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!)
Grab a snack and a beverage, pull up a couch, and make yourself comfy!
Today I am thrilled to introduce you to a Making Picture Book Magic graduate, author/illustrator Beverly Love Warren, as we give you a glimpse of her charming debut picture book, HAVE YOU SEEN MOUSE?
HAVE YOU SEEN MOUSE? Author/Illustrator – Beverly Love Warren Clear Fork/Spork Publication date – March 1, 2022 Fiction, 4-7 years
A young bear loses his best friend, a mouse, and searches the forest to find him only to discover his friend loves him more than he thought.
SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?
BEVERLY: My husband and I take road trips occasionally. On a trip, while driving through the mountains in Idaho, I gazed into the forest at a fallen tree. In my imagination I saw a young bear sitting on that tree weeping. I wondered why and guessed that he lost his best friend. I had my notebook with me so immediately I began the first draft. My protagonist was the bear, but who would his friend be? I had many mice as pets when I was young, and I liked the contrast of the “big” with the “little” so I chose a mouse to be the best friend. Many of my ideas come from nature, or an incident in my life or that of a friend, or something I remember from childhood. When I’m beginning a draft, I ask the who, what, when, where, why, how and what if questionsof the character, the location or the story forming in my mind. These questions also serve as a tool to help me discover the theme or plot of the story – if I don’t know it ahead of time.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
BEVERLY: I joined Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Challenge in 2019. HAVE YOU SEEN MOUSE? was November’s entry that year. I submitted it to the forum for feedback on Nov 16, 2019, and later with my critique groups. So, I had many eyes looking at the draft and subsequent revisions. The contract with the publisher was signed on July 6, 2020. I am also the illustrator for MOUSE and was working on the illustrations for another book at the same time as I was for MOUSE (see question 5, below). The illustrations, from sketches to final art on both books, took about 16 months to complete.
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
BEVERLY: I keep hard copies of my drafts and revisions in manilla folders. Once the first draft is completed, I work on the revisions with my laptop. There were about 9 or 10 revisions of MOUSE after I sent the first draft to the 12×12 forum. Usually, I would write 4 or 5 revisions before I would submit the story for the first critique in the forum or to my critique partners. Most of the time I do several revisions of a manuscript then set it aside and work on another story for a while. This is so that both myself and my critique partners can see it with fresh eyes when the revision process resumes.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
BEVERLY: I knew once my critique partners didn’t have much else to say revision wise except for a few small punctuation corrections. Also, I know when there is a consensus in my group that the story is finished. From an artist point of view, I would want to have completed thumbnails and at least one finished illustration ready as well.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
BEVERLY: In January – February 2020 I took an illustration course with Mira Reisberg’s Children’s Book Academy. At the end of the course the illustrations each student had been working on would be shown to a few editors. Shortly after the course ended, I was contacted by the Clear Fork/Spork publisher, Callie Metler. She had a manuscript by another author that she offered me to illustrate. After reading it I agreed. Sometime later as we were working on the other book Callie said she really liked the palette I used in Mira’s class. I told her there was a manuscript that went with it and asked if she would be interested in reading it. She graciously said yes. Later she said the story was precious and wanted to acquire it.
SUSANNA: How long after you found out about your book going to acquisitions (if you did) or after you submitted were you told it was a “yes”?
BEVERLY: Clear Fork/ Spork is a small publishing house. Because I was already working directly with the publisher on the other picture book it only took about two weeks after she read the story that I was told “yes.” I wanted to complete Mira’s course and have a book dummy, one piece of final art and the manuscript ready before I considered submitting it anywhere. MOUSE was ready at the time I offered it to Clear Fork/Spork.
SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
BEVERLY: This took a couple of weeks.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
BEVERLY: My celebration was during a family birthday which was a few days later. While
the family was all together in the dining room, my husband announced that I had something to tell them. The look on their faces was apprehensive but quickly changed to smiles and words of congratulations, and excitement too.
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
BEVERLY: Because the publisher had told me up front that they are a royalties-based publisher, I knew there would not be an advance on the manuscript, but the royalties would be higher than usual. However, there was a small advance on the illustrations. The time between submitting the final art to the publisher and the launch date has been about five months. The publication timeline took a bit longer than I thought it would be.
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
BEVERLY: Thankfully, the editor’s vision for the story was the same as mine therefore there were only minor changes to the text such as removing dialogue tags. I did have a say in the placement of the text on the pages, but later a sentence or two of text was moved on to the next page for three of the spreads. I was concerned about this at first, but then realized that the change made the page turns stronger. The only changes to the art was to make the mouse smaller in a couple of the spreads.
Text and illustration copyright Barbara Love Warren, 2022, Clear Fork/Spork
Text and illustration copyright Barbara Love Warren, 2022, Clear Fork/Spork
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
BEVERLY: Since I am also the illustrator of my story, I can share that process from the artist’s viewpoint. First, I was asked to submit black and white character sketches for each of the five characters in the book. Next, I sent the book dummy. This had been completed beforehand and it didn’t require much changing. After that they wanted character sketches in color and full-sized black and white sketches. Once all of this was approved, I went on to do the final art. For this book the art was created in traditional watercolor and Prisma colored pencils. After the paintings were completed, they were added to my iPad and touched up digitally. Watercolor doesn’t always transfer very well from paper to digital and since the art would be sent digitally, I needed to touch it up.
Here’s a little glimpse of Barbara’s illustration process:
Thumbnail sketches of ideas for Back Cover illustration (copyright Beverly Love Warren 2022)
Sketch of Back Cover Barbara chose (copyright Beverly Love Warren 2022)
Final of Back Cover (copyright Beverly Love Warren 2022)
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
BEVERLY: I haven’t seen any reviews yet.
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
BEVERLY: A little under 2 years.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
BEVERLY: I will be doing more, but at this point I am doing interviews on blogs such as Susanna’s. Thank you, Susanna. I belong to a marketing group called PB22Peekaboo. We support one another during our book launches. I will be going to local bookstores, libraries and doing school visits. And as I learn about more opportunities, I will take advantage of them as time permits – so I still have work ahead of me. Coloring and activities pages are on my website.
Coloring Page
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
BEVERLY: I began to write seriously when I signed up with Susanna’s class – Making Picture Book Magic. I took her class in the summer of 2017. HAVE YOU SEEN MOUSE? was acquired in the summer of 2020. Art wise it took about two to three years to get my first illustration job. At that time, I mainly illustrated posters, curriculum and educational material for the classroom.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
BEVERLY: I would agree with others about the necessity of attending classes, seminars, going to conferences and joining a critique group or two. It would be difficult traveling the road to publication alone. Feedback is essential. Encouragement from fellow writers and artists can keep you trekking when the road is rough with rejections and the negative self-talk we all deal with. It might be helpful to ask why you are writing. If it’s mainly to benefit young readers to put a smile on their face or hope in their hearts, then keep that goal in your vision and with perseverance keep moving forward. One more thing, I would be careful about comparing your journey toward publication with others. I am guilty of this and continually must remind myself that my path is different from others. We are each unique people and how our lives and opportunities evolve will be different as well.
SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
BEVERLY: There is one other thing about this book’s journey that I could share.
As I had mentioned above, at the completion of Mira’s class there would be an opportunity for some editors to view the students work. But I needed to leave the class a week before it ended because my mother became ill. I wrestled with this because we had false alarms before, and I had planned to visit her after the class ended. I didn’t want to lose this opportunity, but there was just one choice – I left the class. After 3,000 miles in the air and 4 days with my mother, she passed. I was thankful to have made the right decision. While I was away Mira entered my art in the display before the editors anyway – which brought me my debut book as an author. This was a terrific gift to have been given, especially during the season I had now entered with my mother’s passing. Good things can happen even during the challenges of life!
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers, Beverly! We so appreciate the opportunity to learn from you! Wishing you all the best with this and future titles!
Readers, if you have questions for Beverly, please post them in the comments below and if she has time I’m sure she’ll respond!
You may purchase Beverly’s book at: (all links below are book-specific)
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!
Welcome, my friends, to another exciting installment of Tuesday Debut!
I am always thrilled to introduce new authors, but never more so than when the debut author about to be in the limelight is a former student, an exceptionally talented writer (a poet, no less!), and a friend. What could be better?
So without further ado, please meet and welcome today’s debutess, Renée LaTulippe, and join me in wishing her a Happy Book Birthday (yes! it’s today!) for her absolutely gorgeous debut picture book! (So pretty! 😊)
THE CRAB BALLET written by Renée M. LaTulippe illustrated by Cécile Metzger Cameron Kids/Abrams March 8, 2022 Fiction Ages 4-8
The Crab Ballet is a sunset seaside show starring the dancing crab divas and their aquatic corps de ballet. A fantastical rhyming text and sea-washed watercolors usher readers through one sea-foam-dreamy act after another, from a gentle seahorse pas de deux and dramatic dolphin leaps beyond the spray to the grand crab finale.
SUSANNA: Welcome, ! We are so incredibly thrilled to have you here with us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?
Renée: Thanks for having me on the blog, Susanna!
This book actually started as a six-stanza poem (127 words) that I wrote for a poetry contest in 2015. The challenge was to use the word “iridescent” in a poem, and that word somehow triggered an image of wet sand at sunset as the waves roll back.
Then I wondered what might happen if the receding waves revealed some sea creatures, and it just developed from there. Two things that certainly helped me shape the idea are that I have a background in theater and I actually live right by the Mediterranean sea!
I also love French, so it was exciting for me to use French ballet terms in the poem. Those have been there since the beginning—but the word “iridescent” was cut in an early draft.
This is where I do most of my writing.
SUSANNA: Wow! Nice office! How long did it take you to write this book, sitting in that lovely spot?
Renée: At some point after writing the shorter poem I realized that I could expand it into a picture-book length poem, so I began where I often begin: LISTS!
-marine animals that live or can come close to shore
-ballet terms
-rhymes
As you can see on the left side of my lists, I paired ballet terms with the creatures most likely to perform those moves, and this helped me shape the stanzas. I also spent a lot of time staring at photos and videos and looking up facts about these marine creatures, which is always an invaluable piece of my writing puzzle. A bit of research goes a long way in terms of sparking new ideas and directions you may not have thought about.
Working like this, I managed to get the poem up to eleven stanzas (244 words). I’m not sure how long it took, but I do know that this is the version I submitted to the agent I signed with, and that was in the summer of 2016—so about 15 months after I wrote the original poem. I’m a very slow writer!
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
Renée: This manuscript has had about ten revisions, but I count revisions even if I change a couple of words, and I tend to tinker.
The only major revision happened after I signed with my agent. I am fortunate that I have an editorial agent who specializes in poetry, so her feedback was essential. She felt that the story was lopsided in that I needed to fill out the second act of the story, which was quite a bit shorter than the first act.
This revision took me A YEAR! I kid you not. I had chosen such a difficult rhyme scheme that writing any more stanzas felt impossible. Granted, I didn’t actually write for that whole year; rather, I stuck the manuscript in a drawer and wished it would write itself. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I was totally blocked.
When I finally felt ready, I took it out and brought it up to sixteen stanzas (367 words), plus a glossary of French ballet terms. Phew!
I do not suggest doing this, by the way! I must have been paralyzed by fear or stupidity, or a bit of both. Revision can be daunting, yes, but now that I have more experience, I don’t balk at it and actually really like this stage.
What works best for me, so I don’t feel overwhelmed, is to do all the “easy” stuff first—changing a single word, fixing a little glitch in the meter, tweaking a rhyme, and so on. Then I move on to the larger bits of content revision one at a time. No more head in the sand!
SUSANNA: Very helpful advice. I work the same way. When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
Renée: When I sent my agent the requested revision. It may have taken forever, but we both felt that it was now a more balanced and complete story and ready to send out into the world. This was in the summer of 2017, so about two and a half years after I’d written the original poem.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
Renée: My agent started submitting it in October 2017 with a round of about five editors. Over the next couple of years it went on four other rounds, always to about 3-5 editors each time.
SUSANNA: How long after you found out about your book going to acquisitions (if you did) or after you submitted were you told it was a “yes”?
Renée: Not long at all! I know! Amazing! Cameron is ON TOP OF THINGS. We submitted to them in February 2020, heard that it was going to acquisitions about three weeks later, and got the news they wanted to acquire it four days after that. A whirlwind romance!
SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”, which these days is more likely to be “the email”? (Best moment ever! ☺)
Renée: It was certainly exciting to get that YES email from my agent, especially since it was at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020. I live in Italy and things were dire, so this good news was very welcome.
The manuscript had been on submission for two and a half years, and I admit I was feeling frustrated. Plus you begin to doubt if it’s even a good story, and I wondered if it needed revision. But in the end, my agent and I both thought it was already strong, so we left it as is. Overall, it received very nice rejections from nine editors and a symphony of crickets from another thirteen. But it only takes one!
SUSANNA: That is the truth! How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
Renée: This actually did take longer because the publishing industry was in turmoil during the pandemic when no one knew which way was up. But Cameron was always very communicative about their timeline and delays, which I so appreciated. We received the official offer letter in July 2020 and the final contract in October of that year.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
Renée: I didn’t wait for the contract—I celebrated when I got the YES email from my agent! And since we were in lockdown, my husband, the only one allowed out for grocery shopping, brought home profiteroles and Bailey’s. This is my standard celebration fare. 😊
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
Renée: Of course we always want bigger advances! And honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect from any of this—I was just glad to have sold the book! The advance was initially in the under 5K range, but during this time Cameron Kids was bought by Abrams, so my agent did negotiate for and receive a bit more moola for the advance. And I have to say for the millionth time that I am so relieved to have an agent.
The rest of the contract was very standard with 5% royalties on hardcover up to 15K copies sold and 6.25% thereafter, and a bit less on paperback. The contract includes 20 author copies.
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
Renée: I was terrified at what changes the editor might request! Remember the year it took me to do that first revision for my agent? Again, it was the difficult rhyme scheme and all those French words that made me shake in my boots! Luckily, though, the edits were not scary at all. While no significant changes were made to the story, she did ask excellent questions and make suggestions for several lines and stanzas that I thought were spot on and that gave me the opportunity to strengthen the text—exactly what I would want in an editor! The process was very respectful, and since she’s not a rhymer, she completely trusted me to be the expert on that count and to take her suggestions and make them work within my meter and rhyme scheme.
Sometimes editors can make suggestions you don’t agree with, and that’s okay too. For example, my editor wondered if we needed the second stanza at all, or if it could be combined with the first somehow. I mulled that over for a bit and tried some alternatives, but in the end I felt that the stanza should stay, and it did. In these cases, I always like to state my case, respectfully, and explain my preferences.
One “battle” I did lose, though, was on the title. The original title was THE SEASIDE CRAB BALLET, and I was so used to it after all these years that I was taken aback when she said she wanted to change it to THE CRAB BALLET. Seems like a minor thing, but everything is huge when you’re in the middle of it! She was gently insistent that it was better, so I let it go. And you know what? She was totally right. I was still skeptical, but as soon as I saw the cover I knew it was the perfect choice.
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
Renée: Cameron Kids was so wonderful about keeping me apprised of developments every step of the way. I feel like I landed in some sort of publishing fairy land. As had happened with other writers I know, they did not send me a list of potential illustrators to get my opinion as I think they already had Cécile on board. This might have concerned me if it hadn’t been Cameron, but I knew their list and loved their aesthetic, so I had complete trust that they’d make a beautiful book.
I had very few art notes in my manuscript since it was self-explanatory. Though I generally keep my art notes very short, the first one was longer simply to set the scene and make it clear what exactly was happening in this funny little world I’d created:
[Art note: Seaside show about to begin as the corps de ballet—anemones, squids, turtles, seahorses—warms up at the barre.]
I received the first black-and-white storyboards via email in December 2020 and was blown away not only by Cécile’s detail, but by the fact that she had written explanations on every spread about why she had made those specific choices. Amazing! It was a great peek inside an artist’s head.
At that point, I wasn’t really sure if I was supposed to comment on the sketches or not, but I did end up sending my editor a list of notes I had on the illustrations. Nothing terribly invasive, mind you, although if there had been something really “wrong” I definitely would have spoken up. Again, the key is always respect for the whole team.
Still, I was concerned about stepping on toes, but instead she told me she’d passed my notes to the art director and that they were probably going to accommodate almost all of them (they did!). Have I mentioned that this publisher is amazing?
From there I received the color galleys and was able to give my thoughts on those as well. All around an open, inclusive, and collaborative experience!
SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?
Renée: Yesssss. Yet another terrifying passage we must all face. The only review I’ve received so far is from Kirkus and, boy, did I cringe as I clicked on that link. I really couldn’t imagine how this book was going to be received. I’d already seen a hilarious review on Goodreads that talked about how bizarre my concept was, and though that reviewer loved the book, I was nonetheless concerned, haha. Luckily, Kirkus loved it too! What a dang relief that was!
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
Renée: I received an advance copy in January of this year, so it was 18 months from official offer to physical book. I saw on Edelweiss that the initial print run will be 20,000 copies. Sadly, I will never get to open a box of author copies. I have no use for them in Italy, so they will live with my sister in the U.S. Should I ever need an extra copy here, I will have to order it. Ah, well!
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
Renée: They sent it to the major reviewers (Kirkus, SLJ, Horn Book, etc.) as well as some influencers on Instagram. They also provided me with a hi-res cover image and an eGalley (PDF) of the book that I can share with bloggers and reviewers. I don’t know what else they may be doing internally.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
Renée: I didn’t plan on doing much, but then I got caught up in the whirlwind—and it really is way too time consuming, so proceed with caution. Here’s a list of things I did:
Cover reveal
Pre-order campaign with giveaways (including critiques)
Created activity pack for campaign and as a free download on my website. The illustrator was kind enough to provide coloring pages and images for this.
Contacted larger podcasters, bloggers, and influencers on my own. Received ZERO response.
Contacted smaller podcasts and blogs (like this one!) and set up several interviews (though not a blog tour, per se).
Participated with other writers in in-kind review exchanges on Goodreads and B&N.
Recorded a Sneak Peek & Book Giveaway video for my YouTube channel (not a book trailer) that also gives info on the pre-order campaign and giveaway.
Sent a book news email to my mailing list that included links to the Sneak Peek video and the pre-order campaign.
Social media: I do what interests me and what I have time for and try to support and share other people’s book news, and thank them for sharing mine.
Still to do: Contact ARC-sharing groups on Twitter. These are groups of educators and librarians who share your book and talk it up on social media. You can learn about it here.
It’s important to understand that the goal of all these activities is not to drive sales, which I think we as writers have very little control over. Rather, I see the promo period as a way to create a presence for you as author and an awareness of your book, and in doing so to expand your community in an organic, authentic, and reciprocal way. Everything is about relationships!
Also, so much of what we do is preaching to the choir—in this case, other writers. What I really want to do is reach educators and librarians, the gatekeepers for our books (like with the ARC-sharing groups). Next time my efforts will be more focused on these groups.
SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
Renée: I started toying with picture book writing in 2012, but I can’t say I did it seriously. And although I began having poems published in anthologies in 2013, it took me quite some time to remember that I’m a poet and not a plotter and should be focusing my efforts on that. Duh! So I’d say I got serious in 2015 when I began writing my first poetry collection under the tutelage of my wonderful mentor, the late Lee Bennett Hopkins. And that is the first manuscript I sold in 2017, though it has yet to come out (LIMELIGHT: Theater Poems to Perform / Charlesbridge). THE CRAB BALLET is my debut, but it’s the second book I sold.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
Renée: Turn off the noise when you need to, to protect your mental health and creativity. The kidlit community is vast and generous, but also frenetic and cacophonous. There are deal announcements, writing challenges, pitch parties, contests, webinars, classes, cover reveals, release parties, signings, how-to advice galore, social media, more deals—all good things that, when taken in too-big doses, can easily overwhelm. You don’t need to do everything. Recognize where you are in your journey and focus on the things that help you right where you are. Take care of your quiet space. Write. We’ll be here when you get back.
SUSANNA: Excellent advice! Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
Renée: Yes—the fact that it takes a village to write a manuscript. Reading my book now is like looking at a photo album of all the people who helped it become what it is: the critique partners who suggested that phrase or that rhyme or that I write the book in the first place; the agent who saw its potential and pushed me further; the editor who helped me see the weaknesses so I could make them stronger; the family who supported me with time, ideas, and silence.
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for sharing your publication journey with us, Renée! We so appreciate it, and all the wonderful tips and advice! I’m sure I speak for everyone when I wish you the best with this and future titles!
Renée M. LaTulippe is the author of TheCrab Ballet (Cameron Kids/Abrams, 2022) and Limelight: Theater Poems to Perform (Charlesbridge, TBA) and has poems published in many anthologies including Night Wishes, School People, National Geographic’s The Poetry of US and Book of Nature Poetry,One Minute Till Bedtime, and ThankU: Poems of Gratitude.
Renée developed The Lyrical Language Lab and provides free lessons and critiques for children’s writers on her YouTube channel. She has a BFA in acting/directing and an MA in English Education. She lives by the sea in Italy with her husband and three children.
She is represented by Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown.
I’d like to start by apologizing for my absence lately, and for making you all wait so long for the results of the Valentiny Contest. I’m afraid a family medical situation has been demanding most of my time and, burn the candle at both ends as I might, I can’t seem to find time for everything. But I am making my way through the entries – wonderful, AMAZING entries, really! You guys all did such a good job! – enjoying every minute of reading, dreading having to narrow the field to 12, and I hope to have your results soon! Thank you all for your patience. I so appreciate it. You have been so kind about the wait!
Meanwhile, I have a treat for you today! A wonderful new book I know you’re going to love, plus a few words from the author and some wonderful activities she has provided, AND she’s offering a giveaway!!! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by Wednesday March 9 at 9 PM Eastern and you’ll be in the running to be randomly selected to win a copy of today’s delightful book!
So let’s have a look, shall we?
Title: How To Dress A Dinosaur
Written By: Robin Currie
Illustrated By: Alycia Pace
Publisher: Familius, March 1, 2022, fiction (board book)
Suitable For Ages: 2-5 years
Themes/Topics: humor, getting dressed, dinosaurs
Opening: “Roar! Oh no – You turned into a dinosaur!”
Brief Synopsis: Every parent knows the struggle of getting a child dressed and out the door. But with a cast of hilariously coiffed dinosaurs to teach toddlers how to stomp their feet into pant legs and reach their claws into shirts, getting dressed becomes a game.
Links To Resources:
First, a few words from author Robin Currie! It’s always interesting to know where a book came from 😊
Back Story (or the Tail of the Dinosaur)
The original inspiration for this story was in the fall of 2014 when my youngest grandson was 3 years old and had many things on his mind to do with dinosaurs but few with getting dressed. James was in the dinosaur phase where he can’t pronounce “Spaghetti” but can say “Pachycephalosaurus” and correct my mispronunciation. He also owned dinosaur-themed shirts, hats, socks, jackets, and underwear. And hundreds of plastic painful-to-step-on in-the-dark dinosaur figures.
A brain burble became first a badly rhyming text – what rhymes with Diplodocus? (Hopped aboard a bus? Was oozing green pus? Super-flu-i-us?). Now I am pleased to introduce you to 14 chewable pages of How to Dress a Dinosaur! If you are counting, that is a total of 8 years for a board book! Always believe that the best ideas out there will find a home! Even if it seems to take longer than the Pleistocene era!
Dino Breakfast Starts The Day!Dino Feet!Thumb Dino!Populate the jungle with Handy Dinos!
Why I Like This Book: If you’re a parent, you’ve had the showdown at the getting dressed corral! This book makes getting dressed so much fun kids will probably want to do it extra times each day 😊 How can you not love a story that will make a necessary chore fun for everyone involved? But to make it even better, young readers will learn a little bit about dinosaurs. The art is adorable. All those cute baby dinos are irresistible. (My personal favorites are diplodocus and triceratops 😊) A fun story to read aloud, a way to make getting dressed something to look forward to, a little info about dinosaurs, and appealing illustrations – what’s not to love?
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
Robin Currie learned story sharing by sitting on the floor, in library story times. She has sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and writes stories to read and read again! How to Dress a Dinosaur is available now! How to Dress a Dinosaur – Familius.com Shop
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! 😊 (And don’t forget to leave a comment by Wednesday at 9PM so you can be in the running to win a copy of this delightful book!)
It’s the first Perfect Picture Book Friday of February, and we get to celebrate by being part of Laura Sassi‘s “Bunny Hop” for her brand new book!
What could be better in the midst of ice, snow, and freezing rain than an adorable bunny and a little glimpse of springtime and hope?
I’ll tell you! We have a wonderful activity to do with the book designed by Laura herself AND a book giveaway! One lucky reader will win a copy of this sweet book! All you need to do is have a US street address (sorry no PO addresses, and USA only) and leave a comment on this post by Monday February 7 at 5 PM Eastern to qualify for the random drawing (which I will do on Monday February 7 at 5 PM Eastern 😊.) The winner will be announced on Tuesday February 8 because there is no one up for Tuesday Debut that day so we can just celebrate. Maybe we’ll have cake 😊 (I would have posted the winner with PPBF next week, but we won’t be having it because the VALENTINY WRITING CONTEST will be underway! If you haven’t written your entry yet, click HERE for details!)
So let’s have a look at this wonderful book!
Title: Bunny Finds Easter
Written By: Laura Sassi
Illustrated By: Ela Jarzabek
Publisher: Zonderkidz, February 1, 2022, fiction
Suitable For Ages: baby – 4 years
Themes/Topics: holidays (Easter)
Opening: “Bunny wakes. Hip hip hooray! Let’s celebrate – It’s Easter Day!
But what is Easter?”
text copyright Laura Sassi 2022, illustration copyright Ela Jarzabek 2022, Zonderkidz
Brief Synopsis: From the publisher: “Coloring eggs, wearing a lovely bonnet, joining in the fun of an egg hunt, and attending church with family are special things that are a part of Easter! But the most important thing about this holiest of seasons is remembering the reason we gather to celebrate and focusing on Jesus most of all.”
text copyright Laura Sassi 2022, illustration copyright Ela Jarzabek 2022, Zonderkidz
Links To Resources: We are so lucky to have resources provided by the author herself! Thank you, Laura!
BOOK-THEMED CRAFT: Make Your Own Bunny Ears
by Laura Sassi
Inspired by Ela Jarzabek’s whimsical Easter egg patterns in BUNNY FINDS EASTER, here’s a colorful version of bunny ears for little ones to make and wear after they read the book so they can go on an Easter hunt just like Bunny does in the book.
You will need:
one strip of heavy paper (card stock weight) for the band. (approx 2” by 24”)
one pair of bunny ears cut from card stock for each child. (approx 2” by 8” – rounded at the top)
an assortment of crayons, markers, stickers, etc.
tape or glue
Instructions:
After reading BUNNY FINDS EASTER, take a moment with your child to hunt for all the Easter eggs in the book. Together, name the colors you see and count how many patterns you can find.
Next, set out the precut bunny ears and have your child decorate with colorful patterns inspired by the book.
Glue or tape the finished ears to the precut paper band. Test for size by placing it on your child’s head. Tape accordingly.
Play a game: Hide ten jelly beans (or other Easter treats) around the room. Then, have your child put on their ears so that, just like Bunny, they go on a hunt to find out what Easter is all about. Afterwards, as they enjoy their treats, remember together what Bunny discovered – that Easter is about Jesus!
And click HERE to download an Activity Guide created by Zonderkidz to go with the book!
Why I Like This Book: With simple text told in engaging rhyme, and adorable pictures that will delight any child, this lovely book reminds us what Easter is all about. Yes, there are hot cross buns, egg decorating, pretty bonnets, and Easter egg hunts, but at the heart of it all is the gift of love, hope, and faith that Jesus gave to everyone. Without being heavy-handed, this book is a just-right introduction for little ones that Easter is about more than jelly beans. The art is bright and friendly, with plenty for pre-readers to look at and engage with while they listen to the story.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
text copyright Laura Sassi 2022, illustration copyright Ela Jarzabek 2022, Zonderkidz
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! 😊 Stay warm and dry, and think of spring 😊
I’m thrilled to introduce you today’s debut-ess, Karen Condit, who has written a lovely book about mindfulness and taking the time to slow down – advice I think we can all benefit from 😊 She is the first author we’ve had on Tuesday Debut who chose a hybrid publishing model, so for those of you interested in that, you may gain some insight, and you have the opportunity to ask her questions in the comments!
Let’s jump in and have a look at her beautiful book!
Turtle on the Track written by Karen Condit Illustrator, Mollie Ginther Orange Hat Publishing Release date: February 2, 2022 Ages 4-8 Themes: Mindfulness – Patience – Emotional Wellness
When the restless, impatient passengers on the Scurryville Express are forced to wait when a turtle crosses the tracks, they can’t help but blow off a little steam! Can Oscar come along to help them slow down and enjoy the ride? Only time will tell!
SUSANNA: Welcome, Karen! Thank you so much for joining us today! Where did the idea for this book come from?
KAREN: I was walking along our country-side property close to the railroad tracks that ran along the Mississippi when I spotted a snapping turtle on the dirt road. I knew snapping turtles made their way to dry land to lay eggs so I was intrigued to watch this creature and see what she would do. As I watched, I was pulled into the beauty and quiet of my surroundings and it made me pause—It’s time I slowed down, too. I’ve always been more of an energizer bunny. I knew I needed to change my pace and live a slower, more intentional life. Coming across this turtle was the seed for this story.
SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?
KAREN: It didn’t take me long to write the bare bones of the story—a few days. From our home, we could hear the trains along the river which helped me set the scene. The story flowed easily and most of what is written today came from those first few days. As with most of my stories, I don’t have a particular ending in mind, but I do stay focused on the theme. The theme of slowing down was easy to keep in mind because my experience had been so personal.
SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?
KAREN: Yes! Turtle went in and out of revision while I continued writing other stories. It’s never been a waste of time for me to put a story away for a while. I’m always amazed at what needs attention when I get it out again! I worked mainly on character development and after dummying out the story, I found some weak spots in the story arc. Paginating a manuscript has always been a great revision tool for me. Of course, everything I write is shared with my two critique groups who are committed to helping me, not humoring me—all with grace. 🙂 Turtle also received several critiques from on-line writing communities and at writing conferences.
SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?
KAREN: I’ve a hard time knowing when a manuscript is truly ready. It’s much easier to tell if it’s not ready! If I’ve given the manuscript enough time to percolate, and still believe in it after all the rounds of revision from those that know more than me, I’m ready to submit. It had been two years since I wrote the first draft. It was time.
SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?
KAREN: At first, I sent the manuscript to a handful of publishers on my own. When a writing conference came up, I decided to pitch it to agents and editors. I guess Turtle was ready—I landed an agent! Publication here I come! Not quite. After two years, Turtle had been rejected 29 times, only a few more than Dr. Suess’ 27 rejections of his first book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street! That made me feel a little better. A little. I was discouraged. A short time later, I made the hard decision to end the relationship with my agent . . . but not with Turtle. 🙂
During the next two years I continued writing and submitting while Turtle took a rest. I was working on other manuscripts when I heard about Orange Hat Publishing—a small indie-publisher that offered both hybrid and traditional publishing. After checking their website, I thought they’d be a good fit, so Turtle came back out of her shell. 😉
SUSANNA: How long after you found out about your book going to acquisitions (if you did) or after you submitted were you told it was a “yes”?
KAREN: I submitted Turtle on the Track on December 7, 2020 and received an email on January 12, 2021, saying they were interested in considering my manuscript for a hybrid contract.
SUSANNA: How long was it between getting your offer and getting your contract to sign?
KAREN: I love to share this part of my story . . .
When I received an email from Orange Hat Publishing requesting a phone meeting, my husband was going through a very difficult time with his health. In many ways, the timing couldn’t have been worse. I hesitated. No—I cried. Why now? I couldn’t possibly think straight. I had no room on my plate for anything more, not even a phone call. Then my daughter sat me down. “Mom, this may be just the right time. Don’t let this go.” I made a phone appointment several weeks out thinking things may settled down by then but as the time approached, I felt more uneasy. I wanted to be on top of my game. A day before the scheduled call I decided to contact the office and cancel the appointment explaining my situation. When I called, they offered to do a conference call with the team that was already gathered in one place. AHHH! Before I knew it, I was sharing about my writing journey, my goals as an author and learning about their offer. After a 45-minute conversation I decided to consider a hybrid contract even though I was hoping for a traditional contract. One team member said, “Perhaps, this will be a light in a dark place for you right now.” After our call ended, I had a feeling it very well could be. They sent the contract, and after a careful review, I signed.
SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
KAREN: I didn’t. Unless you’d call sitting alone at my desk and letting out a huge sigh of gratitude is celebrating. There was no fanfare. I’m saving that for later!
SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
KAREN: Hybrid contracts do not offer up-front royalties; however, one big benefit is that royalties on book sales are higher (50-60%) than with traditional publishing arrangements (5-10%). These are sales directly through the publisher and me. Profits from a retail distributor like Amazon and Barnes and Noble are less (1-4%). As with all hybrid arrangements, there’s a publishing fee and an investment in hiring an illustrator. I invested approximately $2000 in the publishing fee and considered illustrators whose fees ranged from $70-130 per page.
I found this to be true . . . ” . . . hybrid presses genuinely care about their authors’ success.”
SUSANNA: Can you tell us a little about the editorial process?
KAREN: The editor suggested some minor edits, all of which I agreed. The pagination also had a few revisions regarding page turns and book length.
SUSANNA: What was your experience of the illustration process like?
KAREN: This was the most fun and inspirational part of the project!
I hired my illustrator through Orange Hat Publishing. They provided me with over 10 portfolios of different artists within their company. I was given a character sketch from my top two favorites to help me make a final decision. After looking at many artists, I decided on Mollie Ginther. She was an author/illustrator herself! I loved her style and admired other books she had illustrated. I also love watercolor. We were ready to go! So I thought. The day after Mollie accepted the job, she withdrew because a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came through she thought had passed her by. I was back to reviewing portfolios.
After seeing Mollie’s work, I had a hard time settling on another illustrator so I asked if we could delay the project so Mollie could do the job when she was available. What? Whoever asks the publisher to hold up the show? I’m sure they wondered about me. 🙄 Thankfully, they agreed and the project was held for four months. Now I had a little breathing room to tend to the cares at home and I had my first-choice illustrator! Delays can be gifts.
When Mollie was ready to begin, we face-timed and discussed every page of the manuscript. I included only one art note, so she wanted to hear my ideas. I was delighted to discover we had a similar vision for the story. The greatest moment was when she said, “I really connect with this story. This is going to be fun!” A light in a dark place.
I reviewed early sketches, uncolored drafts, the painted drawings through .jpeg files.
First sketch with notes. My heart was a little nervous with Oscar on the tracks. 😬
Revised sketch. Now I can sleep!
Final
If I had a new idea, I’d run it by Mollie. For example, I thought it would be fun to have a little mouse family riding along with the passengers. She loved the idea. She also was willing to hide a little turtle on each page so kids could have fun searching for it. She also added a coloring page and a dot-to-dot page at the back of the book. Throughout the process she let me know what would work and what wouldn’t. (She was very patient with me.) I learned so much! There were no surprises when the full final interior was sent to me. All around it was a great experience!
Here’s a short time-lapse video of Mollie at work:
There was an art editor who worked mainly on formatting text, cover design, and other details before final edits. The illustration process wasn’t really left up to me but I was able to give input, especially in our initial meeting. I was also able to view two rounds of drafts before finals were decided. These parameters were stated in the contract. The illustration process took about two months.
SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?
KAREN: From when I got the call, to having the first copy in my hand was almost a year to the day. But remember, we delayed the project. The process from start to finish was about five months. Release date: 2-2-2022! Can’t get ‘2’ much better than that! 😆
SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?
KAREN: My publisher helps by creating promotional materials, registering the book with major online distributors, arranging distributions through special orders, assisting in book launches if requested, and, of course, listing and promoting the book on their website. They’ve given me encouragement and support along the way. It was obvious they truly care about my success as an author.
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.
KAREN: I’m doing the same type of marketing that my friends are doing who are traditionally published. I’m using social media, my website, and relationships with indie bookstores. I have a podcast opportunity coming up, was interviewed with our local community event magazine, and I’m planning an in person Launch Party. I also have several school visits set up for the spring. As a retired teacher, this will be the most fun of all! And last, but certainly not least, I thank Susanna for featuring me in this Tuesday Debut post! Thank you, Susanna!
(a couple of activities to go along with the book)
Coloring Page
Can you find the hidden turtle?
SUSANNA: Absolutely my pleasure, Karen! 😊 How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?
KAREN: Nine years. I started writing seriously when I retired from a 25-year teaching career as an elementary teacher and reading specialist. My goal has always been to publish but I knew the chances were slim since I started later in life. But wasn’t it Laura Ingalls Wilder who published her first book, Little House on the Prairie, at the age of 65? Let’s just say, I’m in good company!
If you’ve been counting, it took about six years before Turtle was accepted for publication.
SUSANNA: What is the most important/helpful thing you learned on your way to publication? (Or what is your most helpful piece of advice for up and coming writers?)
KAREN: Oh, my . . . THE most important thing? I’ve learned so much! May I share three? Thanks! 😉
-The work to be done on learning the craft is as vital as the work to be done on growing emotional stamina for the journey. Find your people to keep going.
-Writing is more than an ISBN number—it’s the people you meet; it’s the learning; it’s what feeds your heart! Be watchful for all the ways you’re being “paid.” It can be soooo frustrating, but it’s a wonderful life!
-Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. Comparison only deflates desire and robs joy. Someday you’ll have your story to tell . . . and it will be wonderful!
SUSANNA: That is very good advice! Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?
KAREN: Take a lesson from a turtle: Your speed doesn’t matter; forward is forward.
SUSANNA: Karen, thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this series and paying it forward to other writers! We so appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience – such a wonderful opportunity for us to learn! I know I speak for everyone when I wish you all the best with this and future titles!
Welcome to my little Perfect Picture Book Friday reading corner! I’m so glad you stopped by! 😊
I know it’s not quite Valentine’s Day, but it’s coming soon and I found this lovely, engaging book that is also not quite Valentine’s Day, but could certainly qualify as an everyday Valentine 😊
Wait ’til you see!
Title: The Shape Of My Heart
Written By: Mark Sperring
Illustrated By: Alys Paterson
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, December 2015, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-6
Themes/Topics: concepts (shapes), typical day, love, language (rhyme)
text copyright Mark Sperring 2015, illustration copyright Alys Paterson 2015, Bloomsbury USA
Opening: “This is the shape that we are. The shape of you and me. This is the shape of our eyes. And these are the shapes we might see.”
Brief Synopsis: In the course of a typical child’s day, the story gives a glimpse of the many kinds of shapes that make up our world.
text copyright Mark Sperring 2015, illustration copyright Alys Paterson 2015, Bloomsbury USA
text copyright Mark Sperring 2015, illustration copyright Alys Paterson 2015, Bloomsbury USA
Why I Like This Book: This is the kind of book I used to look for when my kids were little. It has a simple but elegant rhyming text that explores the many shapes in our world in fun language – not these are birds, but “and these are the shapes that chirp and tweet. . . and flitter-flutter by.” (So much more enjoyable! 😊) The story takes the reader through the day from the shape of the sun “coming up to brighten the day” to “This is the shape of the moon. And these are the shapes of the stars. . . And this is the shape I love you with. This is the shape of my heart.” (What an ending. So sweet!) The art is bright, colorful, and engaging and provides the perfect opportunity for young readers to explore every part of the page. They can identify vehicles and animals. You can ask them to point to the umbrella or the popsicle, or ask them what sound a truck or a lion makes. The text invites them to make connections (“something savory” they can see is cheese, and “something sweet” they can identify as strawberries, and “this is the shape we come back to at the end of every day” encourages them to supply that it’s home.) A delightful read for any time of day when kids want to interact and participate, but also a sweet and soothing recap at bedtime that ends with the gentle reassurance of how much they are loved. This one is a keeper 😊
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! Stay warm and safe from the snow! 😊
But every now and again I read one that is just so perfect, so magically written and illustrated, that it takes my breath away and makes me whisper to myself, “Man! I wish I’d written that!”
Today’s selection is one of those 😊
My Perfect Picture Book today is all about that most coveted of childhood days – the peaceful, happy, special perfection of snow days 😊
Title: Before Morning
Written By: Joyce Sidman
Illustrated By: Beth Krommes
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 4 2016, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 4-7
Themes/Topics: seasons (winter), snow, snow days, invocations, language fun (rhyme, word choice)
Opening: “In the deep woolen dark, as we slumber unknowing, let the sky fill with flurry and flight.” (These few words actually cover 5 spreads, some of which are wordless.)
Brief Synopsis: Although there is much going on in the busy, busy world, a small child wishes for just one day to be a delightfully snow-covered pause.
Why I Like This Book: Oh my goodness! What’s not to love? This book is beautiful in every way! The rhyming text is written by Joyce Sidman (you know what a huge fan I am of Red Sings From Treetops!) and it is gorgeous and poetic and spare. How can you not love a book that begins “In the deep woolen dark”?! 😊 The entire book is 66 words, so expertly chosen and crafted together that as a writer I can only feel awe. And the art is scratchboard and watercolor, exquisitely done, showing the little girl’s hopes that while she sleeps the world will turn white, allowing for a hushed, snow-covered morning that keeps her family home for a leisurely breakfast, some extra time together, the chance to go sledding and make snow angels, and come home to dry wet mittens. It is everything we all love about snow days, and every child’s prayer for one to come to their house!
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!
text copyright Julia Durango 2017, illustration copyright Bianca Diaz 2017, Charlesbridge Publishing
Opening: “‘One day,’ said Wilson, ‘I will paint your house orange and yellow like the sun.’ Gigi smiled. ‘I will like that. But today, you are all the sunshine I need,’ she said.”
Brief Synopsis: Gigi’s house needs fixing up, and Wilson wants to help make it cozy, safe, and beautiful – a nice place for his beloved grandmother to live. But he can’t do it alone.
text copyright Julia Durango 2017, illustration copyright Bianca Diaz 2017, Charlesbridge Publishing
Links To Resources: the back of the book has an Author’s Note about ways to help in your community including Labor of Love, Habitat For Humanity, and United Way, encouraging children who want to do something to reach out and find things that they can do, from smiling or saying hello to helping repair someone’s home; Little Ways Kids Can Make A Big Difference In Their Community; 10 Fun Community Giving Ideas (includes both “kitchen table” suggestions and “out in the community”)
text copyright Julia Durango 2017, illustration copyright Bianca Diaz 2017, Charlesbridge Publishing
Why I Like This Book: This story is lovely on so many levels. Wilson has a loving and generous heart and wants so much to make his Gigi’s home a better place for her to live, from painting it a cheerful color, to keeping her safe and warm, to making sure she can have a friend, and beauty, and music. He doesn’t let the fact that he is one young boy get in the way of his plans. A poster for “Build Up Neighbors” catches his eye and he gets him thinking. Gigi, meanwhile, is ever appreciative of Wilson’s ideas, but always grateful for what she has, never expressing any kind of dissatisfaction. I like that idea, she always says, but always follows it with, you are all the sunshine, or company, or warmth I need. Wilson shares his ideas with other members of the community – the ice cream man, passing neighbors, the librarian etc. – and they are all encouraging and supportive. No one tells him it’s too much for a boy to do. The art is warm and engaging, and includes such things as Wilson’s calculations for boards and nails needed, a diagram for how he thinks he can clean out the chimney, and what he’ll need to tune the piano. And of course he gets a stack of books from the library to aid his research. When Wilson is finally able to follow through with his plans, all the people from earlier in the book are present. This is a real feel-good story that showcases all the best things about people and community, and that models the concept that even little kids can do a lot to help out. A treasure for home, classroom, or library, and an empowering story kids will enjoy!
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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