So, in my mind I had this plan that I was going to post a Perfect Picture Book (on time!) today.
In reality, I am spending my days helping out with my new granddaughter.
“Helping out” (in case you’re unfamiliar with the term) in addition to actually helping out with baby care and laundry and grocery shopping etc. involves a lot of gazing at the baby and looking at each other and saying, “Isn’t she perfect?” and “Can you believe how perfect she is?”
SO…. not a lot of non-baby related work getting done around here at the moment! 😊
So instead of sharing a new book on time, I am sharing an old book late 😊
I chose Little Tiger because Charlotte, having been born in the Year of the Tiger, is a little tiger, and because I love this whole series by Julie Abery – perfect little books for youngest readers!
Title: Little Tiger
Written By: Julie Abery
Illustrated By: Suzie Mason
Amicus Ink, March 12 2019, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-5
Themes/Topics: baby jungle adventure, mother/child love, language fun (rhyme)
Opening: “Little Tiger waking, shaking, in the morning sun.”
Brief Synopsis: a “day-in-the-life” adventure in which Little Tiger romps and plays and experiments… but mama is always close by to watch over and keep him safe.
Links To Resources: Special Resource straight from the author!!!
Hi Susanna.
Thank you so much for inviting Little Tiger to Blueberry Hill. We have been looking forward to visiting you on Perfect Picture Book Friday for such a long time!
We are so happy that you and your granddaughters loved our book sooo much! How about a little painting fun to go with the book.
Little Tiger handprints…
TIGER-ific!
Fun and easy to make, just don’t forget to have a bowl of soapy water to wash those paint-covered hands.
We hope that you enjoyed the Little Tiger craft time.
Thank you so much for taking time to stop by and share these wonderful activities with us, Julie!!!
Why I Like This Books: the story is sweet, engaging, and accessible to youngest readers/listeners. The rhyme is fun to read aloud, with perfect rhythm and fun internal rhyme as well as end-of-line-rhyme. The story lets us play and explore along with the baby animal, always feeling the safety of mama’s watchful eye and the warmth of her love. A lovely, gentle read, perfect for bedtime or any time!!!
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
My perfect picture book for this week is the most special kind of story of all. A brand new one that is just beginning, surrounded by love, and with wonder, hope, light, and every kind of beautiful possibility shining from it.
Welcome, Charlotte Susanna! We’re so very glad you’re here ❤️❤️❤️
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
(Although truth be told, I’m not even here today! You might have guessed that, given the tardiness of this post. I am in the Green Mountains visiting my daughter! 😊)
First off, I’m happy to announce the winner of last week’s giveaway!!! JENNY MORALES, come on down! You are the lucky winner of your choice of either a copy of GARDENS ARE FOR GROWING by Chelsea Tornetto, OR, a PB Manuscript Critique from Chelsea!!! Please email me (you can use the handy contact form in the menu bar above) and I’ll get you set up with your winnings! 😊
Now, then! I can’t say today’s choice relates to the time of year or anything that’s going on. I just loved this book from the opening sentence, and I hope you will too!
Title: Marilyn’s Monster Written By: Michelle Knudsen Illustrated By: Matt Phelan Candlewick, March 2015, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: patience/waiting, monsters, doing what you know is right
Opening: “Some of the kids in Marilyn’s class had monsters. It was the latest thing. Marilyn didn’t have a monster. Not yet. You couldn’t just go out and get one. Your monster had to find you. That’s just the way it worked.”
text copyright Michelle Knudson 2017, illustration copyright Matt Phelan 2017, Candlewick
Brief Synopsis: Marilyn longs for her monster to find her. She tries to be patient and be the kind of girl no monster can resist. But the longer she waits, the harder it gets, until finally Marilyn takes matters into her own hands. And it’s a good thing she does!
text copyright Michelle Knudson 2017, illustration copyright Matt Phelan 2017, Candlewick
Why I Like This Book: Oh, gosh! Where to begin? The story is wonderfully original and entertaining, and relates to a theme all kids can understand – having to wait for things! Marilyn is so believably child-like in her behaviors and emotions. The art is delightful, full of wacky monsters that are tons of fun to look at, and Marilyn’s face and body language are so expressive. Marilyn goes against expectation without being disobedient or breaking any rules, so it’s a nice way to model doing what you know is right, or being true to yourself. And the resolution is surprisingly sweet. Across the board, this one is a winner!
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
If you spend any time around kids, you have no doubt been challenged to a variety of tongue twisters. My sister and I had two favorites when we were kids: “toy boat” and “rubber baby buggy bumper” ((say either of them at least 3 times fast!)
But the most recent one I got challenged to (which I can barely say 1 time without messing up 😊) is “Irish wristwatch, Swiss wristwatch” Go on! I dare you!
It’s hard, right?! 😊
So, if you’re casting about for a writing prompt today, why not have a go at writing something with tongue twisters? Dr. Seuss did it. You can, too!
I think it’s actually kind of a cool exercise, since it makes you really think about the sounds in words – something we care a lot about here in kidlit 😊
Here’s Something Chocolate to get you fueled up and ready to write – Cookie Dough Fudge! Looks scrumptious, doesn’t it?
Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to write a story full of tongue twisters about cookie dough fudge 😊
Now then, onto today’s pitch which comes to us from Cindy. Cindy is a kidlit writer, graphic designer, kid at heart, and lover of all things chocolate. She works full time in marketing but writing for kids is her happy place. She is also a member of the Write2Ignite Conference team (write2ignite.com) which offers virtual workshops for children’s writers and her website is cindylynnsawyer.net.
Find her on the web at:
Here is her pitch:
Working Title: Remmy’s Sticky Situation
Age/Genre: Picture Book (ages 4-8)
The Pitch: When Remmy raccoon’s cotton candy disappears, he blames his friends. But he finds himself in a sticky situation when he discovers the real reason for the mystery. Has he lost his best buds forever? How can Remmy show his friends that he is truly sorry?
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 you answer is MAYBE or NO, please feel free to tell us what you think could be better in the spirit of helping Cindy 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 Would You Read It in the dropdown under For Writers in the menu bar above. There are openings as soon as next week (April 27), so you could get your pitch up pretty soon for helpful feedback and a chance to have it read and commented on my editor Erin Molta!
Cindy is looking forward to your thoughts on her pitch! I am looking forward to seeing if I can figure out a story that has been percolating in my mind for about 2 weeks. . . I hope I can get it on paper, and I hope I love it when it gets there! 😊
Welcome to today’s edition of Perfect Picture Book Friday!
I have a lovely book to share – perfect for spring time! It makes me want to get out and garden (and I have a black thumb, so that’s saying something! 😊) I’m sure it will have the same affect on you and any young readers you share it with.
As an added bonus, we have a little Q&A with the author, Chelsea Tornetto, who is also offering winner’s choice of a picture book manuscript critique or a copy of her beautiful book to one lucky commenter! So please leave a comment on this post by Wednesday April 20 at 9PM Eastern and you could be the randomly selected lucky winner! Check out Chelsea’s critique service HERE so you can see what she offers!
Now, let’s have a look at the book!
Title: Gardens Are For Growing
Written By: Chelsea Tornetto
Illustrated By: Hsulynn Pang
Publisher: Familius Publishing
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: gardens/nature, growth, family, cycle of life
text copyright Chelsea Tornetto 2022, illustration coptright Hsulynn Pang 2022, Familius
Opening: “Shovels are for turning soil, and clumps are meant for breaking.”
text copyright Chelsea Tornetto 2022, illustration coptright Hsulynn Pang 2022, Familius
Brief Synopsis: A father shows his daughter how to take a patch of earth and till and plant and tend until it grows into a beautiful garden. As the garden grows more lush with every passing year, the little girl grows up.
text copyright Chelsea Tornetto 2022, illustration coptright Hsulynn Pang 2022, Familius
Links To Resources: First, a treat! A little Q&A with author Chelsea Tornetto!
SUSANNA: How did you come up with the idea for Gardens Are For Growing?
CHELSEA: My husband puts in a backyard garden every year. When our daughter, Tessa, was small, my favorite thing about spring and summer was watching her hanging out in the garden with her dad. As she grew older the tasks she could/would help with changed, but the memories they made were always precious. It struck me how she was growing up just like the garden did each year. And Gardens Are For Growing was born!
SUSANNA: What do you hope kids will take away from it?
CHELSEA: I hope families are inspired to take time to get outside together! I also hope it helps them realize that the best, most powerful memories are usually made in the small moments. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a big fancy vacation to make lasting memories.
SUSANNA: What is your favorite part of being an author?
CHELSEA: I love the creativity of it. I love the challenge of finding just the right word to complete a rhyme or create a certain feeling. And I love giving my words to a talented illustrator and seeing their vision come to life!
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Chelsea! It’s so wonderful to know a little about the background of the books we love!
Next, some wonderful activity pages!
Why I Like This Book: This lovely story, told in rhyme, shows young readers the many things involved with growing a garden, from breaking up the earth, to sowing seeds and watering, to seeing earthworms, to watching things grow. With each turn of the page, the garden grows, going from a patch of earth, to neat garden with thin, young plants, until eventually it is a lush, mature garden. As the garden grows, a young girl grows alongside it, until the garden, the seasons, and the girl and her father together demonstrate the cycle of life. The art is bright and full of details, a wonderful complement to the text. Young gardeners (whether in the country with a true patch of earth, or in the city with a pot on a windowsill) will especially love this chance to learn about gardening, but it is a beautiful story anyone will enjoy.
text copyright Chelsea Tornetto 2022, illustration coptright Hsulynn Pang 2022, Familius
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Happy Passover and Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates! 😊
Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to be randomly selected to win your choice of a copy of this book or a picture book manuscript critique from Chelsea!
I’m sure none of us could have waited another minute for this week’s list of Perfect Picture Books!
I have a lovely one to share today. I’m pretty sure it’s been reviewed by a couple of other members of this group already, but I wanted to share it, too. It’s a wonderful book, and it was written by a graduate of Making Picture Book Magic, so I get to give you a recommendation and celebrate her accomplishment at the same time! 😊
Title: This Could Be You
Written By: Cindy Williams Schrauben
Illustrated By: Julia Seal
Publisher: Cardinal Rule Press, April 1, 2022
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: being yourself, believing in yourself
Opening: “Who pursues their top dreams, their never-ever stop dreams, persist-until-they-drop dreams? Believe. It could be you!”
text copyright Cindy Williams Schrauben 2022, illustration copyright Julia Seal 2022, Cardinal Rule Press
Brief Synopsis: This book is an invitation to children of all backgrounds, interests, and abilities to follow their dreams and believe in themselves.
text copyright Cindy Williams Schrauben 2022, illustration copyright Julia Seal 2022, Cardinal Rule Press
text copyright Cindy Williams Schrauben 2022, illustration copyright Julia Seal 2022, Cardinal Rule Press
Why I Like This Book: Every child can benefit from encouragement to be themselves, pursue their dreams, believe they can be or do anything they want, and this book celebrates exactly that. It is an invitation to young readers to imagine themselves in all kinds of ways they may not have considered. Every child will be able to see her or himself as at least one of the many kinds of people shown – creative, supportive, persistent, adventurous, inquisitive, observant, protective. . . And for many kids the options will be eye-opening, showing them things they could be or do that they might not have known about yet. The illustrations are warm, colorful, and appealing with plenty of details to catch kids’ attention and interest. The children pictured are a nicely diverse group. Kids will enjoy exploring all the possibilities open to them while absorbing the important message that they can be whoever they want to be, and that they are valued and should value themselves. A lovely read!
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Welcome to another installment of Perfect Picture Book Friday! (And that’s no April Fool 😊)
To start the day’s festivities, I’m happy to announce that the winner of last week’s book giveaway, JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA, is Stephanie M! Congratulations, Stephanie! I think you will love it! Please email me with your address (you can use the contact button in the menu bar above), and I will have the publisher mail out your copy!
Now! Let’s get to today’s book! Such a perfect little gem!
This book is actually a companion to A FRIEND IS. . .(reviewed HERE on PPBF in January 2021), and if you haven’t had a chance to check that one out, I recommend reading it too! For those of you who might live in the Mid-Hudson Valley area, you can meet today’s author/illustrator and get a signed copy of both these books at the Poughkeepsie Book Festival tomorrow! I will also be there, as will Iza Trapani, Karen Kaufman Orloff, Della Ferreri, Tania Guarino, Michael Garland, Nancy Furstinger, Marie-Therese Miller, Raven Howell, and lots of others!
But now, the book!
Title: A Family Is. . .
Written & Illustrated By: Lisa Thiesing
Publisher: Aladdin, March 8, 2022
Suitable For Ages: 4-8 (but I think younger children would really enjoy it too!)
Themes/Topics: family
Opening: “A family is. . . for “Good morning!” A family is. . .for having breakfast and for getting dressed.”
text and illustration copyright Lisa Thiesing 2022 Aladdin
Brief Synopsis: (from the publisher) “Whether big or small, a family is for reading, for laughing, for holding you tight. And, perhaps most importantly, loving you for who you are.”
text and illustration copyright Lisa Thiesing 2022 Aladdin
Links To Resources: make your own A Family Is. . . book by writing and/or drawing something family means to you on each page; make playdough families with different sized cookie cutters in the shape of people, or bears or other animals; draw a picture of your whole family; make a family tree; Family Themed Finger Plays and Action Songs
text and illustration copyright Lisa Thiesing 2022 Aladdin
Why I Like This Book: This sweet book gives young readers a lovely and very accessible description of what family means. Each page highlights ways families spend time together, from having breakfast and getting dressed to walking in the park and biking, to parties and games. But the book also reminds kids that, on a deeper level, families are about being together and belonging. As always for me, Lisa’s art takes a charming text and makes it even better. Her color palette is soft and appealing, her characters are delightful, and her depiction of family makes you want to climb right into the book and join the fun and the love. A perfect story for bed time or any time, and especially for when someone needs a little extra reminder of how much they are treasured in their own family.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and I have a wonderful treat for you!
A great Perfect Picture Book, a little insight from the author, 3 fabulous activity pages, and the chance for one of you (US resident only) to win a copy of the book just by leaving a comment in the comment section below by Wednesday March 30 at 9PM Eastern!
I really enjoyed this book, so I hope you’ll like it too!
Title: Jackie And The Mona Lisa
Written By: Deborah Rovin Murphy
Illustrated By: Jen Brickling
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press, March 15, 2022, nonfiction
Suitable For Ages: 6-8
Themes/Topics: American History, Jackie Kennedy, art appreciation
Opening: “Jackie Kennedy loved poetry. She loved dance and music. And she loved art. In 1961, Jackie became the First Lady of the United States. And everyone loved Jackie. More than that, everyone wanted to be just like her.”
Text copyright Debbie Rovin Murphy 2022, illustration copyright Jen Brickling 2022, Sleeping Bear Press
Brief Synopsis: From the publisher: “Jackie Kennedy loved the arts. And America loved Jackie Kennedy. The first lady knew she had the country’s attention–what would she do with it? Encourage Americans to appreciate art, of course! She turned the White House into a historical site filled with some of America’s most treasured artifacts and pieces of art. She brought Shakespearean theater to the White House and ballerinas to the South Lawn. And most epically, she brought the Mona Lisa to the states (much to the chagrin of many Parisians) to encourage Americans to visit museums–and it worked! An inspiring story about one of the nation’s most influential first ladies.”
Text copyright Debbie Rovin Murphy 2022, illustration copyright Jen Brickling 2022, Sleeping Bear Press
Links To Resources: The back matter of the book has additional information about both Jackie Kennedy and the Mona Lisa. Please see below for some activity pages you can use with the book.
I asked Debbie what inspired her to write JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA, and she responded: “Growing up, art was always my favorite class. I teach second grade now (which I love) but had also dreamed about becoming an art teacher. This, combined with my love of history and museums, and my admiration of Jackie Kennedy, came together to inspire me to write Jackie and the Mona Lisa. Another reason for writing this particular story is my love for all of the “little known stories” in history or incredibly interesting stories that have been lost in time that I believe kids (and adults) would love to know. When I hear someone say that history is boring… I just think that they haven’t heard all of the interesting stories and anecdotes that correspond with all of the names, dates, and people we are taught to remember. I hope that this book can inspire children to go to museums and learn about the arts.”
A little bit about the author:
Author Debbie Rovin Murphy is a children’s book writer, teacher (of more than 25 years), and mother to two grown sons. She has loved visiting museums since her class trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art when she was in elementary school, and she was lucky enough to have seen the Mona Lisa on a trip to France. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Here are a few activity pages to use with the book:
Why I Like This Book: I found this book interesting, accessible, and engagingly written. I learned a lot about Jackie Kennedy’s time as First Lady and her passion for the arts. It was wonderful to have a glimpse of someone who seems so elegant searching through the White House basement! The story (without ever saying anything preachy!) clearly sends the message that if something is important to you, you can accomplish it if you put yourself into it. Young readers will really enjoy this book about everything Jackie Kennedy did for the arts in America.
Text copyright Debbie Rovin Murphy 2022, illustration copyright Jen Brickling 2022, Sleeping Bear Press
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊 Don’t forget to leave a comment below by Wednesday March 30 at 9PM Eastern for your chance to be randomly selected to win a copy of this wonderful book! (US residents only – sorry!)
. . . on a blueberry-covered hill not all that far, far away in upstate New York. . .
. . .a princess lived in a little house in the woods.
(I know. You’re wondering why the princess lived in a little house in the woods. “That’s not right!” I hear you saying. “Princesses are supposed to live in castles, or be trapped in towers or dungeons!” But this is not your usual run-of-the-mill princess. . .)
This princess was a champion pogo-sticker (yes, that is too a word.) She had been training for years, doing hours of jumping, and keeping to a strict diet of Spring Beans and Garbouncebos. It was very effective. The villagers could often be heard proclaiming, “That princess sure is full of beans!” And, “Boy! Can she bounce!”
The Bouncy Trouncy Pouncy Flouncy Pogosticking Championship, the most prestigious of all pogosticking competitions in the Universe, was only days away, and the princess (whose name was Poppy – so fitting, don’t you think? due to all that popping up and down? it’s almost like her excellence in pogosticking was foreseen when her parents picked her name. . .) but anyway, Poppy passionately wanted to win the competition and the life-size golden pogostick trophy that was the prize!
There was just one small problem. . .
She was supposed to have posted the winners for the 7th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest and she had spent so much time jumping and bouncing and eating beans and various other explosive foods that she had not done it. NO, SHE HAD NOT!
So her mother said, “Poppy, there will be no Pogosticking Championship for you until you have met your obligations! I will not have shirkers in my little house in the woods!”
Well. Poppy REALLY wanted to get to that Championship! So she sat on her hippity-hop (great indoor leg strength building for bouncing and jumping muscles) and made the list of winners and honorable mentions in record time (because Poppy was all about making records, whether in pogosticking or in judging whilst hippity-hopping and continuing her bean eating!)
“I am so proud of you, Poppy,” her mother said. “Not only have you fulfilled your obligations, you have kept up with your exercise regimen and your bean eating at the same time, showing great commitment to your sport and your goals! Now, go to the Bouncy Trouncy Pouncy Flouncy Pogosticking Championship and jump the socks off your competitors!”
There will now be a short commercial break to announce the WINNERS of . . .
The 7th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest
~forchildren’swriters~
(don’t worry – you’ll find out what happened to Poppy after this break from our sponsors)
First of all, I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time and care to write an entry for this contest. You all did a fabulous job and provided great enjoyment for so many! As always, I was thrilled to see so many wonderful stories! It is amazing and inspiring, not to mention VERY entertaining! There is just so much talent out there amongst you all! The other judges and I are blown away anew each time!
Second, I’d also like to thank EVERYONE – writer, reader, or both – who took the time to read as many entries as you could and leave supportive comments. This means so much to the writers who worked hard on their stories. It helps them see what they did well, as well as giving them the joy of knowing that their stories were read and enjoyed. I hope you all got as much delight and entertainment out of the reading as I did! Plus, we got to meet quite a few new people which was a wonderful added bonus! 😊
Third, I want to say again how difficult it was too choose! There were so many amazing entries. Really. I could find at least something terrific about every single one. The sheer volume of entries meant that many good ones had to be cut. We chose 14 finalists, and around 35 Honorable Mentions which we also loved, and even with those 49 total there were nearly 150 entries we couldn’t list! So if yours didn’t make the final cut please don’t feel bad. You’re in good company! There was a huge amount of competition. And remember that the judging is based on the contest criteria. If you wrote a great story that didn’t showcase pride enough or that was too grown-up or not related to Valentine’s Day, you didn’t make the final cut. But that DOES NOT mean you didn’t write a great story. Everyone who plonked their butt in a chair and worked hard to write a story for this contest is a winner! You showed up. You did your best work. You practiced your craft. You wrote to specifications and a deadline. You bravely shared your writing with the world. And you have a brand new story that is now yours to expand beyond 214 words if you like and maybe submit at some point to a magazine or as a PB manuscript. So bravo to everyone who entered!
Because it was such a hard choice, and there were so many wonderful stories, before we get to the winners, my assistant judges and I would like to award bragging rights, recognition and a small prize to the following authors for the following merits:
1.ForHonorable Mention In The Competition As A Whole: (entries we truly wrestled with not including in the finalists!)
Lori Sheroan for The Proudest Pencil
Susannah Lee for Shelby’s Heartache
Claire Noland for The Valentine Surprise
Chayala Nachum for My Icky Sticky Valentine (great kid appeal too!)
Rachel Bandy for V’s For Valentine
Terri Hellard-Brown for Isabella’s Valentine
Becky Goodman for ValenTalent Show
Lauri C. Meyers for My Gummy Love
Susanne Whitehouse for The Mural
Judy Sobanski for Sloth’s Original Valentine
Laura Bower for Llama Love
Sara Kruger for The Perfect Present
2. For Great Read Aloud:
Brigid Finucane for Love Somebody (makes you want to sing and dance 😊)
3. For Great Story For Younger Readers:
Patti Ranson for Valentines Breakfast For Mom
Cindy Greene for Valentine’s Day Heartache
Tara Knox Cerven for The Purrfect Valentine
Lori C. Evans for Never Too Many Valentines
4. For Humor:
Donna Kurtz for Don’t-Let-The-Dung-Beetle-Make-The-Valentine-Brownies!
Jill Purtee for Gumballs
5. For Fun POV/Character:
Jenna Elyse Johnson for Hammie’s Valentine Surprise (dog)
Deborah Foster for Gary Groundhog Conquers The Shadow Monster (groundhog/snowhog)
6. For Great Ending:
Alayne Kay Christian for What Kind Of Cupid Am I?
Kristy Roser Nuttall for Love Inside
Mary Schultz for Taffy’s Sweet Surprise
7. ForWell-Written Story With Great Sibling Interaction:
Julianna Helt for Allie’s Biggest Heart
Armineh Manookian for Lost But Found
Erika Romero for You Make Me So Proud
8. ForBeautiful Writing:
A. Kidd for Three Hearts
Corine Timmer for It’s A Matter Of Taste (also educational and funny ending!)
9. For Best Short Valentiny Story:
Marty Findley for A Valentine For You (64 words!)
10. For Sweet Valentiny:
Heather Ferranti Kinser for Teeny Houdini
Kathy Crable for Valentine Barks
Lindsay Moretti for A Valentine For Mr. Weatherly
11. Best Story From A Young Writer:
Sophie Moore (age 10) for Detective Spot And The Search For A New Cupid (also clever and funny!)
Congratulations to all of you for fantastic elements of your stories! Please email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com subject line Prize Winner to collect your award badge and prize, which is five dollars in a format that can be emailed for you to put toward something you’d like at a large online store (and I’m being cryptic because when I’ve done this for previous contests I got a ton of problematic spam mail because of the way I worded the post, but hopefully you can figure it out. The store starts with the letter A 😊) I know it’s not much, but hopefully it will come in handy for something!
And now…
…the moment you’ve all been waiting for…
The announcement of the WINNERS OF THE 2021 VALENTINY CONTEST as voted on by you, our devoted readers!!!
rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat-rat-a-tat
DDDRRRUUUMMM RRROOOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
In First Place…
Winner of the whole shebang…
who gets first choice of all the prizes…
Michaela Almeida for A Change Of Heart!!!
Congratulations, Michaela! Terrific job 😊
In Second Place
Daniella Kaufman for Sweet Valentine
Congratulations, Daniella! You get to pick your prize after Michaela.
In Third Place
Katie Brandyberry for Valentine Delivery – Part II
Congratulations, Katie! You get to pick your prize after Michaela and Daniella.
In Fourth Place…
Jesse Anna Bornemann for Showdown In Smoochalot
Congratulations, Jesse! You get to pick your prize after Michaela, Daniella, and Katie!
In Fifth Place…
Allison Strick for Percy’s Performance
Congratulations, Allison! You get to pick after Michaela, Daniella, Katie, and Jesse!
In Sixth Place...
Katie Palazzola for Oog Love Rock
Congratulations, Katie! I’m sure you get the idea of how the prize picking goes by now 😊
In Seventh Place…
Sarah Meade for V-Day!
Congratulations, Sarah! You get to pick next 😊
In Eighth Place…
Amy Leskowski for Cupid’s Confidence
Congratulations, Amy! You get to pick after Sarah 😊
In Ninth Place…
Laura Bost for Flicker’s Valentine
Congratulations, Laura! You get to pick after Amy! 😊
In Tenth Place…
Kate Thompson for The Valentine’s Cake
Congratulations, Kate! You get to pick after Laura! 😊
In Eleventh Place…
Sara Petersohn for Valentine Wins
Congratulations, Sara! You get to pick after Kate! 😊
In Twelfth Place…
Kimberly Shrack for The Perfect Valentine
Congratulations, Kimberly! You get to pick your prize after Sara! 😊
In Thirteenth Place…
Emily Keener for Special Delivery
Congratulations, Emily! You get to pick after Kimberly!
In Fourteenth Place…
Zach Schloss for Hoppy Belated Valentine
Congratulations, Zach!
All the winners should email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com with the subject heading Prize Winner so we can work out details for you to receive your prizes! (The sooner the better!) And for your convenience, the whole prize list is included at the bottom of this post.
Congratulations again to all our winners – it was a stiff competition!! – and congratulations to EVERYONE who wrote and entered a story in the contest. You all deserve a huge round of applause and a gigantic chocolate heart… or lots of little chocolate hearts… or both… really, you can never have too much chocolate 😊 .
Oh! And as a special reward I will tell you that Princess Poppy went to the Bouncy Trouncy Pouncy Flouncy Pogosticking Championship and pogoed with astounding energy, bouncing and jumping as, one by one, all the other competitors fell victim to Jelly Legs and toppled off their pogo sticks, and she was so impressive that not only did she win the competition and the life-sized golden pogo stick trophy (“That’s my girl!” her mother said proudly), they also named a brand of beans after her, so now you can buy Princess Poppy Beans – Beans That Pop With Flavor and Will Make You Jump For Joy! They are high in fiber and an excellent source of protein so you really can’t go wrong! Try some with your chocolate! (er… or maybe that WOULD be wrong 🤣)
Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest SO MUCH FUN, whether by writing an entry, reading people’s stories, leaving comments for the authors, and/or voting in the finals. It’s because of all of you that this contest was such a success, so many, many thanks from the bottom of my heart!
Have a marvelous Wednesday, everyone! 😊
The Prizes: Swoonworthy! As always, we are so fortunate to have an abundance of wonderful prizes donated by our very generous friends in the kidlit community! Just look at all these goodies!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Read & Critique from agent Mary Cummings of Great River Literary, “an agency devoted exclusively to representing authors and author/illustrators of books for children and teens. Strong relationships with editors have resulted in a rapidly growing list of sales of board and picture books, chapter books and novels to such publishing houses as Knopf; Philomel; Viking; Nancy Paulsen/Penguin; Balzer & Bray; Walker; Little, Brown; Henry Holt; Holiday House; Feiwel & Friends; FSG; Running Press; WorthyKids; Abrams; Random House; Wiseman S & S; Chronicle; Candlewick; HarperCollins and many others.”
⭐️ 1/2 Hour Zoom Picture Book Manuscript Critique or Mentoring Session with authorLynne Marie!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Rebecca Gardyn Levington author of BRAINSTORM! (Sleeping Bear Press, Summer 2022), I WILL ALWAYS BE…(HarperCollins, Spring 2024) and a contributor to the delightful anthologyHOP TO IT: POEMS TO GET YOU MOVING (Pomelo Books, October 2020)
⭐️ Personalized Signed Copy of Winner’s Choice of any available Susanna Leonard Hill picture book
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
How have we gotten to Perfect Picture Book Friday again so soon? Where does the time go?!
I was hoping to post the winners of the Valentiny Contest today. I know who they are! But life continues to be a bit nuts and I haven’t had time to finish figuring out the Honorable Mentions or make any of the badges, so I thought it would be better to wait another day or two and hopefully get those done than skip them. But you guys can tell me. If you just want to know the winners and skip the rest I can put that together pretty quickly.
Meanwhile, the first day of spring is only 2 days away, so I have chosen one of my favorite books for today. It is so beautiful and so nature-oriented it makes me think of spring 😊
Title: Step Gently Out Written By: Helen Frost Photography By: Rick Lieder Candlewick, March 2012, Fiction
Themes/Topics: nature, insects, taking time to look closely, poetry
Suitable For: ages 2-7
Opening: “Step gently out,/ be still, and watch a single blade of grass.“
Brief Synopsis: (From the Booklist starred review) “Nature’s miracles are often small and hard to capture, but in a syncopated harmony of text and image, Frost and Lieder manage to depict tiny moments as seen through a bugs-eye-view of the world… Moving from day to night, the poem makes for a soothing bedtime lullaby that includes a reminder to children about the book’s small creatures: “In song and dance / and stillness, / they share the world / with you.””
Links To Resources: the back of the book includes lots of information on all the insects pictured – a resource all in itself. In addition, here are some Insect Coloring Pages. Try taking some photographs of your own. Try writing a short poem about an insect. Story Time Resources: Step Gently Out
Why I Like This Book: I am always in favor of books that encourage kids to go outside and look closely at the real world around them, really observe it, think about it, be part of it. I’m not an insect lover per se :), but this book is amazingly beautiful. I cannot stress enough how absolutely exquisite the photography is. Such detail! Here’s another little sample:
It’s breathtaking, isn’t it? and I think kids and adults alike will thoroughly enjoy looking at it, especially in combination with the poetic text which is as gorgeous in its imagery as the photography is. This book is a feast for eyes and ears and hearts!
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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