Welcome to Perfect Picture Book Friday!
Yes, I realize it is technically Saturday, but you know how life is… sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done when you want to! So we can just pretend it’s still Friday. We’re writers and readers – we’re all good at pretending 😊
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Today for Tuesday Debut we have to have a serious celebration!
Not only is this a debut – always exciting just by itself! – today is also this lovely book’s birthday AND (as if 2 fabulous things weren’t enough!) this gorgeous book is also a Contest Success Story just in time to serve as inspiration for anyone considering entering the Halloweensie Contest, the guidelines for which just went up yesterday! If you were on the fence about whether to try to write an entry, let today’s debut serve as encouragement! (even though it was written for the Holiday Contest, not for Halloweensie 😊)
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Everyone!
Coincidentally, it is also Perfect Picture Book Friday! How serendipitous!
And what do I have for you? An absolutely fabulous picture book that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with St. Patrick’s Day! It doesn’t even feature true green on the cover.
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Hi, Everyone!
Are you ready for this week’s list of Perfect Picture Books? I am! And I have such a sweet one to start you off with!
Title: The Little Bear
Written & Illustrated By: Nicola Killen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, June 28, 2022, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: first day of school, apprehension
Opening: “It was the night before school started and Ollie was feeling nervous.
She filled her little bear backpack, ready for the morning, and had one last practice lesson on the way to bed.”
Brief Synopsis: [From the publisher] “The end of summer can be a bittersweet time, and Ollie isn’t sure if she’s ready to go back to school. But the night before her first day back, Ollie dreams about a magical schoolhouse in the woods full of friendly little animals who make learning an adventure. When Ollie wakes up, she can’t wait to go to school!”
Links To Resources: 15 Fabulous Icebreaker Games for Preschoolers; 20 Creative Friendship Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers; if you were going to write a recipe for friendship, what would it be? A teaspoon or kindness? a sprinkle of fun? two heaping cups of great ideas? What do you think are the essential ingredients of friendship?
Why I Like This Book: I am such a fan of Nicola Killen’s books. They are all lovely, sweet, friendly, and comforting, and this one is no exception. Ollie is excited about school, but a little nervous. The night before school begins, she dreams that she follows an owl on a magical journey into the woods, where she finds a little school house filled with friendly animals. A little bear is standing outside looking nervous. Knowing exactly how he feels, Ollie suggests they go in together. One fun activity follows another and everyone has a wonderful day. When Ollie awakens in the morning, she is excited and ready for her first day! The story makes school look so fun and friendly that any young reader who is feeling anxious about school will feel encouraged to give it a try with a positive attitude. The art is charming – so appealing! – with a little cut-out like a magical door at the beginning and end of the journey, and highlights of shiny foil here and there to add sparkle. A sweet, quiet read that will reassure anyone who is apprehensive about their first day of school.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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! 😊
It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday once again, my friends!
And guess what? I may have finally fixed the glitch in the link list! (And by “I” I mean my far more intelligent and tech-savvy daughter 😊) Fingers crossed it works right this time, after 2 weeks of wrong and more wrong!
So! To the books!
Back to school time is making friends time, and my Perfect Picture Book for today is all about friendship!
Title: Chirp!: Chipmunk Sings For A Friend
Written By: Jamie A. Swenson
Illustrated By: Scott Magoon
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 13, 2021
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: friendship, perseverance, cooperation
Opening: “Chipmunk lived on a rock.
Most days she sat on her rock, chirping from dawn. . . until the stars shone down.”
Brief Synopsis: Chipmunk spends her days sitting on her rock and singing the songs in her heart, but sometimes she wishes for a friend who could sing with her.
Links To Resources: songs for kids about different emotions; recipe – friendship snack mix; discuss – what makes a good friend?; draw a picture or write a poem or a story about your best friend.
Why I Like This Book: This is such a sweet story about finding friends! All on her own, Chipmunk sings to Rock, and then to Pinecone and Rock, but though they are excellent listeners, they’re not quite the kind of friends she is hoping for. Eventually, her singing brings Raccoon along and a friendship begins (unnoticed!) as she and Chipmunk try to move Log to where Rock and Pinecone are (Chipmunk thinking that Log might be a friend.) But Log is too heavy even for Chipmunk and Raccoon together, so they sing about their frustration…and that brings Moose along. Once again, friendship begins unnoticed as Moose listens and then offers to help. Finally, Rock and Pinecone and Log, and Chipmunk and Raccoon and Moose are all together in the same place. Rock and Pinecone and Log do what they do best – listen! – while Chipmunk and Raccoon and Moose sing together, a true friendship having formed through their cooperation. The story is simple and sweet, with little notes of humor (favorite line: ““Like a rock, a pinecone, and a log in a pod,” said Moose. 😊) The art is delightful. I especially like how every time Chipmunk sets out to find another friend she literally dashes off the page 😊 A lovely story about finding what matters.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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! 😊
Woo hoo! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!
The perfect time to make a list of books and then hustle off to the library after school to set yourself up for a weekend of great reads!
The book I chose for today is one that I think fits perfectly with heading back to school where it’s so important to both be yourself and be part of the community!
Title: Pokko And The Drum
Written & Illustrated By: Matthew Forsythe
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, October 2019, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: individuality, community, persistence
Opening: “The biggest mistake Pokko’s parents ever made was giving her a drum.
They had made mistakes before.
Like the slingshot.
And the llama.
And the balloon.”
Brief Synopsis: Pokko’s parents give her a drum but quickly realize that might not have been such a great idea! Wanting a break from the noise, Pokko’s dad sends her outside. Before long, Pokko has inspired an instrument-playing following, and what started out as banging has become such a joyful noise that even her father has to admit it turned out well after all.
Links To Resources: get some friends together and make your own band – what different things can you use as an instrument? Draw a picture or write a story or poem about something that makes you who you are – do you play the drum like Pokko? do you dance or sing or play soccer? For a drum-related snack, make cupcakes for the drum and pretzel stick halves with mini marshmallows dipped in chocolate for the drumsticks!
Why I Like This Book: I love Pokko! Such a confident, poised little character! She plays her drum through the emerald forest gathering followers in a Pied Piper-esque way and plays her drum with such joy that her father goes from “We’re just a little frog family that lives in a mushroom, and we don’t like drawing attention to ourselves” to “And you know what?…I think she’s pretty good!” 😊 There is plenty of humor. Her mother is comically engrossed in reading a book throughout the whole story no matter what else is going on – even when she’s being swept away by the crowd! And a small mishap causes Pokko to tell the Wolf, “No more eating band members or you’re out of the band.” Pokko asserts her own individuality while also bringing the community together. Such a delightful book!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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! I hope it works right this week… something is hinky!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
Hello again, my friends!
Welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Fridays!
I know we’ve seen each other on and off over the summer for Tuesday Debuts, but it’s great to be back to the regular routine. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is filled with enthusiasm for the coming school year and inspiration for lots of new stories!
I’m starting off the school year with a book I think everyone – kids, teachers, and parents – will find helpful and enjoyable as they’re settling into their new routines.
Title: Listen
Written By: Gabi Snyder
Illustrated By: Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 13, 2021
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: listening, attention, empathy
Opening: “When you step out into the big, wild world, sometimes all you hear is. . . NOISE!”
Brief Synopsis: The world is a noisy place, but what happens if you just stop, close your eyes, and listen?
Links To Resources: the book has a nice section of back matter that tells about the sense of hearing, and different kinds of listening; stop what you’re doing, close you eyes, and listen – what do you hear?; go for a walk and pay attention to the sounds around you – what do you hear?; talk about sounds you like and sounds you don’t like, times when you like noise and times when you like quiet.
Why I Like This Book: This lovely quiet book encourages children to pause, take a breath, stop the constant busy-ness of the world around them, and listen. Filter out the noise – literal and figurative – and focus on what matters. It helps them understand the importance of mindfulness and attention in the context of daily life. In the course of the story, the child goes from hearing the cacophony of noises in a busy street, to separating them out, to hearing “words of joy” and “words that sting” when a classmates feelings are hurt, to hearing the voice inside her, and the “hush and whispers” of nighttime. The art is perfect for the story, soft and appealing with lots of lovely details. A book every child will enjoy!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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! And if you posted books over the summer, please feel free to add them here as well! And my apologies – I did something wrong and the links aren’t showing up, so I copied and pasted them below and will try to fix the problem for next week!
| 9/3/2021 6:19:04 | OUTSIDE, INSIDE | https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250798350 | LeUyen Pham | same | Roaring Book Press | 2021 | Perseverance and hope during a trying time is universal and waiting is a part of life. universal. Waiting | ||
| 9/3/2021 8:51:47 | 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag | https://patricianozell.com/2021/09/03/ppbf-30000-stitches-the-inspiring-story-of-the-national-9-11-flag/ | Amanda Davis | Sally Wern Comport | WorthBooks | 2021 | 9/11, American Flag, community | ||
| 9/3/2021 10:56:22 | Cougar Crossing: HOW HOLLYWOOD’S CELEBRITY COUGAR HELPED BUILD A BRIDGE FOR CITY WILDLIFE | https://jilannehoffmann.com/2021/09/03/cougar-crossing-perfect-picture-book-friday/ | Meeg Pincus | Alexander Vidal | Beach Lane Books | 2021 | Wildlife conservation, LA history, ecology | ||
| 9/3/2021 13:52:55 | Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning | https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/09/mary-annings-curiosities.html | Linda Skeers | Marta Álvarez Miguéns | Sourcebooks Explore | 2020 | fossils, biography, nonfiction | ||
| 9/3/2021 13:54:12 | Avocado Asks | https://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/09/avocado-in-search-of-self.html | Momoko Abe | Doubleday Books for Young Readers | 2021 | imagination, identity | |||
| 9/3/2021 13:57:00 | The Bug Girl: A True Story | https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/08/two-great-bug-books.html | Sophia Spencer | Kerascoët | Schwartz & Wade | 2020 | insects, nature, STEM | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:00:14 | The Thingity-Jig | https://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/06/what-if-you-found-thingity-jig.html | Kathleen Doherty | Kristyna Litten | Peachtree | 2021 | mystery, fun, invention | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:05:22 | Too Shy to Say Hi | https://childrensbooksheal.wordpress.com/2021/09/03/too-shy-to-say-hi-by-shannon-anderson/ | Shannon Anderson | Hiroe Nakata | Magination Press | 2021 | Bashfulness, Friendship, School | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:09:07 | Not Little | https://julierowanzoch.wordpress.com/ | Maya Myers | Hyewon Yum | Neal Porter/Holiday House | 2021 | Size, bullying, self-awareness | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:03:28 | Just You and Me: Remarkable Relationships in the Wild | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/just-you-and-me-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Jennifer Ward | Alexander Vidal | Beach Lane Books | 2021 | Symbiotic relationships, nature, and conservation. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:05:27 | Big Bear Was Not the Same | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/big-bear-was-not-the-same-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Joanna Rowland | John Ledda | Beaming Books | 2021 | Friendship, trauma, hope, and healing. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:06:57 | Unraveled | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/unraveled-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Leanne Hatch | Leanne Hatch | Holiday House | 2021 | Growing up, loss, and holding on to memories. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:09:04 | I Love You With All My Hearts | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/i-love-you-with-all-my-hearts-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Lindsay Bonilla | Eleonora Pace | The Creative Company | 2021 | Love, family, and animals | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:10:42 | Little Leonards’ Fascinating World of Astronomy | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/little-leonard-s-fascinating-world-of-astronomy-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Sarafina Nance | Greg Paprocki | Gibbs Smith Publisher | 2021 | Astronomy, space, and STEM, | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:12:36 | When Grandfather Flew | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/when-grandfather-flew-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Patricia MacLachlan | Chris Sheban | Neal Porter Books | 2021 | Birding, death, and healing. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:14:28 | The Perfect Plan | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/the-perfect-plan-the-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Leah Gilbert | Leah Gilbert | Bloomsbury USA | 2021 | Creativity, collaboration, and determination. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:16:11 | Mimic Makers: Biomimicry Inventions Inspired by Nature | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/mimic-makers-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Kristen Nordstrom | Paul Boston | Charlesbridge | 2021 | Nature inspired inventions, creativity, and problem solving. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:17:34 | Little Bat in Night School | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/little-bat-in-night-school-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Brian Lies | Brian Lies | HMH Books | 2021 | First day of school, friendship, and bravery. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:21:01 | I Want A Boat | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/i-want-a-boat-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Liz Garton Scanlon | Kevan Atteberry | Holiday House | 2021 | Imagination and adventure. | ||
| 9/4/2021 21:04:55 | THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem | https://viviankirkfield.com/2021/09/03/perfect-picture-book-friday-the-great-stink-how-joseph-bazalgette-solved-londons-poop-pollution-problem-plus-giveaway/ | Colleen Paeff | Nancy Carpenter | Maraget K. McElderry Books | 2021 | History of London, Pollution, STEM |
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
It’s a perfect Perfect Picture Book Friday, and I hope everyone has been enjoying the kind of perfect beautiful spring weather we’ve been having on Blueberry Hill this week! It makes the heart sing! 😊
Before we get to today’s Perfect Picture Book, I’d like to announce that the lucky winner of the giveaway copy of last week’s Perfect Picture Book, LISTENING TO THE STARS, is Carole Calladine! Congratulations, Carole! I know you’ll love Jodie’s wonderful book! Please contact me and let me know your snail mail address so the publisher can send you your book!
Spring has sprung, so today I have a delightful rhyming picture book about nature and gardening, just perfect for picture book aged gardeners and their families at this time of year!
Title: In A Garden
Written By: Tim McCanna
Illustrated By: Aimee Sicuro
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, February 2020, fact-based fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: gardening, nature, community garden, seasonal cycle
Opening: “In a garden
on a hill
sparrows chirp
and crickets trill.”
Brief Synopsis: In a community garden surrounded by apartment buildings, life is busy as seeds sprout, plants and flowers grow, and a wide variety of insect and animal life flourish.
Links To Resources: the book itself is a resource, detailing the wonder of life and growth in a garden; the end of the book includes back matter about how a garden grows, cool facts about ecosystems and the mutually beneficial interaction between plants and insects; grow a seed in a cup on your windowsill, or plant a little garden of your own and watch nature in action!
Why I Like This Book: written in Tim McCanna’s spot-on, lively, such fun to read-aloud rhyme, this delightful book will make anyone want to try growing something 😊 I love that it is set in a community garden in the city, encouraging all kids to experiment with gardening, not just those who live in the country. The garden cycles through the seasons – a robin digging for worms in spring, summer fireflies, cool autumn breezes, and a blanket of snow – showing how life goes around and around. The illustrations are colorful and appealing and show a wide variety of insects, animals, plants, and children. All in all a lovely book!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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! 😊
Welcome to the first Perfect Picture Book Friday in March!
Here on Blueberry Hill, no one seems to have gotten the memo that it IS March and therefore enough with the snow! It still seems to be snowing every day, at least for a while, even if only flurries. Pretty much not a day goes by when some amount of snow shoveling isn’t required!
So this Picture Book seems Perfect for today – an adorable story of a little snow plow doing his job!
Title: Small Walt Spots Dot
Written By: Elizabeth Verdick
Illustrated By: Marc Rosenthal
Publisher: Paula Wiseman Books, September 2020, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: jobs (plowing, keeping public spaces clear), teamwork, animal rescue, kindness
Opening: “Whoosh! Wind’s howling.
Swoosh! Snow’s flying.
Small Walt and Gus are on the road – and on the job.
They’ve got lots of parking lots to plow.”
Brief Synopsis: Walt and his driver Gus are plowing a parking lot when a blur of fur catches Walt’s eye. It’s cold and snowy. Will Walt and Gus be able to help the stray?
Links To Resources: Small Walt Activity Pages; 3-D Snowplow Craft (my apologies that it says “for boys”!); Snow Printouts, Activities, and Ideas;
Why I Like This Book: I love this book because it instantly reminds me of Katy And The Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton, one of the classics from my childhood, I think because of the style of the art as much as the fact that it’s about a snow plow. 😊 Small Walt is such an earnest, careful, and responsible little plow, able to get into those smaller spaces where the big plows can’t. He and his driver, Gus, take their job seriously. It is important and they do it well. But Walt also has his eye out for the community, and when he spots a stray dog, he knows he has to help. Together with the policewoman, Walt and Gus manage to catch the shivering stray and take her to the animal shelter. I like that the police person is a woman, and that she is not white (as well as that there is diversity in several of the illustrations.) And (spoiler alert!) I always like books that show animals being adopted from shelters. With its sweet story and engaging illustrations, this book will please the truck lovers and the dog lovers in your house or classroom!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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! 😊
Hi Everyone!
It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, and I’m thinking about how much I love October because of all the wonderful autumn and Halloween picture books there are. 😊 ☢️
This one is new this year from talented author/illustrator Nicola Killen and I think you will be as taken with it as I am!
Title: The Little Kitten
Written & Illustrated By: Nicola Killen
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 21 2020, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-8 (though I think kids slightly younger would enjoy it too!)
Themes/Topics: seasons (autumn – with a nod to Halloween), kindness, friendship, doing the right thing
Opening: “It was a crisp autumn morning, and Ollie was heading outside to play, closely followed by her cat, Pumpkin.“
text and illustration copyright Nicola Killen, 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
Brief Synopsis: Ollie and her cat Pumpkin come upon a tiny kitten shivering in a pile of fallen leaves. Ollie warms the kitten up and the three become fast friends, but when Ollie sees “Lost Kitten” posters she knows she has to help her new friend get home.
Links To Resources: Make Your Own Kitty Pumpkin 1; Make Your Own Kitty Pumpkin 2; Kitty Pumpkin Cookies (the recipe shows other kinds of faces, but you can add ears and whiskers 😊); write a haiku about autumn (examples to inspire you on the link)
text and illustration copyright Nicola Killen, 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
Why I Like This Book: I know quiet books are not the “in” thing, but I love them 😊 This book is so sweet and lovely, such a gentle story about friendship and caring on a crisp autumn day. Ollie, dressed in her cat costume, her cat Pumpkin, and the Little Kitten are three of a kind – perfect playmates. Ollie’s distraction with the kitten (which makes her lose track of her beloved Pumpkin) is very believable. Her kind heart helps her get the kitten to its rightful home. And the moment when she can’t find Pumpkin is touching and saved from being too tearful by Pumpkin’s happy reappearance. The art is what really makes this story special, though. Little die-cut windows allow for an interactive experience on some of the pages. Other pages shine with foil leaves. The simple color palette lets the warm orange really stand out. And the combination of text and art makes for a quiet, comforting story about everyone ending up where they’re supposed to be.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
text and illustration copyright Nicola Killen, 2020, Paula Wiseman Books
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
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!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
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