Tuesday Debut – Presenting Laura Renauld!

October 9, 2018October 8, 201855 Comments

Welcome to another thrilling edition of Tuesday Debut!

I hope you’re enjoying these interviews as much as I am! I love getting to see our authors’ unique stories as well as getting to see the areas where their experiences overlap. Fiction and nonfiction. Large publishing houses and small. Art notes or back matter for some, none for others. A terrific array of different marketing and promotion ideas they’ve come up with. But everyone draws strength and inspiration from their work, lives, and families. Everyone discovers that even published authors have to vacuum and do the dishes 🙂 And no one seems quite sure exactly how they know when a manuscript is ready to submit, or to have gone into signing a contract with much idea of what the norm is. Thankfully, by sharing their experiences here, these generous authors are helping all of us to be better prepared for what lies ahead, as well as showing us some tools that worked for them that may help us get there!

So without further ado, I’m delighted to introduce today’s debut author, Laura Renauld, and her book, PORCUPINE’S PIE!

PORCUPINE’S PIE
by Laura Renauld
illustrated by Jennie Poh
Beaming Books
October 9, 2018
Fiction
4-8

Synopsis:

Porcupine can’t wait to share Fall Feast with her woodland friends, so when everyone she greets is unable to bake their specialty due to a missing ingredient, Porcupine generously offers staples from her pantry. When Porcupine discovers that she, too, is missing a key ingredient, the friends all work together to create a new Fall Feast tradition.

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today, Laura! I know I speak for everyone when I say we can’t wait to hear about your journey to publication! Where did the idea for this book come from?

LAURA: I have been an enthusiastic participant in Tara Lazar’s Picture Book Idea Month (now Storystorm) since 2011. I highly recommend this to writers at any point in their career. During the month of January, Tara offers daily guest posts that are intended to stimulate new ideas, with the goal of collecting 30 ideas in 30 days. Check it out here!

I was inspired by Tammi Sauer’s post during PiBoIdMo 2014, which challenged writers to frame a story as a How-To Book. My brainstorming that day included this jot in my notebook: “How to make porcupine pie (or a pie for a porcupine)”. Even though it did not evolve into a How-To Book, that was the humble beginning of PORCUPINE’S PIE!

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

LAURA: This story took shape rather quickly. Four days after my initial idea, I brainstormed plots using a basic template that helped me think through the main character’s problem, obstacles, and solution. I came up with two possible angles and I drafted one of them that same day.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

LAURA: As I look back at my timeline, I can’t believe that I did this, but I revised it twice and then sent it off to Rate Your Story only three days later! (I do not move that quickly with my manuscripts anymore! I write them, I let them sit, I revise them, I bring them to my critique groups, I revise some more. Repeat, repeat, repeat!) I got a good rating, though. 3: Good story! Get a critique or two and polish before submitting. This gave me confidence that I was on the right track, so I kept revising. Something in the judge’s comments caused me to shift the plot in a significant way. And that is the version that clicked.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

LAURA: I still have a really hard time knowing when a manuscript is ready to submit! Sometimes, if I’ve gotten positive feedback from writing partners and I feel it’s the best it can be, I just go for it.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

LAURA: At the time, I was unagented so I was open to a variety of submission opportunities. I submitted PORCUPINE’S PIE for the first time in February 2015 to an editor who spoke at the Fall 2014 SCBWI conference I attended. And then… crickets. I never did receive a response.

I set the manuscript aside for several months before sharing it with my critique group. I revised a couple more times in 2015 and then I didn’t touch it again until submitting it to the first annual Sparkhouse Family (now Beaming Books) Picture Book Contest in November 2016. And I won! I’d like to give a shout-out to Sub It Club, which posts an awesome contest calendar. That is where I heard about this opportunity.

Fun Fact: I tweaked my fall-themed story so that I could enter a pared-down version of it in Susanna’s 2016 Valentine-y contest!

SUSANNA: And all this time I thought the picture book came from the Valentiny Contest entry! I guess it was the other way around!

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )

LAURA: Just over a month after I submitted my story to the contest, I received the email from Sparkhouse Family that I had won and they would like to publish my book!

SUSANNA: That must have been so amazing! How did you celebrate signing your contract? (If you care to share 🙂 )

LAURA: With lots of hugs and phone calls. 🙂

A family trip to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art this summer. Laura’s boys (on the edges) and her niece and nephew are her inspirations!

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

LAURA: I didn’t know what to expect with the contract. I relied heavily on SCBWI’s THE BOOK to negotiate a few contractual changes.

SUSANNA: Are you able to share any of the contract details? It is clear from all our Tuesday Debut Authors’ answers to this question that most of us had no idea what to expect, so any light you can shed on specifics will be welcome so that when our readers get to their first contracts they will have some idea what to expect!

LAURA: Beaming Books is a small publisher. They hold an annual writing contest to generate interest and excitement for their house and brand. This is a clever way to encourage submissions during a certain period of time and to entice writers with prize money. Porcupine’s Pie won the first annual contest which offered a $5000 prize. It turned out that the prize money was actually my advance. And really, the biggest prize I was hoping for was to have my story published. The royalty ranges from 5%-7% as the number of copies sold increases. One thing that I did not know going into a book contract was that the listed royalty is split between author and illustrator. So if you are an author/illustrator, you’ll get the full 10% standard royalty. But if you are just an author, like me, you’ll receive 5% and your illustrator will receive 5%.

SUSANNA: Did you receive author copies?

LAURA: Yes, I received 10.

SUSANNA: Do you know what your initial hard cover print run is?

LAURA: The initial print run is 3,000 copies.

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for being willing to provide such detail, Laura! I know readers will be grateful for it!

SUSANNA: Tell us about the editorial process…

LAURA: Only minor revisions were made during the editorial process, mainly to align the text and the illustrations. For example, I originally had Porcupine wearing a shawl, but the illustration of a shawl full of quills looked awkward, so boots were suggested instead. And Porcupine looks good in her little blue boots!

SUSANNA: Tell us about your experience of the illustration process…

LAURA: I was pleasantly surprised when my editor asked me for styles of art that I like. I just happen to keep a Pinterest board of Illustrators I Admire, so I was able to share my tastes easily. When my editor informed me that Jennie Poh would be doing the illustrations, I was thrilled. I saw sketches of the woodland characters and was given a chance to comment. Then the cover was revealed, along with an internal spread in Fall 2017. Finally, I got to see a digital proof in May of this year. After a few more back-and-forths, the final digital proof arrived.

Jennie’s art is warm and whimsical. I love the color palette Jennie chose and Porcupine’s cozy den feels so inviting. The characters were friends in my text, but Jennie’s illustrations made those relationships believable.

interior spread from PORCUPINE’S PIE

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?

LAURA: Foreword Reviews published a review of Porcupine’s Pie in their Sept./Oct. issue. It was a bit surreal!

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

LAURA: 21 months. Fun fact: That’s about how long an elephant mama carries her baby before it is born!

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

LAURA: My publisher purchased ad space in Foreword Reviews in the form of an author interview to complement the review in the same issue. They also plan to promote my book on the Beaming Books blog.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

LAURA: Before my book launched, I promoted it with a ‘Preorder Campaign’ where those who preordered would get a signed bookplate and be entered to win a pie-making kit. I also planned a launch party with children’s activities and a blog tour, stopping at various kidlit and mommy blogs. I decided not to invest in a book trailer, but I did have bookmarks and stickers printed. I also canvassed the neighborhood with launch party invitations!

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

LAURA: I started writing a bit and taking some kidlit workshops about ten years before PORCUPINE’S PIE won the Beaming Books Picture Book Contest. But it wasn’t until I joined SCBWI in 2011 and made writing a priority during the few hours my kids were in preschool that I really began to improve my craft. It was energizing to see my own progress and humbling to realize I should never have submitted to agents when I did! From my conversations with other writers, five to ten years to land a book contract is not unusual.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

LAURA: If you have an idea for back matter that was not submitted with the original manuscript, pitch it to the editor! PORCUPINE’S PIE is a story with food at its core so it made sense to add a recipe at the end. I made a lot of trial pies, had friends and family taste test them, then created my recipe. And my editor ate it up! 🙂

Find Laura on the web at laurarenauld.comand on social media:

Twitter – @laura_renauld

Facebook – @kidlitlaura

Instagram – @laurarenauld

Thank you so much for a wonderful and very informative interview, Laura! On behalf of all our readers, I appreciate you including Storystorm and Sub It Club, the specific details of your contract, author copies and print run, and your excellent advice about back matter. So helpful!

Readers, you may purchase Laura’s book at:

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by:

– purchasing their books

– recommending their books to friends and family

– recommending their books to our children’s teachers and librarians

– recommending their books to our local libraries and bookstores

– sharing their books on social media

– reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Hannah Holt – The Diamond And The Boy

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Hannah Holt!

October 2, 2018October 1, 201884 Comments

Welcome to the October 2nd edition of Tuesday Debut, everyone!

Not only do we have a fabulous new author and debut picture book to enjoy today, this particular author did some research into advances, royalties, and rights last year which she has very kindly shared with us below. After last week’s questions, I know you’ll all find it interesting!

So without further ado, put your hands together for Hannah Holt and her debut picture book, The Diamond And The Boy!

The Diamond and the Boy
written by Hannah Holt
illustrated by Jay Fleck
Balzer+Bray, October 2, 2018
Nonfiction, ages 4-8

Told in a unique dual-narrative format, The Diamond and the Boy follows the stories of both natural diamond creation and the life of H. Tracy Hall, the inventor of a revolutionary diamond-making machine.

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today, Hannah! We are thrilled to have you here and so excited to hear all about your amazing book! Where did the idea for this book come from?

HANNAH: Tracy Hall was my grandfather. The idea to write his biography was simple enough, but how to tell the story eluded me for years. I took the story in a dozen different directions before landing on the dual narrative with graphite.

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

HANNAH: About five years.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

HANNAH: Yes, about eighty.

SUSANNA: I am noticing a trend here, folks! Last week, Beth told us her book had undergone 91 revisions. It sounded like a LOT, but Hannah is giving her a run for her money!

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

HANNAH: When it was accepted for publication!
Kidding (sort of). I still struggle with knowing when my stories are “ready.”

I worked on this story for years. I had it professionally critiqued. The story won an award—and I still had to completely rewrite it before it was accepted for publication. A story can always be made better. However, every so often, you have to try the market. Sometimes you just have to let go and submit.

Yes, edit it and revise it. Rest it and rework it. Critique it and tweak it…and then send it out!

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

HANNAH: I wanted an agent, so I mostly submitted to them.

I sent in small batches of 5-8 at a time. When a rejection came in, I would send another query out. I was working towards a goal of 100 rejections in a year.

I didn’t quite make that goal because I signed with my agent, Laura Biagi, and we were fortunate to have The Diamond & the Boy picked up quickly.

Laura was actually my second agent. My first agent, Danielle Smith, is no longer working in the industry.

While working with Danielle, I received no rejections. None. My stories went out and nothing came back. After we parted ways, I set my rejection goal to take back control of my career.

If you aren’t getting rejected, you probably aren’t progressing towards publication.

Rejects are good! They are proof you are working.

Hannah hard at work with her supervisor and neck-warmer, Zephyr 🙂

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )

HANNAH: I spoke with my editor before I had an official offer.

Laura and I received interest from multiple houses for The Diamond & the Boy. My agent arranged phone calls with the interested editors, so I could hear their editorial ideas. Kristin Rens had a fantastic vision for the story, so I accepted the offer from Balzer+Bray.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?

HANNAH: I signed my contract, and then finished washing the dishes.

Okay, later in the day, I went to dinner with my husband, but it’s funny how normal duties of life didn’t disappear just because a book contract is signed.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

HANNAH: My advance was larger than expected, probably because of the interest from multiple houses. It still didn’t make me rich. I’ve sold more than this book, but I’m not living off my income from picture books.

I didn’t know what to expect in other areas, so I deferred to my agent’s judgment on those items. (Hurrah, for agents!)

SUSANNA: Readers of this series have expressed a strong interest in knowing a little more about the specifics of contracts. As it happens, Hannah conducted a poll last year to gather information on that topic and she was kind enough to provide a graph and summary explanation which I hope everyone will find helpful. Even though I’m sticking it smack in the middle of her interview 🙂

HANNAH:

I asked about advances as part of my children’s author survey last year. I had over 100 published picture book authors participate. The most common advance range for smaller houses is $1,000-$5,000. The most common advance range at Big 5 houses is $5,000-$10,000. However, I’ve attached an image to show you the spread. My debut advance was higher than average, but I had interest from multiple houses. That drove the offer up quite a bit.

My agent at the time was aggressive about pursuing international rights, so she only sold North American rights. I’ve spoken with editors about this. It’s more common for picture books to sell world rights because the words and illustrations are often created by different person. It can be easier to sell as a package. One editor I talked to said picture books at her house are about 2/3rds world rights. This same editor said it’s more common for novelists to retain world rights.

graph copyright Hannah Holt 2017

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for sharing that, Hannah. I think I can speak for all our readers when I say it is extremely helpful!

SUSANNA: Tell us about the editorial process…

HANNAH: I was fortunate to talk to my editor before accepting the offer, so there weren’t any big surprises.

I had pitched the book as a dual narrative meet-in-the-middle story, and Kristin wanted a side-by-side telling. I fully supported this switch and working with Balzer+Bray was a delight. Kristin kept me in the loop for everything from copy editing to the progress on the illustrations.

SUSANNA: Tell us about your experience of the illustration process…

HANNAH: I was involved from the very beginning.

My editor suggested four possible illustrators, and Jay Fleck was my top pick. Fortunately, he accepted the offer from my publisher. Yay!

My editor kept me in the loop as illustrations progressed. I saw sketches, and at some point, my editor asked if I would help supply research material. Of course, I was happy to help, and we went through a few rounds of sketches and tweaks.

I never spoke directly with the illustrator, and I tried to leave Jay as much stylistic freedom as possible in my notes while keeping the story technically accurate. I’m very happy with the result. The final artwork is stunning!

SUSANNA: Very cool that your editor sought your input on who the illustrator would be!

SUSANNA: Did you include art notes in your manuscript? If so, can you share an example?

HANNAH: I only had one illustration note in the text for The Diamond & the Boy. It was describing something vaguely enough that I thought the illustrator might need some help:

“Once-frail sticks and sheets

become strong enough to lift his feet

off the earth. (illo note: huge kite)”

The resulting illustration looks like this:

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc?

HANNAH: The Diamond and the Boy has had two trade reviews so far: Booklist (a STAR!) and Kirkus. I saw both reviews before they were made public and fortunately both were favorable.

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

HANNAH: About two years.

SUSANNA: What kind of marketing and promotion has your publisher done for this book?

HANNAH: My publisher sent my book out for trade reviews and awards. They’ve brought The Diamond & the Boy to major book conferences, like Texas ALA. They’ve also had a digital copy available on Edelweiss+ and sent me several Folded & Gathered copies.

I won’t be going on a publisher sponsored book tour or anything fancy like that, but I’m happy with the level of support I’ve received.

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

HANNAH: I helped organize a picture book debut group with about 50 members. We recently ran a group giveaway for educators with over 1,600 entries. It’s much easier to market with friends. I highly recommend that approach.

I’m also writing blog posts (like this! Thanks, Susanna!), putting together a classroom guide, and recording videos for science experiments correlated with my book.

When focusing on promotional material, I try to spend time rather than money. Like I said earlier, writing books hasn’t made me rich.

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

HANNAH: Ten years.

In the last decade, I’ve watched many friends sign with agents and publishing houses. Some friends have become quite successful. Others have left the business. I’ve also seen books hit bestseller lists and then eventually go out of print.

Through all this, I’ve learned that quick success isn’t necessarily the path to happiness. Becoming “published” is not the end-all, be-all that budding authors sometimes think it is. It’s important to know what you want and not become distracted by the siren call of every opportunity.

Market trends come and go, but stories don’t expire. There is no deadline for success. Through it all, keep chasing your own dreams!

SUSANNA: That is excellent advice, Hannah! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us today. We all really appreciate it and wish you the best of success with this book and all the books to follow! Readers, if you have any questions for Hannah, I’m sure she’ll answer if she has time!

Hannah Holt is a children’s author with an engineering degree. Her books, The Diamond & The Boy (2018, Balzer+Bray) and A Father’s Love (2019, Philomel) weave together her love of language and science. She lives in Oregon with her husband, four children, and a very patient cat named Zephyr. She and her family enjoy reading, hiking, and eating chocolate chip cookies. You can find her on Twitter and at her website: HannahHolt.com

You may purchase her book at:

Indiebound
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

We can help our debut authors successfully launch their careers by purchasing their books, recommending their books to friends and family, our children’s teachers and librarians, and our local libraries and bookstores, by sharing their books on social media, and by reviewing their books on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other sites where people go to learn about books.

Thank you all for stopping by to read today! Have a lovely, inspiration-filled Tuesday! Maybe today is the day you’ll write your debut picture book 🙂

Missed any previous Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Beth Anderson – An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin And Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Garden Party: A Counting Adventure Book

September 28, 2018September 27, 201819 Comments

Hurray! It’s Friday!

Every Perfect Picture Book Friday is fun because I get to share a book I really like with all of you and see what books you’re all loving this week.

But PPBF is especially fun when I get to share a book I love that happens to have been written by a friend! (A friend who, coincidentally, I got to have coffee and blueberry muffins and a lovely chat with yesterday morning 🙂 )

As this book involves a garden, you could work it into any seasonal discussion or classroom unit (spring planting, summer growing, winter dormant) but since it’s harvest time, why not read it and share it right now? 🙂

Garden Party

Title: Garden Party: A Counting Adventure Book

Written By: Tania Guarino

Illustrated By: Emma Allen

Spork (Clear Fork Publishing), September 2018, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-6

Themes/Topics: concept (counting), animals, language fun (rhyme), nature/gardens

Opening: “One (1) bunny in a burrow on Farmer Dale’s trail,
wakes with a shake and a wiggle of her tail.
She starts with a hop by an old tin pail,
wiggle, hop, wiggle…down Farmer Dale’s trail.”

Brief Synopsis: One after another, the woodland friends join the group heading down Farmer Dale’s trail, following the bunny who may be the only one with a plan 🙂

Links To Resources: author’s website coloring pages and activities; 10 different animals are mentioned in the story. What other animals can you think of who could join the garden party? Draw one (or more!), and describe how they would move or sound (e.g. “swishy swoosh swoosh”); which of the animals mentioned in the book do you think Farmer Dale would be most unhappy about having in his garden? Why? Which ones might he be glad to have? Why? Easy Recipe for Carrot Cake

Why I Like This Book: There are so many things to love about this book! Where to start? At the beginning, I guess :). The bunny who sets the whole adventure in motion clearly has a plan (the illustration shows the stockpile of carrots she has already gathered in her burrow.). She heads off toward the garden for more and is joined by 2 skunks, 3 fawns, 4 foxes, etc on her counting adventure. Midway through the story, the rollicking rhythm of the adventure is beautifully paused by the arrival of the 5 snails, who bring the whole crew to a screeching halt. But before you know it they’re all on their way again, the snails hitching a ride on the faster animals 🙂 I won’t give away the ending – you’ll have to read the book! The rhyming story is nicely written and fun to read aloud. Kids will enjoy the different sounds and movements used to describe the animals’ way of going (e.g. “wiggle, hop, wiggle” and “swishy, swoosh, swoosh”) and being able to chime in on the anticipated repetition of “down Farmer Dale’s trail!”. The art is bright, colorful, and lively, and young readers will have a great time searching the illustrations to find all the snails!

text copyright Tania Guarino 2018, illustration copyright Emma Allen 2018

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Beth Anderson!

September 25, 2018September 25, 201875 Comments

Welcome, Everyone!

It’s the friendly, Tuesday writer’s club coffee hour here on Blueberry Hill!

Take off your shoes, tuck yourself into a comfy chair, wrap your hands around a nice hot mug of coffee or tea, and let’s settle in for a cozy chat with today’s Tuesday Debut-ess!

(What do you think? Is debut-ess an improvement on debutee or is debutee better? I’m still trying to think up a good word 🙂 )

While you’re thinking on that, coffee cake anyone?

Photo and recipe from ScrummyLane

Before we get started, I want to take this opportunity to invite you all to evaluate the information you’re getting from these Tuesday Debut posts. As you read, please think about whether you’re getting all the information you hoped for from the weekly posts. Do you have burning questions we’re not addressing? Specific things you’re dying to know about the publication process? If there are questions you’d like to see included in future Tuesday Debuts, please share them with me in the comments or email me! It is easy to make changes and I definitely want to make improvements if there are any you can see to be made. I want this series to be as helpful to everyone as possible!

Now, it is my extreme pleasure to introduce today’s Tuesday Debut author, the lovely and talented Beth Anderson and her wonderful book:

AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET: BEN FRANKLIN AND NOAH WEBSTER’S SPELLING REVOLUTION
by Beth Anderson
illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 9/25/18
Narrative Nonfiction, age 4-8

Brand new Educator’s Guide available HERE

Do you ever wish English was eez-ee-yer to spell? Ben Franklin and Noah Webster did!

SUSANNA: Thank you so much for joining us today, Beth! We are all so glad of the opportunity to learn from your experience! I’m chuckling because entirely by coincidence, the book I posted for PPBF a few days ago was Noah Webster And His Words by Jeri Chase Ferris – a nice companion to your book! Where did the idea for this book come from?

BETH: Ben Franklin had me at “ish.” When I saw a news blurb item about how he wanted to change the English alphabet, including six new letters (one of which was “ish”), I was immediately interested. As a linguistics major, reading specialist, and English teacher, how could I resist? When I read further, his quote, “Those people spell best who do not know how to spell,” hit me. The kids! They’re sounding words out. So sensible. Just what Franklin wanted. His quirky humor went straight to my heart. From there, I had to dig in and find the story. (For more on the inspiration, see this post. )

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

BETH: After the initial exploration confirms that a topic has potential, I research for a few weeks, organize ideas, then start drafting. AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET took about six months to reach “ready” for an editor critique. (I was working on a couple other manuscripts in various stages at the time, as well.) After the critique, I revised for another month and a half. It involved more research, some “reframing,” and tightening.

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

BETH: My revision process has changed as I’ve learned more and more about how to shape a story. AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET went through about 40 revisions. An earlier manuscript, which will be my second picture book, had 91 revisions. Part of the difference is the story itself. But much of what accounts for far fewer revisions with “Alpha” is that I did a lot more organizing of information and brainstorming of possible structures and “vital idea” before I wrote. Also, I made many more changes with each revision as I’m not only fine tuning sentences, but looking at structure, conflict, characterization, etc. I think the key to making revisions that matter is to go beyond the sentence level where you keep reworking the same “story,” and, instead, push yourself to experiment with structure and holistic level changes. Finding just the right thread to make a story marketable and being able to reframe it that way is an ongoing challenge!

(There’s more on revising this manuscript HERE. )

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

BETH: Probably like most of us, I often think a manuscript is ready before it really is. We write the story we love and revise it until it’s just right, but often fail to see the big picture, or the marketing picture, or the irresistible premise picture—all things editors see. That’s why critique groups are so important. (Not your kids, or spouse, or neighbor.) That’s also (just one reason) why an agent is so valuable. A good agent has “editor eyes.” All these people help us see a story in different ways and can tug on the reins when we want to go ahead and submit before its ready.

With this manuscript, after I had taken it through many revisions, various critique groups over and over, and past my agent several times, I purchased an editor critique. With that, I took each piece of feedback and made sure I had applied it to the entire story. Then, when feedback came back with tiny tweaks, and the story itself got a genuine “yes!” it told me that the manuscript was ready to sub.

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

BETH: At a writing retreat, I purchased editor critiques on several manuscripts. My agent, the wonderful Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, advised which manuscripts fit which editors. After the retreat, I worked with Sylvie Frank’s feedback to revise AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET, and then we sent it to her on a 30-day exclusive submission. Ta-da! She loved it. (Note: Sylvie said that acquiring a manuscript in that way is rare for her.)

That all sounds so easy, right? Well, there was a lengthy process leading up to that. If you’re interested in how I got to that point, HERE’s more.

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? How did you celebrate signing your contract? (If you care to share 🙂 )

BETH: To be honest, the thrill of both the news of the offer and the signing of the contract were tempered by sad events. The contrast of emotions served to remind me of what’s truly important and that life is a balance. My joy settled inside, nestled with gratitude, encouragement, and anticipation of the new adventure.

SUSANNA: I’m so sorry that what should have been a joyous occasion was tempered by sadness, Beth. But you are right. It does help us keep perspective.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?

BETH: Mostly, I didn’t know what to expect! This too is a learning process. I asked some questions of my agent to better understand it all and am so glad that I had her to lead me through it and do the negotiations.

SUSANNA: Tell us about the editorial process and your experience with the illustration process…

BETH: There were few revisions to make for the editor since I had already revised per her feedback. She got an illustrator on board very quickly – the amazing Elizabeth Baddeley! About 3-4 months after the contract was signed we had sketches. That’s an exciting moment! Copy edits came soon after. I made a few tweaks to the text here and there. I was kept in the loop throughout, and the process was smooth and comfortable. The editor’s vision never conflicted with mine, but rather enhanced everything that I had envisioned.

As a rookie, I was wishing I had more knowledge of the editorial process, what to expect when, etc. Here’s how I would explain the process:

Imagine the editor drives up to your house in a limo and invites you to go for a ride. You sit up front and chat along the way. You know the destination, but don’t know the route. So you spend much time looking out the window, wondering, asking a question now and then. Along the way, you pick up other people – the illustrator, art director, etc. But…there’s that limo barrier between the front and back. You can’t talk to the people back there, but the editor can, and once in a while relays a bit of what’s going on. You ooh and ahh at landmarks along the way, feel a festive spirit permeate the vehicle, and, finally, after a long trip, you arrive at the book!

As I work on more manuscripts, I see that each one is a bit different. So…basically, sit back and enjoy the ride!

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

BETH: Seeing the advance reviews from Kirkus and SLJ was a joyful moment – a bit of relief combined with anticipation at getting the book in the hands of kids.

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

BETH: 2 years

SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

BETH: I’m really only beginning this aspect of the book and learning as I go. I have lots of lists!! Here’s what I’ve done so far:

scheduled a release party at a local Barnes and Noble,
requested F&Gs be sent to a number of bloggers in hopes that they will want to review AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET and have been lucky enough to receive invitations for interviews from friends within the kidlit world.
postcards, bookmarks, additional business cards
contacted bookstores in the area about opportunities such as local author signing days and festivals, as well as school visits they coordinate. (I don’t think this book is the best for story times with toddlers.)
planned activities for events
completed authors pages on Amazon, Goodreads, etc., SCBWI opportunities
added pages to my website
blog posts for my own site on my writer’s journey and process
created Pinterest boards related to the book
working on a presentation for schools and paperwork associated with that

SUSANNA: What is your publisher doing to market and promote your book?

BETH: I’ve been assigned a publicist and am copying her on any plans I make so she can coordinate books being available. She will arrange signings I request when I travel and send F&Gs to people I’ve requested. I’ll work with her on any conferences, but at this point have none scheduled. The publisher has sent copies to reviewers and created an educator’s guide.

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

BETH: I made the decision to jump into writing for children in the fall of 2013. In the beginning of 2016, I signed with an agent, and in September 2016, I had my first offer.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

BETH: I think each book has lessons to teach us as writers. As I got to know the characters in AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET, Ben Franklin’s philosophy of letting your ideas “take their chance in the world” really struck a chord with me. In contrast, Noah Webster wanted to force his ideas on people. One approach is stressful, the other not. One approach considers you know best, the other accepts that maybe you don’t. One approach lets rejections quash the spirit, the other takes them in stride.

So, do your best, and put those manuscripts out there. Let your ideas “take their chance in the world!” 🙂

photo credit Tina Wood

Beth Anderson, a former English as a Second Language teacher, has always marveled at the power of books. Armed with linguistics and reading degrees, a fascination with language, and penchant for untold tales, she strives for accidental learning in the midst of a great story. Beth lives in Colorado where she laughs, wonders, thinks, and questions; and hopes to inspire kids to do the same.

website and social media links

https://bethandersonwriter.com/

https://www.facebook.com/beth.anderson.33671748?fref=ts%2F

https://twitter.com/@BAndersonWriter/

https://www.pinterest.com/bandersonwriter/

An Educator’s Guide is available HERE.

Beth, thank you again so much for being with us today, and readers, thank you for stopping by to read. If you have questions for Beth I’m sure she will do her best to answer if she has time.

I think it’s interesting that the interviews from both Jessie last week and Beth this week showed how much writing is but one piece in the puzzle of life. It’s so easy as an unpublished writer (or even a published writer hoping for another sale) to think that if you can get published, everything will be perfect! There is no denying that getting published is wonderful! It is the dream. It is what we all work so hard for. But for Jessie it came with a new baby, and for Beth it came with sadness in her life. Both things put publication in perspective. Jessie’s book was drawn from her life experience of having a grandfather with Alzheimers, and Beth was able to write her book because of her background as a teacher and her knowledge of and interest in linguistics. So if you’re looking for inspiration, you may, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, have no need to look any further than your own back yard. You may find it right there in your life.

Whether you’re published yet or not, write for the joy of writing and enjoy the process and the journey. It’s hard work, but we do it because we love it, and I think most of us would agree that there aren’t many occupations that can rival making up stories, or sharing the wonders of the nonfiction world with kids 🙂

Happy Tuesday! 🙂 and don’t forget to let me know if there are questions you want answered in future posts!

Missed any Tuesday Debuts? Check them out!

Christy Mihaly – Hey! Hey! Hay! A Tale of Bales And The Machines That Make Them

Jessie Oliveros – The Remember Balloons

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Noah Webster And His Words

September 21, 2018September 21, 201817 Comments

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and – can you believe it? – the official last day of summer 2018!

I love the crisp air, the jeweled colors, and the cider donuts of autumn, but I feel like summer went by in a blink!

I hope all your falls get off to a lovely start this weekend with some family apple picking, or an outdoor music festival…or maybe a trip to Princeton Children’s Book Festival – that’s where I’m headed! 🙂

For today’s Perfect Picture Book I decided to go the educational route… but it’s also tons of fun! Have a look!

Noah Webster

Title: Noah Webster And His Words

Written By: Jeri Chase Ferris

Illustrated By: Vincent X. Kirsch

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books For Young Readers, 2012, nonfiction

Suitable For Ages: 3-7

Themes/Topics: American history, vocabulary/language, dictionaries, biography, nonfiction

Opening: “Noah Webster always knew he was right, and he never got tired of saying so (even if, sometimes, he wasn’t). He was, he said, “full of CON-FI-DENCE” [noun: belief that one is right] from the very beginning.”

Brief Synopsis: This book tells the story of Noah Webster’s life and how he wrote the first American dictionary in an effort both to educate and to help unite the new United States.

Links To Resources: The book itself is a resource as it teaches the life of Noah Webster and the period of American history is was part of. There is a useful timeline in the back matter as well as a section entitled “More About Noah Webster” and a helpful bibliography. For a fun classroom game, play Dictionary (where one student chooses a word from the dictionary and writes down the correct definition and everyone else writes down a made up definition. All definitions are read aloud and the class votes for which is the real one…and you see if the real one wins or one of the made up ones!)

Why I Like This Book: Not only is this book interesting – full of information about Noah Wester and his creation of the first American dictionary – it’s fun! There is a surprising amount of humor, both in the text and in the illustrations. I also love the clever way some of the vocabulary words in the text are woven in like dictionary entries! The book brings Noah Webster to life in a way that illuminates his personality. It’s a perfect example of how to write nonfiction so that young readers enjoy the learning experience.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Hope to see anyone who is in the neighborhood at the Princeton Children’s Book Festival tomorrow! 🙂

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Jessie Oliveros!

September 18, 2018September 17, 201888 Comments

TOO TOOTLE TOOT-TOOT TOOT TOOOOOOOT!

(Try to imagine that was royal trumpets! 🙂 )

(It’s pretty lucky we are all creative types who are good at imagining things 🙂 )

But trumpets!!!

Because it’s time for another Tuesday Debut – the thrilling new series where you get the inside scoop on how pre-published picture book writers became Published Picture Book AUTHORS!

What could be better?!

After dipping our toe into the Tuesday Debut experience a month ago with Christy Mihaly, we are now going full steam ahead with a new debut every Tuesday for the next 9 weeks (minus a week or two while Halloweensie is running and pre-empting all regular programming on this blog)!

And let me take this opportunity to say that if YOU have a debut picture book coming out and you’d like to be center stage here, sing out! If the date’s free it’s yours!

Alrighty!

Let’s have a round of applause for today’s lovely debutee (is that a word? n. one who debuts? Let’s make it a word! Pronounce it day-bew-tay – it sounds more accomplished and French that way 🙂 )

ANYway! Queen of the Day – Jessie Oliveros!!! (clapclapclapclapclap!!!!!)

THE REMEMBER BALLOONS
Written by Jessie Oliveros
Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
August 28, 2018
Fiction
Ages 5-9

James and Grandpa keep their memories in balloons, and James loves to hear all of Grandpa’s stories. When Grandpa’s balloons begin to float away, James tries to catch them—but he can’t. He must discover another way to reclaim Grandpa’s balloons.

SUSANNA: Where did the idea for this book come from?

JESSIE: THE REMEMBER BALLOONS was inspired by my paternal grandfather who has Alzheimer’s.

James this summer, age 92

A few summers ago, while visiting my grandparents in Kansas with my children, my thoughts turned to writing a picture book. I only knew that it would be about a boy and his grandfather suffering from Alzheimer’s. I started out writing a straight forward story. I can’t say exactly when the metaphorical angle came to me. I knew balloons would be an accessible idea for children. And, when I was visiting my grandparents, I had recorded some of their histories on a voice recorder. This made their memories more of a tangible thing for me, I think. Plus, there was that act of capturing their memories before they were no longer with us. All of these things came together, and the THE REMEMBER BALLOONS was born.

(Also, one of my favorite methods of idea-seeking is to mash two unlikely ideas together, which I think my brain did out of habit when I thought of balloons while also contemplating memories.)

SUSANNA: How long did it take you to write this book?

JESSIE: Once the idea of the memory balloons came to me, this story flowed fairly quickly. I had a cohesive draft in an afternoon. I definitely cannot say that about all of my picture book manuscripts! When I get an idea, I typically let it form in my mind for awhile before writing anything down. Sometimes it takes a ridiculous amount of drafts to make it a cohesive story. And that’s before any real revisions!

SUSANNA: Did you go through many revisions?

JESSIE: THE REMEMBER BALLOONS went through my own revisions before I felt it was ready for other eyes. I sent it to a trusted critique partner and implemented her feedback. It may have been about ten revisions before my agent saw it. Once he had his hands on it, the revision process had just begun!

I advise letting a manuscript sit for awhile and coming back to it. You see things a little differently with the passage of time.

SUSANNA: When did you know your manuscript was ready for submission?

JESSIE: Well, when I send a child off to kindergarten, I know she’s ready. She’s been at home for five years and is itching to get out (even if there are some tears). I’ve dressed her in nice clothes, brushed her hair, & packed her bag and lunch. She’s ready for the world.

I guess it’s that way with your manuscript. You know you’ve done your best. It’s itching to get out. You feel it’s ready for the world. (There I go speaking in metaphors again.)

SUSANNA: When and how did you submit?

JESSIE: I submitted to about 12 agents before I found my agent. I had just finished querying a middle grade very widely, and I was a little burnt out. So, I went much slower this time. Plus, there was a bit of a personal stamp on this one which I think made me more careful with my “baby.”

I entered a Twitter Pitch contest the Friday before Christmas (#pitchmas). I pitched THE REMEMBER BALLOONS. My agent, Mike Hoogland of Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret, “liked” my pitch. I sent him my manuscript the next day. Monday, Mike contacted me via email. Tuesday we were on the phone talking representation. (BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER.) This all happened fast, but the process leading up to it was several years!

SUSANNA: When did you get “the call”? (Best moment ever! 🙂 )
JESSIE: The manuscript was picked up about a month after we started subbing. This is quick—but I truly believe it’s all about landing on the right desk at the right time. I’ve subbed out more manuscripts since then, and it’s usually a months-long process! Fun story: I received the offer for THE REMEMBER BALLOONS the day after I brought my fourth baby home from the hospital (and we’d just closed on a house—ha!). It was a very full few days. I knew Simon and Schuster had been considering it, but I still had the surreal, heart-dropping moment when I read the email from Mike.

SUSANNA: How did you celebrate signing your contract?
JESSIE: I actually received my contract on my birthday! Ha! I didn’t do any special signing pictures or anything, but it was a bit of a dual celebration. Interesting fact: there is a delay between offer and contract signing. Mine was about two months. Offer in March. Contract in May.

SUSANNA: Was the contract what you expected in terms of advance, royalty percentage, publication timeline, author copies etc.?
JESSIE: I didn’t know what to expect! I did a lot of internet research on the terms, and I had a good agent to answer all of the questions. I would say that the terms were better than I could have hoped for for a debut author.

SUSANNA: Tell us about the editorial process…

JESSIE: I edited the manuscript with my acquiring editor, Christian, before he switched houses. He helped me hone the manuscript into what it is today. The structure of it remains close to the original. But Christian helped me dig deeper into the manuscript—most notably, he encouraged me to find James’ voice and to re-examine the silver balloon. He helped give it breath!

After that, Justin took on THE REMEMBER BALLOONS. He helped me pare it down some. We cut unnecessary phrasing as well as parts that were redundant with the illustrations.

I feel so lucky to have worked with both these editors—both great, visionary people and positive forces in children’s publishing.

SUSANNA: Can you share your experience of the illustration process?
JESSIE: When I first saw the sketches, I was very happy with the look and style. The people that Dana drew were actually very similar to how I had envisioned them as I drafted—sweet, sketchy, dreamy. I saw the sketches and art at several stages along the way. The combined visions of Lucy, the art director for THE REMEMBER BALLOONS, and Dana really superseded anything I could have ever dreamed of myself. There were a few things I suggested, tweaks really. I asked that a berry basket be added to the yellow balloon memory, for instance. I felt my input was listened to and taken seriously. But I mean, just look at the art.

SUSANNA: Did you get to see advance reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, etc? What was that like?

JESSIE: The trade reviews for THE REMEMBER BALLOONS was sent to Dana and me in advance. That means we had to hold in the news of our Kirkus star before sharing it on social media! One thing I didn’t know before that I know now—your editor may send all the trade reviewers your book, but that doesn’t mean they are all going to review it.

SUSANNA: How long did it take from offer to having the first copy in your hand?

JESSIE: As I mentioned earlier, my baby was only a few days old when I received an offer. She’s 2 ½ now! I didn’t expect it to take that long, but those 2 ½ years were full. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on to design and promote the book. It takes a lot of time, and I think it was worth it!

SUSANNA: If your book has been out for at least one statement cycle, has it earned out yet?

JESSIE: My book just released a few weeks ago so I’m a longways off from that!
SUSANNA: Describe any marketing/promotion you did for this book.

JESSIE: I’ve used social media quite a bit to promote my book. I’ve done a few interviews like this. I’m about to have launch events in two different cities. Honestly, I think the best thing for your book is word of mouth! I had a friend tell me the other day that her friend had seen someone talking about my book on Instagram. Being that many degrees removed from it felt pretty awesome!

SUSANNA: How long was it between the time you started writing seriously and the time you sold your first picture book?

JESSIE: I started writing seriously when my son was two. 7 ½ years later I sold my picture book! That’s ten years from outset of journey to actual book.

SUSANNA: Anything else you’d like to share about your book’s journey from inspiration to publication?

JESSIE: This journey, like life, is unpredictable. It’s filled with mountains and cliffs and valleys. One thing I’ve learned (and am still learning!) is to step outside of it. Don’t let the rejections and the bad reviews cast a shadow over the things and people that give you joy.

My “book offer” baby today at 2 ½ years old.

www.jessieoliveros.com
Twitter: @JessieOliveros
Instagram: @jessieoliveros
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessie.oliveros.5

That is wonderful advice, Jessie! Many thanks for joining us today and sharing your knowledge with us. You are the second author in a row to point out that your first sale was many years in the making. I hope everyone feels buoyed up by the knowledge that, if you’re feeling discouraged because it’s taking you awhile to get published, this is a marathon, not a sprint for ALL of us in the picture book world. And though it may be taking more time than we’d like to cross the finish line, at least we’re surrounded by friends all the way ❤

If you have questions for Jessie, you may ask them in the comment section and if she has time she may be able to answer 🙂

Thank you all for joining today’s debut! And maybe there’s someone in your life who would enjoy a copy of THE REMEMBER BALLOONS… 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Allie All Along

September 14, 2018September 13, 201812 Comments

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday again, folks, and isn’t that nice?

Not only does it mean the weekend is basically here, it also gives us a great list of new picture books to enjoy during it!

So get ready to make a list for the library! 🙂

My choice for today is all about something a lot of kids (and adults) find hard – how to manage feeling angry.

Allie All Along

Title: Allie All Along

Written & Illustrated By: Sarah Lynne Reul

Sterling Children’s Books, August 2018, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-7

Themes/Topics: emotions (anger), understanding, siblings

Opening: “SNAP! Allie’s crayon broke. I blinked. She was suddenly furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, so, sooo ANGRY!”

Brief Synopsis: When Allie’s crayon breaks, she gets really, really, really angry! Her brother knows Allie is still in there somewhere, but it’s hard to see her under all that anger. There has to be a way to make things right again.

Links To Resources: Anger Management Games And Activities For Kids (scroll down to that section); Helping Kids Learn About Facial Expressions and Feelings ; talk about what makes you angry and what are some constructive ways to cope with that anger.

Why I Like This Book: We all know that feeling when something happens – maybe even something that doesn’t seem like a big deal to anyone else – that sends us over the edge of fury. Emotion that large is hard for anyone to manage, especially a young person who hasn’t had a lot of practice. I love that this book shows the situation that causes the anger (a broken crayon), the immensity of the anger and how the individual feeling it can get lost within it, and a caring person (in this case Allie’s brother) who understands her anger and helps by offering a variety of constructive ways to deal with it until Allie emerges, once again herself. It’s simply and beautifully done, and will remind your little ones that they are not alone in feeling angry sometimes.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – No Frogs In School

September 7, 2018September 6, 201816 Comments

Welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

After a summer of not reviewing, I have so many books I want to share that it’s hard to choose just one! But I opted for one that had a connection to school since a lot of us are pretty focused on that this week! I hope you like it, too! 🙂

No Frogs In School

Title: No Frogs In School

Written By: A. LaFaye

Illustrated By: Eglantine Ceulemans

Sterling Children’s Books, August 2018, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-7

Themes/Topics: pets, following rules, school

Opening: “Bartholomew Botts loved pets. Hoppy pets, hairy pets, and scaly pets.He loved them all so much that he couldn’t go to school without one.”

Brief Synopsis: Bartholomew Botts loves his pets so much that he wants to bring one to school. But his teacher, Mr. Patanoose, has a whole lot of rules about what’s allowed in school! Is there a way to follow the rules and still have a pet in school?

Links To Resources: make your own jumping frog (easy video tutorial); Frog Activities And Fun Ideas For Kids (crafts, games, recipes, etc.)

Why I Like This Book: Bartholomew is endearing, and his love for his pets is so genuine and relatable! Who among us hasn’t wanted to bring a pet to school at least once? I love that Bartholomew doesn’t limit his choice of pet to cute and furry. Yes, he has a hamster, but he also has a frog and a salamander and a snake…among others :)… and he loves and appreciates them all. I love how earnestly he tries to respect his teacher’s rules while still trying to find a way for his pets to accompany him. And I love the clever solution he engineers at the end 🙂 The illustrations are lively and fun, and kids will have a great time finding all the animals on every page.

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 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 I apologize in advance – something has changed about the google form and spreadsheet and it looks wrong… I will try to figure out how to fix it before next week!)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Mowing

June 8, 2018June 7, 201810 Comments

How awesome is it that it’s Friday?! 🙂

Before I share my perfect picture book for today, I’d like to take this opportunity to announce that this will be the last official Perfect Picture Book Friday until September. As you all know, I put PPBF on hiatus for the summer. Between my own unpredictable schedule and the fact that many of you spend less time online in the summer, it just seems to make sense to take a break. But for those of you who are dedicated (and there is a core group of you – you are wonderful!) I look forward to seeing what you’ll share.

Would You Read It Wednesday will continue through June and July (I usually take a complete blogging break in August because really… how much of me do you all really want to have to pay attention to?! 🙂 ), and you never know what other high jinx I might get up to if I get a hair brained scheme out of the blue…

Anyway, onto today’s choice!

Apparently all I can think about this week is baby deer 🙂

So in about 14 seconds you’ll understand why I chose this week’s Perfect Picture Book 🙂

Mowing
Written By: Jessie Haas
Illustrated By: Jos. A. Smith
Greenwillow Books, 1994, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8

Themes/Topics: farms, grandparents, generations, modernization, respect for wildlife, vehicles

Opening: “Early in the morning Gramp and Nora go to the field to mow. They hear the cry of the bobolink, the swish of the tall grass, the thud of the horses’ hooves.
At the edge of the field Gramp lowers the cutter bar.
“Hop off, Nora,” he says. “You’ll be safer on the ground.” Gramp speaks softly to the horses. “Giddap!” They walk, and the mowing machine begins to clatter.”

Brief Synopsis: Just as morning is peeking over the horizon, Gramp and Nora head out to mow the hay. Gramp drives an old-fashioned sickle bar mower with Nora in his lap holding the reins. When they reach the field, it’s Nora’s job to hop down and keep an eye out for any little animal that might be injured by the horses or the cutter blades. What does she see? (I’m betting you can guess one thing she sees! :)) When the mowing is done, two tall islands of grass still stand. Gramp says some would call that a bad job of mowing, but he and Nora know better. They know they have taken care to leave the animals safe and protected.

Links To Resources: Fawn Coloring Page 1, Fawn Coloring Page 2, Fawn Facts, National Geographic Groundhog Facts, National Geographic Killdeer Facts. Talk about the difference in the way hay is mowed today. Talk about other situations where you might want to be respectful of wildlife.

Why I Like This Book: This is the kind of sweet, quiet book that I absolutely love. My kids loved it too, and we read it over and over and over. The language is gentle, the story is simple with that nostalgic feel of hearkening back to a different time, and the message of caring for all the creatures who share our world is lovely. On top of that, the art is just beautiful, particularly the way the artist captured the changing light, from dawn through late afternoon, and the different perspectives he uses. It’s a wonderful book for nap time, bedtime, or anytime kids need to unwind.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Perfect Picture Book Friday – H Is For Haiku: A Treasury Of Haiku From A To Z

June 1, 2018May 31, 201810 Comments

Happy June, Everyone!

Did you all say “Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit!” this morning? 🙂

I apologize for not being here for Perfect Picture Books last week! (…but I’m sure you all had tons of fun without me! 🙂 )

Today, I’m honored to have a very special book to share. I hope you will all get a chance to read it at some point. It is well worth it!

It’s not often we get to know the personal backstory of a book, so it’s a special treat to know where there one has its origins.

The publication of this book is the culmination of a decades-long dream. The author, Sydell Rosenberg, was a public school teacher in New York City and a charter member of the Haiku Society of America. She wrote haiku for children that reflected her urban surroundings and sensibilities and were universal and timeless as well. After her death, her daughter, Amy, determined to see Syd’s dream of publishing a book of children’s haiku become reality. The result is this book. Lovely. Delightful. Thought-provoking. Full of Syd’s perceptive view of the world.

H IS FOR HAIKU BOOK COVER PENNY CANDY BOOKS March 2018

Title: H Is For Haiku: A Treasury Of Haiku From A To Z

Written By: Sydell Rosenberg

Illustrated By: Sawsan Chalabi

Penny Candy Books, April 2018, haiku/poetry

Suitable For Ages: listed for Kindergarten – Grade 6, but a book all ages can enjoy!

Themes/Topics: moments that make up life, poetry (haiku)

Opening: “Adventures over
the cat sits in the fur ring
of his tail, and dreams.”

Text copyright Sydell Rosenberg, 2018, illustration copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2018

Brief Synopsis: One haiku for each letter of the alphabet describes the little moments and details that make up every day life.

Links To Resources: an author’s forward defines haiku and describes how to write them; write your own haiku – or expand on that by thinking of a theme and writing a group of haiku that go together (e.g. “springtime”, “water”, “forest animals”, or “apple-picking”); illustrate your haiku!

text copyright Sydell Rosenberg, 2018, illustration copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2018

Why I Like This Book: I don’t just like this book. I love it. Each of the haiku is its own little moment or detail, something that rings so true you can’t help but feel its resonance in your own experience. It’s the kind of book that makes you stop and take notice. And isn’t that a valuable reminder for us all? To live in the present and notice all the little things around us? To be sure not to miss what’s right before our eyes? The language is beautiful, articulate, and accessible. Young or old, readers will enjoy these tiny nuggets of truth. I chose two of my favorites from the book to show above in the illustrations 🙂 but they’re all wonderful! The art is bold and fun, and a perfect complement to the poems.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

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

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂

Susanna Leonard Hill

Children's Author

Tag: picture book

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Laura Renauld!

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Hannah Holt!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Garden Party: A Counting Adventure Book

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Beth Anderson!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Noah Webster And His Words

Tuesday Debut – Presenting Jessie Oliveros!

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Allie All Along

Perfect Picture Book Friday – No Frogs In School

Perfect Picture Book Friday – Mowing

Perfect Picture Book Friday – H Is For Haiku: A Treasury Of Haiku From A To Z