It’s a Picture Book Party for 12 x 12’ers AND a Giveaway!

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There will definitely be CAKE!  I’m sure Jeremy will be happy to share a piece with you.

 

You are welcome to help yourself to an Overnight Cookie!

And make sure you read through to the end, because there is a prize lurking around!

I’m joining in on the six-month celebration of Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge.

In January, Julie issued a challenge to picture book writers and illustrators: write a picture book draft each month of 2012.  Hundreds of people hopped aboard the 12 x 12 train and Julie set up an amazing Facebook page to encourage participants to connect with each other.  Her blog posts are a treasure…filled with information and valuable advice…often offered via interviews with editors, authors, illustrators and others in the field of children’s picture books.

I’ve had a life-long passion for picture books…as a child, I loved listening to them…as a teacher and mom, I loved reading them to kids…and for the past forty years, I’ve dabbled in writing them.

Julie’s challenge has spurred me to do more than just dabble…and in the past six months, I’m proud to say that I HAVE written six picture book drafts…and scribbled ideas for quite a few more!

What’s so  special about picture books you may ask?

  • Picture books are usually a child’s first introduction to the written word.
  • Picture books help develop better reading readiness and literacy skills.
  • Picture books introduce children to the world of art.
  • Picture books help parents and children bond with each other.
  • Picture books are a crucial tool for encouraging life-long learning among children.
  • Picture books allow kids to relate their own life experiences to the events in the story.
  • Picture books help build self-esteem in children.
  • Picture books are enjoyable and entertaining.

Here’s an example of one of the classic picture books that I love.

Do those words sound familiar?  This verse comes from one of the most famous picture books every published.  Madeline was written in 1939 by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian author who relocated to New York City.  Madeline is quite the modern day young girl who thinks for herself and has courage and determination.

Maybe one day, my stories will be enjoyed by children all over the world…for now, my grandchildren and the kindergarten classes I visit during the school year are my audience.  In the next few days, I plan to submit one of them to Rate Your Story.

 In January, my picture book draft was a rhyming story about my daughter and her favorite hat: Caroline’s Flower-Sprigged Hat.

 In February, I wrote another rhyming tale about a bunch of unlikely Valentine’s: Whom Do I Love?

 In March, my picture book draft relayed the saga of a little boy who refuses to take off his boots: The Boots of Dylan McGee.

 In April, I entered Susanna Leonard Hill’s Birthday Contest with another rhyme about a little girl who came up with an ingenious idea because she didn’t want her brother to come to her party: No Brother for My Birthday.

 In May, I turned my efforts to prose in a true story about my younger son: The Tomato Turner.

 And this month, I wrote a sequel to the saga: Confessions of the Tomato Turner.

 I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy.  This wonderful kid lit community is filled with picture book authors, illustrators, librarians, teachers and others who love picture books and understand how important they are for children.  I am so fortunate to have connected with them and I look forward to the second half of the year…Thank You to Julie, Susanna, Tracy, Penny, Clar, Joanna, Stacy, Tina, Robyn, Beth, Heather, Catherine, Kirsten, Jennifer Y, Jennifer R, Amy, Jackie, Darshana, Emily, Diane, Renee, Erik…I know I’ve missed a bunch of you…but I’ve enjoyed reading your posts and your comments on mine…and I’ve learned so much!

 

And now for the prize!  This is the 300th post on my blog!  I’m so excited because when I started out almost two years ago, I knew almost nothing about the Internet, blogging and social media like Twitter.  When someone said I could “grab their button” I thought they were talking about the round piece of plastic, metal or wood that you sew onto a coat.  I had no idea how to link a URL to a picture or word…and I also had no idea what a URL was.

In honor of this 300th post, I’d like to give away a lovely copy of The Lap-Time Song and Play Book, edited by Jane Yolen with illustrations by Margot Tomes.  If you’d like a chance to receive this special picture book with favorites like “I’m a Little Teapot” and “The Eensy Weensy Spider”, please leave a comment on this post and let me know you’d like to win it.  When I get back from my trip to Chicago, I’ll use Random.org to pick the winner.

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81 thoughts on “It’s a Picture Book Party for 12 x 12’ers AND a Giveaway!”

  2. Hi Vivian:

    It’s been a hectic week. I’m now just getting around to tackling my emails. Better late than never. I loved your post and the titles of the six books you’ve written. Your snappy hooks are excellent and I’d love to read them all.

    I’d forgotten about the “Madeline books”–one of my favourites growing up.

    Congratulations on your 300th post. Thank you for sharing your journey with regards to the little you knew about blogging, facebook, twitter, etc. I have yet to get on facebook and twitter, but it sounds like something I need to do…very soon!

    I hope I’m not too late to get my name in the draw for a prize. LOL!

    Thanks again,
    Tracy

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    • Of course it’s not too late. 🙂 🙂
      Thanks for the words of encouragement about the book titles…it’s wonderful to get positive feedback…well, it’s great to get any kind of feedback…but positive is so much more easy to take. 🙂
      Regarding the social media…I jumped in with everything pretty much at once…and I wouldn’t recommend that…it would probably have been easier and better to do one thing at a time…blog first, then maybe twitter…then add the others one at a time.
      Have a wonderful weekend…any plans for July 4th?

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      • Oh, good!
        We all need positive feedback. It’s what keeps us motivated.
        I’ve been busy creating a new website and am currently revamping my blog. Once that done, I plan on checking out Twitter and…and…
        There are only so many hours in a day.
        We Canadians celebrate on July 1st, and I’m off with my hubby and dogs to a cottage for a four day break starting today and with no internet. I think I might go through withdrawal.
        How about you?

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        • Oh, I’m so glad you are getting to take a break!  We’ve been dealing with the Waldo Canyon Fire which spread into one of the residential mountain communities of Colorado Springs and destroyed over 300 homes on Tuesday night. 😦  Fortunately, we are safe and our home is far enough removed that I don’t think it will be in danger…but the air quality is quite poor and everything smells like a BBQ gone bad.   I’m leaving for Chicago on Saturday to spend 5 days with my son and daughter-in-law (she is the one who designed the cover of my book)…so I will have a wonderful break as well!   

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  5. Congrats and keep up the hard word. I thought No Brother For My Birthday was a cute story. Two years ago I was against blogging as I was afraid to put myself out there and now I love it! Please enter me in your contest.

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    • Hi Rena…so nice to have you here. 🙂 Thank you so much for the words of praise about No Brother for my Birthday…I love it also. 🙂 🙂 Yes, it is hard to put yourself out there…especially on a blog…since there are folks out there who might decide they like it and want it for their own…but I try to have faith in humanity…and will trust until proved differently. 🙂

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    • Thanks so much, Cynthia! It’s been an amazing 2012 so far! I’m scheduled to board a plane to Chicago in 2 hours, so I have to run…but will check out the newest linkers to Julie’s 12×12 party…will I find you there? 🙂

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  8. Wonderful post, Vivian! I recognized the lines from Madeline right away as my girls always loved those stories. Your cookies look delicious!

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    • Oh Rebecca…thank you so much for stopping by…I feel so badly, not checking in on the more recent entries to Julie’s 12×12 link…but I will do it as soon as I can. 🙂 Yes, Madeline is a classic…and the cookies are as well…hope you give them a try. 🙂

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  9. Vivian, I hope you are enjoying (enjoyed) your visit with your son and daughter-in-law.
    I just want to say your enthusiasm is inspiring. 🙂
    You are doing well! I have been blogging on WordPress since January 2010, and I have just under 200 posts. What excited me was when my total visits reached 5,000, and now it’s over 11,000.
    I enjoy blogging, when I can think of something to share.

    Yay! for halfway to 12 in 12. 🙂

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    • Thank you so much, Lynn! I don’t have too much opportunity for blogging and responding to comments while I’m here in Chicago…my son and daughter-in-law are wanting me to have a real R&R vacation. 🙂 But I will be over to visit your blog as soon as possible. 🙂 Yes, Hurray for halfway to 12 in 12. 🙂

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  10. Happy 300th! And happy halfway in the 12×12 journey. Your stories all sound delightful. I especially remember Whom Do I Love from Susannah’s Valentines Day Contest. It reminds me of a soothing lullaby. If I’m not too late to this party, I’d also love the book you are giving away. Here’s to another wonderful six months!

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    • Happy to have you here, Hannah! And I am very appreciative of your kind words…I hope to one day see “Whom Do I Love” in the hands of little ones. 🙂 I’d be happy to enter you in the giveaway…and happy writing and best of luck for the second half of 12×12. 🙂

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  11. Good reasons for reading, besides the pleasure it gives. Makes it imperative to offer well-written books to the public. You are well on your way, Vivian…and congrats on your 300th post!

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  12. Good reasons for reading…all obvious, but some, I had not heard of! Makes it imperative to offer well-written books to the world. You are well on your way, Vivian. And congrats on this your 300th post!

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    • Thank you, Dana…it’s been an extremely productive year so far…thanks in large part fo Julie and Susanna…I’m thrilled! Glad you like the blog…it needs so cleaning up…especially the sidebars. 🙂

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  14. Thank you Vivian. What a fun group in this 12x family/network! I may take just a small corner piece of Jeremy’s cake for the celebration. 🙂 Congrats on your manuscripts and your audience!

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  15. Doing more than dabbling is what this challenge is about.
    Ducks dabble…until they find a morsel in their dabbling bill that excites their little skinny tongues, and SNAP they eat it up!
    Congrats Vivian! Let us all keep doing more than dabble.

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  16. Pingback: And the winner is…Awards and a Giveaway « Positive Parental Participation

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