea shanties, and shout avast at passing strangers.  Unfortunately, he lives in Ninjaville, where silence is golden and pirates are most certainly not welcome.  Exasperated by his piratical nature, his parents enroll him in Ninjagarten, hoping Sensei can tame his ruckus raising ways.  Barnabas, however, has other plans.  After enlisting his fellow ninjalings during recess, Barnabas leads them in a mutiny.  But when the things get out of hand, Barnabas must reign in his ruckus crew.

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 Jason improve his pitch.  Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome.  (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful.  I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in October so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Jason is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch!  I am looking forward to seeing how that chocolate cake eating plan works and figuring out how many copies of Phyllis I can grab before they’re gone forever!  For which I will no doubt need chocolate sustenance.  It’s the Circle of Chocolate.  A lot like the Circle of Life, but yummier 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #161 – Son Of Boogie (PB)

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In case you are wondering (now that it’s February 11) I have NOT forgotten about picking winners for Phyllis’s Birthday Bonanza!

I’ve just been highly distracted from work by people in this house having snow days – which is absolutely lovely! – but allows me to watch back-to-back episodes of Say Yes To The Dress and/or the entire Star Wars saga out of the corner of my eye when I’m supposed to be focusing on whose Ode To Phyllis is the best.

Phyllis thinks everyone should win because she loved them all.

I also loved them all, but I said that if everyone won then no one would FEEL like they won.

Phyllis said that was horsehockey and didn’t even make sense and was I going to eat the last strawberry pancake or could she have it?

So you can see it was a very productive conversation.

The easy route would be to make YOU guys pick.  But I’m always making you vote for things, and I still don’t have an “I Voted” sticker to tempt you with, so I don’t know if that would be asking too much.  Do you guys want to vote?  Or do you want Phyllis me to pick?  Let me know in the comments along with your thoughts for today’s pitcher and then, weather depending :), we’ll try to get around to one or the other before Spring actually arrives 🙂

Oh!  And before we get to today’s pitch, we have a winner for the December/January Pitch Pick from last week!

Drum roll please….. rata-tat-tata-tat-rata-tat-tata-tat-etc….

The winner is MICHELE! with her pitch for Hoot & Holly!!!

Congratulations, Michele!  Your pitch has been sent to editor Erin Molta for her comments, and I’m sure you’ll hear from her soon.

And congratulations to all our other fine and brave pitchers!  You all did an excellent job – it was a tough choice! – and I hope you all feel good about bravely putting yourselves out there to test your pitches and that you found the feedback from our wonderful and generous readers helpful and constructive!

Now, then, onto today’s Would You Read It!

I love that today’s pitcher volunteered her own Something Chocolate… and boy does it look good!  Can I offer you a cup of coffee or a glass of milk to go with that?

Kusina Master Recipe’s Peanut Butter Fudge Cake
Recipe HERE (feel free not to watch the shocking presentation
on how to remove dark spots from your hands :))

I also REALLY love that today’s pitcher is using Would You Read It in a way I hoped people would (at least some of the time) but which seldom happens.  She’s using her pitch, and your feedback, to help her figure out her story! (as you’ll read below.)

So without further ado, today’s pitch comes to us from Kathy.  Kathy Halsey has been writing picture books and nonfiction stories for two years. In a prior life she taught English and served as a K-12 school librarian. Since she has an agent, Jodell Sadler at Sadler Children’s Literary, the purpose of her pitch is to guide her plot and focus her manuscript.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Son Of Boogie
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: Conquering the boards–skateboards, surf boards snowboards­–that’s Lil Boogie’s dream. He and his Pops head off the Half Pipe Park to skate, but his flips flop. Lil Boogie heads for the beach, but the waves bury him. And on the snowboard, an ice storm stops him cold. Back at the ski lodge, he finds his board–the CHESS BOARD. Lil Boogie rules and rocks this board like a king. SON OF BOOGIE is a 453 word picture book for PreK-2nd grade that champions perseverance and the father-son bond.

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 Kathy 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.  There are openings in July so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Kathy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to writing a new story. I don’t know when it will happen – I haven’t had an idea I feel really excited about in a while – but it could be today!  Why not?! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #160 – Finley VS The Fly (PB) PLUS The December/January Pitch Pick!

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Wowee!  What a busy week it’s been so far and it’s only Wednesday!

Monday was Phyllis’s big day, and boy did we ever get a lot of AMAZING poetry, videography, art, photography, etc to celebrate!  If you didn’t get a chance to see/read, you really won’t want to miss it (and everything is very short and un-time-consuming so you should totally check it out! :))  Go HERE.

One item that didn’t make it in time for Monday’s post, and didn’t get posted yesterday because I was away at a school visit, is Dana Atnip’s totally fun depiction of everyone’s favorite weather-hog!

illustration copyright Dana Atnip 2015
please visit her website HERE

I’ll add it to Monday’s post, but I didn’t want anyone to miss it! 🙂

We will figure out some winners from Phyllis’s celebration, I just haven’t had time because, as I mentioned, I was “out of the office” 🙂

Phyllis and I had a LOVELY school visit yesterday!  There were balloons and cake and wonderful students and teachers!  I’m hoping to have pictures to share at some point, but my photo stream won’t update… because I am a technopoop!… so maybe next time!

Now then!  Onward to today’s business!

First, we have the December/January Pitch Pick!

Here are last month’s wonderful pitches, newly tweaked and polished thanks to your helpful advice.

#1 Marla – Froggy Went A Courtin’ (PB ages 4-8)
Froggy Went a Courtin’ is an updated version of the traditional song. Missy Mousey has agreed to marry Froggy. But an old tom cat crashes their wedding and wants to eat the bride. It’s up to the strong and independent Missy Mousey to save herself, Froggy, and the day.

#2 Jeff – Stormy With A Chance Of Pizza (PB ages 3-7)
Grandpa’s creative problem solving saves the day (or at least their dinner) when ‘can do’ perseverance triumphs over challenges of a new recipe and Mother Nature’s threats, showing  his storytelling grandchild the value of self reliance.

#3 Bekah – The Penguin And The Pelican (PB ages 4-8)

After being turned away by graceful dancers at a dance hall, a penguin and a pelican try to fix their awkwardness on land by taking lessons from graceful but greedy dance teachers.  When the birds discover that dance lessons have not cured their clumsy gaits, new friends help the pair to keep dancing joyfully and find their natural gracefulness. 

#4 Michele – Hoot And Holly (PB ages 4-8)

When Holly finds the orphaned owlet Hoot in a windswept field near home, she knows he won’t survive without her help. With clues from Hoot and a bit of creativity, Holly teaches Hoot to hunt and fly. And when he is ready, they say goodbye.    

#5 Maria – The Trouble With Homework (PB ages 6-9)

“Demonstrations Speeches Today” is written in large letters on the board. OH NO! What’s a kid to do when he’s totally forgotten about his homework? Sometimes, you just have to improvise!
Join Ms. Noble’s 3rd grade class as they deliver their first-ever speeches. Ethan’s folding napkins. Ella’s frosting cake. Jillian’s crying great, big tears ’cause her cookies didn’t bake! But what about Conor? He’s come to school unprepared so he’ll just have to make his up as he goes along. Don’t be surprised if he has to “let the cat out of the bag.”
Do you have anything to demonstrate to others? Let Conor’s presentation inspire you to create your own speech and show off the skills and talents you have. A speech outline is included to get you started.
Disclaimer: No snails or house cats were harmed in the making of this book! 

Please vote for the one you think is best and deserves a read by editor Erin Molta by Sunday February 8 at 5 PM EDT and I will announce the winner next week.

Now dearies, I know you’re pooped out after all that reading and voting, so how about  quick pick-you-up?  Something Chocolate always does it for me 🙂 and I’m in a brownie mood today so…

YUM!

Feel better?

Good!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Kirsten.  Kirsten W. Larson used to work for NASA but now writes about rocket science — and just about any science — for kids. She is the author of SCIENCE FAIR SUCCESS! and USING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD (Rourke), as well as more than a dozen children’s magazine articles. Find her at kirsten-w-larson.com

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Finley VS The Fly
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages
The Pitch: On the verge of losing his favorite sandwich to a pesky fly, Finley strikes back with a vacuum, the sink sprayer and more creating chaos in the kitchen. But when he finally wallops the fly, he learns to be careful what he wishes for.

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 Kirsten 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.  There are openings in June so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Kirsten is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to catching up on whatever I missed yesterday, and getting to meet an online friend in real life later – all the way from Indiana!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #159 – The Trouble With Homework (PB) PLUS Straight From The Editor x 2

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Wait til you hear how forethoughtful I’m being!

Seriously.  You are NOT going to believe it.

It’s Sunday night.  SUNDAY.  And I am putting the finishing touches on this post which isn’t due to go up until Wednesday!

Wednesday is like 2 1/2 entire days from now!

I don’t think this has ever happened before in the history of my blog!

Don’t worry.

You’re in the right place.

I have not been possessed by aliens or anything.  (Of course, I would probably say that if I had been, wouldn’t I? Because they’d make me… But I’m pretty sure I haven’t!)

It’s just that the weatherperson in these parts seems pretty convinced that we’re going to be getting heavy snow – at least a foot – maybe 3 – and that means, in all probability, that I will have no internet.  So my usual operating procedure of finishing my Wednesday post 37 seconds before it’s due to go up may not pan out well.  And I don’t want today’s pitcher to miss her day!

PLUS!  We have not one, but TWO Straight From The Editors to share – always educational AND fun – so I wouldn’t want you to miss that either.  Or the most important part of the post… Something Chocolate 🙂

Black Magic Cake

Yummmmm!  Scrumptious!!

I know how you all count the hours until Wednesday for your chocolate treat, so far be it from me to deprive you! 🙂  I would never want it to be said that I don’t take good care of you!

Alrighty!  Now that we’re fortified, let’s see what the editor has to say!

Straight From The Editor for October:

You will recall Michelle’s winning pitch:

Miss Knaffle and her second graders all just want to have fun at school. But when her students take theiridea of fun too far—conducting a farting symphony during reading time, smuggling coffee beans to the class hamster, and using their desks for a bubblegum sculpture contest—Miss Knaffle decides that only a field trip to the zoo will avert classroom disaster. Once there, the canny teacher enlists irritable zoo animals to her cause. When Fátima tangles with a snake and Mario ends up on the wrong side of a baboon, the students quickly come to appreciate the zoo rules—and their teacher—in a whole new way.

Here are editor Erin Molta’s comments:

This is so cute! My only suggestion is to be more specific about the zoo incidents like Fatima tangles with a snake because she did what? You are specific about the farting symphony (hilarious!) and the coffee beans to the hamster so we need to see the zoo side, too—at least one. I’d omit the bubblegum sculpture contest to fit in more specific zoo incidents.

Straight From The Editor for November:

Here is Heather’s winning pitch:

The harpsichord is dusted, the tea is poured, the vases are arranged on doily laces, and Hubert the pug is settled calmly on the rug. Lottie Dobson is ready for her fancy luncheon party. But when the members of the Grandview Rose Society arrive with even more blooms, poor Hubert’s allergies kick in. What happens next is a riot of mishaps that gets him banned from the room. But when a wily rat sneaks in, steals the cheese, and dangles from the chandelier, it sends the proper party guests on a crazy chase–with a sneezing Hubert in the lead. One big sneeze will save the day! Too bad for Hubert, the sneezing doesn’t end there. 

And here are Erin’s comments:

Cute! The only problem I saw with it was that why wouldn’t Hubert be allergic to the roses that are already there? Would more make that much of a difference? I think Hubert’s allergies should be a new issue—a surprise, so to speak. And then be specific about at least one of the mishaps. Otherwise, it’s very fun and sounds like a delight!

As always, I find Erin’s comments insightful and helpful!  I hope they help you in your mission to create the perfect pitch!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Maria.  Maria is an educator with the best job in the world – she works as a Fire & Life Safety Educator for a municipal fire department! When she isn’t teaching others how to be safe, she can be found writing under a pecan tree, playing with her dogs and cats, or cruising around town with the top down searching for inspirational ideas or the next big story.

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Trouble With Homework
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 6-9)
The Pitch: What’s a kid to do when he’s waited until the lastminute to do his homework? Sometimes, you just have to improvise!

Join Connor along with his zany classmates as they prepare (some more than others) for their first-ever demonstration speeches.  Follow Connor’s speech outline and you, too, can show others what skills and talents you have.

Disclaimer: No snails or house cats were harmed in the making of this book! 

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 Maria 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.  There are openings in June so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Maria is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to getting my internet back so I can catch up on everything I’ve missed!  It should be back this morning, but we shall see… (Of course, I’m just assuming… because it’s SUNDAY! so I don’t know yet what will happen!)

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, and for everyone who lives on the East Coast, I hope you all weathered the storm okay!!!

Would You Read It Wednesday #158 – Hoot And Holly (PB) PLUS The November Pitch Pick Winner!

67 Comments

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

I hope you are all in fine fettle!

(I don’t actually know what fettle is… it sounds like kettle, so maybe it means you’re well stoked up on tea… though hopefully not so much so that you have that sloshy feeling, the technical term for which – according to me and my best friend in 6th grade – is “joggling” 🙂  But it also sounds like fete, so maybe it means you’re partying.  Partying or tea-a-plenty, either option seems good on a cold January day :))

Whatever condition your fettle is in I’m glad you’re here 🙂

(That sounds like it should either be a line from a Broadway show tune, or the end of a Mr. Rogers song, don’t you think?  We should work on that… :))

Anyhoo . . . Let’s get on with our regularly scheduled programming, shall we?

First off, I’m happy to announce that the winner of the November Pitch Pick (in an exceptionally tight race, I might add – very, very close this month!) is Heather with her pitch for Hubert’s Dreadful Allergies!  Wahoo!  Congratulations, Heather!  Your pitch has already been sent to Erin Molta for her thoughts, and I’m sure you’ll hear from her soon.

And congratulations as always to ALL our pitchers for bravely putting themselves out there and sharing truly fabulous pitches!  Is it just me, or do you all agree that the overall quality of the pitches has steadily improved since the early days of Would You Read It?  Seriously, I think everyone does such a good job!

Phew!  After all that excitement, I think we need . . .

Something Chocolate!!!

Today’s Something Chocolate is not so much chocolate as Something Caramel – although you could (and should!) quickly remedy that with a drizzle of hot fudge sauce 🙂  But I thought we should go healthy this morning, what with it being January and a time for new beginnings and all… 🙂

Recipe HERE

YUM!

Now that we’re all full of healthy apples (and possibly slightly less healthy caramel, and hopefully also a healthy dose of hot fudge sauce :)) let’s get right down to WYRI!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Michele who says, “I can’t promise that a long time policy work and public relations professional can succeed in the world of picture book making. But I can promise that she will try!”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: Hoot And Holly
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: When Holly finds the orphaned owlet Hoot in a windswept field near home, she knows he won’t survive without her help. Together, Hoot and Holly forge an unlikely friendship as Holly cares for the baby owl until he can care for himself. Hoot & Holly is a story about growing up and saying goodbye. It blends the emotion of an Alison McGhee story with the sweet fun of impossible friend stories like Sophie’s Squash, Peep, and Fly Away Home (film). Like Flora & Ulysses, Hoot & Holly celebrates the special bond between humans and animals. It’s a love story with a realistic end that will resonate with people of all ages.

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 Michele 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.  There are openings in June, so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Michele is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  Phyllis and I are off to an author visit today, so I am looking forward to that!  And Phyllis wants you all to know, in case you are wondering, that she is in VERY fine fettle! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!! 🙂

♫ ♫ ♫ la-la-la-la-la-la-la whatever condition your fettle is in I’m glad you’re here! ♫ ♫ ♫

P.S.  This just in!  Important Hare-Brained Scheme Announcement in a special edition blog post tomorrow!!! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #157 – The Penguin And The Pelican (PB) PLUS The November Pitch Pick!

79 Comments

I’d like to begin today’s post with a Public Service Announcement.

As you all (may or may not) know, January is National Bath Safety Month.

Yes.  It’s true.

And I’m concerned this may be something you don’t take seriously enough, potentially risking life and limb.

So please.  If you’re going to have a bath, keep this in mind:

Baths, especially the young ones, are extremely vulnerable to attack by toddlers with rubber duckies, siblings engaged in splash wars or games of “Kickie”, and dogs that have met the wrong end of a skunk (dog hair, tomato juice and skunk oil are a triple threat – I beg you!  Think of your poor little bath!)  Princesses with excessively long hair should NEVER be allowed near a bath – they should just be hosed down outdoors (the necessary shampoo required may cause a dangerous build up of soap scum and the excessive hair itself may lead to the dreaded condition of Clogged Drain! – you mustn’t – you simply mustn’t!)

A threatened bath is an unpredictable bath which may lash out in self-defense.

A safe bath is a happy bath.

Be a responsible bath owner!  Keep your bath (and yourself) safe!

Thank you.

(This message has been brought to you by the Blueberry Hill Coalition For Bath Safety, which meets weekly under the guise of providing a public service but is really just using the meeting as a reason to eat large quantities of coffee and donuts.)

Phew.  I’m so glad we shared that important Public Service Announcement, aren’t you?  I feel much better knowing that the care and safety of baths everywhere has received some much-needed attention!

Now then, if you’d all quit lolling about in the tub, we’ve got all kinds of high jinx and shenanigans lined up for today.

First, the November Pitch Pick!  (Yay!  At long last! :))

Here are our 4 pitches, all spiffed up and improved thanks to your very helpful feedback.  Please read through them and vote below for the one you think most deserves a read by editor Erin Molta.

#1 Maria – Just Like Us (PB ages 2-6)
As children frolic through and around a park playground, glimpses of two bear cubs mimicking their fun can be seen, partially obscured on each page. Both the bears and children roll down a hill, play on the equipment, and dig for treasure. But in the end, who is watching whom. 

#2 Heather – Hubert’s Dreadful Allergies (PB ages 4-8)
The harpsichord is dusted, the tea is poured, the vases are arranged on doily laces, and Hubert the pug is settled calmly on the rug. Lottie Dobson is ready for her fancy luncheon party. But when the members of the Grandview Rose Society arrive with even more blooms, poor Hubert’s allergies kick in. What happens next is a riot of mishaps that gets him banned from the room. But when a wily rat sneaks in, steals the cheese, and dangles from the chandelier, it sends the proper party guests on a crazy chase–with a sneezing Hubert in the lead. One big sneeze will save the day! Too bad for Hubert, the sneezing doesn’t end there. 

#3 Gail – Knights Of The Kids’ Table (PB ages 4-8)
Most of the Knights of the Kids’ Table found Flooted funny. After all, when he got nervous, Flooted tooted. But cranky Hugh couldn’t stand the smell, so he hatched a plan to get rid of Flooted…for good. When Hugh’s scheme flopped, the little knights giggled, the big knights enjoyed silly sword fights, and the grumpy little knight got exactly what he wished for.

#4 Jean – Got Your Nose (PB ages 4-8)
Jack loves playing ‘Got Your Nose’ with his mom, but when bedtime comes, and Jack’s not ready to quit, he turns to his sleeping brother and steals the nose right off his face!  When Jack hears approaching footsteps, he nervously tosses his brother’s nose into the dirty laundry basket, sending it on a harrowing adventure faced with drooling dogs, hungry owls, and stinky skunks that will have you holding your breath, and your nose a little tighter. Will Jack succeed in finding his brother’s nose before morning?    

Please cast your vote by Sunday January 18 at 5 PM EDT, and I will announce the winner on next week’s WYRI.  Many thanks!!!


Now, onto the new pitch!

Today’s pitcher personally selected her Something Chocolate, and I must say, she has EXCELLENT taste!  Help yourselves!!!

Find the recipe at The Sweets Life HERE
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2012/05/salted-caramel-chocolate-shortbread.html

YUM!  Anyone else need a cup of coffee to go with that? Or maybe a bath?  (Just kidding :))

Today’s pitch comes to us from Bekah who says: “Wife, mom to a ten and seven year old, and teacher, I’ve been stealing time to write poetry and stories for over a decade and using my family as my “willing” critique group.  Recently, I’ve entered the online writing community, through partipation in PiBoIdMo 2014 at taralazar.com (thanks, Tara!) and the 2014 March Madness-style children’s poetry contest at thinkkidthink.com (thanks, Ed!).

No official writing blog yet (I know, I know…I will!) but you can read about my kids’ big bears, Peanut and Nugget DaBear, at their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter (I know. I am a little strange. Don’t judge!).”

Here is her pitch:

Working Title: The Penguin And The Pelican
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-7)
The Pitch: A penguin and a pelican try to fix their awkwardness on land by learning to dance gracefully. When they discover, embarrassingly, that dance lessons can’t cure their clumsy gaits, new friends convince the birds to keep dancing joyfully. In the end, the penguin and the pelican’s gracefulness in the water and in the air amazes their friends.

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 Bekah 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.  There are openings in late May so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Bekah is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch!  I am looking forward to taking my bath to get microchipped so that in case it wanders off it will have the best odds of being returned safely!

Have a wonderful Wednesday , everyone! 🙂

Would You Read It Wednesday #156 – Stormy With A Chance Of Pizza (PB)

65 Comments

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!

It’s so lovely to see you all again!

I hope all your holidays were festive and joyful!

And now, here we are at the front end of a brand new year.  Just like a blank page, it’s full of possibility.  Who knows what great ideas we’ll have this year, what wonderful new stories we’ll write, what hare-brained schemes we’ll come up with?! 🙂

It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?

I have already had two happy surprises – well, one surprise and one much-looked-forward-to occasion.

The surprise was that the lovely and talented Stacy Jensen, out of the pure kindness of her heart, took time out of her Lego Pirate war to try to solve the problem of updating Perfect Picture Books.  Her idea is a good one, and she’s done a beautiful job (if you need web work, contact her at once!).  More exploration is required before we see whether it’s something the Truly Tech Challenged (er, that would be Yours Truly) can actually manage, but either way it was incredibly kind and generous and thoughtful of her, and really that is what so many people in this kidlit community are like that it just reinforces my gratitude to be part of it.  Thank you, Stacy!!!

The much-looked-forward-to-occasion (which was only a surprise because we managed to pull it off at long last!) was that I got to have lunch with the wonderful Elaine Kearns, writer, and creator of Kidlit 411 (which, in case you’ve been under a rock somewhere, is celebrating it’s First Birthday this week and you should definitely hustle on over and check it out because it’s fantastic and there are all kinds of amazing prizes on offer!)  It was such a pleasure to meet her in person, after all this time of knowing her online.  And we only live about 20 miles from each other so really, what took us so long???!!!  I apologize for no photographic evidence of our meeting, but it was too cold to take pictures outside, and too dark inside.  (Anyway, that’s the story I’m sticking to :))

I think all that wonderfulness calls for a little Something Chocolate, don’t you?  (And no, of course I’m not trying to distract you from the glaring lack of photographs!  Why would you think that?!)

Since it is 0 (that’s ZERO, folks) here, we need a warm Something Chocolate, so how about…

… warm pain au chocolat?  (which, for our English-speaking audience is plain ole chocolate croissant :))

Mmm!  Flaky pastry… warm dark chocolate… who notices the temperature now? 🙂

So, we were supposed to have the November Pitch Pick today, but what with holiday busy-ness and such, not everyone was ready.  So we’ll have to do that next week.

Meanwhile, let’s get onto today’s WYRI!

Today’s pitch comes to us from Jeff who says, “Though I’ve come to popular writing late, in a sense I’ve been writing all my life.  I’ve enjoyed a career in science and as a military health officer. In 2005 one of my journal articles won a prize and award as ‘best new research paper,’ which inspired me to try other genre.  

Under pen name ‘Jake McKenzie’ I’ve self piublished a novel, When Pigs Flu… a military spy thriller about pandemic risks and bio-terror threats and a work of creative non fiction, Civil War Comes Home, about what life was like in a sleepy Southern town (Williamsburg) when the war suddenly arrives on the town’s doorstep and Union forces occupy for the remainder of the war.
As we often hear, ‘wrote what you know,’ these are based on my career as a public health scientist and living in Williamsburg

As a recent grandfather, my favorite audience now however,  is children and I have several children’s picture books, targeted for ages 3-7 for which I am seeking a publisher or agent. (Please see: http://jeffdrifmeyerauthor.wix.com/home#)”

Here is his pitch:

Working Title: Stormy With A Chance Of Pizza
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 3-7)
The Pitch: Grandpa’s creative problem solving saves the day (or at least their dinner) when ‘can do’ perseverance triumphs over challenges of a new recipe and Mother Nature’s threats, showing  his storytelling grandchild the value of self reliance.

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 Jeff improve his pitch.  Helpful examples of possible alternate wordings are welcome.  (However, I must ask that comments be constructive and respectful.  I reserve the right not to publish comments that are mean because that is not what this is about.)
Please send YOUR pitches for the coming weeks!  For rules and where to submit, click on this link Would You Read It or on the Would You Read It tab in the bar above.  There are openings in May so you’ve got a little time to polish up your pitches and send yours for your chance to be read by editor Erin Molta!

Jeff is looking forward to your thoughts on his pitch!  I am looking forward to seconds on pain au chocolat and spring.  Yep.  Now that Christmas is over I’m pretty much done with winter! 🙂

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!!  See you on Friday for Perfect Picture Books!