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

Posted on June 25, 2012 by viviankirkfield

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 300^th 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 300^th 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.

Downloads Madeline Pop-up Book (Viking Kestrel picture books) e-book (qyotmpqh.typepad.com)
Terri Murphy’s Journey of a Picture Book: One Day I Went Rambling (moreart4all.wordpress.com)
2 Wordless Picture Books GIVEAWAYS and How to Read Them (pragmaticmom.com)

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

Beth Stilborn on June 25, 2012 at 5:24 am said:

What a wonderful post! Happy 6 x 6 in 12 x 12 to you! And I would love to win that book — it sounds so beautiful. I know a little girl who would absolutely love it.

Thanks, Vivian!

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 5:34 am said:
  
  Thanks so much, Beth! Maybe you should get two entries for being the first to comment…and so very quickly as well!!!! It’s truly been a joyful 6 months for me…I’m bubbling over with happiness and lots of story ideas. 🙂 I’m glad you liked the post…I don’t think Julie’s is up yet (she and I are on Mountain Time)…so I will link the 12 x 12 picture as soon as she posts.
  
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  - Beth Stilborn on June 25, 2012 at 6:20 am said:
    
    I’m on Mountain Time, too, at the moment (we don’t go on Daylight Saving Time, so sometimes we seem to be on Mountain, sometimes on Central.) So we’re both up after midnight for a very worthy cause.
    
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    - viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 6:42 am said:
      
      I often stay up too late…my husband is a night-owl and a bad influence. 🙂 We’ve been deaing with the Waldo Canyon Fire here in Colorado Springs…kind of scary…lots of evacuations…so we spent most of the day packing up stuff in case they tell us we need to leave.
      
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  - Julie on June 25, 2012 at 8:07 am said:
    
    I’m up too on Mountain Time! All of us Un-Sleepyheads. Hey, that could be the title of my July draft!! 🙂
    
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    - viviankirkfield on July 7, 2012 at 4:33 am said:
      
      The Un-sleepyheads…love it!
      I always joke with my husband, who is a night-owl and gets up in the afternoon sometimes, that I will write a book called “One-Meal Martin”…about a little boy who sleeps so late that he gets up in time to have dinner. But now that I think about it, it might make a great pb. 🙂
      
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future.flying.saucers on June 25, 2012 at 5:33 am said:

I’ve dabbled in writing myself, but have stuck with freelancing. Perhaps one day I can get the ideas down on paper. I would love to win the book. 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 5:37 am said:
  
  Thanks so much for stopping by…I’ll head over as soon as I can to visit your blog. You are entered to win the book…it’s lovely to look at and functional as well. Good luck with your writing. 🙂
  
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Julie on June 25, 2012 at 8:10 am said:

Wow Vivian, I can’t believe it’s both the 12 x 12 party AND your 300th post! Congratulations!! But I have to say I LOVE your blog.

I also LOVE your PB titles. I am especially intrigued by The Boots of Dylan McGee. I am so glad you joined the challenge and the you are WRITING. I, for one, am very confident your stories will be enjoyed by many, many children.

Keep writing!

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- viviankirkfield on July 7, 2012 at 4:30 am said:
  
  I really appreciate your words of praise and encouragement, Julie. By the way, I found you in my span folder. 😦 😦 😦 Just now…and it looks like you wrote this over a week ago. 😦
  I have you to thank, Julie, for leading the 12×12 challenge…and providing so much inspiration and information on writing picture books!
  
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patientdreamer on June 25, 2012 at 8:39 am said:

This is so exciting having a party online. Like you I had no idea on many things that come with blogging and I’m still learning….lol. Happy 12×12 to you! Isn’t it amazing, we are half way there already, boy this sure makes the year go fast…lol. Love the book. All the best Vivian, and let me know how you go with Rate your Story!

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:55 pm said:
  
  I know, Diane…it’s hard to believe it is already the end of June…before we know it, it will be Christmas!
  Thanks for the kind words about the book…and I will keep everyone in the loop about the Rate Your Story submission which I PROMISE to do on Thursday. You see, that’s one of the best things about this 12 x 12 group…we say we will do something…and then we need to make good on our promise…kind of keeps us “honest” and doesn’t let us procrastinate. 🙂 🙂
  
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Melissa on June 25, 2012 at 9:24 am said:

Great to see you at the party 🙂 I would love to win this book – if you’re happy to send it to Australia…

All the best with your Rate Your Story submission.

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:50 pm said:
  
  Hi Melissa…so nice of you to come by and comment. 🙂 Let me check on the postage to Australia…if it’s not too much, I’d be happy to enter you in the giveaway! Thanks for the good wishes on the Rate Your Story…I need to do that by Thursday…meant to do it yesterday, but we’ve had these crazy fires here in Colorado and I had to prepare for possible evacuation.
  
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Colline on June 25, 2012 at 9:32 am said:

I love picture books! I spent many hours with my children reading these over and over again. Now they are too old for them but I still read them – to any classes that I have. And if I am fortunate enough to win this copy, it would be added to my growing collection 🙂
Congratulations on your 300th post 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:47 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Colline! Picture books are really special…for all of the reasons I listed…and more! I love picture books…going into a used bookstore and finding a classic treasure is a joy for me, even if I don’t have a child to read it to.
  
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cyclingrandma on June 25, 2012 at 10:26 am said:

My sister Madeline was named that because me and my other sister loved the book so much. I am a picture book addict and have dabbled with a writing a few– I’ll check out the challenge. Your own books sound wonderful- are you publishing them? Have a great trip and congrats on your 300th post! Wow! And Jane Yolen– the very best of the best. My son wrote to her years ago about her dragon trilogy (ya), and we still have the letter she hand wrote in return.

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:44 pm said:
  
  Glad you enjoyed the post…thanks for the congrats. Julie Hedlund organized this 12 x 12 challenge and it has an enormous following…I think it struck a chord in many who love to write and who enjoy the motivation of “group support” in such an endeavor.
  I’ve found that most picture book authors and illustrators are quite generous with their time…they especially appreciate the children who read and love their books. 🙂
  I do plan to follow through with the picture book drafts I have done…I never tire of reading them (and sometimes rewriting here and there), so I guess they can’t be too bad. 🙂
  
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Kathy Phillips on June 25, 2012 at 12:29 pm said:

Great post! Congrats on your 300th post 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:38 pm said:
  
  Thanks so much, Kathy! I can’t believe I’ve written 300 already. 🙂
  
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Jennifer Lee Young (@ItsJennyYoung) on June 25, 2012 at 3:45 pm said:

First, big CONGRATs on your 300!!! I loved your post Vivian, it makes me want to rewrite my short one 🙂 Your draft titles are so interesting and creative. Best of luck with your next six!!!

Also, I would love to win the Lap time Song and Play Book for my daughters. Thanks for the giveaway!

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:37 pm said:
  
  Oh Jennifer…thanks for the congrats…I do love to write…just wish I had more time (don’t we all).:)
  I’ve had fun with the blog…but Julie’s 12 x 12 (and Susanna’s PPBF) have added an incredible layer of joy to my life…picture books have always been my passion…and writing them completes something in me and I appreciate your kind words about the titles. 🙂
  You are entered in the giveaway…best of luck!
  I’ll be visiting the other posts tonight…short is good…I wish I knew how to do that. 🙂 🙂 🙂
  
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julie rowan zoch on June 25, 2012 at 9:12 pm said:

Love the title The Boots of Dylan McGee – can’t wait to read it through!

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:32 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Julie…I had so much fun writing it…and everyone who has read it says it is pretty funny…maybe I should submit that one to Rate Your Story…what do you think? 🙂 I’m excited to read everyone’s party post…what a great idea Julie H had!
  
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carterhiggins on June 25, 2012 at 10:31 pm said:

I need to know what goes into an overnight cookie…they look delicious! I might be too impatient to wait a whole night to eat some, though. Yum, yum!

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- viviankirkfield on June 25, 2012 at 11:27 pm said:
  
  Glad you stopped by, Carter! They are the most delicious GLUTEN-FREE easy-peasy cookies I’ve ever made. I did a blog post with the recipe: https://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/the-best-and-easiest-cookie-recipe-ever/
  You really don’t have to wait overnight…that just makes it a fun recipe for kids…they only bake for 5 minutes…and you can remove them from the cooling oven after about 15 or 20 minutes. Just four ingredients: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup ground almonds and 1 cup raisins. Let me know if you try them…I make them every week for my husband. 🙂
  
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  - carterhiggins on June 26, 2012 at 3:38 pm said:
    
    Might just put that on today’s to-do list!
    
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Perfecting Motherhood on June 26, 2012 at 12:56 am said:

Congratulations for the 300th post, the book writing exercise, everything! Picture books are also similar to any other book, as a wonderful way to take a journey to a real or imaginary place and meet real or imaginary people, and do it again, do it again, do it again. I can’t believe why so few people read books.

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- viviankirkfield on June 26, 2012 at 3:51 am said:
  
  I don’t know, Milka! For me as well, books are a passport to learning more about our world or discovering another one…reality, fantasy, mystery, adventure, biography…it doesn’t matter what type of book a person prefers. 🙂
  
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Ramona on June 26, 2012 at 5:51 am said:

Hi Vivian, I loved the fact that you gave us a snippet of each story you have written so far. I hope you don’t mind but I have done the same as you! Well done on completing 6/12 months. 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on June 26, 2012 at 6:01 am said:
  
  Mind? I am thrilled that you would like it so much you wanted to do it for yours. 🙂 You’ll read my comment on your 12×12 party post…I thank you so much for the mock-up idea…I knew there was something I should be doing that I hadn’t done already. 🙂
  
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thiskidreviewsbooks on June 26, 2012 at 2:05 pm said:

I think Josie (my little sister) will like the book, so just put me in. I Like the post and the ideas for your PB(s) (not Peanut Butter)! I am glad to see you are progressing quickly!:D

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- viviankirkfield on June 26, 2012 at 3:28 pm said:
  
  Thanks, Erik! You are entered for a chance to win the book. 🙂 And I love Peanut Butter..although not as much as I love picture books!
  
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Penny Klostermann on June 26, 2012 at 11:22 pm said:

What a perfect party post, Catherine! All of your picture book titles are so appealing! Congrats on finishing that many!
I loved your list! Awesome!
The book sounds great…and of course, I’d like to be in the random choosing!
Hope Chicago was wonderful!

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- viviankirkfield on June 27, 2012 at 6:51 am said:
  
  Thank you, Penny! You are entered in the picture book drawing. 🙂 I’m hoping I’ll be able to go to Chicago…don’t know if you’ve seen what is going on in Colorado Springs…scary huge wildfires that have spread to the outskirts of the city….over 800 firefighters on the scene and tanker planes that drop thousands of gallons of water or fire retardant…the temps have been 98-100 for the past several days…and late this afternoon, winds of 65 miles an hour pushed the fires over the ridge and into some amazing homes on the hill…so sad…over 30,000 people evacuated from their homes…6300 acres burning…and the smell of smoke is everywhere. We definitely need everyone’s prayers. 🙂
  
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Romelle Broas on June 27, 2012 at 6:36 am said:

What a great post! I love your run down of why picture books are special and your list of picture books you wrote for 12 x 12. What a way to celebrate the halfway mark. AND you are giving a gift away at your party! That is so generous of you. Congratulations on your 300!

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- viviankirkfield on June 27, 2012 at 6:55 am said:
  
  Thank you so much, Romelle! Glad you liked the post..I love to give parents something of value in each of my posts…and I’m thrilled I’ve been able to write 6 pb drafts…it’s been a blast! Everyone who comments will be entered to win the Jane Yolen book. 🙂 And thanks for the congrats!
  
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Spanish Pinay on June 27, 2012 at 7:18 am said:

Congratulations on those picture books you have written and scribbled! I do hope you get to publish them 🙂 I know they’ll be awesome and I will definitely try to get a hold of them for my child. We have a growing book collection for her now I so need a bigger bookshelf. Congratulations on your 300th blog post too!

By the way, about my promise post, I haven’t forgotten about it. i am just sooooo stumped with too many things going on, I can hardly do a decent post on my blog. But I do hope this will pass once we pick up with our new routine. I’ve actually have a draft for that post and has never really gotten the chance to finish it. Thanks for visiting my blog even if I can’t frequent your blog as much as I want.

Enjoy your trip to Chicago!!

Spanish Pinay

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- viviankirkfield on June 27, 2012 at 7:36 am said:
  
  Thank you, Marilou, for your kind words. 🙂 I had so much fun writing the picture book drafts…and of course, I love doing the blog posts! Please don’t stress out about the Show Me How post…whenever you are able to do it will be just fine! Your LSP comes first in your life…and that is as it should be. We are in the middle of a huge wildfire that is threatening Colorado Springs and has already destroyed a number of homes on the hillside…pretty scary…and the smoke fills the air over the city. 😦 We’ve packed our Jeep, just in case we get the word to evacuate…many communities already have been…but we are not that close to the hillside, so hopefully that won’t happen.
  
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Heather Newman (@HeatherNewman12) on June 27, 2012 at 4:18 pm said:

Congratulations on 300 posts and 6 manuscripts! I am curious about the Tomato Turner story 🙂 Will it have more than 2 in the series? I hope your home remains safe in the midst of the wildfires.

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- viviankirkfield on July 3, 2012 at 2:48 pm said:
  
  Hi Heather…it’s been a wonderful six months…I’m so impressed with the quantity and quality of work that everyone has done. 🙂
  The Tomato Turner will have quite a few stories in the series…I just finished working on #3 while I’m visiting with my son (The Tomato Turner himself) and his wife, here in Chicago. 🙂 It’s called, “The Tomato Turner Gets a Job: A Story About Responsibility”…about the time when his bike was crushed by the garbage truck because he left it out in the driveway overnight…and we told him he would have to save his own money if he wanted another one…which he did.
  Happy writing and drawing in the second half of 2012!
  
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Eric Van Raepenbusch - Happy Birthday Author on June 28, 2012 at 1:52 am said:

Great Post Vivian! Congrats on blogging for over 2 years and 300 posts! That is awesome!

I really like the sounds of The Boots of Dylan McGee! Great title!

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- viviankirkfield on June 28, 2012 at 3:34 am said:
  
  Thanks for stopping by, Eric! The Boots of Dylan McGee is one of my favorites of the 6 I wrote so far this year…still needs a little tweaking, I think (maybe I should have Julie take a look at it with her manuscript critique service). And with each blog I write, I learn a bit more about blogging. 🙂
  
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Cathy C. Hall on June 28, 2012 at 2:41 am said:

Oh, big congrats on the two years and BIG congrats on those SIX PB manuscripts! So glad I dropped by your (blog) party. Your little one must be better at sharing than my little boys were! 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on June 28, 2012 at 3:41 am said:
  
  Thanks so much, Cathy…I’m thrilled you stopped by!!!
  My little ones are not little anymore…and they had their moments when it came to sharing. 🙂 My daughter’s little boy is usually the child in most of my photos…and he is usually pretty good at sharing…but I’m sure he has his days as well…I think sharing is a learned skill. 🙂
  
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